What does this statement mean?

badaz52

Hi everyone,


I am employed as an ICT Manager and was wondering what this statement in my job description means:


"Notwithstanding the detail in this job description, in accordance with the flexibility policy the job holder will undertake such work as may be determined from time to time, up to or at a level consistent with the main responsibilities of the job"


What does this actually mean, what can I be asked to do and what would be considered unacceptable?

Undervalued

badaz52 wrote: »

Hi everyone,


I am employed as an ICT Manager and was wondering what this statement in my job description means:


"Notwithstanding the detail in this job description, in accordance with the flexibility policy the job holder will undertake such work as may be determined from time to time, up to or at a level consistent with the main responsibilities of the job"


What does this actually mean, what can I be asked to do and what would be considered unacceptable?

It is fairly standard and means they can ask / tell you to do anything that doesn't need somebody more senior than you.

So, if they want you to spend all day straightening out the paperclips........

InsideInsurance

badaz52 wrote: »

What does this actually mean, what can I be asked to do and what would be considered unacceptable?

In theory it means they can ask you to do anything and will expect you to do it to the standard of up to the level of seniority your main role is.

Now in practice they arent going to be paying ICT Manager rates and then get you cleaning the toilets all day.

Opinion

InsideInsurance wrote: »

In theory it means they can ask you to do anything and will expect you to do it to the standard of up to the level of seniority your main role is.

Now in practice they arent going to be paying ICT Manager rates and then get you cleaning the toilets all day.

But if you are cleaning the toilets, clean them well!

lozzb

i would read your contract and the job description. i think it may mean you need to go above and beyond in your job and do extra tasks. could mean being a computer fixer or a bit of admin work or team leading a group of newbies at your business. you could be asked to be an interviewer or money things. im sure you wont be asked to do things if your business already employs someone to do tasks. push comes to shove you may have to take in turns to make coffee with other team mates. also did they not mention the tasks at interview?

badaz52

So for example say there is a member of staff who works here who does not come under the remit of the department I manage but who's job description implicitly states that one of their roles is say to look after photocopiers. Can I be asked to look after the photocopiers even if it means that they have relinquished one of their responsibilities and are no longer doing part of the job to which they have been employed for?


Obviously tasks like this I have no problem with doing if someone is absent because it is all part of being a flexible employee but if someone has been appointed and is being paid to do something specific and they don't do it and I am forced to do it is that right?

SeduLOUs

badaz52 wrote: »

So for example say there is a member of staff who works for the school who does not come under the remit of the department I manage but who's job description implicitly states that one of their roles is say to look after photocopiers. Can I be asked to look after the photocopiers even if it means that they have relinquished one of their responsibilities and are no longer doing part of the job to which they have been employed for?


Obviously tasks like this I have no problem with doing if someone is absent because it is all part of being a flexible employee but if someone has been appointed and is being paid to do something specific and they don't do it and I am forced to do it is that right?

Pretty much. They can ask you to do whatever they want and shuffling fairly minor responsibilities around the staff is perfectly normal as long as it doesn't massively impact your ability to do the rest of your work.

If they demoted you to 'photocopier maintainer' and reduced your pay, then it would be a different matter.

It's stuff like this that stops my boss from doing detailed job descriptions. He got sick of minimum wage receptionists refusing to post the letters they have written because "walking to the post box (that is 20m down the road) isn't in my job description!"

agrinnall

I think you're either worrying too much about something that's very unlikely to happen, or you've already been asked to do something which you don't consider to be within your role. If it's the latter then you'd be better to say so and give some specifics (even if you have to disguise them a bit to conceal your identity) so that the answers can address the actual issue rather than hypotheticals.

badaz52

SeduLOUs wrote: »

Pretty much. They can ask you to do whatever they want and shuffling fairly minor responsibilities around the staff is perfectly normal as long as it doesn't massively impact your ability to do the rest of your work.

That is all good and well but my responsibilities would never be shuffled to someone else because of the fact that it a technical position, they would never say pass some of my responsibilities to say the Reprographics assistant in exchange for some of theirs so it is surely unfair to do that isn't it?


I am not a "this isn't my job" type of person believe me I am an extremely flexible worker but there is a difference sometimes between being flexible and someone taking advantage.

SeduLOUs

badaz52 wrote: »

That is all good and well but my responsibilities would never be shuffled to someone else because of the fact that it a technical position, they would never say pass some of my responsibilities to say the Reprographics assistant in exchange for some of theirs so it is surely unfair to do that isn't it?

Needs of the business and all that.

If they later take on a less senior technical person, they may shuffle some of your lower end responsibilities downwards to free you up to do other things. The photocopier responsibility may be being passed to you as they now want the photocopier guy to look after something else entirely.

If you don't like the responsibilities you are being given, then you should raise this as a concern with your manager. Realistically though, if it's not a fundamental change to the overall job you do then it's pretty much like it or lump it.

Ozzuk

Its pretty standard for any contract.

Are you worried about this standard term or is it really about someone asking you to look after copiers? I'm also an IT manager, I'd review any request and reject it if I genuingly thought it wasn't a good fit for the business (goes for anything). Ultimately it depends on your level of seniority. If you are saying this is a contract issue it sounds more like you are a one man team and they are asking you to cover copiers under your role, in which case it seems like a normal fit and yes you have no real choice. Pretty standard joke if it has a plug on it its IT's responsibility!

I would also add, with the pressures many companies are under it's never a bad thing to increase your responsibility as much as possible and to be seen as a go-to guy, someone capable of meeting any challenge. take it on, review procedures/processes and streamlime/improve things and be seen as a valuable asset. Can be tough to balance out the low level jobs though.