“That’s not my job.”
CRINGE
When someone says “that’s not my job”, they are saying “I didn’t agree to this when I accepted the position”. When they took the position, you entered into a contract with them, whether it was a written job description or a verbal agreement.
When this agreement backfires, it can feel like a personal stab in the back. You hired them to be a part of your team, but employees can use the job description as a shield to refuse additional work, avoid accountability, or deflect a deficiency. We tell ourselves this person is lazy, difficult, and not a team-player. Ultimately, this hurts the employee and your business.
Let’s look at an example
Sheri is your admin. She processes customer orders that she receives from the sales manager, Mel. When Mel fails to provide complete information, Sheri sends an email to Mel requesting additional information. Three days pass and you receive a nasty voicemail from the customer about the delayed order.
“Sheri, why wasn’t this completed two days ago?” you ask.
“Mel didn’t give me all the information. I emailed her, and she never responded.” Sheri replies defensively.
“Sheri, if you don’t have all the information, I need you to do whatever you can to get it. Did you call Mel or reach out to the customer?” your frustration grows.
Sheri crosses her arms. Then comes the dreaded phrase… “that’s not my job.”
So, after fixing the problem with the customer, you sit down with Sheri and revisit her job description.
Sheri’s job description
Assuming Sheri was hired and reinforced in alignment with the company’s core values, you move on to her Workflows.
Workflow #1: Customer Orders – Complete, format, log and email orders within 24 hours from receipt of a request from the sales team.
This is a great description of her first workflow. However, Sheri fell into a trap because the job description assumes that processes will be followed correctly by others before they are passed to her. In a perfect world, all processes are followed correctly 100% of the time. But we all know people aren’t perfect. Even business who run like well-oiled machines need some wiggle room.
As you read through her job description, you realize it failed to address the Deed. The Deed defines what decisions Sheri has authority to make within given parameters. Her job description did not give Sheri the authority to contact the customer to get the missing information. Sheri thought that was Mel’s responsibility. Completion of Sheri’s workflow was 100% reliant on Mel.
You revise Sheri’s job description to give her the authority to contact customers to communicate delays or missing information if Mel doesn’t respond within 24 hours.
“But I don’t want to always be the bearer of bad news,” Sheri hesitates. After some discussion, you agree that Sheri also has the authority to follow-up after orders are fulfilled to ensure the customer has received everything correctly.
Going forward, this helps Sheri build relationships with customers and reduces delays. Mel continues her normal processes with Sheri as a back-up if information is missing. Mel appreciates the assistance and understands her 24 hour timeline.
The Deed is commonly missed in job descriptions, but can be incredibly freeing for you and empowering for your admin.
What should we do when the job description backfires?
It’s time to revisit that elusive job description.
Jobs in small businesses evolve regularly, and so should the job description. More importantly, if your business is growing and changing, the job description should always leave a little space to grow with the company. If you find that your job descriptions are too tightly written or leave out key elements, it’s time to sit down with the employee and other contributors to revise it….together.
Below is a way to write the description in relation to the Adminnovate Model House:
- Front Door: Communicate the basic values of the company to ensure everyone is in alignment.
- Windows: Identify the six (or less) critical workflows and any relevant metrics associated with them. Is there room for an empty window to allow space for additional responsibilities?
- Address: Write a purpose statement
- Deed: Identify what decisions they have the authority to make
- Thermostat: Communicate if the intent of the position is for production (producer) or improvement (improver).
- New Doors: This can be left open-ended, but if there is a specific growth path, identify what must be accomplished to move to the next position.
- Bracing: Identify who and how your employee can seek additional help, coaching or mentorship.
Avoiding the phrase altogether
Writing the perfect job description won’t happen during the first round. It will take constant tweaking and revisiting. It is a living document, and your team should understand its ability to evolve. Be careful not to add items without consent, appropriate compensation or relevant skills or resources.
By following the framework of the Adminnovate Model House, you can formulate clearer job descriptions that won’t backfire.
