A manager announces that a role will become “more varied”. That can mean a broader list of tasks, more control over how the work is done, or simply a larger workload. The distinction deserves a conversation before the change begins.
Job enlargement generally adds tasks at a similar level. Job enrichment increases the depth of a role, such as responsibility, discretion or meaningful involvement in planning and evaluating the work. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s job-design guidance places these approaches within the wider organisation of work.
| Illustrative change | Main question |
|---|---|
| A coordinator now processes three types of routine request instead of one. | Has the range of tasks increased? |
| The coordinator can redesign the request workflow within agreed limits. | Has meaningful authority increased? |
Neither change is automatically good or bad. Variety can make a role more engaging, while added discretion can be frustrating if the person lacks time, information or support. A job title does not resolve those conditions.
Write down what changes—and what makes room
Before introducing the revised role, agree the tasks, decision boundaries, training and available resources. Identify work that will stop or move elsewhere. Otherwise, an attractive description of development may conceal an unmanageable increase in demands.
For example, giving someone responsibility for improving a process while requiring approval for every minor adjustment creates an obvious mismatch. The review should compare the responsibility with the actual authority, not just whether the employee accepted the assignment.
Set a date to discuss the change using specific examples from the work. Ask what became easier, where decisions still get stuck and whether the workload is sustainable. That turns job design into something observable and adjustable, rather than a motivational label attached to more work.