Introduction
A job description serves the purpose of giving a detailed account of all the expected duties and obligations of the employee. The manager expects the worker to be able to perform the duties and maintain standards expected of them as stated in the job description. Janice is a hairstylist who got a job in a salon but was fired after a customer reported being dissatisfied with her services (Noe, 2007). The customer gave her free rein to do as she pleased with her hair but did not like the job done afterwards.
Was the job description good or bad according to this situation?
The job description is a good one albeit not precise in its information. The job description gives a clear list of all the expected duties that the employee must perform effectively. In Janice's situation, the job description gives the guidelines that were to be followed in executing her duties. The job description states that the employee has to follow the customer’s instructions. In this case, the customer did not have a specific hair style in mind and gave Janice free rein. The next step as per the instructions on the job description would have been to advise the customer on the various options available to determine her preference. Janice did not do this and at the end of the service the customer was left irritated and unhappy with her hair (Noe, 2007).
Was the manger's action justifiable in line with the job description? Provide reasons for your answer.
Yes, the manager’s action was justified. The job description states that the employee has to advise the customer on the available service options, which Janice did not do. The employee also has to be able to meet and even exceed the client’s expectations. Janice let down the client along with two others previously. Janice’s poor customer satisfaction rate justified her dismissal (Noe, 2007).
Conclusion
A job description is an important tool that must be reviewed in detail before one seeks employment. It is on the basis of following the instructions set out that an employer can effectively assess the progress of his/her employees. The job description must be easy to understand and concise to avoid confusion in the workplace.
References
Noe, R. A. (2007). Analyzing work and designing jobs. In Fundamentals of human resource management (5th ed., p. 103). Boston: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.
