1Apr 11, 2023

Writing a

Position Description

2Apr 11, 2023

Who

What is a Position Description?

Position Descriptions outline:• Major functions and duties• Responsibilities• Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs)• Effort• Working conditions

When/How OftenWhyHow

Where Does What Work

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Why Position Descriptions?

Position descriptions can be used to:• Assign work and document work assignments.• Help clarify and align with the organization’s mission & values.• Establish performance requirements.• Determine classification and benchmark to the external job market.• Recruit for vacancies.• Explore reasonable accommodations.• Counsel employees on career opportunities and vocational interests.• Train employees.• Comply with legal requirements related to equal opportunity, equal pay, overtime eligibility, etc.• Make decisions on job restructuring.• Suggest ways to enrich the work experience.• Support and inform succession planning efforts.

4Apr 11, 2023

When Do I Write or Review Position Descriptions?

A Supervisor or Unit HR professional or an Employee writes, reviews, and/or revises a Position Description when:

Changing/Adjusting job duties and/or responsibilities. Requiring additional and/or new qualifications. Creating a new position. During an established annual review process (Performance Evaluations/Merit Cycle). Recruiting for a replacement in an established position. During re-design/re-organization efforts. Identifying revisions based on Exploring reasonable accommodations. Development of other HR-related programs such as:

• Work Planning• Performance Management• Work Re-Design• Succession Planning

5Apr 11, 2023

Ask Yourself:

In the past, have you started with:what you want to pay?what salary grade you want?which FLSA status you need

(exempt/non-exempt)a desire to give someone a raise?

FOCUS ON THE WORK, NOT THE PERSON

6Apr 11, 2023

UM Position Description Form

PART ONE – Employee (Incumbent) Information

PART TWO – Department and Immediate Supervisor Information

PART THREE – Proposed New Classification Information

PART FOUR – Supervision Responsibilities

CHECK ONE – Existing Position, New Position/Job Code Change, or Job

Code Change for Employee

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UM Position Description Form (con’t)

PART SIX – Duties, Percentage (%) of Time (Effort), & Essential

Functions (for ADA Compliance)

PART SEVEN – Position Qualifications (Department Specific)

PART FIVE – Other Employees in Benchmark (Like) Positions

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Employee and Supervisory Signatures = Agreement

UM Position Description Form (con’t)

PART EIGHT – Additional Comments

• Accountabilities

• Relationships

• Working Conditions

PART NINE

•Funding Plan

•Business Case

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Exercise – Why Position Descriptions?

In summary, position descriptions document: •Work design in alignment with business of the organization

•Information used for recruitment job postings, interview questions, reference checks, etc.

•Work outcomes, performance, competencies, etc.

•Information to measure performance - work plan, evaluation, etc.

•Articulate differences between levels within a classification series.

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Position Descriptions and the ADA

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), job functions

are categorized as either essential or marginal.

A job function may be considered essential if:

•The position exists primarily to perform that function•The function is highly specialized•There are a limited number of employees among whom the job

function can be distributed

A job function may be considered marginal if: •The function(s) can be eliminated or assigned to another

employee

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Position Descriptions and the ADA (con’t)

According to the ADA, use these items to determine whether a function is essential:(To be captured on page two, part six of the position description form)

• Written job descriptions prepared before advertising or interviewing

• The amount of time an employee must spend performing the function• The consequences of not requiring the function be performed• The terms of a collective bargaining agreement • The work experience of incumbents and/or past incumbents in the job, or in similar jobs• The nature of the operation and organizational structure

ADA Coordinator: 734-763-0235

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PHYSICAL DEMAND CATEGORY HELPFUL VERBS  

Strength Moves/transports Puts Installs/takes outRemoves/replaces Positions/places transfers

Climbing or balancing Ascends/descends Works atop Traverses

Walking/running/stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling

Moves (about or to) Traverses Positions self (to)

Reaching, handling, fingering and/or feeling

Diagnoses Installs/places Serves/servicesRemoves/replaces Operates AdjustsAttaches Positions Sets upHandles/tends Applies Activates, feeds or controlsMeasures Uses ModifiesSignals Inputs Drafts/writesCompiles/retrieves Makes/constructs Creates/fabricatesCollects Inspects Prepares

