How to Identify the Correct Duties and Responsibilities for a Job Description

Mapping out a route is the first step of any successful road trip. Without the right directions (or any directions at all), you may miss a turn, head the wrong way, or need to stop to figure out your next steps. What should be a straightforward trip could easily turn into a gas-guzzling maze of frustration. Thankfully, GPSs have transformed travel. Now, you can focus on the road ahead of you because you have a clear guide automatically directing your way. At work, an employee’s job description guides them, and effective leaders redirect them if they go off route. Correctly identifying the right duties and responsibilities in each job description will help employees navigate their role and help leaders better manage their teams.

Why are job descriptions important?

Labor is increasingly expensive for companies, and misaligned duties and responsibilities can cost you even more. Only about half (48%) of U.S. employees have a strong sense of what’s expected from them at work. When their goals are unclear, employees may duplicate tasks, conduct unessential work, or miss important duties entirely. Additionally, AI is transforming the way we work. Some tasks can be assisted or completely replaced by AI. As generative AI continues to evolve and improve, jobs will change, as well.

Moving forward, leaders need to give clear job descriptions, so employees know what they’re accountable for. Job descriptions also help leaders make informed decisions in all people management processes. You can precisely align people to the right roles, hire the right talent, and design development strategies that target the right outcomes. In general, high-quality job descriptions are the launchpad for any great talent management program.

What are duties and responsibilities?

We often group these terms together, but they mean different things:

• Duties: The specific tasks and actions performed by the incumbent in a specific position on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (such as answering phones, writing articles, or placing orders). Duties can change when new technologies (such as generative AI) are introduced. When all duties are successfully carried out, the organization runs smoothly.
• Responsibilities: The more general obligations that fall under the purview of the incumbent in a specific position (such as meeting deadlines, adhering to a style guide, or maintaining positive customer relations). As the employee becomes more experienced and trusted in their role, their responsibilities may increase or change.

Duties and responsibilities are mandatory for a position. An employee who cannot successfully perform them may be subject to disciplinary action or termination. Accurate and thorough job descriptions can help leaders measure employee success, administer these processes, and create supporting documentation.

Which duties and responsibilities should you include in a job description?

When you’re in charge of mapping the route to success in a role, it’s not always clear where to begin. Think in reverse and start at the end. Where does your employee need to navigate to? What is the goal of the job? With that destination in mind, perform a job analysis to help you define what it will take to get there.

What is a job analysis?

A job analysis breaks down a job into different components (such as duties, responsibilities, skills, and competencies) then investigates each one to correctly describe what is needed to succeed. For example, a job analysis will evaluate the type, frequency, and complexity of specific duties of the job.

Typically, the incumbent, manager, or HR conducts the job analysis. Any combination of these positions may also be involved to provide different perspectives and more rounded insights.

Identify Duties and Responsibilities Through Job Analysis

A job analysis can help you evaluate and determine the most critical duties and responsibilities for a job description. Here are three steps to getting the most out of a job analysis:

Step 1: Gather Data

Job analysts need both qualitative and quantitative data to get a full picture of what a job entails. You can get data from:

• Interviewing incumbents;
• Observing employees on the job;
• Reviewing existing job documentation, including job descriptions and work logs;
• Surveying knowledgeable employees in the organization; and
• Researching similar roles in competitor companies.

When performing a job analysis, be sure to assess the job and not the incumbent. The goal of the job analysis is to describe the role and not the person performing the role, even if some of the data you collect is from the incumbent.

Collecting data can be time consuming, but certain technologies can accelerate the process. Quinto allows you to deploy surveys to subject matter experts to get their input on a variety of job description concerns.

By collecting this information from a variety of sources, you may learn that employees no longer need to perform certain tasks or that they have taken on new ones to gain an advantage over competitors.

Step 2: Choose and Use Your Method

A job analysis takes into consideration both personal attributes that the incumbent must have (such as attention to detail) and specific tasks that need to be completed. Understanding both will help you get closer to defining the correct duties and responsibilities for a particular job. There are a variety of methods you can choose to perform a job analysis, including:

• Functional job analysis;
• Task inventory; or
• Critical incident technique.

The task inventory method is commonly used for job descriptions. Though useful, it isn’t a fault-free system. Be aware of each method’s limitations and implement an approach that will work for you.

Step 3: Evaluate Your Existing Structure

With each leader in your organization, individually assess the employees in their department. Consider their strengths and weaknesses as well as the value they bring to the company. This last step can help you determine whether certain roles are redundant or whether duties and responsibilities need to be redistributed. Employees want to feel like their work has meaning. By viewing the larger picture, you can decide to re-structure your organization to maximize team contributions and create more fulfilling roles.

Improving Your Job Descriptions

Conducting a job analysis will help you create more accurate job descriptions. The goal of a job description is to explain the nature, requirements, and objectives of the role. From your job analysis, you should be able to effectively improve your job descriptions by implementing the following tips:

• Include a list of duties and responsibilities generated from the job analysis. Focus on the most critical tasks only. It’s impossible to list all the tasks the incumbent may perform in the role. Order the list with the most essential tasks first.
• Only include requirements that are essential for success in the role. Laws vary around the world. Some countries have “bona fide” occupational requirements or qualifications, which include specific characteristics that are otherwise legally protected from discrimination (such as age, gender, and race) that are proven to be essential to the job. For example, you may conclude from the job analysis that incumbents must be able to lift 50 lbs. regularly. Because this is a bona fide occupational requirement, you are not discriminating against any candidates that cannot perform this task.
• Use bullet points and start each statement with a verb. By writing your job descriptions this way, you focus on the specific action you want the person to take.

There are many other best practices you can implement to improve your job descriptions. When it comes to improving job posts in order to attract top talent, use our free job posting scoresheet.

Arrive at Your Destination Quicker with Quinto

Job descriptions are an essential resource for all talent management programs. Duties and responsibilities should align to what an incumbent actually does in a day. Without a clear direction from an accurate job description, organizations may struggle to achieve goals and manage their workforces. Performing a job analysis can help you get a clearer picture of what a role entails and improve your job description for future success. Is your organization a bank or credit union? Learn more about recent trends in the banking industry.

Building and managing your job descriptions is easier with modern technology like Quinto. Request a demo today.