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Subject COMMERCE

Paper No and Title 9: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Module No and 8: JOB DESCRIPTION

Title
Module Tag COM_P9_M8

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Learning Outcomes
2. Introduction
3. Definition of Job Description
4. Basic Features of Job Description
5. Information Covered Under Job Description
6. Specimen of Job Description
7. Uses of Job Description
8. Guidelines for Preparing Job Description
9. Summary

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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1. Learning Outcomes
After studying this module, you shall be able to:
 Learn about Job Description and its basic features
 Appreciate to learn about various information covered under job description
 Identify the specimen of job description
 Appreciate about the uses of job description
 Learn the guidelines for preparing job description

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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2. Introduction
A job may be defined as a collection of tasks, duties and responsibilities. For any job to
be filled in the organization, it is important to know about its nature and type so that the
right kind or quality of personnel can be recruited. The requirement of number of
personnel and a right qualifies personnel can be done by analyzing a job fully. Job
analysis is a systematic, formal and detailed study of jobs. The job analysis has two parts-
job description and job specification.

A job description is a list that a person might use for general tasks, or functions,
and responsibilities of a position. It may often include to whom the position reports,
specifications such as the qualifications or skills needed by the person in the job, and
a salary range.

Job descriptions are usually narrative but some may instead comprise a simple list of
competencies; for instance, strategic human resource planning methodologies may be
used to develop architecture for an organization, from which job descriptions are built as
a shortlist of competencies.

3. Definition of Job Description

According to Torrington, a job description is usually developed by conducting a job
analysis, which includes examining the tasks and sequences of tasks necessary to perform
the job. The analysis considers the areas of knowledge and skills needed for the job. A
job usually includes several roles.

According to Hall, the job description might be broadened to form a person

specification or may be known as "Terms of Reference". The person/job specification can
be presented as a stand-alone document, but in practice it is usually included within the
job description. A job description is often used in recruitment.

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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4. Basic Features of Job Description

The basic features of Job Description are stated as follows:
 It is a functional description of the job
 It provides an identification of a job
 The nature of job description is descriptive and describes what a job is all about
 It is a statement of duties involved in a job
 It states the responsibilities related to a job
 It is an organized statement that describes a job in terms of title, location, duties
and responsibilities, working conditions and soon
 Job description explains what, when, where and how the job is to be done
 Job description compares one job with another job and helps to decide about the
limits as to the job

5. Information Covered Under the Job Description

The following information is covered under the job description:
 Job title, code number of the job
 The department or branch where the job is located
 Content of the job and its related activities
 A brief description of the overall purpose of the job
 Duties and responsibilities involved in a job
 Job grade
 Description as to working conditions such as heat, light, ventilation , machineries,
etc
 Risks involved in the job and the coverage of that type of risk
 Requirement of machinery, tools and equipments as to job
 Tasks to be carried out by a task holder
 Creating list of tasks in a job and keeping its record in a chronological order
 The job related questions such as night shifts, overtime work, overtime payment,
monotonous or isolated job, travelling required in the job or not, and soon.
 To know the relation of one job with another job, its vertical a and horizontal
relationship
 The promotions in the job or transfer from one job to another job, vertical and
horizontal workflow, etc
 The extent of supervision in the job
 The employer employee relationship and the supervision received and given
stated in terms of number of persons to be supervised along with their job title
 Interpersonal relationship in the organization, workgroup, team work and their
relationship

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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6. Specimen of Job Description

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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7. Uses of Job Description

The following are the purposes of job description:
 Job identification, job classification and its grading
 Placement of selected candidates in the jobs
 Helps in preparing job specification
 Helps in orienting new employees and explaining them rules, duties and
responsibilities as to the job
 Promotions and transfers in the job is possible only after clear job descriptions
 Work measurement and work improvement possible through job description
 Helps in deciding training and development programs requirement for the
employees
 A detailed analysis of job description helps in developing performance standards
 Helps in employee counseling, guidance and mentoring of employees
 A way to find out the requirement for machinery, tools and equipment for the job
and its employees
 A proper placement is possible only through job description
 Helps in defining limits of authority
 Easy to create policies related and human resources and its various parameters
such as recruitment, training, development, selection, placement, etc
 Easy to build a standard questionnaire for selection and interview of candidate

8. Guidelines for Preparing Job Description

The following guidelines may be taken into consideration for preparing the job
description:
 A job description has to be very clear, precise and easy to understand
 It should be simple and accurate so as to make out what is required of job
description easily
 Job description should be able to give details related to job duties and
responsibilities
 Opinions in the job description should be avoided
 Since it is a detailed description of the job so it must also indicate clearly the
extent of supervision over employees by clearly stating authorities and
supervisors
 Job description should be prepared in a way easily understandable by new
employees joining the organization

Earnest Dale has developed the following hints for writing a good job description: -
1. The job description should indicate the scope and nature of the work including
all- important relationships.
COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION
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2. The job description should be clear regarding the

work of the position, duties etc.
3. More specific words should be selected to show:-
a) The kind of work
b) The degree of complexity
c) The degree of skill required
d) The extent to which problems are standardized
e) The extent of worker’s responsibility for each phase of the work

9.Summary
 A job may be defined as a collection of tasks, duties and responsibilities.
 Job analysis is a systematic, formal and detailed study of jobs. The job
analysis has two parts- job description and job specification.
 a job description is usually developed by conducting a job analysis, which
includes examining the tasks and sequences of tasks necessary to perform the
job. The analysis considers the areas of knowledge and skills needed for the
job. A job usually includes several roles.
 Job description explains what, when where and how the job is to be done
 Job description compares one job with another job and helps to decide about
the limits as to the job
 The uses of job description includes job identification, job classification and
its grading, placement of selected candidates in the jobs, helps in preparing job
specification, orienting new employees and explaining them rules, duties and
responsibilities as to the job, promotions and transfers in the job is possible
only after clear job descriptions, work measurement and work improvement
possible through job description, helps in deciding training and development
programs requirement for the employees.
 A job description has to be very clear, precise and easy to understand
 Job description should be simple and accurate so as to make out what is
required of job description easily
 Job description should be prepared in a way easily understandable by new
employees joining the organization

COMMERCE PAPER NO. 9 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MODULE NO.8 JOB DESCRIPTION