This paper seeks to explore the tentative steps that your organization might need to consider when conducting a job evaluation exercise. Job evaluation is a process to value and make consistent judgments in regards to the relative scope, complexity, and importance of jobs in an organization. It tries to make a systematic comparison between jobs to assess their relative worth for the purpose of establishing a pay structure. The milestones highlighted below need to inform the process of job evaluation.
Deliverable #1: Project inception report
The major output of this phase is a project inception report that outlines the key areas to be covered during the job evaluation exercise and these include but are not limited to.
- Parameters of the project
- Deliverables of the project
- Timeline of the project
- Critical support requirements like relevant documents to this project
- Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Deliverable #2: Selection of the job evaluation system
Advertisment
During the stakeholder consultative meeting, there is a need to choose the job evaluation system to be used and this should be guided by your job evaluation policy and human resources strategy.
Deliverable # 3: Sensitization of staff about job evaluation
At this stage, you need to roll out a sensitization program. The sensitization program will among other things seek to:
- define what is and is not job evaluation to the key stakeholders
- define the parameters and deliverables of the job evaluation exercise
- state the objectives of the job evaluation exercise
- state the triggers for conducting a job evaluation
- give the breakdown of the methodology that we will be used to accomplish the objectives
- inform staff about their duties and responsibilities in this project
Deliverable # 4: Capacitation of the job evaluation committee
The Job Evaluation Committee (JEC) is a multimember committee that consists of members drawn from all departments in an organisation responsible for approving the upgrading and downgrading of jobs.
. The training among other things it:
- assists the JE Champions to understand what the thinking behind the job evaluation system is, what it is trying to achieve, and how it is structured and implemented.
- leads to the capacitation of the JE Champions.
- assists the employees to understand the objectives of the system, how to draft job descriptions, how job grading is conducted and how to complete the relevant forms
Deliverable #5: a Literature review of relevant documents
After the project kick-off meeting, you have to do a desktop review of all the relevant documents that have a bearing on this exercise and these include among other documents:
- Strategic Plan document
- Job descriptions
- Job evaluation policy
- Organogram
- Old grading Structure
- Pay Structure
- Remuneration Policy
Deliverable # 6: Development of job descriptions
Job Descriptions are prepared by job incumbents. They are reviewed and approved by the immediate supervisor. The Human Resources department reviews the job descriptions as submitted by the supervisor prior to evaluation by the Job Evaluation Committee. If the Human Resources Office makes changes, the job description will be returned to the supervisor and job incumbent for signature prior to being presented to the Job Evaluation Committee. It is imperative that all the job descriptions should be reviewed and agreed upon by the job incumbent, the immediate supervisor, and HR before the job can be graded. This job description review seeks among other things:
- to ensure that there is consistency and uniformity in the job descriptions and titles by editing them for clarity and format.
- to ensure that job titles accurately reflect the responsibilities of the job and this reduces ambiguity when grading and also assists in establishing proper reporting lines.
- to ensure that there is no duplication of responsibilities and possible redundancies
The ultimate result of this stage is a job description for each job that outlines the following attributes:
- the reporting structure
- listing of positions, departments or organisations that the job will frequently interact with;
- a clear description of the overall job function (purpose);
- a clear description of the main duties and responsibilities;
- listing of key typical decisions made in this job without consulting the immediate supervisor;
- supervisory responsibility (that is, supervision received and supervision is given by the job);
- clear depiction of the interpersonal skills required in order to effectively perform the job;
- listing of critical competencies, experience, and qualifications required to perform at the desired standard.
Deliverable # 8: A Job grading structure
It consists of a hierarchy of grades/bands/levels into which groups of jobs that are broadly comparable in size are placed. The job grading structure is an outcome of job grading.
Deliverable #9: Presentation and communication of job grading results
At this stage, the project team leader will present the job grading results to Senior Management. Once Management has reviewed and inputted into the proposed grades structure, you should proceed to communicate the results to your staff. You have to send a job grading communication letter template to communicate to individual grade to each staff member, indicating that their job as been graded into grade e.g. D4.
Deliverable 10: Management of job evaluation appeals
Should any employee wish to appeal against their job grade, the appeal has to be lodged on the prescribed job evaluation appeal form. The appeal must be submitted to the JE Appeals Committee and the appeal must be made within five working days after opening the appeals window. The appeal will be considered provided the aggrieved employee is able to give credible evidence that the job was wrongly graded. The following could be regarded as a sample of valid reasons to submit a request for appeal but are not limited to these:
- The grade allocated does not compare to that of similar positions elsewhere in the organisation
- The evaluation did not fully or appropriately reflect the requirements and the level of decision making of the job owing to certain critical information not being present in the job description used in the actual job grading.
- Major changes in the job that happened from the time the job was graded.
If the appeal is not lodged appropriately, does not include valid reasons for the appeal or does not substantiate the grounds for appeal, the request for an appeal will be turned down. This shall be determined by the JE Appeals Committee based on the merit of the appeal.
Deliverable # 11: Design a Transition and Sustainability plan
The implementation plan assists your organisation to implement the results of the job evaluation exercise. This plan must clearly start how you will deal with those whose jobs were in higher grades but were downgraded as a result of this exercise. The same plan must cover how you will link the job evaluation results to a pay structure.
Newturn Wikirefu is the Talent Acquisition Manager at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd a management and human resources consulting firm.
Phone +263 4 481946-48/481950/2900276/2900966 or cell number +0784 597343 or email: newturn@ipcconsultants.com or visit our website at www.ipcconsultants.com