In order to set a grade for a job, the job profile needs to be evaluated. One way of doing this is to use a systematic method of scoring jobs so that they can be compared with one another to ensure fairness and consistency. Evaluation of jobs should be carried out by a member of the Human Resources Department and the line manager of the job being valuated. Between them, they have an overview of the organisation and have a good understanding of the job. Here we give an example of a simple system. Whatever system is used should be used to evaluate all jobs within the organisation.
Designing the systemThree criteria are used, against which job profiles can be assessed. The criteria may differ from organisation to organisation, but the three criteria we use in this example are:
LEVEL OF SKILLS: The level of skills that would normally be considered essential to do the job.There are four levels for each criterion, each of which is given a certain number of points. Lower levels of responsibility, skill and representation are given fewer points than high levels of each of these criteria. More points are given in the responsibility column because in this example, organisation sees responsibility as more important than skills. Representation is given the least emphasis and is therefore given the lowest number of points. This information is incorporated into a table like the one on the next page. Each column represents one of the three criteria and each row represents the level for each criterion.
Once this table is designed, it is used to evaluate all jobs within the organisation.
Method for evaluating a jobStart with the first column of the table which represents responsibility. Look at the job profile and identify which level of responsibility is appropriate. Give the job an appropriate score for responsibility. Sometimes jobs fit between levels. In this case, an appropriate score can be given between the points stated on the table.
Then repeat this process for skill and representation.