Library Worklife

HR Practice

The Case for Job Descriptions

By Paula Singer, Ph.D. and Linda Goldberg, SPHR, CCP

Imagine yourself , set to build your dream house; the chance of a lifetime, coming true! Whatever you design, it will be built! In a terrible hurry, you bring in Acme Contractors, the first listing in the phone book, and show them your lot. They ask, "What do you have in mind?" Your not-so-well-thought-out answer, "Four walls and a roof." And throw in some plumbing for good measure." With instructions like that, you would most likely deserve what was delivered, if indeed it ever gets built.

In many libraries, that’s about the same level of thought that goes into creating jobs and job descriptions. Some people claim that job descriptions are just too much trouble; they become outdated much too quickly to keep current; they create excessive bureaucracy. The job descriptions state the obvious, because, after all, the employee should know what she is expected to do, right?

Wrong. In the same way that you would have a mess of a house without blue prints, the functions and activities of organizations are chaotic without the critical infrastructure provided by job descriptions. Sure, they take a bit of research and work to produce, but the pay-off provides tremendous value in supporting organizational goals. Job descriptions are one of the most critical resources for libraries and other information-based organizations. Here’s why:

Job descriptions ensure that each position supports the library’s mission. By cascading down from a library’s mission statement, each job can be linked back to the mission, with specifics about how that job ultimately supports organizational goals. That alignment provides purpose and meaning to employees so they understand the relevance of what they do on a daily basis. Relevance supports our ability to motivate employees, appealing to their needs for affiliation and sense of purpose. While perhaps a bit oversimplified, without the job description, employees are stuck in the stacks without a Dewey Decimal (or Library of Congress) System.

Job descriptions describe expectations of the work to be performed. On an employee’s first day in a new position, the job description is the reference document for explaining the daily duties required to perform the job competently. Little guesswork is involved in determining what to focus on each day, because the job description lists the most frequently performed duties and essential functions, in order of their importance.

Job descriptions provide parameters for selecting job candidates. Comprehensive job descriptions include job specifications - the skills, knowledge and abilities that have been determined to predict competent job performance. These set the bar for determining whether applicants—those individuals expressing interest in a position—are actually capable, at least on paper, of meeting the core prerequisites. Hiring supervisors can whittle away the pool of applicants to a more manageable number of candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the position and who possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities.

Job descriptions provide a basis for setting compensation levels. Your compensation system is designed to attract, retain and motivate high-quality employees. However, you can’t possibly know whether you are paying at the market rate and, therefore, within the competitive range unless you can compare your position pay rates against those of other employers. The job descriptions provide the baseline for comparing apples to apples or, more to the subject, Circulation Supervisor to Circulation Supervisor. As the job market tightens with the Baby Boomers’ exit, some traditional library talent will be lured away from libraries as employees are offered higher-paying positions utilizing their skills in both the public and private sectors. At that point, being able to compare payment for skill sets may become critical to fill open slots. Without current and accurate job descriptions, your compensation system becomes essentially a shot in the dark.

Job descriptions allow you to build succession plans and career paths. By defining job duties, levels of responsibilities and job specifications, you create options for employees to stay with your organization and build a career. Competent employees can be trained and developed to take on increasing levels of responsibility or to move to a higher-level position when a slot opens up. Employees are more likely to stay in an organization where there are clear indications of possible progression based on performance and skill development. And having employees who stay with your organization means you spend less time recruiting and training and more time providing services to your customers.

Job descriptions set standards for fairness and even-handed decision-making. A job description provides justification for making candidate selections or managing performance problems. When an employee questions a personnel decision, the job description is one tool that can be used as a reference in explaining the basis for the decision. By having and referring to job descriptions, you reinforce the notion that your library values fairness and equity, two values which employees greatly value.

Job descriptions provide a forum for information employees and candidates about important compliance issues. Job descriptions are the logical place to identify the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) classification of the position as exempt or non-exempt. They also provide the appropriate place to describe the essential and non-essential functions of the position as they relate to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Writing job descriptions for the first time or updating them if they’ve already been written and are out-of-date might be compared by some to walking on a treadmill: you feel good once you are finished but, while you are walking, you’re pretty sure you’re not going anywhere. It takes a time commitment by many people including supervisors, employees and human resource professionals to complete thorough job analysis and document the findings in job descriptions. But when it’s done, you will have built an important component of the foundation for your library and the infrastructure necessary to meet your library’s goals.

Paula Singer and Linda Goldberg are with The Singer Group, Inc., a human resources, compensation and organization design consulting firm. They can be reached at (410) 561-7561.