Job Evaluation - frequently asked questions and answers

Questions

You'll have many questions to ask so please make use of the dedicated job evaluation email JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk  Frequently asked questions will be published on this page.

I am approaching retiral age, at what date will the new pay and grading scheme impact upon pensions?

If as a result of Job Evaluation and the implementation of a new pay and grading structure you experiences a compulsory and permanent reduction or restriction in pensionable pay, a "Certificate of Protection" may be issued.  Full details of the "Certificate of Protection" are available from the Strathclyde Pension Fund Office website: www.spfo.org.uk

I am on maternity leave, will I be selected to attend a job evaluation interview?

While on Maternity Leave, Adoption Leave or Shared Parental Leave, you could be nominated to participate in the job evaluation data gathering process.  In such circumstances, you may wish to do so utilising "Keep In Touch (KIT) Days".  Alternatively if participation does not suit, you may decline the invitation.  Further information about "Keep in Touch Days" are available on Connect : Maternity, Adoption, Shared Parental & Paternity Support Leave/Pay Provisions.

My job is specialist in nature, how will job evaluation evaluate my job?

There are thousands of jobs in the council family and all jobs will fall into three job categories:

1. Benchmark jobs are the most common jobs in the council currently being evaluated by interviews with a representative sample for each job.
2. Secondary benchmark jobs are jobs where the work is very similar; these jobs will be evaluated in group interviews with a representative sample for each job.
3. Unique jobs are carried out by one person or only a few people; how to evaluate these jobs has still to be agreed by the Operational Steering Group (OSG) but it's likely that staff will be asked to complete questionnaires.

We are nearing the end of the process of evaluating benchmark jobs and will soon start evaluating secondary benchmarks.Your line manager will be able to tell you which job category your role is in. We are still determining unique positions so if your role isn't a primary or secondary benchmark then it's likely to be unique.

I am currently in a seconded role and have a substantive position in another service, how will my job be evaluated?

Job Evaluation evaluates jobs, not people, therefore if you are currently employed in a seconded position within the organisation, both your seconded and substantive roles will be evaluated.  Once the Job Evaluation Scheme is implemented into the new pay and grading structure you will be paid according to the grade of the position in which you are employed at that time.  Once you return to your substantive role, you would be paid at the corresponding new grade/rate of pay for that job

I have participated in a Job Evaluation interview with an organisation called Action 4 Equality, is this evaluation considered as part of the Job Evaluation exercise.?

No.  All job evaluations undertaken as part of our Job Evaluation process are undertaken by our own trained job analyst team.  Any interviews conducted by any external organisation do not form part of our Job Evaluation exercise and will not contribute to the outcomes of Glasgow City Council's robust job evaluation process. 

Will job evaluation affect my pay?

At this stage we don't know how job evaluation will affect individuals but we do know that everyone will be affected as all jobs will be evaluated.

The pay and grading scheme to be applied following the job evaluation process hasn't been chosen yet. This will be the decision for a future committee. In the meantime all jobs in the council have to be evaluated and placed in a ranked order to make sure that every job is categorised in the right way - then a pay and grading scheme will be applied to determine everyone's pay.

It's important that everyone understands that job evaluation is the route to a new pay and grading scheme.

How do I know which Job category I am in?

For evaluation purposes, similar jobs have been grouped together based on information gathered from job titles, role profiles and with input from team managers and trade unions.

Each job has then been matched to what we call an accepted position (unless it is a job that only one person does), and then categorised as either Benchmark, secondary benchmark or unique.

There are thousands of jobs in the council family and all jobs will fall into three job categories:

1. Benchmark jobsare the most common jobs in the council.

2. Secondary benchmark jobs are jobs where the work is very similar.

3. Unique jobs are carried out by one person or only a few people.

Full lists of Benchmark and Secondary Benchmark job title mappings are available using the links below:

•  Benchmark Positions [63kb]
•  Secondary Benchmark Positions [62kb]

Any remaining roles not featured on the Benchmark or Secondary benchmark lists are likely to be unique jobs, but this will be confirmed later as analysis of this information is ongoing.

