An often overlooked, but critically important, step in positioning the operation for growth is a written job description for every
position on the farm. Large or small, an organization can’t grow efficiently until each person knows their respective responsibilities and is held accountable for specific results.
Writing a job description is fairly straightforward. An owner/manager can start today, and enlist the help of the entire staff. Ask each person to record his/her job duties and responsibilities. You’ll use this information to create job titles (not boss/subordinate, rather roles within each position) and a specific list of corresponding responsibilities.
For the family business owner, recording the minimum education and experience for a respective job allows you to establish hiring guidelines, salary schedules and promotional prerequisites.
A well-conceived job description is an excellent tool for employee management. It can be used for recruiting, selecting and training new employees. The job description not only lists the specific duties of a particular position, it may also include a list of benefits, such as health insurance, housing, fuel and profit sharing.
Tools to Help You Get Started:
- Job Description Template - From Legacy-by-Design.com
- Business Plan Self-Assessment - From Legacy-by-Design.com
- The Right Tool for the Job - Implement & Tractor, December 2008
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