Overview

Leadership should identify the necessary skills and characteristics needed by personnel to support the organization in accomplishing its mission and goals, and to help clients achieve their established outcomes. Current knowledge and competencies of personnel should be identified. Usually organizations have written job (position) descriptions for all employees (full and part time) that are written in functional terms and provided to the individual staff members. Typically the job (position) descriptions are uniform in format, based on the organization's job classification system, and used as a basis to evaluate the staff member's performance. Leadership should approve the qualifications for personnel who are in professional positions, typically by approving job (position) descriptions. If the organization has consultants, contractors, students, volunteers, interns, or trainees, then these individuals are provided with a written list of their job specifications and expectations, which can sometimes take the form of a job description.

Accreditation Requirement(s)

Typically position descriptions include:

• The required job qualifications
  
• The title and name of the reporting supervisor
  
• All positions supervised
  
• An explanation of the job expectations
  
• Annual reviews of the description that are dated
  
• Documentation that employees have been given a copy of and understand their job description

Approval of job descriptions can be reflected in the leadership or management meeting minutes, by approval of the personnel policy and procedure manual (which includes job descriptions), or by actually signing the descriptions.

Implementation Tips

Some Implementation Tips provided, in part, by Robert Johnson at: www.accreditationnow.com.

• A job (position) description is created for each position, describing the essential functions and typical work associated with the role, as well as related knowledge, skills, and abilities. Each position description should provide the employee with enough information to adequately perform his or her job. In addition, job (position) descriptions serve as a means to evaluate employees on their job performance. Position descriptions are also utilized for recruitment, selection, classification, and compensation purposes by the Human Resources department/person.
  
  
• Job (position) descriptions should be reviewed at least annually for appropriateness. However, when changes occur in the nature of a position because of organizational changes, fiscal changes, vacancies, expansion of programs, changes in work standards, or other factors, the position should be analyzed to determine any necessary changes in description, classification, and compensation. The factors typically used in analyzing each position include job complexity, education/experience, scope/impact, supervision received, working relationships, environment, and physical demands.
  
  
• The clinic/program manager prepares a new position description and then consults with Human Resources personnel regarding the appropriateness and the proper classification of the position (to align with the organization's job classification system). The final authority for any changes will vary from organization to organization.
  
  
• Most position descriptions have a statement of understanding, along with a signature line at the conclusion of the description. The employee is given the job (position) description and asked to sign it. The signed copy is then filed in the employee's personnel record. This procedure can occur at the time of hire or at the time of new employee orientation. The statement of understanding may be worded as such: "I have read and understand the above job (position) description and the related performance standards and performance evaluation criteria. I understand this information is descriptive of the general intent and requirement of this position; this job (position) description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements."
  
  
• More and more organizations are aligning their job descriptions with their performance evaluations by actually combining the two into one document. The specific job tasks that are on the position description are also listed on the performance review, and the employee is rated on those elements. This approach provides clear expectations and feedback to the employee, and should promote and enhance continuous employer-employee relations.