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Personnel Update - How Proposed Developments Will Affect You

Originally published 24 October 2003


Personnel issues will feature highly on all our agendas over the coming months. I realise that most staff members will be keen to keep abreast of developments and to have the opportunity to express their views. I will do my best to keep you informed. I do not want any University member to feel disquieted by developments in HR. If you have any concerns I urge you to attend the meetings which will be organised over the coming year to discuss the University’s plans.

Donald Beaton, Director of Personnel

Proposed developments in brief:

  • Introduction of a new single job evaluation scheme
  • Reappraisal of the merit pay system
  • News of a new general salary settlement

New Job Evaluation Scheme

The trade union members amongst you will be aware that the University is implementing a new job evaluation scheme to cover all posts. Job evaluation is a way of assessing the relative size of jobs so that each job can be fairly allocated to a pay grade. The University already uses job evaluation for most staff categories but the systems are different and incompatible. The move to introduce a single job evaluation scheme at the University is part of the national pay settlement for 2003 however there are very good reasons specific to Warwick as to why we should make this change to current arrangements. Most importantly the introduction of a new job evaluation approach will strengthen the fairness of the way we pay and reward staff, and will improve flexibility and long term career opportunities.

Pilot exercise

A pilot exercise will start in October to assess how well certain job evaluation methodologies capture the details of the wide spectrum of jobs at the University. The details of this pilot have been discussed with the trade unions who will be consulted as the process continues.

Introducing a new job evaluation system is a big project and the detail has yet to be finalised. Any new system is unlikely to be introduced before August 2005 although jobs will have to be evaluated before then. Senior Officers in the University will keep you informed of progress on a regular basis through these pages, insite and briefing sessions.

Merit Pay

During the summer the University has explored ways of increasing the number of discretionary awards available to staff at the top end of incremental scales. The arrangements will offer opportunities for salary advancement related to performance which did not exist before. The University has been in discussions with the campus trade unions since June. There not enough space here for all the details. Chairs and heads of departments will pass the particulars on to colleagues along with a frequently asked questions sheet (also available from the Personnel website).

General Salary Settlement

Finally there is the proposed salary settlement for 2003 and 2004 often referred to as the Framework Agreement. This offers an increase of 3.44% or £550 per annum, whichever is greater, to all staff. This increase will be effective from 1st August 2003, and a further 3% will be added from 1st August 2004.

This is a more complicated settlement than in previous years as it includes some restructuring of employment practices. Trade unions are currently voting on the proposal which offers us the opportunity to rationalise our HR structures while retaining excellence and strengthening flexibility and diversity. If trade unions accept the pay package salary increases will be back-dated to 1st August 2003.