Did you ever have two employees complete the same task? Or have a task no one completed because they though someone else was doing it?

Every employee should have a Job description. It not only makes sure all the work gets done but also makes for happier employees because they each understand exactly what they are to do.

Only you can determine what duties for which each employee is responsible. If you do not each employee will fill the void and will develop their own opinion exactly what their job is. This method not only causes gaps in work it also causes overlapping responsibilities.

A job description should consist of a list of job requirements and any standards by which the job will be answered. For Example if an Administrative Assistants job includes processing a particular document that is critical your operation you night want to establish a standard such as all start orders must be processed within two days of receipt. This is not to be confused with how to do a work item. A system might be developed to describe exactly how to process a start order but that would be contained in a separate document.

Below is the position agreement I prepared for an employee of the development company.

Job Description

POSITION TITLE: Administrative Assistant

Reports to: Purchasing Manager (primary); coordinates with Project Manager, Sales Manager, President, and Land Acquisition Manager. Result statement: To provide support services for all personnel

Work Listing:

1. Distribute daily incoming and outgoing mail

2. Order and maintain office supplies

3. Administer health insurance paperwork

4. Administer phone/internet service

5. Administer computer network service

6. Keep President's and individual development files

7. Maintain Permit/Sales/Construction folders by lot

8. Order city permits

9. Distribute lot start order info to subcontractors

10. Distribute change orders to subcontractors

11. Set up closing dates with buyer, bank, and attorney

12. Prepare closing documents

13. Distribute and monitor service requests with buyer and subcontractors

Position Standards:

1. Maintain files daily

2. Process error-free, on-time closing documents/lot start order info/change orders

3. Complete service requests within 30 days of request

4. Process permits, start orders, and change orders within two business days of release.

Tom Robinson is a land developer, home builder and consultant. He is past President of the largest local home builders association in Illinois, Past President of the Custom Builders Council and 2004 Builder of the Year. For more than twenty years he has developed property in northern Illinois and southeast Wisconsin. http://www.thomaswrobinson.blogspot.com/