We’ve discussed the importance of maintaining a complete and accurate position description (PD), particularly for those employees who are approaching a reallocation as they transition up the job ladder. But PDs do a lot more than lay a groundwork for reallocations; they provide important information to the employer as they organize and prepare emergency planning.
The Department of Health, as an example, is developing its “Plans for Emergency Response and Recovery”, a function of its Incident Command System. While generally used in emergencies, developing these frameworks prior to the time of need is useful any time there are events involving multiple partners focused on common objectives. Developing them before an incident is smart planning.
Having detailed knowledge of what functionalities individuals contribute improves that planning – that’s what the PD does. It’s also very helpful to have accurate, detailed information should one find oneself performing the bulk of duties that belong to a different job class. Whether the planning ahead involves agency preparation or career development, work with your supervisor to ensure your PD is accurate.