The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description

The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description…Using JOSH@work EMPLOYEE VERSION Prepared by The Department of Human Resources Henrico County, Virginia Revised July 2004 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work Table of Contents First a Few Words (an introduction) ................................................................................... 1 Before You Begin ................................................................................................................ 2 Getting Started with JOSH@work ....................................................................................... 3 Navigation and Other Tips on Using JOSH@work ............................................................... 5 Tab Menu ................................................................................................................... 5 Navigating through JOSH@work .............................................................................. 5 The 59-Minute Rule ................................................................................................... 7 Entering Information in JOSH@work ........................................................................ 8 Saving the Information You Have Entered ................................................................ 8 Editing a Saved Action............................................................................................... 9 Info links to complete your job description. However, we recommend that you read through the “Navigation and Other Tips for JOSH@work” before starting the process. NOTE: The system is easy to use and has been set up so that you will be able to follow the screens and More 7/13/2004 ii The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work First a Few Words… Why are Job Descriptions important? The job description form is used to record the job activities/duties, qualifications, reporting relationships, responsibilities and working conditions of classified positions. This information forms the basis for determining position titles, salaries and overtime status. Why must Job Descriptions be accurate? Specific, detailed information is essential to properly classifying and compensating jobs and employees. In addition, job description information is linked to the performance appraisal process. Who should complete the Job Description form? Job descriptions may be completed by either a supervisor or employee. Certain aspects of the job description must be confirmed by supervisors and agency heads. Our new online job description form (JOSH@work) is designed to support this joint approach. Must the new form be completed on-line? Yes, but there is a lot of assistance available to help you use the on-line form. For more information, go to http://www.co.henrico.va.us/hr/cc/josh2-help2.html. Who will have access to the form? Only employees, those in their supervisory chain and selected members of the Human Resources Department will have access to the on-line job description form. When should a Job Description be updated? A job description should be updated when ! ! ! ! ! An employee’s level of work, responsibility or supervisory designation changes; An employee assumes more decision-making authority; A department restructures or reorganizes; Program needs make it necessary to reassign staff; or A position undergoes other significant changes. 7/13/2004 1 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work Before You Begin What steps should be taken in preparing to update a Job Description? Before keying information into JOSH@work, we recommend that the supervisor/employee completing the form: ! Review the employee’s current dimensions and standards. ! Review the class specification for the position. Identify and list statements that directly apply to the position. ! If available, review the position’s Job Description on file in the department. Does it accurately reflect the current job activities/duties? ! List what, how, when and where the position’s major activities/duties are performed. Are any of these activities/duties related/linked? If so, group them together in a combined activity/duty statement. What percentage of time is spent on these activities/duties? ! List what, how, when and where the position’s secondary activities/duties are performed. List them. Are any of these activities/duties related/linked? If so, group them together in a combined activity/duty statement. What percentage of time is spent on these activities/duties? ! Consider the level of education and type of experience needed for the position. ! Identify any certification and licensure requirements necessary to perform the job. ! Consider the preferred qualifications for the position. ! Identify the physical demands that may be placed on the position. ! Confirm the shift and schedule of the position. 7/13/2004 2 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work Getting Started with JOSH@work JOSH@work is an on-line job description tool for Henrico County employees. This manual provides the details on writing a job description using this tool. To access JOSH@work: " # Go to www.henricojobs.com/hr. Log in with a User Name and Password. NOTE: If you do not know what your log in information is, visit http://virtual.henrico/hr/cc/josh-logon.pdf on the County’s intranet where you will find insturctions on how to determine your user id. Employees who do not currently have email must have Information Technology establish a user id. To do this you will need to complete a DPS064A User ID Request Form available from Information Technology’s intranet site (http://virtual.henrico/dp/dpsform.htm). Once you have logged onto JOSH@work: $ Click on UPDATE JOB DESCRIPTION. 