Modern Reward Strategy

1
Modern Reward Strategy

• Audrey Sharp
• Project Manager
• Managers Briefing - April/May 07

2
Aim of this Briefing

• To ensure you are well informed about the scope
  and progress of the MRS Project in order to
  support your teams
• To give you the opportunity to ask questions
• To give us the chance to hear your feedback so we
  can take issues forward

3
What is the Modern Reward Strategy Project?

• It aims to
• Support the Councils ambitious programme of
  service delivery
• Ensure employees are paid the same for equivalent
  work
• How will MRS achieve all that?
• With a new grading structure that is simple to
  understand and a job evaluation scheme to measure
  jobs in a consistent way
• A new package of terms and conditions that are
  fair and transparent
• Provide building blocks for wider cultural change
  and job design

4
What is the scope of MRS?

• Over 16,000 employees covered including
  approximately 8,500 in schools
• Over 20,000 jobs
• Approximately 1,500 different roles
• Why the need for review?
• There are 240 different grades between scale 1
  and HAY D very hierarchical and not easy to
  understand
• Over time, inconsistencies have crept in
• - 6 ways of paying for work done on a
  Saturday
• Annual spend on travel is 6.4 million
• Annual spend on overtime,special
  allowances,weekend working, callout etc. 10
  million we want to ensure we are spending this
  effectively

5
Progress on Negotiations

• Consulted widely on the Travel Proposal
• Soon to publicise the package to assist Business
  Travel in next 2-3 weeks
• Have agreed parameters with the Trade Unions
  covering non-standard contracts, overtime
  payments, weekend working, Pay structure etc.
• Pay modelling underway, informed by ongoing Job
  Evaluation and data refinement
• Agreed an Appeals Procedure
• Discussing enhancements to maternity provisions
• A sub-group is devoted to schools negotiations

6
Timescales

• Very tight due to the vast amount of complex
  information required
• Basic pay implemented from 1st April 07
• Mileage rates and allowances wont change until
  implementation
• Pay award will be implemented on top of MRS
• Negotiations should be concluded in May June.
• Then we can share info on the package.
• Need a period to check data with Heads and
  Managers

7
The launch of the Proposal

• In advance, Managers/Head teachers will check our
  data (TIGHT TIMESCALES!)
• People will receive individual letter on how it
  affects them
• Their JE score
• Pay grade and salary
• - Protection arrangements if appropriate
• - Conditions Package
• - Appeal process
• - Support arrangements eg.Help line
• - How to give feedback during consultation
  period
• Help line will run for 4 weeks during
  consultation period
• There will be a Trade Union ballot
• Departments may consider meetings with individual
  groups

8
What will the impact of MRS be?

• Job relativities will shift, creating some who
  will go up and some who will go down in the
  hierarchy
• eg some former manual workers may be ranked
  the same as some clerical/admin workers
• Job families will support better career
  progression across NCC
• A single, transparent approach to pay and grading
• Our pay and conditions will support better
  performance management in the future
• A formal job evaluation scheme will support
  better organisation and job design. MRS has
  highlighted some flaws
• eg grade and responsibility distinctions that
  are too fine and not meaningful

9
Employee Concerns/Reactions

• Some may not fully understand their letter or
  wish to correct inaccurate information
• Some will be pleased at - receive a pay rise
• - staying the same
• Some will be upset at -changes in
  relativities
• - a pay decrease
• - staying the same
• May have concerns about Pensions implications
• Some may feel the outcome is unjust and want to
  appeal

10
Over to you