How will you carry out the job evaluations?

There are thousands of jobs in the council family, and we don't need to interview everyone individually. Jobs will mainly fall into three categories:

1. Benchmark jobsare evaluated by interview with a representative sample for each job.

2. Secondary benchmark jobswill be evaluated in group interviews with a representative sample for each job.

3. Unique jobs -how to evaluate these jobs is being considered by the Operational Steering Group (OSG) but it's likely that staff will be asked to complete questionnaires.

Job holders invited to participate will be asked to complete a questionnaire either individually or collectively as a group (where appropriate) in advance of analyst evaluation.

Gauge+ evaluation software is used by the analysts for evaluations. The evaluation tool follows scheme factors to evaluate jobs and helps to avoid aspects of jobs more commonly performed by women being omitted or undervalued in the evaluation process, compared to those of jobs more commonly carried out by men.

How will you pick people for interview from the job groups?

The Job Evaluation Liaison Officers in HR teams and line managers will be involved in consulting with benchmark job holders to attend briefings and interviews.

The local line management team will ask staff to volunteer for interview according to the scheme selection criteria, which includes:

• have at least two years' experience in the job
• can easily describe what they do
• are comfortable discussing their job with a trained analyst
• are able to complete a questionnaire and review a job outcome document
• are broadly representative of people doing that job.

Who will carry out the job evaluation interviews?

Interviews will be carried out by trained job analysts and information will be captured using the evaluation software Gauge+ - the same evaluation software is used for everyone.

Everyone who volunteers to participate can be supported by their trade union representative or an appropriate colleague.

During a job evaluation will my performance be assessed?

No, job performance is not assessed.

The aim is to evaluate the job, not the jobholder, and to provide a way of assessing the demands of a job that is as objective as possible. Jobs will be evaluated as they are now rather than how the job was previously done or might be done in the future.

When evaluating jobs, the following principles will apply:

• Evaluate jobs not people.
• Assume the jobholder is fully competent, do not consider the individual's performance.
• Evaluate jobs as they are now, not as they were or might be.
• Evaluate job content, not perceptions or desired levels of pay or importance.

What will the outcome of job evaluation be for me?

All jobs evaluations are agreed by the Operational Steering Group including representatives from the council family and trade unions. After this can been agreed every employee will receive a job overview detailing the demands required to do their job.

Jobs are then placed in a rank order according to the overall demands placed on the job holders as determined by the evaluation process. This provides a basis for a fair and orderly grading structure.

Everyone will receive a statement of particulars detailing the grade and pay applicable to their job outcome.

Do I have the right to appeal my job outcome?

Every employee will have the right to appeal their outcome from job evaluation. We will tell you more about this process once the details have been agreed with the Trade Unions and before job outcomes are published.

Will I be given time during working hours to complete the questionnaire?

Yes, you will be given reasonable time during working hours to complete the Job Evaluation Questionnaire.  You should expect the questionnaire to take around three hours to complete.

Will I be given time to participate in the Job Evaluation Briefing and Job Evaluation Interview?

Yes, the council is committed to supporting employee participation in the Job Evaluation process.  If you are participating in the process your line manager will support your participation in the Job Evaluation Briefing.

How long is the interview?

The duration of an interview varies but you should expect that it will take at least half a day.  The reason the duration varies is that some jobs are easier to describe than others and the Job Analyst Team want to make sure that they have fully explored the participant does, so that they are confident that the evaluation captures the demands of your job.  The Job Evaluation Team will ensure that they give you enough time to fully answer the questions and explain your role.

If I volunteer to participate am I responsible for the outcome of Job Evaluation for everyone who does the same job?

It is understandable that you may have a feeling of responsibility for the evaluation of a job. However, you are invited to describe the role that you do personally, not the role as carried out by other people.  We recognise that not everyone with the same job title carries out the same tasks in the same way.