Job descriptions

## Structure of the job description A job description should be drawn up according to a well-defined structure, so that the information is it clear for both the employee and the manager. The universal structure of the job description includes the following sections: #### General Provisions This section describes the status of the position in the organization - its place in the organizational structure, in which division the employee works and what the chain of command is. It also reflects the objectives of the position, a brief description of why the role exists in the company, and how it relates to the overall operations of the company. #### Job Responsibilities This section should outline all of the essential functions and tasks that the employee must perform as accurately as possible within the scope of the position to eliminate the risk of double interpretation or misunderstanding. Incorrectly worded or vague duties can lead to conflicts within the team and make it difficult to monitor job performance. #### Entitlements This section describes the legal authority that an employee can use to fulfill his or her duties, whether it be rights to make requests to other departments or to make decisions within the scope of the position. Clearly defining employee rights helps avoid situations where an employee exceeds the scope of authority or, conversely, does not use authority to its fullest extent. #### Responsibilities This section defines the employee's responsibility for failure to fulfill or improper fulfillment of his/her duties. Liability can be either material (for loss or damage to property), disciplinary or administrative. This section makes it clear what the consequences will be in case of violation of labor discipline or improper performance of duties. #### Qualification requirements This part contains all the requirements for the candidate: education, work experience, knowledge of specific programs or technologies, necessary skills and competencies to perform the duties. #### Working conditions Some organizations include this section to indicate the features of the employee's workplace, including harmful or hazardous work factors and requirements for the protection of his health. Thus, a standard job description consists of several sections, each of which is responsible for one or another part of the employee's interaction with the work process. The instruction will help minimize possible errors at the stage of the employee's work duties and will contribute to efficiency within the company. ## Why do I need a job description? A job description helps to delineate the responsibilities of employees, which helps to increase **efficiency and productivity**. Each employee knows exactly what is expected of them and this minimizes errors and delays, improving overall performance. It also speeds up the **training** process for **new employees**. By detailing responsibilities and goals, newcomers adapt more quickly and become productive, reducing training costs. A job description **reduces the risk of legal disputes** by providing transparency of rights and responsibilities, as clearly defined requirements help avoid misunderstandings and serve as a basis for resolving conflicts if they arise. In addition, such instructions contribute to the growth of the engagement index[(eNPS]()) and **motivation of employees**, as they know their tasks and are evaluated only for their fulfillment, which motivates them to work more productively and achieve better results. Properly drafted job descriptions allow you to **monitor and evaluate performance**, which improves the quality of work and helps the company improve financial and operational performance. They also help build the right organizational structure, support the company's strategic growth, and facilitate **communication between departments**. When responsibilities are clearly assigned, conflicts and misunderstandings are reduced, speeding up decision-making and improving overall efficiency. In an environment of change, job descriptions allow a company to be more **resistant to change** and innovation, which is important to remain competitive in the marketplace. Thus, a job description is a tool that helps to improve internal efficiency, reduce risks and ensure sustainable growth of the company. ## Types of job descriptions Depending on the goals and characteristics of the organization, two types of job descriptions are distinguished: individual and standard. Each of them has its own features, purpose and scope of application. #### Individual job description An individual job description is a document that is developed for a specific employee who occupies a certain position. It details his duties, rights, responsibilities and requirements, taking into account the specific conditions of work in the organization, as well as the features and requirements of this position. For example, an instruction for the head of the IT department. For him, the instruction may include unique tasks: coordination of work with specific software development contractors, implementation of specific automation systems or data security for certain business processes. #### Standard job description A standard job description is a standard document that applies to all employees in the same category or group of positions in an organization. Such a document is general in nature and describes the typical functions and responsibilities that are expected for a certain position, without taking into account the specific employee. For example, an instruction for a sales manager. A typical instruction for a manager will include a description of general duties: searching and attracting new customers, maintaining relationships with existing customers, fulfilling sales plans and reporting to management, without specifying the specifics of work for each individual manager.

Comparison of individual and standard job descriptions
Criterion	Individual job description	Standard job description
Purpose	Description of duties for an individual employee.	Description of duties for a group of workers.
Nature	Personalized document, the employee's full name is specified	Standard, unified document, without full name.
Content	Includes unique requirements, duties, and working conditions.	Description of the standard duties for the position.
Application	Used for a specific employee.	Applies to all employees in the category.
Update	May change as the duties or conditions of the employee's job change.	Rarely updated, except for changes to industry standard job descriptions.

