Stressed by Outdated Job Descriptions?

Image Source: BBC.co.uk

Honourable members of the jury I present to you Exhibit A: THE JOB DESCRIPTION – Model #Gen. 1.0. Old School JOB DESCRIPTION.

We have all seen similar or have received one of these. Typically, the Job Description is issued to us as part of the contract of employment with the organisation. It is a functional document and a legal requirement often dictated by national employment law or Union Agreement. 

Once you start work, it rarely sees the light of day. It becomes a ghostly spectre haunting us during our service with the employer, sometimes popping up during performance appraisals and occasionally making a solemn appearance as a silent (sometimes incriminating) witness when the employment relationship ends.  

When you receive one of these old-style Job Descriptions, are you inspired and motivated to do great work?

Do you feel that you matter and that your work will make a difference?

We are now living in a VUCA world – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous.  Organisations and their businesses are changing constantly and so too are the jobs and roles that people are needed to do and want to do.  A poorly designed or out of date Job Description is a wasted opportunity to attract talent and engage the people who fit your culture.  It is also a legal risk; leaving the door open to claims of unfair or discriminatory practises should an employee’s performance be managed using an out of date Job Description. 

The time is NOW to re-imagine and re-design the Job Description for this VUCA World.

I recently read Seth Godin’s - ‘Tribes’ and Bernadette Jiwa’s – ‘Difference’, .  I experienced a creative afternoon on 28th February called ‘Art Flow’ hosted by the amazing folks at Cedars Pottery.   These 3 rabbit-hole moments, together with my recruitment marketing and talent selection experience, has led me to realise 5 Truths.

1.  Everyone (including organisations) has a story to tell. Even when it is dressed up for an audience; it must be a tale rooted in truth. Tell your story!

2.  Your story must be compelling and speak to your target audience (tribe) in a language that will attract and compel the members of this distinct group to engage with you, and ultimately follow you. To do this with any hope of success, you must know and understand the culture of your tribe – as it really is and not how you wish it to be. For a vivid example of a Tribe Manifesto, go to Maryam Montague’s beautifully crafted blog post of October 7 2014, ‘the world: and a tale of a new modern tribe’. CAUTION! Her site is another rabbit hole with wormhole properties. 10 minutes on this site is 1 hour in real world time! Create your Tribe Manifesto!

3.  You must make your tribe (customers, employees, community) the hero of your story. Each individual must feel special and that they matter. If you need help with this, Bernadette Jiwa’sThe Difference Map is an excellent place to start. FREE practical and genius insight packed into 1 page.Make your tribe the star of the show and do this with authentic feeling!

4.  A tribe is “a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader and connected to an idea.” Seth Godin, Tribes. You must lead!  It is an honour and a privilege to do so.

5.  Here is one more from ‘Tribes’. “Many People are starting to realize that they work a lot and that working on stuff they believe in and making things happen is much more satisfying than just getting a pay check and waiting to get fired or die.”

You are obligated to create an environment where meaningful and relevant work is done. Doing great work and taking pride in your craft is a joy and a freedom not to be missed.Honourable members of the jury I present to you

Exhibit B: THE NEXT GENERATION JOB DESCRIPTION – Model #Gen. 2.0+.  My I present our very own upgrade to the tired and archaic Job Description - drum roll please! - Role Profile for a VUCA World. This is your FREE template.

Built on the 5 Truths, this Role Profile has been re-imagined as a story board framework and is powered by the Banana Pepper HR approach to Creative HR.  It is designed to release the power of your (employer) brand and help you to lock in the talent best suited to your business and culture. In our new reality, we know that filling ‘jobs’ is no longer enough for many organisations and employees.  Whether you are a start-up venture of 2 individuals or an organisation with hundreds of employees, the need for clarity of purpose, meaningful roles and an understanding of how what you do matter, is critical. 

Let this Role Profile be your guide.

1.  The orange zone will help you to leverage the story of your business – your purpose, what you stand for – and assist you in crafting the message which will appeal to the right employee for you. Your recruitment marketing and employee communication activities will pack a powerful punch!

2.  The blue zone is designed to encourage positive dialogue and focus energy on what is relevant and important to both the business and the individual who will carry out the role.Will creating one of these Role Profiles, help you and your employees be  inspired and motivated to do great work?  Will you feel that you matter and that your work will make a difference? 

I hope so…

“Feel deeper, think differently, do great work, make a difference” Nicole Antonio-Gadsdon { tweet this! }

Have a great week!