Job Classification | Meaning and Definition

What is Job classification?

Job classification is a system employers use to group jobs to determine appropriate pay and benefits. The most common way to classify jobs is by their level of skill, responsibility, and education requirements. Jobs that require similar skills, responsibilities, and education levels are typically grouped in the same class.

In simple terms, position classification is the classification of jobs into groups according to their nature of work and the skills required to do them. 

Importance of Job Classification

Here are the main reasons why job classification is important: 

• It is used to determine pay grades and salary ranges. Job classification establishes a hierarchy of jobs and their corresponding pay grades. This helps to ensure that employees are paid appropriately based on their work.

   

• It is used to determine benefits and eligibility for benefits. Job classification determines which jobs are eligible for certain benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

   

• It is used to create equal opportunity employment opportunities. Job classification provides a way to identify which jobs should be filled by people from protected classes, such as women and minorities. This helps ensure that all employees have an equal opportunity to obtain gainful employment. 

What is a job role?

A job role is a set of activities and responsibilities required to be performed by a person in a particular job. It is also known as a task role or an occupational role. The term job role is often used interchangeably with the term job description. 

A job description is a document that provides an overview of the duties, responsibilities, tasks, and powers associated with a particular job. On the other hand, a job role is more fluid and less formalized. It refers to the overall purpose and de facto activities expected of someone in a particular job.