The main features of the FEJE scheme are:
- A unique set of FE factors. These include skill, responsibility, education, decision making and dexterity
- A tailored method of scoring and weighting factors
- A set of questions and ‘logic trees’ that are built in to the Gauge JE software.
The process does not involve individual interviews, samples of jobs are evaluated from each area of work, and these should cover the main occupational groups. A process called ‘matching’ is used to put the same types of jobs on the same pay scales.
The FE colleges’ factor plan uses software to carry out the job evaluation process. The AoC see these as having the following advantages:-
- No requirement for paper input, for example job descriptions
- Being based on direct on-screen evaluations by a trained job analyst who inputs the responses to a set of carefully tailored questions under each of the factor headings
- Enabling each job evaluation to be complete in approximately 60 minutes – hence speeding up the process
- Providing a consistency in decision making, as a job score is directly linked to the way in which questions are answered
- Providing an automatic ‘overview’ of the way that the job holder has responded to the questions asked
- Capturing an ‘audit trail’ of answers to questions and enabling cross comparisons of scores across the sample of evaluated jobs.
The system does away with the need for a job evaluation panel. So far 30 colleges have bought the scheme, but many more are looking at buying it. Chichester College is one of the few colleges that have finished going through the job evaluation process at the current time.
Membership of a trade union will give access to further support.