News

Spring Clean Your HR Files: Do You Have Job Descriptions for All Positions?

Spring Clean Your HR Files: Do You Have Job Descriptions for All Positions?
by: Paul Edwards, CEO and Co-Founder CEDR HR Solutions


Spring is upon us! (Despite what the weather forecasts may say in some areas of the country.) What better time to do some HR spring cleaning, get your employee files in order… and make sure you have like up-to-date job descriptions for every member of your team.

If you’re like many busy dental offices, writing and updating job descriptions often fall last on a long, long list of to-dos. After all, your team members know what they do. Are job descriptions really worth your very valuable time and attention that could be used elsewhere?

The short answer is: YES, they are! Job descriptions are management super-tools that can help you hire, manage AND resolve employment issues, but only IF they’re properly written and up to date. They can even help you safeguard the productivity and profitability of the practice and each position. You just have to know how to leverage them.

First, here’s what they should be helping you do.

Help when Hiring
Job descriptions are especially important during hiring, from creation of a job ad until a new employee’s 90-day review. A great job description should reflect how the position currently fits into the practice. It should identify the main job duties, set expectations for measuring performance, and establish the base requirements for the positions, in addition to the other components listed at the end of this piece.

During hiring, job ads should always be created directly from job descriptions. This makes it much easier to include all relevant details, and to advertise in a way that speaks directly to your best-fit applicants. You’ll see results in the quality of your candidate pool.

Job descriptions should be revisited each time you hire/rehire for a position, as well as during annual reviews, to ensure the most accurate description of the position is represented. They are rarely a one-and-done sort of project.

Make Management Easier
Maintaining up-to-date lists of duties and success factors for each position isn’t just great for hiring. Job descriptions also provide new and current employees with a roadmap to success.

Remember, this is the primary way of communicating the practice’s expectations for the position to each team member. If a job duty or performance criteria is not on there, how can you expect your employee to know what you’re looking for?

Have all new employees sign to acknowledge their job description on day one, when they review and acknowledge the practice’s employee handbook. This sets expectations and lets you know your new hire is aware of their duties and will strive to fulfill them.
 
As you train and manage your team members, having relevant job descriptions as a reference makes it easier for both of you to see what’s going well and what needs more work. It increases effectiveness of your coaching discussions, any performance evaluations, and your documentation of any issues. And more effective management means better productivity than ever.

Going Separate Ways
What if an employee isn’t working out? A well-written job description is a powerful ally as you prepare to let someone go. It acts as a written record of why they might not be the right fit, and helps you and the dentist pinpoint what isn’t working. (Note: it’s always risky to terminate, so you need to talk with an HR expert to evaluate each situation.)

They can also help protect the practice’s productivity if an employee is disabled due to illness or injury, and needs to request an accommodation to do their job. For example, a person with back issues may be unable to lift things over 30 pounds, or a pregnant employee may need to take more rest breaks. (These restrictions are generally certified by their treating physician. Whether the employer can accommodate this restriction is based on what’s reasonable, and how it impacts the essential functions of the job.)

Employees must be able to perform their essential job duties, with or without a reasonable accommodation. The job description serves as the basis for establishing the essential job functions. It therefore serves as the most effective defense to a claim of disability discrimination, by establishing that the individual was unable to perform one or more of essential functions of the job, even with a reasonable accommodation.

NOTE: If you ever find yourself in a position such as mentioned above, seek expert HR guidance immediately on your legal obligations before making any decisions.

Sections and Protections: Job Description Components
Now that we’ve discussed what makes job descriptions so powerful, what should they include?

Paul Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of CEDR HR Solutions (www.cedrsolutions.com), which provides individually customized employee handbooks and HR solutions to dental offices of all sizes across the United States. He has over 20 years’ experience as a manager and owner, and specializes in helping dental offices solve employee issues. Paul is a featured writer for The Profitable Dentist and Dental Town Magazine, and speaks at employment education seminars, conferences, and CE courses across the country. He can be reached at paul@cedrsolutions.com.