Organizations must be flexible to be competitive. Many
times employees are expected to do more than one task in a smaller company. Having a multitude of responsibilities thrown
at him can be overwhelming for a person who was hired to handle one specific
job. But on the other hand,
multi-tasking is part of the fun for someone hired for a position that carries
a variety of responsibilities.
The important thing to understand is that, typically, the
problem is not in the asking of an employee or group of employees to take on
some additional tasks. Most people do
want to help, within reason. The problem
is that quite often, these extra tasks are for “when you get a minute,” or to
do “on a slow day.” And so these tasks
get absorbed into an existing job that someone is already getting paid to do. And let’s be honest, the assignment of additional
job tasks may have more to do with the individuals involved than the jobs
themselves.
This is where the water can get muddy. What you need is to clearly and transparently
document the responsibilities of each position within the company - not the people right now, just the positions that they fill. Then chart how these positions are, or should
be, grouped and stacked within the organization.
This type of graphic illustration can assist management
and employees in understanding their roles and how they impact one another.
Job Descriptions
Job Descriptions are the bricks that are used to build an
organization’s structure. Each full-time
position should have one, and frankly, part-time positions and internships
should have them, too. A thorough Job Description should:
- Clearly and factually state the functions and objectives of each position within the organization
- Include the boundaries of the position’s responsibilities and authority, including the job title, department, tasks, required experience and skill level
- Be permanent enough for inclusion in an Organization Chart, but must be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure its relevance
- Provide an overall understanding of the position for the job holder and the immediate superior
- Provide a basis for the hiring manager to match an applicant to the job requirements
- Provide a basis for performance evaluation, improvement, potential promotion
- List the salary range or job grade level for the position
Organization
Chart
Once Job Descriptions have been completed, the
Organization Chart may be created or re-worked. The chart provides a visual map
of all of the employees in a particular business, and clearly identifies direct
reporting lines within a department as well as an entire organization.
The Org Chart is typically arranged in a pyramid shape --
hierarchically -- with the head of the organization at the top, and lines
connecting each position to the one above him to whom he reports, and to any below
him that he directly supervises. Keep in
mind that an Org Chart is a graphic illustration of the jobs that make up your company, not of the people who work at your company.
Not to sound cold or impersonal, but you are trying to build an
organizational structure that will have a longer shelf life than any individual
employee. Therefore, the Org Chart must
be practical for any qualified individual, not just the person currently
holding down the job.
That said, a clear Org Chart will
- Identify roles and design an organization structure to meet the business' long term objectives
- Clarify the chain of command, and functions, of each department
- Identify organizational imbalances and overloads
- Provide appropriate level of contact information
- Orient new employees as to who does what within the organization
Oftentimes in business, we get too busy with the
day-to-day challenges of running a smooth operation and addressing customer
matters that we lose sight of the importance of building a sound structure for
our own company. Let me tell you, this
is a serious oversight. Don’t wait for
things to get too loose and disconnected before you document and organize your
company. Do it now, and then maybe
things don’t get too loose and disconnected. I have had first-hand experience with the benefits that
clarity in job and organizational structure can bring. Sometimes, it’s the one ingredient that
pulls the whole thing together.
