Why might an organization adopt a system of job evaluations for job classification? Job evaluations can help you create an equitable compensation system through appropriate job classification.
Reasons for Job Evaluation
Job evaluations are performed for these reasons.
- To determine what positions and job responsibilities are similar for purposes of pay, promotions, lateral moves, transfers, assignments and assigned work, and other internal parity issues.
- To determine appropriate pay or salary grades and decide other compensation issues.
- To help with the development of job descriptions, job specifications, performance standards, competencies, and the performance appraisal system.
- To assist with employee career paths, career planning or career pathing and succession planning.
- To assist the employee recruiting process by having in place job responsibilities that assist in the development of job postings, the assessment of applicant qualifications, suitable compensation and salary negotiation, and other factors related to recruiting employees.
When Does Job Evaluation and Classification Occur?
Especially in larger organizations, job evaluation and classification is a moving target. New technology, taking on additional responsibilities, downsizing and layoffs, new programs, new procedures, increased authority, and team leader or supervisory responsibilities can cause the job classification of an employee to change. In fact, the role of some Human Resources staff consists primarily of job evaluation and job classification.
In job classification, a job analysis and evaluation occurs when a new position is created. The job classification is evaluated each time a significant change occurs in a job. The job classification re-evaluation is generally requested by an employee through his or her supervisor.
In a job evaluation that results in decisions about a job classification, factors such as decision making authority, the scope and range of the responsibilities performed, the level of the duties performed, and the relationship of the position to other jobs in the organization are considered and compared.
The most common request for job classification re-evaluation that I have experienced occurs when an employee has taken on new responsibilities or more work. The employee is often disappointed to learn that more work does not equate to a change in scope, range, decision making authority, or higher level responsibilities. Thus, the job evaluation results in a job classification that remains the same.
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