Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item 6

Human Resources Committee Meeting

15/03/200521 April 2006

Outcomes of Grey Book Job Evaluation

Report by the Chief Officer

Contact: Bob Wythe, Grey Book Job Evaluation Project Manager and Helen Andrews, Organisation & Development Officer Tel : 023 80 644 000

Email : [email protected] or [email protected]

1

Summary

1.1

This report details the outcomes of the Grey Book Job Evaluation Project. The Project was instigated in response to the requirement for Fire Authorities to conduct a process to assimilate the posts, which fall under the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Authorities Fire Brigades Scheme of Conditions of Service (Grey Book), from the current rank structure to one that reflects the roles aligned to the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS).

2

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.

2.1

It is recommended that Human Resources Committee note the outcomes and conclusion of the Job Evaluation Project and the formal move from the rank based structure to that of a role based structure which took place for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service on 1 April 2006.

3

Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.and Background

3.1

The process of Job Evaluation has enabled the Service to fully implement the IPDS system and move to a role based structure on 1 April 2006. The need to undertake Job Evaluation of Grey Book posts was reported to the HR Committee of the Fire Authority in April 2004. In November 2005, an update report was submitted to that same Committee.

3.2

The assimilation process for pay purposes only was completed in Hampshire in February 2004, effective from 7 November 2003. NJC Circular 09/05 dated 24 August 2005 confirmed guidance in respect of assessment of job size, allocating a job to a role, model appeals procedure and principles to apply to job descriptions. The Grey Book Job Evaluation Project was to ensure the final assimilation of posts in line with the IPDS role maps. It was designed to move posts into role maps and determine job size through a `best fit' approach.

3.3

The Project has been managed using Prince II Project Planning Methodology and has been quality assured through the use of an external consultant. Detailed time and resource planning of the process took place to ensure that the Service could meet its objectives in moving from rank to role by April 2006. A project office was established to manage and co-ordinate the day to day delivery of the project and regular project Board meetings ensured that the project met the required timescales by approving resource allocation. A core team of both Grey and Green Book personnel received training and guidance from both the external consultant and the project office in order to undertake activities at various stages of the process.

Representative Bodies were invited to attend the training sessions as they were involved in every stage of the process to ensure transparency. Panel members were interchangeable and various combinations of people made up each panel. Representative Bodies were invited to attend the panel meetings; this allowed for transparency throughout the process.

3.4

Due to uncertainty with regards to the National Fire Control Project, the Project Board took the decision to exclude personnel who work within Fire Control from the scope of the Project at this present time.

4

The Job Evaluation Process

4.1

The process that was undertaken can be split into the following component parts:

· Job Analysis - Data Gathering

· Job Evaluation - Panels examined posts

· Job Moderation - Further panel looked at overall consistency

· Appeals - Two stage process

Each of these will be examined in turn.

4.2

Job Analysis

4.2.1

It was not possible to evaluate every individual postholder and the duties they undertook. Equivalent posts were therefore grouped together for the purposes of evaluation. Single occupancy posts were examined individually. 86 distinct groups were identified and the relevant Function Head nominated postholders to represent the post groupings.

4.2.2

Job Analysis questionnaires were given to all Grey Book staff at the rank of Leading Firefighter and above during August and September 2005. The completion of these questionnaires was optional, however, a good return rate was achieved.

Postholders who were nominated by the Function Head to represent their post had a Job Analysis Meeting with one of the trained personnel to ensure all the information required by the Job Evaluation Panel was included in the questionnaire.

4.2.3

Firefighters were not included within the process but were considered in the move from rank to role. This was achieved by conducting an audit of the existing Firefighter Development Programme and matching this to the Firefighter Role Map.

4.2.4

In addition, an exercise was undertaken to ensure that the training plans of operational firefighters were aligned to the IPDS Role Maps. This was to ensure that competent firefighters are within the role of a Firefighter.

4.3

Job Evaluation

4.3.1

Panels undertook a two stage process; firstly, placing the job in the most appropriate role map, and secondly undertaking job sizing through the use of local conventions which had been developed within HFRS by the Project Board. These local conventions were based around the national guidance given to fire authorities in order to determine job size `A' or `B' (for roles at Watch Manager and above).

4.4

Job Moderation

4.4.1

A further panel sat during late November 2005 whose purpose was to examine the results, and check for consistency across the original panels which undertook the evaluation. Of the 86 posts, 19 were examined in detail by this panel and a number of the original evaluation decisions were changed, when it was apparent that the role or job size allocation was not considered to be in line with other posts across HFRS.

4.5

Appeals

4.5.1

Hampshire undertook to follow the model appeals procedure outlined in NJC Circular 09/05 which consisted of a two-stage process. This commenced in January 2006 and was completed in early February. Stage One comprised a document review and appeals which proceeded to Stage Two, which took the form of a formal hearing, if the case could not be upheld at Stage One based on the documentary evidence submitted.

