Job descriptions often differ from actual responsibilities because they’re created as broad overviews rather than accurate reflections of day-to-day work. This gap means candidates who are hired may face realities at work that look nothing like what was advertised, leading to mismatched expectations and frustration.
Job roles and responsibilities are often written as static lists, when in reality work is evolving in real time, particularly in today’s dynamic economic landscape. Organisations move and scale faster than job descriptions can keep up with which means outdated job specifications aren’t fit for purpose anymore.
Alignment between job expectations and job requirements needs to be considered thoroughly, much earlier than when the job description is written. Hiring then needs to focus on bringing in people who are comfortable operating in change and who can adapt to an ever-transforming business environment.
Whilst this is crucial in recruiting talent, a balance needs to be made in retaining this talent. Eight in 10 (81%) employees have unofficially worked outside of their remit at work in the past year, according to survey findings published by recruitment firm Robert Walters in April 2026. Whilst organisations look to scale and evolve the need to have a dynamic and flexible workforce should not be at the expense of employee wellbeing. Unrealistic workloads and regularly working outside normal hours, can lead to misalignment of expectations and reality for employees.
As the survey findings suggest, this is job design failure not an employee resilience issue. Good job design from the outset should start with a shared understanding of purpose, clarity and core accountabilities. Organisations that are ambitious and pivot to change need to be honest with employees from the start that job descriptions and job roles will evolve as business need grows.
Our specialist HR Advisory team advises clients on developing job descriptions and specifications. To discuss your own circumstances, please get in touch with HR Consultant Brian Lenehan E: brianlenehan@bakertillymm.co.uk T: 028 9032 3466.
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