EMPLOYEE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS AND TASK MANAGEMENT

You hire, train, manage, motivate and, ultimately, fire your employees. Their performance is on you. Next time you go to complain, first ask: what could I have done as leader to avoid this?

THE ROLE OF POSITION DESCRIPTIONS.

Position descriptions, or job descriptions as they can be known, are vital in any business but even more so in small retail businesses.

Well structured job descriptions do many things including:

Set expectations you have for each role.
Define expectations employees should have for their roles.
Define expectations colleagues should have for their roles.
Document specific tasks to be completed.
Set a professional standard for the business.
Provide something against which you can measure employee performance.
Guide a management structure form the top of the business through.
Provide a documented basis for resolving any performance dispute.
Enable you to have structure in the business from a pay perspective.
Guide your hiring process.

GENERAL ADVICE.

Write each position description such that it could be displayed for all employees to see. This will help facilitate the best outcome for the business.

You need a position description for your own role in the business as well as the roles of any family members.

Give position descriptions to prospective employees during any interview to ensure your expectations are defined in advance of them working for you.

Discuss any possible position description change with people in the role and with their managers prior to implementation.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: RETAIL STORE MANAGE.

REPORTS TO: DIRECTORS/OWNERS

ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE BUSINESS: AT ALL LEVELS IN A RETAIL STORE

This incumbent in this role is responsible for the successful and profitable operation of the retail business.

The role includes the following tasks and functions:

Selecting, managing, training and motivating employees.
Dealing with employee management matters.
Creating and adjusting the employee roster to best serve the operational and financial needs of the business.
Liaising with current and potential suppliers.
Purchasing stock as agreed within the budget set by the directors.
Ensuring proper processing of stock into the business.
Ensuring accurate recording of all sales by all employees.
Checking and approving all accounts to be paid.
Ensuring the shop is clean, safe, well presented and that products displayed in a creative and commercially successful way.
Developing and executing marketing of the business.
Engaging with newsXpress for maximum effect for the business.

This is an autonomous role without major management overhead. It is important that the incumbent manages their own time effectively and with due care and caution.

Given the level of responsibility of business assets, resources and finances, attention to business processes, details and honesty of all involved is vital.

The key measure of success in this role will be the financial success of the business.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: SUPERVISOR

REPORTS TO: STORE MANAGER

ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE BUSINESS: AT SELECT LEVELS IN A RETAIL STORE

This incumbent in this role is responsible for the successful and profitable operation of the retail business.

The role may include some or all the following tasks and functions:

Participation in selecting, managing, training and motivating employees.
Participation in dealing with employee management matters.
Ensuring the creation and maintenance of excellent visual merchandising displays in the shop and in any display space.
Encouraging junior staff in their shopper engagement, creation of displays and day to day activities.
Working with suppliers as requested.
Suggesting new products for the business to stock.
Suggesting changes that would benefit the business.
Understanding the performance of the area of the business for which the incumbent has responsibility – hot to extract and read performance data.
Ensuring the proper following of the operational rules of the business.

This is an important role without major management overhead. It is important that the incumbent manages their own time effectively and with due care and caution.

The key measure of success in this role will be the financial success of the areas of the business over which the incumbent has specific control.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: RETAIL ASSOCIATE (FULL TIME)

REPORTS TO: SUPERVISOR AND STORE MANAGER

ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE BUSINESS: AS DIRECTED

The role includes the following tasks and functions:

To follow supervisor and management direction on all tasks. This includes:
- Welcoming customers as they enter the store – from a smile to a “g’day” or what you may be comfortable with.
- Ensuring product displays are full and products well presented.
- Creating promotional displays.
- Cleaning the shop at set times to the set cleaning task list.
- Cleaning the shop should be it untidy or dirty at any time.
- Cleaning products on the shelves.
- Focusing on shoppers in front of you. If the phone rings, a shopper in front of you is more important. Answer the phone and ask the customer to wait.
- Restricting talk time. While talking with a customer is friendly, having a customer next in line waiting for you will upset those waiting.
- Showing customers where products are located. Pointing is not good customer service.
To complete any tasks as directed by your supervisor or manager.
To follow all documented store procedures.
To provide friendly, engaged and professional customer service.
To suggest new products the business could offer.
To actively listen to any customer complaint and pass on details to your supervisor / manager.
To arrive at work on time.
To follow the business employee practices.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: RETAIL ASSOCIATE (CASUAL)

REPORTS TO: SUPERVISOR AND STORE MANAGER

ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE BUSINESS: AS DIRECTED

The role includes the following tasks and functions:

To ask for the tasks to be completed in a shift at the start of any shift.
To ask about any changes in the business since they last worked that need to be considered.
To follow supervisor and management direction on all tasks. This includes:
- Welcoming customers as they enter the store – from a smile to a “g’day” or what you may be comfortable with.
- Ensuring product displays are full and products well presented.
- Creating promotional displays.
- Cleaning the shop at set times to the set cleaning task list.
- Cleaning the shop should be it untidy or dirty at any time.
- Cleaning products on the shelves.
- Focusing on shoppers. If the phone rings, a shopper in front of you is more important. Answer the phone and ask the customer to wait.
- Restricting talk time. While talking with a customer is friendly, having a customer next in line waiting for you will upset those waiting.
- Showing customers where products are located. Pointing is not good customer service.
To complete any tasks as directed by your supervisor or manager.
To follow all documented store procedures.
To provide friendly, engaged and professional customer service.
To suggest new products the business could offer.
To actively listen to any customer complaint and pass on details to your supervisor / manager.
To arrive at work on time.
To follow the business employee practices.

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