30 Jan Fair Pay For A Day’s Work

Fair Pay For A Day’s Work

Vickie de Vries | 30th January 2015

Fair pay for a day’s work means different things to different people in different jobs in different parts of the world.

There may be different rates of pay for men and women, people of different nationalities or age all doing the same job. In some regions of the world, there is legislation that aims to prevent this, in others there isn’t yet!

When your employees are paid differing amounts depending on their sex, age, nationality or any other difference, their motivation, organisational loyalty and performance can drop.  They may leave to work for another employer with fairer pay.  So what can you do?

In HR we have a number of processes available to us that helps you establish fair and reasonable compensation and benefits results, here are a few basic priorities:

• Every job should have a description – this is based on the job not the person doing it.  The people doing it can help you define the core tasks and competences required.
• Jobs descriptions can be grouped in families of similar types of work.  For example, all administrative jobs within an organisation may be a family with a few different descriptions within it.
• Each job family should have a pay scale attributed to it, with a minimum and maximum level.
• A job evaluation process should be carried out to ensure an equable comparison within your industry.
• Amend your organisation’s policy on pay and communicate it.
• Communicate to all employees  and welcome their input throughout

It is my experience that this HR activity makes an organisation a better, happier place to work.

How does your organisation calculate and allocate pay?

Given your context what does fair mean to you?

About the Author

Vickie de Vries  is a Senior Associate of  The Whole Thing Group and has an infectious enthusiasm, energy and a passion for the design, development and delivery of training solutions. Serial entrepreneur and trusted partner.