Why Job Description is Essential during Hiring Process
An organization that takes time to design a job description has the capacity to recruit excellent candidates. A well-written job description with clearly defined job qualifications is fundamental in the hiring process as it enables the organization to defend itself against discrimination complaints, as well as establishing performance objectives. According to Muller (2009), a well-developed job description necessitates “smart recruiting, interviewing, and hiring, as well as staff retention” (1). By stating the minimum requirements, the job description emphasizes on specific needs related to the task, thus, job applicants will not strive to comprehend what the employers really want.
An effective job description must incorporate the family and medical Leave Act (FMLA), which assists employees to balance their tasks with family responsibilities. The job description should indicate the time that FMLA leave is supposed to start based on anticipated signs, such as expected birth, or planned medical treatment (Muller, 2009). However, the FMLA only covers employees in companies that have fifty or more employees, whose services are required for more than twenty consecutive weeks. Thus, the job description should specify employees who are covered by the FMLA so that such employees can be aware of when to seek their benefits.
A job description is essential in recognizing employee performance and compensation. If an organization aims at reducing turnover and retaining high quality employees, it should establish an effective strategy for compensation. Although compensation rarely appears on the job posting, it is a vital part of job description. Employees must be compensated for working overtime, as indicated in the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA). The FLSA indicates how employees should be compensated based on the covered time (Muller, 2009). Employees may lose morale if they are not compensated for working beyond the stipulated time. Job description should also indicate that the organization offers equal opportunities for both men and women, with equal remuneration.
Reference
Muller, M. (2009). The manager’s guide to HR: Hiring, firing, performance evaluations, documentation, benefits, and everything else you need to know. New York, NY: AMACOM.