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Benchmark Staff Compensation Study |
Questions and AnswersNew QuestionsI just received the position information questionnaires completed by my employees. Are supervisors to sit down with each employee and discuss his or her form? If we believe a form has been filled out incorrectly, should we have our employees change them?Do the PIQs replace the current JAQs on file in our office? Do I need to register to attend a PIQ completion session or is attendance on a first-come basis? Should new employees complete PIQs? Which employees should fill out position information questionnaires? Does that include administrators such as vice presidents? I am out of town on those three dates. Can I complete a PIQ and submit it absentee?
What is a benchmark/market employee compensation study? Why is U of L conducting a benchmark/market compensation study? What is a compensation package? How is the study being conducted? Will my supervisor see my PIQ? What will happen once the report is brought back to U of L? How long will it take to complete the survey? Q: I just received the position information questionnaires completed by my employees. Are supervisors to sit down with each employee and discuss his or her form? If we believe a form has been filled out incorrectly, should we have our employees change them? A: You do not have to sit down with employees to go over forms. All we ask that you review the forms. We do not want employees to change them, but if you think a response doesn't accurately describe a job, we want you to add comments in the appropriate place below the employee responses. Q: Do the PIQs replace the current JAQs on file in our office? A: The PIQ is solely for use by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as they compare jobs at U of L with those at benchmark institutions and in the job market. Q: Do I need to register to attend a PIQ completion session or is attendance on a first-come basis? A: Attendance is on a first-come basis. Just show up. There is no registration. Q: Should new employees complete PIQs? A: All staff and classified employees are invited to complete a PIQ. Q: Which employees should fill out position information questionnaires? A: Professional/administrative employees and classified employees. Q: Does that include administrators such as vice presidents? A: No. Their salaries are determined by the president and the Board of Trustees. Q: I am out of town on those three dates. Can I complete a PIQ and submit it absentee? A: No arrangements are being made for people to complete the questionnaire in absentia. It is important for everyone who completes the form to hear the same instructions, employee questions and the responses from PricewaterhouseCoopers. For that reason, we need everyone to attend a session and to complete the form there. If you are unable to attend, talk to people who have the same job as you to see if they will complete the PIQ for that job. Q: We don't have much time to schedule employees to attend these sessions. Would it be okay to suggest to the staff in positions where there are multiple people with the same job descriptions that they select representative(s) to attend for their group? A: A: It is not only okay, it is recommended. Q: We have reviewed the online version of the PIQ. Is it possible to complete it online and send it electronically or bring it to the session? Wouldn't this save a lot of time rather than completing the form with pencil and paper? A: On the surface it seems that completing it online would save time, but it is important that everyone who completes the form hears the same instructions, employee questions and responses from PricewaterhouseCoopers. For that reason, we need everyone to attend a session and to complete the form there. Q: What is a benchmark/market employee compensation study? A: A benchmark/market employee compensation study is a comparison of job compensation packages at one university with those for the same jobs at benchmark institutions and at businesses in the same geographic region. Q: Why is U of L conducting a benchmark/market compensation study? A: The university is conducting a study of total compensation (salaries and benefits) for professional/administrative and classified jobs as part of its reinvestment plan. Administration knows that some jobs at U of L are compensated at a comparable level to the same jobs at the university's benchmark institutions and to those in the Louisville area. It also knows that others are compensated either above or below benchmark/market rate. The study will help to determine where each job falls in comparison. Q: What is a compensation package? A: An employee's salary combined with benefits. Q: Who is conducting the study? A: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Q: How is the study being conducted? A: Pricewaterhouse Coopers will collect data directly from U of L employees. Randomly selected employees will participate in focus groups to discuss how employees feel about the existing compensation package and about benefits. All professional/administrative and classified employees will have the opportunity to complete position information questionnaires (PIQs) to give a complete picture of the work they do. Supervisors will give additional input. PricewaterhouseCoopers will compare the data from U of L to data they collect from benchmark institutions and the Louisville and regional market and prepare a report for university administration. Q: What is a PIQ? A: A PIQ is a position information questionnaire which asks questions that allow employees to describe their job functions. Because a PIQ will be the basis upon which comparisons are made between a U of L job and one at a benchmark institution or in the job market, employees are asked to describe their jobs honestly and to the best of their abilities. A copy of the PIQ is available on this Web site to help employees prepare their answers. Q: Will my supervisor see my PIQ? A: Yes. When all PIQs are completed, Human Resources will collect them, sort them by unit and forward them to the appropriate supervisor. Supervisory staff review of PIQs is a normal part of any job study. Sometimes employees underestimate the requirements of their jobs; sometimes they overestimate them. Supervisory review just helps to ensure that PricewaterhouseCoopers receives the most accurate description of a job as is possible. Q: What will happen once the report is brought back to U of L? A:: Administration will use the report, which will contain evaluations of and suggestions for job categorization, performance appraisals and compensation philosophy, to determine which parts of the current compensation system should be retained as is and which parts should be modified. The data also will be used to bring compensation packages at U of L more in line with those at benchmark institutions and in the regional market and to analyze internal equity among jobs. Q: How long will it take to complete the survey? A: Initial data should be back from PricewaterhouseCoopers in late June. The final report will not be ready until late summer or early fall. Q: If the study determines that my position is compensated below benchmark/market rates, when will it be brought up to benchmark/market level? A: It's difficult to comment on a specific job at this time without having completed the study. The university's goal is to have a competitive compensation plan, but that can take time depending on how far or how close U of L is to the benchmark/market rate. That will only be known after the conclusion of the study. The university will begin to address that issue when it receives the final report, but the extent to which the university can address the issue this year cannot be determined until the results of the study are known. Q: What happens if the benchmark institutions or businesses they use for comparison don't have a job with the same title as mine? A: Chances are if the comparison institutions and businesses don't have a job with the exact title as one at U of L, they have one with the same general responsibilities. That's why it is important that employees complete the PIQ that PricewaterhouseCoopers has developed. The PIQ goes beyond the job title to determine the exact functions of each job. Q: If I have a vacant position in my department, or know that I'll have a vacant position soon, who fills out the PIQ for that job? A: In the case of a vacant position, the supervisor for that position should fill out the PIQ. Human Resources will ask employees to come to their offices May 1, 2 and 3 to complete PIQs. If an employee who is leaving is still employed on those dates, he should complete the PIQ for his position. |