Review the job description and consider how job design and the job description provide a foundation for an effective HR program in areas such as the following:

The quality of many HR decisions—how to recruit, whom to select, what training to schedule, and the like—can be improved if the decisions are based on the job requirements.

Accurate job descriptions can contribute to improving employee performance because employees have a clear picture of what is expected of them and supervisors can use job descriptions as a basis for conducting performance appraisals.

The essential functions outlined in the job description (a) provide a basis for an organization establishing the job-relatedness of its selection and performance requirements (Uniform Guidelines) and (b) reduce the risk of discriminating on the basis of disability (ADA).

Contrast the different possible HRM outcomes for these two scenarios from the:

(a) Company’s perspective and;

(b) Prospective employees’ perspective—those who apply for the opening as well as the one selected at the end of the hiring process:

Scenario A: The supervisor who needs to fill this job opening does not have a written job description.

Scenario B: The supervisor who needs to fill this job opening is using the job description that appears in “Highlights in HRM 2.”