Job descriptions or fashion sense? You choose ...
I’ve been promoting practical organisation designs and realistic job previews, not to mention job descriptions, which do what they say on the tin (describe the job that’s needed) for what seems like ever! I’ve often thrown in organisation values and spoiler alert, what the organisation aspires to deliver. It seems that despite my soapbox rants or helpful shepherding, businesses and service providers seem hell bent on knee jerk reactions when desperation throws them into a spin. Common sense goes out of the window (or the front door) with the colleague who resigned.
Yes, here we are again discussing a couple of my recruitment trap doors organisation design and job descriptions. It’s all about the inability to concisely and realistically describe the job not to mention the person most likely to succeed. If you haven’t experienced this phenomenon, let me bring you up to date. Our starting point is that many see job descriptions as a chore, a tedious task for junior HR colleagues at best or a dreary typing task to be endured. Whether it’s a single role or a whole department, or entire organisation transformation, if we can’t describe the bones of what we’re looking for, then how can we ensure recruitment will be successful?
In some respects, it’s like needing or planning a new Spring / Summer wardrobe that “hangs together” (ouch did I just write that). We need a concept (a story), and we need a plan to prevent random purchases that really never seem to go with anything else. Yes, I’m opting for a capsule wardrobe kind of analagy to bring this piece to life.
In my experience so many job descriptions don’t really “hang together” let alone reflect the relationship with other roles (my existing wardrobe) in the existing or desired organisation design. Then there’s the prevailing or desired organisation culture. And let’s be honest whatever existed before or has evolved since, Handy’s model of organisation culture is just as valid today as it was in the 1980s. Existing as well as potential colleagues need an awareness and sometimes a thorough understanding of where the power is situated. Enough theory for now although the larger the organisation, the greater the need for role clarity and critical success factors.
There are few opportunities to start “at the beginning” and even fewer to “begin again” as business or service provision cannot simply grind to a halt. Or can it? I’ve lost so much weight, my big (old) clothes simply had to go and all at once. How often do organisations try to reinvent themselves while carrying on as they were? A new target operating model hidden in an outdated organisation design. This is perhaps the most obvious recipe for confusion. And once again, it’s often in the larger organisations that the change message gets diluted, even lost.
The organisation design needs to be the firm foundation. This is not about tinkering around the edges with a new phrase or strap line, it’s about having the courage to change what’s not working. A new scarf isn’t going to hide an ill-fitting bra that’s two sizes too big now is it? And it’s not going to make you feel good from the inside is it? I love reading (listening to) what Sarah Gray has to say about style confidence. And you all know already how much I love to support Victoria’s Little Bra Shop in Dorking, Surrey.
Why wouldn’t we want to use an exact and carefully written job description to lay out our stall? In this context carefully written refers as much to writing style (conversational is always best) as it does to content accuracy. Describe what needs to be done, as well as the organisational context (and business goals) in common, everyday language. Remember big important jobs don’t need big important words or extra pages, just different words or verbs. And linking back to fashion, I’d recommend opting for stylish clean lines, elegance and simplicity just like Coco Chanel, rather than the flamboyance of Vivienne Westwood.
I could write for England about organisation design and organisation culture, although I’d rather chat with you about it. So why not get in touch and Let’s talk?
