PD reviews don’t get taken seriously enough.
They’re treated like a calendar reminder.
HR sends an email. The manager glances at the doc. Maybe tweaks a word or two. Adds “hybrid working” to the conditions. Removes “fax machine.”
Done.
No real interrogation of whether the role’s changed.
No check on whether the responsibilities reflect reality.
No challenge to whether the title still fits the work.
Just a surface-level tidy up. Then it gets re-signed and filed away for another year.
But here’s the problem — most roles evolve faster than that.
The PD might have been accurate once. But that was three restructures, two system changes, and one burnout ago.
By the time anyone looks at it again, the PD’s out of date.
Worse — it’s actively misleading.
And if something goes wrong, that’s what you’re relying on.
That’s why I treat PD reviews seriously.
Not because it’s process.
Because it’s protection.
The Review Isn’t Just a Check-In — It’s a Test
Here’s what I tell clients: a PD review is not about updates.
It’s about validation.
You’re not just checking spelling.
You’re testing the PD against what the role has actually become.
So I run a proper review. And I ask hard questions.
- Is this still what the person does?
- Has anything been added informally that’s not reflected here?
- Are there responsibilities that have dropped away?
- Are the outcomes still the right ones — not just the tasks?
- Has automation changed anything?
- Are the expectations still fair, given the capability and level?
And then I ask the kicker:
If this went to court, or was used in a restructure, would you stand behind it?
Because that’s what you’re signing off on.
Not a form.
A document that sets boundaries. That shapes pay. That defines accountability. That can — and will — be used as evidence.
If you’re not doing that level of review, you’re playing at it.
Who Should Be Involved — And What They Own
Too often the review gets dumped entirely on the manager.
Or worse, on HR alone.
But neither has the full picture.
Not on their own.
Here’s how I structure it:
1. Role Incumbent (if applicable)
They know the day-to-day.
They can tell you where the PD drifts from reality.
But they also bring bias. They might underplay what they do. Or inflate it to justify a title or pay rise.
So you don’t let them rewrite the PD.
You listen. Then you test.
2. Line Manager
They own accountability.
They should know the outcomes expected from the role.
But they’re often the ones stretching the PD — giving people extra work without updating the documentation.
So again — not sole ownership. But a core voice.
3. HR or People & Culture
They bring consistency and alignment.
They hold the PD to structural integrity.
Are we aligning with capability frameworks? With classification levels? With other similar roles?
They’re the system check.
4. Safety or Compliance (where needed)
For roles tied to WHS or regulated work, I bring them in.
Too many PDs miss core obligations that could have been flagged early — if the right person had been in the room.
5. A Third Pair of Eyes (optional but valuable)
Sometimes I bring in someone neutral — from another team or part of the business.
Just to sanity-check language, structure, and sense-making.
Fresh eyes catch lazy lines. Every time.
This review takes 30–45 minutes if prepped properly.
Not hours. Not weeks.
Just a focused, honest, adult conversation.
And when it’s done, the PD is clean.
It’s defensible. Usable. Reflective of reality.
That’s worth more than a polished doc that no one believes in.
Here’s my test for whether your PD reviews are working:
Can someone explain what the person does — and what they don’t do — without guessing?
Can you say, hand on heart, that it reflects the role today?
And could you use it tomorrow if things got difficult?
If not, your review isn’t working.
It’s theatre.
Run them properly. Involve the right people. Ask harder questions.
Because if your PD can’t hold up under pressure, then neither can you.