Talking and/or hearing Communicates Detects Converses withDiscerns Conveys Expresses oneselfDiscusses Exchanges information

Seeing Detects Determines DistinguishesIdentifies Recognizes PerceivesEstimates Judges DiscernsInspects Compares ObservesAssesses

Other demands Detects Uses PerceivesDiscerns

Position Descriptions and the ADA (con’t)

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• 5 – 7 major sets of duties

• % effort > 10 or < 50, as a guideline

• Transactional ….. Larger “chunks” (%s)

• Complex ….. Smaller “chunks” (%s)

• More important, higher level listed first

• Update often

Tips for Writing Position Descriptions

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•the data (object)

When writing duties, structure sentences in the format of verb / object / explanatory phrase.

•Collects (action verb)

•key job information (object)

•from various sources, e.g., work interviews and direct observation

(explanatory), •Analyzes (action verb)

•to identify job content and critical evaluation issues (explanatory),

•Prepares or revises (action verbs)

•position descriptions (object).

Tips for Writing Position Descriptions

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When writing a position description, beware of the “inflationary effect” that can occur

when describing the extent of responsibilities or scope inherent in a task.

CAUTIONCAUTION

Tips for Writing Position Descriptions

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No need to re-create the wheel!No need to re-create the wheel!Referring to “good examples” can ease the time-consuming task of

writing position descriptions. Sample materials used in position descriptions are readily available online at

Occupational Information Network http://online.onetcenter.org

OR Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

One temptation is to rely solely on these samples which can result in a position description not accurately describing the work.

Be sure to involve both the employee and supervisor in the development process.

BewareBeware

Tips for Writing Position Descriptions

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Achievement Action Verbs

Activate Check Decide Delete

Determine Encourage Enforce  Execute Expedite

Further Implement Initiate Maintain

Motivate Organize Prevent

Return Stop

The terms reflect typical achievement activities whose definitions can be found

on the Note Page form of this slide.

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Activity Action Verbs

Accept Accumulate Acquire Allocate Buy Collect

Compile Deliver Distribute Exchange Forward

Furnish Gather Get Give Issue

Keep Obtain Pick-up Procure Provide Purchase

Receive Render Secure Solve Submit Supply

Take Transfer Withdraw

The terms reflect typical activity actions whose definitions can be found on the

Note Page form of this slide.

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Administrative Action Verbs

Adapt Administer Appoint Approve Arrange

Authorize Control Coordinate Consult

Delegate Direct Establish Manage Order Plan Require

Review Supervise Train

The terms reflect typical administrative activities whose definitions can be found

on the Note Page form of this slide.

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Assistance Action Verbs

Advise Aid Conduct Cooperate Counsel

Explain Guide Instruct Participate Protect Serve

Show

The terms reflect typical assistance activities whose definitions can be found

on the Note Page form of this slide.

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Communication Action Verbs

Inform Inquire Interview Mail Negotiate

Notify Pull Recall Recruit Report

Request Sell Send Solicit

The terms reflect typical communication activities whose definitions can be found

on the Note Page form of this slide.

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Control Action Verbs

Allocate Assign Audit

Commit Conserve Edit

Ensure Evaluate Guarantee

Regulate Restrict Verify

The terms reflect typical control activities whose definitions can be found on the

Note Page form of this slide.

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Creativity Action Verbs

Create Design Devise

Develop Estimate Forecast

Formulate Install Originate

Project Schedule

The terms reflect typical creative activities whose definitions can be found

on the Note Page form of this slide.

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Evaluative Action Verbs

Appraise Analyze Ascertain Check Compare

Consider Criticize Evaluate Examine Identify

Inspect

Interpret Investigate Measure Rate

Research  Resolve Study Summarize Survey

Test Weigh

The terms reflect typical evaluation activities whose

definitions can be found on the Note Page form of this slide.

25Apr 11, 2023

Online Resources

Web Walk Through…

http://online.onetcenter.org

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

26Apr 11, 2023

For more information, please contact your unit’s HR professional.

Other available resources include UHR’s…

• Employment Process Coordinators

• Staff HR Services Representatives

• Compensation & Classification

Call (76)3-2387