Memory Nguwi
Job evaluation is the process of determining the relative value of jobs within a particular organisation.
This process is important, and I do not see how an organisation manages remuneration without a properly and formally structured grading system.
I strongly believe every organisation that employs a significant number of people should have a job evaluation process in place. The challenge is that job evaluation systems are often not implemented properly for various reasons.
I had the opportunity to survey 35 organisations to find out the challenges they faced with job evaluation systems. In that survey, 56%) of the participating organisations used the Patterson Job Evaluation system. Most of the participants believe a job evaluation system should solve remuneration problems.
I list below some of the challenges:
One of the challenges is that organisations often struggle with reconciling an internal grading system with the grades that often come from the NEC. This should not be a problem because it can be addressed through a pay structure.
Most of the participants believe a job evaluation system should solve remuneration problems.
The system is not user friendly and easy to understand.
Members doing low-level decision tasks end up in higher-level grades because their skills are in demand worldwide. You shouldn’t move roles into higher grades because their skills are in demand. This is one practice that has reduced the credibility of job evaluation. If not managed properly, this practice can be abused by managers bidding for certain roles and people to go into higher grades. Remember, job evaluation is not concerned with the number of people doing the job or the ability of the job holder. Jobs are graded based on factors stated in the job evaluation manual.No other factors should be factored outside those listed in the job evaluation manual.
Too many changes in the operating environment result in cost-cutting measures such as multi-skilling.
A distorted salary structure was already there. So to move from that system is a challenge as there is a strong belief that the system is working though there are serious gaps. Always make sure that your pay structure supports your grading structure.
Employees tend to grade incumbents as opposed to the job.This is one of the biggest challenges of implementing a job evaluation system. Job incumbents tend to inflate their jobs duties, qualifications and education whenever they are given an opportunity to prepare job descriptions to be used in a job evaluation exercise.
The results/observations of the exercise are not considered. Some organisations face challenges implementing job evaluation results once the process has been completed. If you do not allow people to appeal once results are announced, staff members often reject the results through their worker representatives. In some cases, we have noted that management stalls the implementation of job evaluation results, especially if they notice that it will be costly to create a sustainable pay structure.
Lack of objectivity, pre-conceived ideas and bias in the process. Job evaluation is not a scientific process. It is subjective. This is why the Committee approach is often preferred. We have started to see artificial intelligence-driven systems that address subjectivity issues.
The tendency to use arbitrary factors in evaluating the worth of a job. This is so true when evaluating jobs. It is important to follow the manual and not use any other factor.
Certain jobs will always be difficult to fit in available categories.
Lack of proper job descriptions
The NEC recently changed to Castellion without advising all stakeholders.
Less scientific as there are always elements of subjectivity in the evaluations.
We asked the participants,” What are your expectations of an effective job evaluation system??” and their responses are as follows:
It matches education, skills set, attitude, experience to remuneration.
The job evaluation should solve the issue of remuneration between various functions.
A very clear and simple to use system.
To give internal job equity.
Rewarding the role, not the person.
Taking proper pay differentials between grades into consideration.
Objectivity and fairness.
Internal Equity of jobs relative to remuneration.
Maybe the NEC grading committee should be manned by competent people.
Trade Union representatives are mostly partisan when it comes to grading jobs.
Ranks jobs according to their importance and produce an undisputed grading structure
One of the things I have noticed is that even some HR professionals sometimes confuse factors performance issues and job evaluation.
*Memory Nguwi is an Occupational Psychologist, Data Scientist, Speaker, & Managing Consultant- Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and human resources consulting firm.Email:mnguwi@ipcconsultants.com or visit our websites https://www.thehumancapitalhub.com/ and www.ipcconsultants.com