Appeal applications were received from personnel in 25 of the 86 groups of posts. This potentially affected 136 of the 465 staff. Appeals were mostly lodged by Sub Officers against the `A' rating - three of which were upheld at Stage One. This was solely due to postholders providing more accurate information regarding their posts which had been absent from their original submission. As a result of appeals 18 of the 25 posts were upheld.

4.6

Overall Results of Job Evaluation

4.6.1

An evaluation was conducted for the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team however through the evaluation it became evident that the posts were not being accurately reflected as the posts were under development, therefore the Project Board took the decision to re-evaluate these posts after a further six months.

Summary Of Job Evaluation Outcomes

Total number of posts from Leading Firefighter to Senior Divisional Officer moved into a role 465.

Number of posts that remained in the same pay scale

249

54%

Number of posts moved to a higher pay scale

167

37%

Number of posts moved to a lower pay scale

45

9%

5

Project Interfaces

5.1

A number of resultant and associated interfaces with job evaluation were incorporated into the scope of the overall project. These were as follows:-

5.1.1

Titles

With the move from rank to role, the titles that were used to identify people by rank are no longer relevant. Therefore, for mobilising purposes, personnel have adopted the title of the role into which they have been assimilated as from 1st April 2006. A number of specialist job titles have also been agreed with Function Heads which began being used on 1st April.

5.1.2

Job Descriptions

In order to inform personnel of their responsibilities as required by their post, new job descriptions have been produced for issue in April 2006.

5.1.3

Contracts of Employment

Revised contracts of employment have been generated to coincide with the issue of job descriptions and the move to a role based structure.

6

Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

6.1

HFRS have identified that they wish to be among the top 20% of Fire and Rescue Services in the country. Part of the June 2003 pay and modernisation agreement for operational staff was the requirement for Fire and Rescue Services to adopt a role based structure in line with the IPDS role maps. Having achieved the formal implementation of IPDS, personnel will be working to an agreed national system of work that has been developed to drive down risk.

7

Risk Analysis

7.1

The Job Evaluation Project Board acknowledge a framework for integrating the procedures for Grey Book and non Grey Book posts and determining relationships between the two. Therefore the forthcoming Pay and Allowances Review will consider the risk associated with Equal Pay and consider inclusion in the Corporate Risk Register if this is identified as significant. This will give HRFS a more robust system in any Equal Pay Claims.

8

Resource Implications

8.1

Human Resources

The skills and expertise of personnel engaged will be of value for future projects and on going job evaluations.

8.2

Physical Resources

None identified

8.3

Information and Communications Technology Resources

None identified

8.4

Financial Implications

8.4.1

Backpay

As was mentioned previously, assimilation for pay purposes only was effective from November 2003. The job evaluation exercise has now correctly assimilated posts, meaning that back pay is now due to a number of staff for the period from November 2003 to the present or when they took up the post, if later. The cost for back pay, including employers on-costs from 7 November 2003 to 31 March 2006 is estimated at £724,000.

8.4.2

Ongoing Costs

These are estimated at £400,000, of which, £340,000 is included in the 2006/2007 budget.

9

Equality Impact Assessment

9.1

An EIA was undertaken for the Grey Book job evaluation project and no significant issues were identified.

9.2

The proposals within this report are considered compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

10

Consultation

10.1

Throughout the Job Evaluation process, both the Representative Bodies and staff groups were consulted regarding the process and the outcomes. This included consultation on the job evaluation scheme and policies with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Officers Branch of the FBU, the Retained Firefighters Union (RFU) and the Fire Officers Association (FOA) as well as briefings for Middle and Supervisory Managers at key stages of the process.

11

Conclusion

11.1

The Grey Book Job Evaluation Project was the tool for moving HFRS forward to adopt the IPDS role maps. It also focused attention on other areas of employment practice that required review and consideration. These included Contracts of Employment and Job Descriptions.

11.2

The objectives of the Job Evaluation Project were:

- To establish processes which will provide a fair, honest and consistent evaluation of Grey Book posts

- To ensure that the processes are applied to posts fairly and consistently

- To ensure that posts are aligned to appropriate roles in accordance with the IPDS Role Maps

- To achieve a robust pay structure in accordance with the IPDS Role Maps

- To ensure transparency of the mechanics of the process and that this is communicated in a timely way

- To establish a robust appeals process

- To create a framework in which non-Grey Book posts can be compared for Equal Pay purposes

11.3

It is believed that the Project Team has achieved 6 out of the 7 objectives indicated above and the framework for equal pay comparison will be taken forward into the scope of the Pay and Allowances Review.

11.4

The Project, if completed on time, will have taken a little over twelve months from start to finish. It is considered that the Project has been successful in that it has provided a fair and consistent process that has placed the Grey Book personnel into the appropriate IPDS role and allocated an `A' or `B' for Watch Managers and above.

Background Information (Section 100D of Local Government Act 1972)

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report:

None

Note: The list excludes: (1) published works; and (2) documents that disclose exempt or confidential information defined in the Act.