## How to write a job description: a step-by-step guide Preparing a job description requires taking into account many factors: the specifics of the position, the organizational structure of the company, the goals and objectives of the employee, as well as legal and regulatory requirements governing labor relations. It is important that the instruction is tailored to the needs of the business and provides transparency in the management of work processes, so the efficiency will be higher, and the risk of labor disputes will be less. In order to create the document correctly, specialists usually perform the following actions: 1. Study the necessary professional standards and regulatory documents It is necessary to study several important documents: - Professional standards (Profstandards) - documents approved by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, which describe the requirements for the qualifications of workers in a particular profession or position. - Labor Code of the Russian Federation - regulates the rights and obligations of employers and employees, defines working conditions, working hours, vacation rights, responsibilities and other aspects of labor relations. - Industry-specific regulatory documents. - Special instructions or regulations for specific areas of activity. 2. Develop job descriptions Start by describing the goals and objectives of the position, defining its role in the company. Then list the key responsibilities and qualification requirements: education, experience and skills. Define the rights and responsibilities of the employee for the fulfillment of duties. Finally, specify the working conditions: working mode, business trips and peculiarities of work (for example, night shifts or increased danger). 3. Check the drafted document with the specialists of the legal department The legal check will make sure that the instruction complies with all applicable laws, corporate standards and internal regulations. 4. Signed and approved After the legal check, the instruction is approved by the head or authorized person of the company, which confirms that the document is accepted and enters into force. It is also often carried out registration of the document in a special journal, where it is recorded who and when signed the instruction. 5. Familiarize the specialist and ensure the storage of the document After approving the instruction, the employee must familiarize himself with the document and sign it, confirming the understanding of his duties. It is important to issue a copy of the document for the employee's personal retention. The original copy of the instruction is kept in the company's personnel archive and can also be placed electronically for easy access in case of disputes or changes in responsibilities. To simplify this process, companies can utilize [SimpleOne's ‍󠀸󠁆󠁑 HRMS]() solution, which offers a convenient database of job descriptions and the ability to administer them. In this system you can easily store and manage job descriptions, keep them up to date and quickly adapt them to changes in legislation or internal company structure. ## Mistakes in drafting Drawing up a job description is a complex process, and you may encounter a number of mistakes when doing it. One of the most common is the avoidance of specificity. If duties are vaguely and vaguely worded, an employee may get lost in their tasks or feel that they are more or less than expected. Another mistake is **overloading the document with responsibilities** that go beyond the scope of the employee's position. For example, if a sales manager's manual includes a clause about marketing tasks, this can cause the employee to become disgruntled and misunderstand his or her real responsibilities. It is also important to avoid **including contradictory clauses** in the same job description. For example, an employee may be required to perform tasks that are not inherent to him or report to different managers, which will create conflict situations in the organization. Another mistake is **failing to regularly update documents** according to changes in the workflow or internal company policies. If job descriptions are not updated when a project expands or functions increase, it will also lead to employee performance issues. ## Example of a job description As an example, let's look at an office manager's job description.

Section	What to specify
"General Provisions."	It is indicated that the office manager reports to the director of the company and is responsible for the effective organization of the office: providing employees with the necessary resources, maintaining order and documentation.
"Responsibilities".	Describes the main tasks: receiving calls, coordinating the work of couriers, interacting with stationery suppliers and other activities that require the performance of daily tasks to maintain the office.
"Authority."	Provides authority, such as the ability to request information or materials from coworkers for work or to make decisions independently within one's competencies.
"Responsibilities."	It is prescribed that the office manager is responsible for maintaining order and office management, meeting deadlines for administrative tasks.
"Qualification Requirements"	Includes knowledge of office programs, the ability to work with office equipment, the presence of experience from 1 year in a similar position and the like.

Ready samples of job descriptions are available for download in the legal systems ["Garant"]() or ["Consultant-plus".]() Legal bases and search engines contain a wide range of information, but do not take into account the specifics of work, which may differ at each individual enterprise. Therefore, to draw up a correct job description, it is possible to analyze real work processes, observing what duties an employee performs in daily activities, and on the basis of this to draw up a job description of a specialist. ## Updating and revising job descriptions Job descriptions need to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to keep up with the current conditions and objectives of the company. Even if there are no significant changes in the organization, it is useful to review the instructions at least once a year to assess whether the document is sufficiently up-to-date. It is important that the instructions keep up with changes in legislation, new processes and technical requirements in the company. Revising such documents helps to avoid confusion and inconsistencies among employees. Sometimes updating job descriptions can be related to changes in internal policies: for example, reorganization of the company's structure, expansion of functions, introduction of new responsibilities or technologies. If new projects or processes are introduced to the company, this should also be reflected in the job descriptions. Without regular revision, job descriptions can become irrelevant and lose their management value. This is especially important in the case of an expanding workforce, as changes in company structure can affect the interaction between positions. In addition, the legal aspect of job descriptions makes their revision necessary when labor laws or safety standards at the company change. ## Briefly about job descriptions 1. The job description of a specialist is an official document that regulates the labor activity of an employee, describing his duties, rights, responsibilities and requirements. 2. The job description protects the interests of the parties to the labor contract and serves as a basis for resolving labor disputes, establishing the legality of employees' actions and assessing their work. 3. The document includes the following sections: - General provisions - Job duties - Rights - Responsibilities - Qualification requirements - Working Conditions 4. There are two types of job descriptions: - Individual - for a specific employee, reflects his personal responsibilities and requirements. - Typical - for the entire category of employees, universal for employees of one position. 5. The main mistakes include unspecific wording, overloaded responsibilities, contradictory paragraphs and lack of regular updating of documents. 6. Regular revision of instructions is necessary to keep up-to-date due to changes in the company, legislation or technology. Job descriptions play an important role in the successful interaction between employee and employer. A properly drafted document makes it possible to clearly delineate the responsibilities and rights of the parties, improve communication within the company and avoid possible conflicts and misunderstandings.