How might having job descriptions be benefit to the organization?

People know exactly what is expected of them. They know what they are responsible for.

They know where their job stops and another persons begins so there is less duplication of effort.

For management it clarifies what the employee will be rated on in a job performance review. Management can also see that all areas necessary to support the business have been assigned.

Some jobs don't need descriptions -- here's a broom, there's the pile of dirt, you figure it out. Some jobs need brief descriptions -- here's a bus; drive it to fourth street and broadway, pick up whomevers there, and bring them back here. But as jobs get more complex, it becomes unclear whats actually meant by those brief summaries. Am I responsible for a pile of dirt I see in someone else's room? Does it matter how long I take to get to fourth street? What if someone wants to borrow my broom -- is that okay? What if someone wants to get on the bus while I'm stopped at a traffic light -- can I let them on? Job descriptions clarify that. Instead of just 'heres the broom, you figure it out', it might say ' Use a #5 long handle broom to collect all dirt on the floor in Rooms A, B, and C; once the dirt has been gathered into a pile, call Maintenance to take the dirt away'. Now you know more precisely whats your responsibility, how to judge if its done, and if anyone else has responsibilities, too. The bigger the company gets, the more interaction that there is between departments, the more that job descriptions, and the procedures that invoke them, help things run smooth.

Thats not to say that a job description should be extremely detailed. People get burned out by excessive detail; they stop caring, sometimes, and have the attitude of 'If it isn't in the job description, I won't do it.' You have to balance the need for clarity with the need for self-expression and energy.

But overall, descriptions tell you who, when, where, and how -- which leaves you time to think about the important things, such as: whats this company all about? How do we know when we're successful? And how do I get some of those stock options?

whenever you give clear direction as too what is expected you get results that make you successful.Not giving employees job description is like hiring monkeys.The task may get completed eventually,but some pre thought into it helps.If given a description of the task before hand results in success then why wouldn't you inform the monkey?

It can be useful in combating fraudulent work comp claims.