Job evaluation is a systematic way of determining the relative value of different jobs in an organisation. The purpose of job evaluation is to help you to assess jobs objectively irrespective of the qualities of the job holder.
Employers evaluate jobs for a number of reasons, including to address issues over equal pay and equal value, understand new job design after organisational change, or improve recruitment and retention.
The job evaluation process can be complex as it involves working out a systematic method for assessing a wide range of jobs to make decisions about their relative value. It is used as a consistent approach to form the basis for a fair pay system, role hierarchy and job grading structure.
Why should you consider undertaking job evaluation?
Employers carry out job evaluation because of:
- Lack of rationale for current grades
- Organisational change has led to new job design
- Too many job rates – some organisations have dozens of ‘spot rates’ for their workers – or too few job rates
- Issues over equal pay and equal value
- Challenges with recruitment and retention of employees
- Employee dissatisfaction with the way jobs are graded and/or remunerated
Some employers only realise that they have a problem with outdated grading structures when they are faced with grievances or equal pay claims from their employees.
Benefits of job evaluation
[Rationalising your pay structures
A key element of the job evaluation process is understanding the different types of pay structures an organisation can implement and what they are designed to achieve. You may also need to consider whether new or updated job descriptions should be incorporated into the job evaluation process.]
[Career framework design and reward integration
Job evaluation will provide you with a transparent, straightforward infrastructure on which to build your pay structures, job roles and organisational design, and to map and explain career paths. The job evauation framework can integrate with and support your talent, reward, resourcing and performance programmes.
The job evaluation results can also be used to integrate and rationalise your employee benefit programme design with clear eligibility rules.
Failing to correctly implement a review process or using bad data can fuel employee dissatisfaction and disputes. ]
We will support you throughout the process
A successful job evaluation framework provides a straightforward method of job evaluation which is fair and easy to maintain, and our specialist team has helped many organisations achieve this through our bespoke job evaluation tool. We will work closely with you and engage your senior managers throughout the process, presenting you with the data you need to make objective decisions on the pay and grading structure within your organisation.
thinkPeople’s robust, transparent and consistent approach not only forms the foundations for a clear career framework which is easily understood by managers and employees, it can also help protect you against equal pay claims and employment tribunals.
Our job evaluation framework can be owned and managed in-house, and is simple to maintain without the need for ongoing support from consultants. Capacity building is a key element to our approach.
Video – Our unique data-driven approach
Rather than a bureaucratic, points-based process where judgements are subjective, our data-driven approach is based on broad research and meticulous interpretation – helping you make objective decisions on your organisation’s pay and grading structures.
Through research-based discussion with Senior Executives, Line Managers and job holders, we understand the key differentiators and internal relativities across the organisation, and develop a set of bespoke job evaluation factors that are recognised as being important to your roles and speak to your vision, mission and values.
thinkPeople has over 30 years experience working with client in Kenya and the region to to develop job evaluation systems that that accurately determine the relative value of job roles across organisations.