JOB DESCRIPTION

What is the general rule today in large companies concerning job descriptions, and their real existence on paper?
A job title is mostly generated first, because this is what comes up front on the business card.

Then, if the job description exists, what is the behaviour of employees when it comes to (all or not frequently) exceeding the requirements of their job description.

To be sure on a maximum of good return on this question,
I repeat 4 major subjects on this to be sure we're on the same wavelength about the question :
1. Purposes of a job description
2. Defining a job description, describing
3. Level of maturity and independency
4. Frequency of the different defined tasks

Below I put the details of the above outlined items :

O1. Purposes of a job description

- overview of the structure of an organisation (who does what, where and what targets)

- base definition document in place when recruiting and selection new employees (what knowledge, what capacities and what level of experience is necessary to be able to carry out the job successfully?)

- what does my new employer potentially expects from me? Is this a new function in his company?

- once operational, what's the base for evaluation and judgement on the delivered work afterwards?
- how is the evaluation on how well the job is done (or will be done)
- what's the policy in cases of unclear matters within operational matters, who is responsible for things vs. who has the power to change things
- what's the basis for communication between employee and their manager, what's the rule of communication between the employee and their fellow colleagues, or people at the work floor?
- what about self evaluation



about item O2, O3 and O4 there's much too tell, but maybe yet beyond the initial scope of this question.. (...)

Keen to learn about the valuable reactions...
Tom
Clarification added March 24, 2007:
>>> here's an additional detail O2 & O3 of the mentioned outlines. Thanks to those that already responded. <<

O2. Defining a job description
- job title (this is what's on the business card)
- purpose of the job
- place in the organisation
- what contacts will the employee have within the company
- summary of the tasks
- description of the tasks (= not the same as the summary)
- knowledge
- ability to express one selves (an operator of a machine is probably not required to do so).
- social awareness
- personal qualities
- able to work independently
- what's the spirit at work?
- economical risks


O3. Level of independency

- Level A:
> Employee has no independency, he carries out the tasks asked to him and routinely handles those tasks already defined previously.
Planning and priorities are determined by someone else.

- Level B:
> Employee makes suggestions concerning execution of tasks. Thinks along with every-ones ideas concerning planning and priorities but follows for the majority of time the instructions of his superior.

- Level C:
> Employee makes preparation of the actions to take, gathers information, makes suggestions concerning the priorities, sorts incoming information. Al these tasks happen in sync with the superior.

- Level D:

> Employee takes care of planning and preparation of thins, and puts procedures in place as far as it concerns matters where things have already been defined (either by existing job description or by approval by the superior).
> Employee directly reports to the superior or manager, informs him, and the decisions are made by the manager..

- Level E:

> Employee takes care of the assigned tasks, carries out the necessary things and puts procedures into place. He takes decisions or actions that he only communicates later to his manager/superior. He operates according to his own insight and experience with things in the past, while not forgetting to inform the chief. If it concerns non-routine issues the chief is involved to help interact.

- Level F:

> Employee is 100% independent and is fully responsible for the assigned tasks and the daily operations.
Planning, decision making, defining priorities, and carrying out tasks are handled to own good judgement. Reporting or the need to this is only required in exceptional cases.
Permission to do things is only required when it comes to the level of major decisions requiring major change.