hlutverkamati

Hlutverkamati is a systematic process for determining and documenting the responsibilities, authority and relationships of positions within an organization. It aims to define what each role is accountable for, what decisions it may make, and how it relates to other roles. The process supports clarity, alignment with strategy, and fairness in recruitment, performance management and compensation.

Typically, hlutverkamati involves job analysis, information gathering from incumbents and supervisors, and synthesis into role descriptions or profiles. Core outputs include key responsibilities, required qualifications and competencies, decision rights, reporting lines, and performance indicators. The results can feed recruitment, onboarding, training needs analysis, succession planning, and remuneration systems.

Methods commonly used are interviews, questionnaires, workshops and sometimes observation. Organizations may employ various approaches, from concise role summaries to formal job evaluation methods that assign relative value to roles based on factors such as responsibility, skill requirements, effort, and working conditions. The exact approach depends on organizational context, legal considerations, and resources.

Benefits include improved role clarity, reduced overlap or conflict, better alignment with strategic goals, and more equitable compensation. Potential challenges include ensuring broad participation, keeping role descriptions up to date in changing environments, and avoiding over- or under-definition of duties.

In Icelandic practice, hlutverkamati may be applied in both public administration and private sector HR to support management decisions and governance by providing structured, transparent role information.