Ten benefits of a well-crafted job description:
1. Defines the role
If everyone knows their role and works at accomplishing that role, the church or ministry will be more effective. This key element is also why drafting job descriptions cannot be delegated solely to an administrator or human resources department within a church or ministry. Pastors and senior leaders need to help shape the job descriptions, listing the gifts, skills, and talents needed to perform the job and the church’s or ministry's expectations for the job.
Tip. Church and ministry leaders should be honest about the gifts and talents needed to accomplish a specific task and strive to match those requirements to the gifts and talents of staff and volunteers. The goal is for each worker to do what they do best.
2. Assists with communication
Job descriptions make great communication tools. When a job description is clear about how to do tasks and responsibilities correctly, the ministry can often avoid unmet expectations between the worker and the ministry.
Job descriptions can also inform other staff members of the duties of each position and clarify responsibilities among all team members.
Tip. Make the title and role components of a job description available to both staff and volunteers that regularly interact with each other and need to know one another’s duties and responsibilities.
3. Provides a performance tool
Job descriptions set the baseline for the minimum performance expected for the position. Employee reviews should be structured around it, making the review more straightforward and more consistent.
The reviewer should go through the job description and compare the worker’s performance against each item listed as a job duty. The reviewer can document whether the employee’s performance equals or exceeds the ministry’s expectations for each task. If a worker fails to improve after receiving notices of performance deficiencies, it is easier to justify firing the individual.
4. Provides a discipleship tool
Church and ministry leaders rarely recognize the spiritual value of job descriptions. Yet, they can play an essential role in the spiritual development of the staff.
Job descriptions can help the worker understand the importance of their spiritual walk and how their spiritual walk may affect how they accomplish their job. Job descriptions may include the level of spiritual maturity expected from the worker and also detail the spiritual growth expected from the employees.
Tip. Job descriptions should explain how this position assists the ministry in accomplishing its mission.
Caution. For employees who fall under the ministerial exception, job descriptions must list the position’s spiritual duties and responsibilities, the spiritual qualifications, the religious training needed (both past and ongoing), and the spiritual performance expected of them. If the position requires a person to have ministerial credentials, then this should also be included.
5. Helps track changes
Job descriptions should be changed to reflect new expectations and new skill requirements. Changes frequently happen in the church and ministry world. Leaders should review job descriptions with the workers at least annually and possibly more frequently. Employees should initiate changes to their job descriptions when supervisors instruct them to perform a task outside their listed duties. This accountability helps supervisors stay within their responsibilities. It also provides employees with an avenue of appeal if they object to the new responsibilities.
6. Assists with legal and tax compliance
Job descriptions provide guardrails against serious law violations in making employment decisions. Compliance requires structure and discipline. Job descriptions can provide structure and give church and ministry leaders a tool to develop self-discipline in making employment decisions that avoid legal entanglements.
7. Reinforces good compensation practices
Job descriptions establish the facts to support a reasonable range of compensation for a position.
8. Guides employment decisions
Church and ministry leaders should review an employee’s job description before making any critical personnel decisions. That is, leaders should make decisions consistent with the job description. The review process can help a leader make more objective personnel decisions.
Consider these two specific benefits of a well-crafted job description:
- Provides sound guidance when making decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, or employee transfers to other departments—or moving a volunteer from one area of service to another.
- Provides the structure needed when creating, combining, or eliminating positions.
9. Avoids hiring mistakes
Many church or ministry leaders face situations where someone wants to be hired for a position because they need a job, regardless of their qualifications. Screening each candidate based on minimum job qualifications listed in a job description helps ensure that an unqualified person—including a friend or relative—is not hired.
If the church or ministry has a written job description and is disciplined enough to hire only qualified persons, hiring disasters can be avoided. A solid job description allows a church or ministry to honestly convey care to unqualified applicants while communicating their inadequacies for the job at hand.
10. Attracts more qualified candidates
May not be completely applicable to Reliant Field Staff.
Job descriptions should help attract qualified candidates by listing clear expectations for the position and the pay scale for the position. Listing or referencing the potential fringe benefits may also attract qualified candidates. Many candidates make their employment decisions based on the fringe benefits as much as the cash compensation arrangements.
Adapted from "Developing Strong Job Descriptions for Employees and Volunteers" by Frank Sommerville
