{"id":80412,"date":"2022-10-09T16:21:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-09T20:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=80412"},"modified":"2022-10-10T16:20:39","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T20:20:39","slug":"job-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/job-titles\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Job Titles Help or Hurt a Company?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are job titles still important in the workplace? Are job roles<\/a> a preferred alternative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the modern-day workplace, many people question whether job titles are still necessary. On one hand, they offer stability and structure. On the other hand, some people consider them old-fashioned and too reliant on a hierarchical system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To determine if you should consider keeping or eliminating job titles in your company, keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Pros and Cons of Job Titles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some people like the structure that comes with job titles. It makes it easier to know who is doing what within the company, and how much room you have to grow career-wise. However, there are downsides to titles that can make the workplace less than enjoyable to be a part of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive into the arguments on both sides by looking at the pros and cons of titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons of Job Titles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Job titles are considered traditional when it comes to workplace culture<\/a>, which is why so many people want to get rid of them. Titles create a hierarchical system that relies on bosses telling other people what to do, which can boost the ego of higher-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Ego Is the Enemy<\/em><\/a>, Ryan Holiday defines ego as an unhealthy belief in one\u2019s own importance. Having a job title that simply states that someone is considered a \u201csenior\u201d compared to other people who are \u201cintermediate\u201d is just supporting this unhealthy belief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relinquishing control doesn\u2019t mean letting other people run your business or make your choices for you. Rather, it means properly delegating and focusing your efforts on big-picture issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, your ego<\/a> wants you to be the boss of everything<\/em>. It feels good to make decisions, and you feel important when everyone relies on you to put out fires. Unfortunately, while the little things<\/em> are fun to deal with, they\u2019ll distract you from the big things<\/em>, which are the important things that will determine your continued success (or lack thereof), such as a healthy environment to work in for your team.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, if you can\u2019t let go of the reins in your business, you\u2019ll have a hard time steering it through trouble. If you obsessively micromanage small details<\/a>, you\u2019ll be unable to spot big-picture issues that arise.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, if you can\u2019t delegate responsibilities because you take pride in your job title, your employees are likely to resent your overbearing management style and are less likely to work as hard or be as effective as they could be if you allowed them to share responsibility. This creates a toxic workplace<\/a> environment that will only get worse if the people at the top are taking all the credit, and the people at the bottom have no chance to improve or be promoted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing More Than What You\u2019re Paid For<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Job titles come with a lot of expectations. You might overwork yourself trying to fulfill the responsibilities you signed on for, and realize that you deserve more. So what do you do in this situation? Maybe you\u2019ll consider negotiating for a better title and pay raise, but that in itself is a lot of preparation and research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvard Business Review<\/em><\/a> gives insight on how to ask for the title you\u2019re worth, which includes extensive research into a new salary, job description, and benefits. When you talk to your boss, you have to make sure that you come prepared with evidence of why you should be promoted to a new title. However, the article states there\u2019s a chance you\u2019ll get promoted with no benefits, and you still must be appreciative because it\u2019s an \u201congoing negotiation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be asking yourself why you\u2019re going through all this trouble in the first place. Why couldn\u2019t your manager see that you were doing work beyond your job title? What is the point of having a new title if there are no new benefits? It\u2019s at this point in the soul-searching process that titles are just a name, especially if your responsibilities more accurately describe what your job is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros of Job Titles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are some scenarios where job titles are beneficial. For one, job titles matter in the job-hunting process. Say someone is a Social Media Coordinator<\/a> doing the work<\/a> of a Marketing Specialist, but never changes their title. When filling out their resume, they put down all of their responsibilities and begin applying for Marketing Specialist positions but never get hired. Why? Because recruiters are more likely to look at your current and former titles first if they don\u2019t have time to thoroughly look through every resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another reason titles might help you during recruitment is that some of the alternatives for titles aren\u2019t exactly professional. Forbes<\/em><\/a> points this out by saying that an interesting title such as \u201csales rockstar\u201d is certainly refreshing and cool, but seems immature. You might give the impression that you\u2019re not taking the job hunting process seriously, or that you think too highly of yourself<\/a> if you\u2019re willing to put \u201crockstar\u201d in your title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a title that emphasizes personality and responsibilities, recruiters are less likely to take you seriously. After all, most companies are looking for professionals to join their teams. A formal title such as \u201cSales Consultant\u201d is more credible, gives accurate information about your previous jobs, and details your experience level. However, we\u2019ll see below one case where titles that focus on roles actually helped a company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Job Roles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We previously discussed how job titles have the potential to create a toxic workplace culture<\/a> through a hierarchical structure. This competitive nature divides employees and puts the company at risk since people are more focused on promotions and standing out. So what do job roles<\/em> bring to the table? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By replacing titles with roles, you\u2019re on the path to creating a healthier workplace\u2014everyone feels equally important and can build better relationships with their coworkers. A good workplace also encourages innovation and new ideas from its employees, creating a supportive environment. Ben Horowitz\u2019s book The Hard Thing About Hard Things<\/em><\/a> <\/em>goes into more detail about taking care of your employees to build a better work culture, starting with their roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can best take care of your people by making your company a good place to work. In Horowitz\u2019s terms, in a good place to work is one where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n