Getting Results With Results-Oriented Job Descriptions

A lot of thought went into creating your company mission and objectives, so isn’t it worth making sure your employees know what they need to accomplish in order to fulfill that vision? It’s not enough to simply tell employees what they have to do; you must also express what results can be achieved by performing those tasks. 

Traditionally, job descriptions are seen as a piece of paper listing the tasks one must perform in order to complete the functions of their job. However, a results-oriented job description goes beyond just listing job duties and communicates the desired outcome achieved by completing those tasks. 

To get started on a path towards results-oriented job descriptions, ask yourself: 

1. What are our mission, vision, and goals?
2.  What is the purpose of this job?
3. Why is the work important?
4. What is accomplished by performing these tasks?
5.  How do we go about achieving our objectives?

Once you’ve determined the answers to these questions, it’s time to structure your job description. The results-oriented job description follows a 3-line structure that starts by listing the Result (in bold uppercase for emphasis), followed by the word by, and ending with theDuty/Task.

For example: 
HELP CUSTOMERS 
by
answering phone calls and greeting customers

An employee must answer phone calls and greet customers (the Task) in order to help customers (the desired Result). 

So why are results-oriented job descriptions more effective than traditional job descriptions? Let’s think of it like this. A mother tells her child that he needs to put on his shoes. The child will fuss because all he knows is that he has to stop playing with his toys and do something his mother told him to do. But if he’s told that he needs to put on his shoes in order to join his friends at a local amusement park, then his tune will quickly change. Now I’m not saying that your employees are like children, but I am saying that we all perform better and more willfully when we understand the purpose of our tasks. 

Results-oriented job descriptions give employees a goal and show them that they are part of the bigger picture. Not that they are just answering the phones to answer the phones, but by completing their task, they are helping customers; and by helping customers they are creating more business and more money. 

By using results-oriented job description for the basis of your employee performance reviews you will be better able to evaluate the work of your employees and employees will be more apt to see the benefit of their performance. 

These job descriptions can have a positive impact on compensation as well. As far as compensation goes, expectations are clearly stated in each job description so that employees know not just what task need to be done but what goals they need to accomplish in order to fulfill their job requirements. Don’t just pay employees for completing a task but rather, pay them for achieving a result.  

If you’re not getting positive results with your current recruitment, performance, and compensation efforts, then maybe it’s time to make the move towards results-oriented job descriptions. 

Is your employer currently using results-oriented job description? If so, are you seeing results? Let us know what you think by leaving us your comments.  

References
http://www.jobdescriptionsbyjrmi.com/t/FAQs#How-do-competencies
http://www.nea.org/home/20854.htm