GPI 117 – Job descriptions before hiring – if you cannot describe him, you cannot hire him.

Before new heads are hired, insist on a detailed job description first or insist another on the bottom rung be terminated.  Supervisors hire another rather than fire the problem.  Too many people are hired because it is easier for managers to avoid the current problems with their employees and just hire another person versus terminating a ‘problem’ in the department and training someone new.  Most managers do not know how to train their employees.  Most avoid confrontations by hiring more people which once on board run amuck, sense no leadership and then begin to work inefficiently without needed oversight.  Without guidance, employees create their own rules.

If you cannot describe the job description in writing, how are you going to train the new employee?

Questions to ask all employees about work and supervisors and how those problems relate to good job descriptions:

• What part of your job causes you the most grief or problems at work when you do your normal assigned job?  Comment:  If this is associated with not having been trained, writing a job description for the person would help (i.e.  critical deadlines, duties, various assigned reports due, production levels desired, productivity efficiencies defined, etc.)
• When you have questions, does your supervisor have answers or if your supervisor does not know right away, does he or she quickly find out for you?  Comment:  This should be very clearly defined in the job description in stating who the direct supervisor is and how that relationship works. 
• When assigned elsewhere, in what department do you hate to work and for what reason?  If it is difficult to answer this question, do you dislike the work itself, the people you work with, the boss you work for or just the company in general?  Comment:  Many times people do not like their work because they do not know what is expected of them.  They have lousy supervisors who cannot make a decision or give specific orders. 
• In your opinion, what seems to motivate the employees more than anything else while working at the company?  Comment:  Writing down deadlines, due dates and what work load is expected of an employee provides solid understandable guidelines for employees.  They know what they need to do and they know who to go to in order to get decisions made to allow the workflow to proceed.