Author: ryan@wptallahassee.com

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Holly Hill to conduct a Compensation and Classification Study. Evergreen reviewed the City’s salary and benefit structure and assisted in updating information on essential job functions, responsibilities, required knowledge, skills and abilities, and physical demands of each position. Evergreen examined all job descriptions which included a review of position FLSA designations; essential functions; minimum qualifications, license requirements, working conditions, etc., provided recommended updates and/or changes, established criterion for the selection of survey participants with City staff members, prepared a survey to send to the participants, and prepared recommendations based on the results. Evergreen addressed compression/equity issues between pay grades and classifications and established an equitable classification methodology and salary ranges to provide for the recruitment and retention of qualified staff as well as the equitable relationships of one job to another within the organization. Recommendations were provided to classify/reclassify positions as appropriate. Evergreen also reviewed department staffing and organizational structures and made recommendations as needed.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Union County to conduct a Compensation and Classification Study. The County desired the following tasks to be performed: a comprehensive evaluation of every classification within the County to determine relative worth within the organization (internal equity), placement in the organizational pay plan, and to establish pay bands; establish appropriate benchmarking standards and included should be a comparison and analysis of salaries and wages of like or similar jobs (external equity) in comparable government and private employers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia for which the County competed for a labor supply; create class/position descriptions that included required knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) for each position class in a standardized format; recommend needed changes to existing compensation and classification plan or propose a new plan that would achieve market rate structure and alleviate salary compression issues; provide a multi-year implementation plan to adjust compensation as identified in the analysis; provide a synopsis prepared for management review, covering the salient features of the proposal including overall costs and term of work; and provide a procedure manual and training for Human Resources employees enabling them to maintain the recommended classification and compensation plan.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by Pinellas County to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study that included recommendations and suggestions for an implementation and maintenance process that effectively provided the County with the resources and expertise to further enhance its classification and compensation program. A comprehensive job classification and pay study hadn’t been conducted since 2004 so the County believed it was important to invest in a study that would look at both internal and external equity. The objective of the study was to have a credible classification and compensation plan that: allowed positions performing similar work with similar levels of complexity, responsibility, and knowledge, skills and abilities to be classified appropriately; identified salaries for assigned duties; outlined promotional opportunities and possible compensation growth; identified pay differential between individual classifications; and identified relevant labor markets.

Evergreen Solutions was retained by the City of Bloomington to conduct a Salary Study. Evergreen examined the wages and benefits of the City’s employees (including transit) as compared to public and private sector entities in Indiana and surrounding areas to determine whether the City’s wages and benefits were competitive in the market.

Evergreen Solutions was hired by King George County to conduct a Compensation Study. Evergreen analyzed local market data taken from peer organizations to determine the appropriate compensation levels for benchmarked positions. Recommendations for adjustments to the current compensation plan were made.

Evergreen Solutions was again hired by Jefferson County to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study. The study included comprehensive classification analysis using the Job Assessment Tool job valuation methodology in addition to a statistical assessment of current conditions. An assessment of external equity including a salary survey of competing organizations was also conducted. The project conclude with a series of findings and recommendations designed to alleviate any strains on the County’s system.

Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Douglas County to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study and Analysis. Evergreen evaluated the County’s present salary structure as compared to the relevant job market for comparable positions in both the private and public sectors. Evergreen performed the following tasks: reviewed all current job descriptions and analyzed same for knowledge, skills, abilities, education and experience relevance and internal consistency, job definitions & summaries, distinguishing characteristics, supervision received and exercised, conformity with the ADA relative to essential job functions (including physical demands); special requirements including licensing and certifications; reviewed the County’s current Position Classification and Wage Administration Plans and provided recommendations for enhancement and specific guidelines for requests pertaining to the following: creating new positions, salary adjustments and reclassifications, retroactive pay, compensation for additional duties (temporary and permanent assignments) and internal equity adjustments; analyzed all existing job family classifications, pay grades and salary ranges and recommended modifications as necessary; analyzed all existing FLSA classifications and recommended modifications as necessary; established appropriate benchmarking standards and conducted salary surveys as needed for similar positions with comparable Georgia counties as required; identified potential pay compression issues and provided alternative solutions; and developed applicable classification/reclassification questionnaire.

Evergreen Solutions was engaged with the City of Daytona Beach to conduct an Employee Satisfaction/Engagement Survey for its workforce. Evergreen used electronic, web-based surveys, to give employees an opportunity to express their views about city management, general direction, operations, and working conditions. This method provided Evergreen and the City with immediate feedback on survey responses. Evergreen conducted focus groups by grouping employees based on job type in order to identify job-specific areas of concern that should be explored with the entire employee population. While an electronic diagnostic survey identified many of the major issues to be reviewed in a more in-depth employee survey, the use of focus groups uncovered areas not previously considered important regarding employee satisfaction and working conditions.

Upon completion of the survey, Evergreen documented all survey findings, analyses, and conclusions. Most importantly, Evergreen provided the City with an appropriate context for assessing the results of the workforce survey. Finally, sufficient information was presented in our report so that any reader of our report could clearly follow our analysis.