Determining Job Worth Through Job Evaluation

Job evaluation (JE) is a systematic and objective process of determining the relative worth of a job. In JE, a comparison between jobs is undertaken to assess their relative worth for the purpose of establishing a rational grading structure.

The key objectives of undertaking JE exercise in the public service are to: determine the relative worth of jobs; provide criteria for classifying jobs; provide a rationalised, harmonised, and equitable job-grading structure; and establish an equitable and defensible job grading criteria.

The outcome of JE informs SRC in setting, review and advice on remuneration and benefits structures that are aligned to principles set out in Article 230(5) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

Specifically, the need to ensure transparency and fairness and to satisfy the statutory requirement under Section 12 of SRC Act, 2011, which ensures equal remuneration to persons for work of equal value.

 SRC undertook the first JE in 2012 by evaluating jobs for State officers as defined in the Constitution and other legislations, and subsequently set and gazetted the remuneration structure for State officers.

Further, SRC undertook JE for the public service during 2015/2016, and which provided the platform upon which SRC advised on the remuneration structures and benefits in the public service under the second four-year remuneration review cycle (2017/2018 – 2020/2021).

SRC also carried out stakeholder engagements, capacity building, job analysis and job grading as part of the JE process.

SRC conducted JE for public service jobs using analytical and point factor-based systems, which evaluated jobs using compensable factors. Compensable factors provide a basis for assessing the relative worth of jobs.

Compensable factors are the characteristics of the job that enable pursuit of the organisation’s strategy and achievement of its objectives. They are intrinsic in a job, and in their absence, the job cannot be performed adequately.

SRC adopted ten compensable factors used during the second JE review cycle. The compensable factors were incorporated in the Job Description template used by public institutions as a tool for collecting information on the jobs and informed the job grading structures based on the relative worth of jobs.

The compensable factors are classified into input, process and output factors, as shown in the Figure below.

Figure showing compensable factors