Less stress, increased profits, fewer interruptions, more productivity, successful recruitment, better morale, and simply enjoying being a business owner: these are all things that I like to work towards in your garage.
I am guilty of picking the quick wins because I know that you, the garage owner, have minimal time. However, now is the time to talk about the medium-quick wins, the tasks that take a little bit of time but that will consistently be worthwhile when used correctly.
Let me take five minutes of your time to describe how I would write a Job Description and why they are more than just a box-ticking task.
After five years of working with the automotive industry, I continuously see that clarity will help you and your employees. And I am noticing that multiple garage owners are missing opportunities to improve their employee performance and satisfaction.
To achieve this, it’s essential to provide your technicians, service advisors, and other team members with clear direction and expectations. And that’s where the power of a well-crafted, unique Job Description (JD) comes into play.
Do you legally need a Job Description?
No. It is not a legal requirement and you have not done anything wrong by not issuing one to your employees.
But will it contribute to increased profits, save you time, improve staff retention and make your life easier? Absolutely.
This is why almost every industry uses them, and it is a missed opportunity if you do not get on board.
I imagine you think that writing a Job Description is either a `copy and paste` job where you can get something off the internet and the job is done. OR, you have researched online, asked others for copies of their Job Descriptions, and then created an amalgamation of something to work for you. But this won’t cut it.
I’m going to be bold here and add that using the Job Description from your previous employer is probably not good enough, either. You are not a main dealer. You operate differently, and the Job Description needs to support this.
Your Job Descriptions need to sound like you; I should read them and clearly see that this is an extension of you, the employer of an independent business that is marching toward success and profit in the middle of a staffing crisis.
Job Descriptions serve as the foundation for effective recruitment, employee development, and overall organisational success. Too often, employers tell me that they have recruited someone and are now realising that the employee cannot meet their job requirements and that they are being paid for more than they can do.
One simple way to have helped with this problem? A decent Job Description.
By creating a Job Description that is customised to your independent business, you can set the stage for attracting and retaining the right talent while also highlighting what is non-negotiable and unique about each specific role.
How to write a Job Description
Contrary to popular belief, crafting a Job Description doesn’t have to be a complicated or overly time-consuming process. When done correctly, it is actually quite satisfying and therapeutic to do. Who doesn’t like to know where they stand and what is expected of them?
The key lies in refining the main point of the job and clearly outlining the core responsibilities and expectations. Bring it back to basics. And if you are bored reading the Job Description yourself, bin it and start again.
A few simple questions to get you started:
· What are the two main responsibilities of the job role?
· What is unique about this role?
· What does this role do that brings money into your business?
· How does this role impact your customers?
When it comes to the automotive aftermarket, each role within your business carries its own significance and contributes to the overall success of your business. Whether it’s a skilled Technician who is the problem solver, or a Service Advisor who focuses on getting the 5* customer reviews, you need to provide crystal-clear clarity.
So, if you’re ready to take your recruitment and talent management strategies to the next level, read on as I further describe how to write Job Descriptions tailored specifically for your independent business in the automotive aftermarket industry.
The good news? You already know the answers to this task – it is just a simple case of communicating it in a way that points towards boosting the performance of the business.
How do you know if you have written a good Job Description?
A Job Description is a document you can give to an employee which helps them understand what is required of them.
It’s exactly like directions to get to an address. If you don’t provide clear directions, then the person may end up at the wrong location.
However, you also don’t want to be overzealous and put too much information in there. It is not an instruction manual. It needs to highlight what is unique to the role and detail the main responsibilities which add value to the business.
You also need to be able to give this Job Description to any person that takes on the role and know that they will all be working towards the same goal and standards.
A good way of testing the quality of a Job Description? Imagine giving it to a different employee with a different job. Would they start acting differently?
For example, if your problem-solving Technician was handed the Job Description of the Service Technician, would the requirements in this Job Description provide different instructions?
The basics
· Job title
· Location/Branch – For example, workshop and/or branch name.
· Position reports to – Name of manager.
· Position responsible for – Name any job titles this person is responsible for, and delete if they are not. For example, it is unlikely that the MOT Tester needs this section, but a Workshop Manager could name the MOT Tester as their responsibility.
– You can add the job’s salary, but my advice is to only mention the salary in their Contract of Employment as the fewer places that mention salary, the fewer places that need to be updated. This document is about describing the job, not the salary.
· The bespoke details
· Main responsibilities – List 1-4 key parts of this role that this person is responsible for.
· Non-negotiables – What MUST this role include? What do they need to do/have to be able to do their job?
· Unique responsibilities – What is specific to this role? For example, you wouldn’t expect the MOT Tester to be able to write an in-depth quote – or would you? Is the role responsible for entering awards? Improving customer service? Maintaining happy staff? Returning parts?
· Main duties – This is where you should think about what is standard about the role. What is normal for a Diag Technician to be able to do? What would you expect most Service Advisors to do? Don’t overthink it, and don’t get too specific. Instead of writing “Answer the phone with the Company greeting and remember to say the customer’s name”, write “Consistently deliver personalised customer service.”
· Professional development – Think about what `futureproofs` the role. Is there any training that is essential? Do your Front of House need to stay up to date with EV vehicles? Is there a low demand for professional development? Do you expect career progression from the role?
· Bonus points – If you want to write a Job Description that is top tier, then link it to your mission and your values. Why? Because you are making sure that the role (and therefore person) has more information, more focus and are therefore more independent and ask you fewer questions.
· Date – Many people forget to add the date that they wrote the job advert and the date that you will review it. I suggest adding a calendar reminder in 12 months to review the Job Description and check that it is still relevant or if you need to make changes.
· Final task – ADD A LINE AT THE END OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION TO STATE THAT IT DOES NOT FORM PART OF THE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT.
Chat GPT
In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with using a tool that can help you get results, especially if it is faster. The problem, is that you need to know enough to know if it is rubbish or not.
If you want to use it to write a Job Description, bear in mind that:
· It does not know your business and will fail to describe what is unique about you, unless you tell it.
· Other garage owners will also be using chat GPT, and therefore you are at risk of producing the same content.
· It is not up to date with employment law (I think it is three years behind), so you could document something that puts you on dodgy grounds, and “chat GPT wrote it” is not a get-out-of-tribunal card.
I tested it myself and was extremely specific with my request. The response? It wrote a job advert, not a Job Description. There is a big difference! As much as I want it to be useful, in all honestly, it just never quite gets it right.
So, the moral of the story: If you want to use AI to help, go for it. BUT, my advice is to try and write it yourself first, then use it for “How to phrase XYZ” rather than “Write a Job Description for XYZ”.
Be safe from discrimination
The employer should avoid using language that could suggest an intention to discriminate (e.g. describing the role as a warehouseman or waitress).
It should also be aware of the risk of indirect discrimination if requirements are included in the Job Description that are not necessary to the performance of the role (For example, if a job is described as full-time when it could be carried out on a part-time or job-share basis).
I know this is not the most practical for your garage, and you are not expected to offer something that does not work for the business, but just be careful.
How should it be presented?
Try and keep it to one page – two maximum.
Use wording that makes sense to you and your employees, do not use words that you wouldn’t use. It is important that it sounds like you (…no swearing on it, though!).
Ideally, you want to present the Job Description when the person is offered the job. However, the second best option is to share it with each person, ideally in a one-to-one, and then send it via Signable to be extremely organised.
Press Here to learn more about Signable
If you would like some support in finishing your Job Descriptions, here is how I can help:
1) Option 1 – Join our subscription community
For £99 per month, you can get administration help on your HR tasks, discounts, first choice on webinars, weekly emails with help and ideas and an audit to see what else we can help you with. You can upgrade to have all of this, and free monthly webinars, C-me reports and so much more.
2) Option 2 – PAYG
No subscription, just email over the Job Descriptions to jennifer@hrvitals.co.uk and let me know what bit you would like help with. Then, we can take it from there.
If you would like more detail on any of these points or if there is something else that you would like help with, let me know.
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