Job evaluation in a nutshell

Job evaluation is the way we decide what value should be put on each job – and how to reward it with pay.

There are five steps to evaluating jobs:

Step 1 – Identifying a representative sample of jobs

Chief officers and senior managers first identify a representative sample of jobs from across the Council – around 2,000 in total.  These are either jobs that represent a number of job-holders possessing the same job title and grade – or jobs that are unique to the job-holder.

Step 2 – Gathering information through a job evaluation questionnaire

This list goes to the single status team within Corporate HR who then send out job evaluation questionnaires to selected members of staff to fill in – which can take many hours.  Staff who take part are given help and guidance through a training session and guidance notes and from UNISON if requested.  Some staff will already have been evaluated through a job evaluation interview.

Step 3 – Analysing the results from the questionnaires

Line managers return the questionnaires to the single status team who evaluate each job using specialist computer software developed nationally. They also do extra checks to make sure each job has been evaluated consistently. 

Step 4 – Designing a pay model to ensure equal pay for work of equal value

Job evaluation looks in detail at what each job entails and takes into account 13 different job features.  Some of these are more relevant to manual jobs – such as physical demands and working conditions.  Others are more relevant to managerial jobs such as responsibility for supervision or financial resources.  All the information gathered from the job evaluation process is used to put together a single new pay and grading structure – called a pay model – which will then be negotiated with the trade unions.  This new model is designed to ensure staff receive equal pay for work of equal value.

Step 5 – Letting staff know the results

After the pay model is approved by elected members on November 14 2007, all members of staff will receive a personal letter setting out the result of the job evaluation, the new terms and conditions and details of the new pay model.  Managers will also be briefed to answer any queries staff may have.