United Nations Human Resources Management Module Principles & Policies of the UN Compensation & Job Classification System

Charter of the United Nations Article The paramount consideration in the employment of staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity for securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

Two compensation principles Noblemaire The international civil service should recruit from the Member States including the highest paid. Professional salaries are set by reference to the highest paying national civil service. Flemming Compensation for locally recruited staff should reflect the best prevailing conditions found locally for similar work. General Service salaries set on the basis of local salary surveys.

UN Common System local salary surveys Local salary survey committee (staff) Committee suggests local ‘comparators’ by ICSC criteria Look for employers with systematic pay policies Use ‘benchmark’ jobs for comparison Compare ‘apples to apples’ Select best employers (5,7,10,15 and 20 depending on the category of a duty station)

Definitions of work Procedural, operational and technical Support Range from routine or repetitive to varied, complex and paraprofessional Knowledge through experience Often requires post- secondary education or technical training. GENERAL SERVICEPROFESSIONAL Analytical, evaluative, conceptual, interpretative. Judgment and decision making Discretionary choices Requires organized body of knowledge University degree

Rank-in-person* Salary hierarchy Personal qualifications or contributions INTERNAL PAY POLICY Rank-in-job Job hierarchy Responsibility and assigned tasks or contributions *not used by the Secretariat

What is job classification? Method for organizing jobs and levels of responsibility

Objectives of job classification Internal equity equal pay for work of equal value

Objectives of job classification Support the UN Common System Inter-organization mobility

Objectives of job classification Internal justice Fairness Consistency Transparency

Objectives of job classification Relate salaries to services Workforce planning Budgeting

Job classification standards: factors considered – P category Nature of work: Focus and Deliverables, Scope and Context Enabling Environment: Organizational Context, Managerial focus and Exposure/Risk Partnership: Engagement and Communities of Interest Results: Impact of Actions and Leadership Roles

Job classification standards: factors considered – GS category Nature of work: Focus and Deliverables, Scope and Knowledge/Skills/Expertise Organizational Environment: Organizational context and managerial guidance received Teamwork and Relationships: Engagement, Contacts and Language Results: Impact of Action and Team Role

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING – THE KEY TO JOB CLASSIFICATION

EXERCISE: Should these two posts be classified at the same grade level? Secretary A Drafts/types correspondence; reviews for completeness & grammatical accuracy prior to supervisor’s signature; Maintains supervisor’s calendar & schedules appointments; Organizes & maintains files; Screens callers & incoming mails; Responds to queries about the office activities. Secretary B Drafts/types correspondence; reviews for completeness & grammatical accuracy prior to supervisor’s signature; Maintains supervisor’s calendar & schedules appointments; Organizes & maintains files; Screens callers & incoming mails; Responds to queries about the office activities.

Organizational Setting Scenario 1 Head of Department Division Director Chief of Branch Unit Head Secretary B Unit Head Division Director Secretary A

Organizational setting Scenario 2 Head of Department Division Director Chief of Branch Unit Head Secretary B Unit Head Division Director Secretary A Principal Assistant

Organizational setting Some factors affecting distinction in grades HR management: Diversity/scope/stability of programmes Geographic locations Delegated authority Financial management: Value, reliability & nature of funding Currency transactions Procurement: Technical complexity Variety of goods & services procured

What job classification is NOT The focus of job classification is on jobs Not on people sitting on the jobs.

Job classification is NOT A tool for recognizing good performance. A tool for promoting specific individuals.

A/RES/56/253 Requests involving a change in grade level: exceptional in nature; change in the nature or scope of the work; details on increased responsibility; workload statistics; no reference to the incumbent or potential incumbent.

When to request a classification review? New post. Unclassified post. Substantial change in duties. Job classification audit.

Job classification phases Phase 1 Job analysis

Generic Job Profiles Note: instead of going through the full job classification review process, posts may be associated to a GJP.

Job classification phases Phase 2 Job evaluation

References On job classification ST/AI/1998/9 – System for the classification of posts. htm htm On Common System and compensation  ICSC document in the Participant Manual  ICSC website: