- How up to date are your team’s role descriptions?
- Do the role descriptions reflect the actual work done?
Having clarity about our work – what we are expected to do and when – is essential for building effective teams and delivering high-quality service. Yet role or position descriptions are often incomplete or out of date, making collaboration difficult and hindering support when addressing performance, reporting lines and conflict.
This article outlines why role clarity matters and how leaders can use everyday activities to check and update role descriptions in their team.
What is role clarity?
Role clarity means knowing what tasks are expected of you, how and with whom you discuss your work and receive feedback, and how your role fits with the team or organisation to meet its goals.
Ensuring role clarity begins with a job or position description, such as the one stated in a job advertisement. A complete role description usually includes:
- a title
- a goal or purpose
- key duties and responsibilities
- reporting lines that map connections with other roles in the team and broader organisation (for communication, reporting and delegation)
- processes for performance review and learning support, plus benefits and entitlements such as leave and remuneration
Why is it important
Roles describe what we do and why. Clarity helps people feel confident about what they are expected to do and to understand how everyone’s role contributes to the team’s purpose.
Clear roles contribute to purpose, meaning, confidence, engagement and collaboration. They give people a clear line of sight from their duties to those of others, showing how the team works together to serve patients and achieve broader healthcare goals.
Unclear roles lead to confusion, a lack of meaning and purpose, which can drive disengagement and burnout.
How can we achieve it?
There are various times in our work cycles that we can check, review and update roles and their descriptions. For example:
- during recruitment, when roles are outlined in the job ad
- in annual performance and development reviews, where performance is assessed against role expectations
- in handbooks or similar documents that record roles and responsibilities for the service
Poor role clarity often contributes to conflicts and disagreements. When performance or conduct issues become serious, clear role descriptions and standards are essential. If these are inadequate, addressing such issues becomes harder.
So, over the next twelve months, look for chances to review roles and clarity during one-to-one conversations, recruitment, writing job descriptions and performance discussions. It need not be overwhelming: first, find where role descriptions are stored—perhaps in HR, with the head of unit, job descriptions or contracts. If unsure, ask colleagues in similar roles or adjacent areas.
Resources from NSW Government ‘Mentally healthy workplace resources’ kits – see here
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Dr Anna Clark (PhD) is AMAV's leadership consultant, coach and educator, currently offering individual coaching for doctors and directing AMA Victoria’s professional development programs in leadership, the Emerging Leader Program and Middle Leader Program.
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