Volume 11, Number 1: What We Do

Our firm has been conducting position classification and compensation studies in the government market for over 25 years. We have been exhibitors at major training conferences for about 20 years, and we have published a newsletter like the one you are reading for about 15 years. Still, we get questions from potential clients about what we do.

So, to end this confusion, or clarify and enlighten, we thought we should summarize some of the things that we have done. Here are some questions that you may have, and our answers.

Do you write job descriptions?

Yes. In fact, in the last year alone, we estimate that we have reviewed over 15,000 job analysis questionnaires and written between 2 - 3,000 formal job descriptions. Our normal process is to also review the jobs for FLSA designation, as well as ADA information so that when you have the final job description. We give you all the relevant information including the exempt and non-exempt status as well as other legally required information.

Sometimes our clients want us to determine if some of their existing job classes could be collapsed or they want career ladders set up. We do that too.

Do you develop or update salary structures?

Of course. In doing so, we survey the market to identify what the market is paying for similar jobs in similar organizations and competitive markets. Then we either update your salary plan(s) or develop new plans based on the market data. Usually this means that we have to determine how much it will cost to adopt the new plan. You can guess that there are many ways to do this in a fair and equitable fashion. Our process gives you a cost for each employee.

Have you developed pay for performance plans?

We have done this as well. We like to start with an assessment of the culture of the organization to determine its readiness for pay for performance. Then, if you are ready, we work to custom design the program to meet your needs. This may mean that we develop a performance evaluation process and link it to pay or that we develop a group based plan like gainsharing or goal sharing. Then we work through the policies and procedures that you need to adopt to make it work. Finally, we train the employees and managers that will use the system.

Do you do windows?

No, my partner and I prefer Apple computers but our staff does Windows.

We have classification appeals that need an outside review. Do you do that?

Naturally. We can do one at a time or we can do them in bunches. Either way, we will review your current documentation, interview the employee and/or supervisor, as needed and determine if there is merit in the request.

We can even use your job evaluation system to decide which pay grade it belongs in. We have market data available for many jobs to help in determining the right pay grade. Finally, we write all this information up and give you our recommendation.

Our administrator wants to do an employee climate survey. Can you advise us on that?

We have done many climate surveys in public organizations. We have a set of standard areas that we think are important and we have benchmark data on these questions so you can see how well you stack up. We used the results of one of our surveys to pick the best employee work group to serve as the pilot of a new compensation program. Even though the organization decided to pick other units as well as the ones we picked, the ones that we found to score high on important climate dimensions turned out to be the most successful pilots.

What else do you do?

Just about anything that is related to cash compensation in government settings is what we do best. If it involves determining what employees should be paid, determining how much a new pay structure will cost, is a new system fair, should you develop or consolidate some jobs, or deciding what pay strategy is important, we do it. We can advise you on major redesign efforts, or minor tweaks to the system. We can work with you as an over-the-shoulder advisor while you do most of the work or we can do a complete turnkey implementation. In addition, we have compensation management, and job evaluation software that can make your job easier, and keep track of pay grades, promotions, market data and other information to better manage your compensation program.

We have done work in some of the largest (120,000 employees) and some of the smallest (4 employees) public organizations. We have handled some of the politically messiest compensation change projects in the country. We know government organizations, your uniqueness and your procedures and the environment in which you operate because we have worked with just about every type of government organization in the country.

If you need assistance in compensation or classification issues, we are the firm to call. If we haven't run across the problem and a workable solution, it probably doesn't exist.

Call either Bruce or Jim at the number below, or email us with your question.

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