QUESTION 13

EXPLAIN IN DETAILS , GIVING PRACTICAL EXAMPLES THE FOLLOWING JOB EVALUATION SYSTEMS USED IN ZIMBABWE

CASTELLION SYSTEM PATERSON SYSTEM OR DECISION BOARD SYSTEM

OR METHOD PEROMNES SYSTEM QUESTIONAIRE SYSTEM HAY GUIDE CHART PROFILE SYSTEM ZIMPLEST SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

Evolution in Human resource management has created many procedures to ensure an organized workforce such as job enlargement, job enrichment, performance appraisal and job evaluation is one of them. Managerial procedures such as organizational diagnosis, organizational learning, redesigning and designing will never be successful without an implementation of a rigorous job evaluation system.

Job evaluation represents itself as the panacea for management to determine to relative worth of a job to the organization. Job evaluation systems may include; Castellion, Partson system, Peromnes systems, the questionnaire system, Hay guide chart profile system, Zimplest system.

Definition of terms

System. A set of detailed methods, procedures and routines created to carryout a specific activity, perform a duty or solve a problem.An  organized, purposeful structure that consists of interrelated and interdependent elements (components, entities, factors, members, parts etc. These elements continually influence one another (directly or indirectly) to maintain their activity and the existence of the system, in order to achieve the goal of the system.

Definitions of terms

Job evaluation Mondy et al (1999) defines job evaluation as that part of a

compensation system in which a company determine the relative value of a job in relation to another.

Amstrong (2003) defines it as systematic process for defining the relative work or size of jobs within an organization.

According to Kimball and Kimball (2004), “Job evaluation represents an effort to determine the relative value of every job in a plant and to determine what the fair basic wage for such a job should be”. Several methods such as job ranking, job grading, and factor comparison are also employed in job evaluation.

Job evaluation system in Zimbabwe

PatersonPaterson’s Grading system is used to evaluate aspects of jobs. According to Mills et al (1992), Paterson Job Evaluation method is an analytical method of job evaluation, used predominantly in South Africa. Paterson came to a conclusion that the system adopted was cumbersome and complexHe used statistical techniques to analyse the various factors and reached the conclusion that one factor, decision-making, has such high forecast validity that it can be used as the only factor to determine job levels

Very much applied by private sector but some public organization used.

The Paterson system is based on the assumption that the most important function of an employee is her or his ability to make decisions. Six bands of decision making are defined in terms of the level of complexity of decisions required from job incumbents

The major advantages of the Paterson method are simple and easy to understand and implement, internationally recognised and cost effective

Grade (A) –involve jobs that require coordination or supervision to define decision to those who are unskilled

Grade B- Coordinating, automatic decisions (semi- skilled workers),

Grade C-Lower routine decisions supervisory personnel (skilled technical level)

D-Upper Coordinating, interpretive decisions (middle management) –explaining and carrying out instructions

E- Upper Coordinating programming decisions (Senior management) like company secretary

F – Upper coordinating policy decisions (consists of top management such as the board of directors).Relevant examples of the companies are. For example Chinhoyi university

Questioners Method

The Q System was devised by the National Institute of Personnel Research in South Africa

Jobs are related on three factors which areDecision Controls and checksContacts with people. Jobs descriptions are matched with prescribed headings that relate

to the three factors and jobs are examined against laid down definitions for various level of application of the factors

Diagram  FACTOR: DESCRIPTION:

1.

Formal Education       

2.

Work Experience       

3.

Planning       

4.

Impact of Actions       

5.

Problem Solving       

6.

Communications       

7.

Supervision & Management      

 

8.

Working Conditions / Physical Effort      

 

Castellion system

. Castellion system derives its name from a combination of the castle and lion beer brands and was first developed by South African Brewages .It was introduced by the Rhodesian Breweries in the early 17th and is presently used by many industrial, commercial an parastatals organizations in Zimbabwe. Castellion is a point system which evaluates jobs on the basis of six factors namely: decision, pressure of work, controls and checks, consequences of error, education and experience.

Decision –making: the exercise of making a choice between alternatives course of action

Pressure of work: the volume of work and the pressure under which decisions have to be made

Controls and checks: Both direct and indirect controls applied the activities of the incumbent

Consequence of Error: possibility of losses which may result from wrong decisions or lack of vigilance.

Education: level of education required to perform the duties of the job.

Experience: the maximum period needed for a person with the required education to perform the duties of the job.

The Castellion grading system has 16 grades, grade 16 is for simple decisions, 15 for pragmatic (practical things) decisions, and 14 to 9 is for tactical decisions, 8 to 5 co-ordination interpretative decisions, and 4 to 1 for strategic decisions.

Grade 1-top executive. Grade 2-4-executive Grade 3-8- senior Grade 12-9- standard Grade 16-13- laboures

Factors 1 and 3-5 are allocated marks according to the complexity level of the factors, with the simplest levels being awarded the least marks. Factors 2 and 6 are coefficients which, in each case, are multiplied by the preceding factor to obtain a score. Once points have been allocated to the six factors, a total score is obtained and the job is graded by slotting it into one of the 16 grades in the system. Grade 1 is the highest and grade 16 is the lowest.

