JobsA job analysis may seem like a big project that is unnecessary for the average restaurant owner.  While job analysis are a tool that is most commonly seen being used in big corporations, it is indeed practical for usage in small organizations, especially those that require employees to handle a multitude of tasks in a given day.

In essence, a job analysis is a written description that outlines the job expectations, job functions, and job description for any given position.  The benefit to taking the time to do this for each position in your restaurant is two fold.  First, it gives every team member a clear understanding of who is responsible for what activities on a daily basis.  Secondly, it provides a guideline to review your employees by, allowing you to clearly see where an employee lacks or excels in their job duties.  The hidden benefit is that in the event that you need to discipline or even terminate the employment of an individual, you can clearly prove that the employee understood their job duties and failed to meet expectations.  This can avoid costly unemployment claims and negativity against your restaurant in the marketplace.

Writing a job analysis is not a complicated matter.  Consider the role of each employee on both a day to day basis and long term objectives.  Walk through the work day visually for each position held in your restaurant.  If you are not well versed in each employee’s duties, tag along with one of them for the day and keep track of what is done and what could be added or removed from their workload to make business run more efficiently.  Aside from physical duties, consider what  you expect from each position in regards to personality, attire, and attitude.  Set goals that you think are reasonable for personal growth and document these carefully.

Once you have your basic notes, write the details down in a simple format that clearly states the expectations and duties.  Also include disciplinary actions that will be faced if these expectations and duties are not met.  It is important to make sure that you stick by what you put in writing, although allow for flexibility and make changes as needed over time.

Be sure to share your job analysis for each position with your co-managers and other support staff, and make sure that it is used as a report card to keep track of employee progress.  While it should not take more than a few hours to write a job analysis, the time saved will be a blessing when it is time for you to review your employees for consideration of raises.  Having a firm checklist they agreed to upon being hired to compare their work against avoids what can otherwise be an awkward and daunting process that most managers dread.

So while generally considered a  tool for large organizations with human resource departments, even the smallest of start up restaurants can benefit from a detailed job analysis.