7/13/2004 3 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work % Click on UPDATE CURRENT JOB DESCRIPTION – START ACTION. & Click on START ACTION to begin. More Info links and be able to complete your job description. However, we recommend that you read through the “Navigation and Other Tips for JOSH@work” before starting the process. NOTE: The system is easy to use and has been set up so that you will be able to follow the screens and 7/13/2004 4 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description JOSH@work Navigation and Other Tips for JOSH@work ' Tab Menu At the top of each screen, you will find the following tabs EMPLOYEE INFORMATION: Provides the employee’s name and employee ID. JOB DETAILS: Gives information about the specific job occupied by the employee. Much of this information comes from our HR/Payroll system (MAPS) and cannot be changed through JOSH@work. You will need to notify your supervisor and have a P-3 Personnel Action Request form submitted to Human Resources to get it changed. JOB DUTIES: Will be blank when you initial begin the process of updating the job description. On this tab, you will be adding details about the duties you perform in your current job. CERTIFICATION: Confirms that the job description has been reviewed by those involved in the process (employee, supervisor, agency head). ACTION HISTORY: Shows the history of actions that have been processed on this job description. ' Navigating through JOSH@work There are several ways you can move from one section to another section depending on where you are and what you are doing. You can click on one of the section titles in the TAB bar at the top of the screen. Although you can move to each tab by using this method, you may not be able to go to another tab from the screen you are on unless you have completed the required fields. 7/13/2004 5 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description GETTING AROUND JOSH@work You will find the following buttons on the various screens throughout JOSH@work. Please make sure you understand their purpose based on where you are in the system and what you want to do. CANCEL will cancel your request to update your job description and will wipe out all information you have already entered. VIEW ACTION SUMMARY provides you a view of what you have entered to this point AND enables you to save the information you have enetered. ADD ENTRY serves two purposes: • Gives you the ability to begin entering information on a specific job duty and • Lets you add the information you have entered on the job duty screen. Takes you to the next page or section of the job description. NOTE: If you are on the JOB DUTY screen, you must always click on ADD DUTY before moving to the next screen if you want to keep what you have entered. Do not click on this button unless you have already added all the job duties. Enables you to print your formatted job description (with the County seal, etc.). This version does not include all details of each of your job duties. It shows the description of the duty, whether it is considered an essential function of the job, and the percent of time it is performed. 7/13/2004 6 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description ' The 59-minute Rule The system will automatically log you off if you have not communicated with the server for 59 minutes. It assumes that you are no longer working on the system and for security reasons, logs you off. Each time you do communicate with the server you are given another 59 minutes so you can continue to work on your job description for as long as you like. What does ‘communicate with the server’ mean? When you move from one screen to another within JOSH@work...or preview a page, or add a job duty, etc., you are sending information to the server. Each time information is sent to the server, you are ‘communicating with the server.’ Simply typing information on a screen does not send information to the server. If you think it will take you longer than 59 minutes to complete a screen, you should enter the required fields on the screen, save the information and then go back into the system and edit what has been entered. Three (3) minutes before the 59 minutes is up you will receive a warning message (see below) that your time is up. However, if you do not click OK within those 3 minutes, your session will expire and any unsaved information will be lost. By clicking on OK within the 3 minutes, you will be given another 59 minutes to continue working on your job description. You should not leave your computer logged onto JOSH@work for long periods if you are not actively working on the job description. 7/13/2004 7 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description ' Entering Information in JOSH@work Some fields are displayed for information only and cannot be edited. For fields that can be edited, you will find either: A drop down list of choices: OR: A text box where you can enter the information Some fields are required and must be completed before proceeding to the next section (or tab). These are marked with * ' Saving the Information You Have Entered Remember…typing the information on the screen does not submit the information to the JOSH@work system. You must perform a task that sends the information to the JOSH@work server. See The 59-minute Rule (page 7) for more details. You can save the information you have entered as many times as you would like until you are finished with it and ready to submit it to your supervisor/agency head for review. To do this, follow the steps below: Click on You will then have the option to go back and edit more or to move it to another status (i.e., Request Supervisor Review). NOTE: If you are on the JOB DUTIES screen, you must always click on ADD DUTY before moving to the next screen if you want to keep what you have entered. 7/13/2004 8 The Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Job Description ' Editing a Saved Action Once you have saved (but not submitted) your job description, you can go back in and edit it as many times as you would like before you submit it and REQUEST SUPERVISOR REVIEW. Once you have submitted it for review by your supervisor, you will need to request that he/she returns it to you electronically and then you can make changes to it. From the left side bar, select PENDING ACTIONS Next, select VIEW and then on the following screen select description so that you can edit it. EDIT to be taken back into your job 7/13/2004 9