Salaman G. and Storey J. (1998) state that the system can be used in all jobs within an organization and it has the further advantage that the complexity level of jobs can be compared across different organisations and industries

The Peromnes System

Peromnes system was derived from castellion system using comparison and points rating methods The system evaluates jobs on the basis of factors which are deemed to be, to some degree, characteristics of all jobs. The eight factors are each examined and scored and the total score gives a total points value for the job, which is then graded..

Peromnes grades show the rank order of jobs within an organisation and allow jobs to be compared by grade with other jobs both inside and outside the organisation

Factors

Factor 1: Problem Solving: Evaluates the nature and complexity of the decisions, judgements and recommendations made in the job. Factor 2: Consequence of Judgements: Evaluates the impact or results of accountable decisions, judgements and recommendations on organisational levels, inside and outside the organisation. Factor 3: Pressure of Work: Evaluates the amount of pressure in a job in terms of the variety and type of work done and the time available to do it. Factor 4: Knowledge: Evaluates the level of knowledge required to perform the job competently. .

Factor 5: Job Impact: Evaluates the influence or impact that the job has on the activities of parts of the organisation or outside the organisation. Factor 6: Comprehension: Evaluates the requirement of the job to understand written and spoken communications. Factor 7: Educational Qualifications: Evaluates the essential minimum educational qualification required to do the job Factor 8: Further Training / Experience: Evaluates the typical period of further appropriate training and experience required to become competent in the job after obtaining the essential minimum educational qualificationsThe Peromnes System has 19 grades-1 being the highest and 19 the lowest-which are standardized nationally so as to achieve direct comparability of jobs in different organisations

The Hay Guide Chart Profile Method

This is an analytic system based on analysing each job in terms of three criteria-know-how(skills, knowledge) ,problem-solving and accountability .

Armstrong M. (1996) says that the method flows from the concept that all jobs are required to make a contribution to the achievement of results-this is the accountability of the job. In order to meet this accountability, the job holder must bring to bear certain kinds and degrees of knowledge, skills and experience-know-how. In addition, these inputs are used in analysing, evaluating, reasoning, arriving at and making.

Problem solving

Problem solving is the original “self-starting” thinking required by the job for analysing, evaluating, creating, reasoning, arriving at and making conclusions. To the extent that thinking is circumscribed by standards, covered by precedents, or referred to others, problem solving is diminished and the emphasis correspondingly is on know-how. Problem solving has two dimensions: The environment in which the thinking takes place (Thinking environment). The challenge presented by the thinking to be done (Thinking Challenge)

Accountability

Accountability is the measured effect of the job on end results. It has three dimensions in the following order of importance: Freedom to act is the degree of personal or procedural control and guidance the jobholder has. Job impact on end results, ranges from direct to indirect impact on end results by auxiliary, contributory, shared, or primary effects. Magnitude is indicated by the general dynamic monetary size or accountability area(s) most clearly affected by the job

Know-how

It is the sum total which comprises the overall “fund of knowledge” has three dimensions. The requirements for practical procedures, specialized techniques, and learned disciplines, active, practicing skills in the area of human relationships. Lastly know-how of integrating and harmonizing the diversified functions involved in managerial situations (operating, supporting, and administrative). This know-how may be exercised consultatively as well as executively and involves in some combination the areas of organizing, planning, executing, controlling, and evaluating.

.

Proportionately accountability, know how and problem solving

Balance between the three

The balance between Accountability and Problem Solving reflects the extent to which the job is primarily concerned with achieving results (often late in the value chain),or is focused on research and analysis (often early in the value chain). For example, sales positions are commonly associated with having a high degree of Accountability relative to Problem Solving, and are accountable for selling products already developed. Conversely, early-stage research positions are commonly associated with having a high degree of Problem Solving relative to Accountability to develop new products ,services, and processes.

The balance among Accountability, Know-How, and Problem Solving reflects the level and type of work in an organization. For example, entry-level positions typically focus on Know-How. Accountability focus grows through career development into jobs that impact the organization more broadly through application of acquired experience and problem-solving capability. As jobs become more important, Know-How becomes more leveraged and focus shifts to utilization of Know-How to solve problems and achieve results. For example Coca Cola is a good example. Dairy Board.

Hay System of Job Evaluation has many advantages it measures jobs to reflect their relative weight in the organization, provides means to assess pay across different market/functions, evaluates jobs and not people and it’s not based on performance, title, writing skills or current salary. According to Cortis (1962)Hay’s Job Evaluation Methodology values all jobs against three factors know-how, problem solving and accountability.

Zimplest

The Zimplest was originated in Zimbabwe in the 1960s by Bob Martins .It is also known as the Bob Martin System .It is mainly used in textile , hotel, printing and tea industriesThe factors assessed areEducation, Training and experience, Job knowledge and skills and initiative and judgment

Accuracy ad quality of work Decision and problems Physical effort This system uses job specification rather job

description. All jobs in the organisation from the highest to the lowest are subjected to the same job evaluation criteria

ConclusionThe above insight explore steps of the job evaluation process as well as an in-depth about the following job evaluation systems like Zimplest, Paterson, Pronmnes, Hay Guide