Using PayGrade job evaluation to support recruitment and retention

A unified ‘One Trust’ approach

With acute financial pressure increasingly being placed on care home providers, the project allows for more streamlined HR processes. Paydata’s job evaluation methodology is designed to be straightforward and logical to use, reducing time and resources spent by evaluators. PayGrade also simplifies the external benchmarking process so scales and grades remain aligned to the external market. A reduction in the number of payroll change requests is anticipated, as employees are organised into consistent, well-defined and evaluated roles and job levels. Similarly, the new framework makes compliance with legal requirements very straightforward (e.g. Equal Pay Act 2010). PayGrade can also be used during pay reviews and performance appraisals, with role profile templates identifying opportunities for training and development or flagging under-performance. The efficiencies generated by the project has empowered the HR team who now have more capacity to focus on Trust-wide projects.

A trusted partner

Paydata had three months from the date of tender to evaluate 115 roles and train the review panel so that they could evaluate the remaining 60, under Paydata’s guidance. Paydata was selected because of their flexible approach. The client felt Paydata became part of the team, and that whilst job evaluation is a complex and time-consuming exercise, Paydata’s simple approach and responsiveness meant The OSJCT team enjoyed working together on the project.

An engaged response

Paydata accounted for engagement and communication across all counties. Our methodology and software package, PayGrade, was designed so that the evaluation process was conducted by panels across the counties in sessions that were relevant to all employees. We worked alongside the Trust, advising on how best to communicate the framework design and how to shape communication of the job evaluation results across the whole organisation, ultimately securing better employee engagement.

There is evidence of excellent stakeholder engagement. Out of 4,500 employees told what their role was and where their role fitted into the framework of roles within the organisation, there were just four appeals. This is testament to effectiveness of the process and the internal communication. The overwhelming majority of employees felt the communication they received, about where their role fits within the organisational structure and how this decision had been reached, accurately reflected what they did on a day to day basis.