Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Davis Technical College to conduct an HR Compensation Study faculty and staff. The following were the objectives of the study: perform assessment of integration between the College’s compensation philosophy and practices in relation to human capital strategy and business objectives; evaluate opportunities for improvement to ensure the organization is well-positioned to attract and retain a skilled labor force that will support organizational objectives and goals; provide recommendations regarding how to define the College’s relevant external geographic labor markets used for benchmarking. Specifically, provide guidance on achieving a successful balance between being competitive within the education industry while also being sufficiently competitive to entice human capital from the non-education industry within the relevant geographic labor market; assess accuracy of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) designations to job descriptions and provide recommendations with regards to exempt vs non-exempt status; assess current point factor method and compensable factors used for evaluating and grading faculty and staff positions; assess each group’s pay scale and its corresponding positions providing recommendations regarding updates, modifications or alternate methods to ensure equitable compensation among the positions; and perform salary survey data analysis to assess the College’s current level of competitiveness using benchmark jobs relative to similar sized organizations.
Fayette County Public Schools, KY: Comprehensive Compensation Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Fayette County Public Schools to conduct a Comprehensive Compensation Study as well as a Staffing Study. Evergreen performed the following tasks: review job descriptions and conduct job analysis with employees; determine adequate staffing at the district level for operational and support areas and make recommendations to assure external competitiveness and internal equity; make recommendations for adjustments to assure internal equity and external competitiveness; assign compensatory value to various program certificates (ex. Certified Educational Office Employee, Child Development Associate Certificate, Automotive Service Excellence Certification, etc.); perform analysis of fiscal impact of implementing proposed changes as well as a proposed implementation schedule; assist in developing a communication plan for any changes being implemented; provide documentation and related tools to the District to independently maintain any strategies implemented; and present findings to the Superintendent and the FCPS Board of Education.
Kansas City Public Schools, MO: Compensation Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Kansas City Public Schools to conduct a Compensation Study. Evergreen’s consultants performed the following tasks: completed onsite interviews with Human Resources Team and employees performing studied job functions, in order to fully understand the operational structures and reasoning behind classification of each job position, as needed; evaluated and determined which job positions fall within an administrator category, supervisor category, and non-supervisory category; reviewed all employee job descriptions and make recommendations for new job descriptions or updates to existing job descriptions according to the function each employee actually performs compared to their stated job description; compared all employee salaries to internal and external markets; determined if there are compression or inequity problems and make recommendations for improvements; compared all employee benefits packages to the external markets. Determined if there are inequity problems and make recommendations for improvements; provided recommendations for supervisor and non-supervisor level salary schedules and/or ranges; and provided recommendations on implementing a tool or system that could be used in classifying new and/or future classified level positions.
City of Norwalk / Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut: Operations Review / Efficiency Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with the City of Norwalk to conduct an Operations Review/Efficiency Study of the City and the school district. The primary purpose of the study was to identify and coordinate with the City to implement specific strategies to improve the efficiency of City government and K-12 public school operations in order to improve the value of government and educational services delivered to the community. The Departments within the City’s scope, include: Information Technology; Community Services (i.e., Health Department, Human Services, Early Childhood, Youth Services, Human Relations and Fair Rent, and Library); Corporation Counsel; Finance (i.e., Comptroller, Management and Budgets, Purchasing, Tax Assessor, and Tax Collector); Economic and Community Development (i.e., Business Development and Tourism, Code Enforcement, Planning and Zoning, and Transportation, Mobility and Parking); Fire (Emergency Management); HR and Personnel; Operations and Public Works (i.e., Building Management, Engineering, Highways, and Recreation and Parks); Police; and Town Clerk. Some of the Departments within Norwalk Public Schools in the scope includes: Facilities; Finance; Grants; Health Services; Human Resources; Information Technology; Operations; Maintenance; Purchasing; Recruiting/Talent Acquisitions; and Transportation.
Evergreen’s consultants performed the Efficiency Study in two parts for both the City and Norwalk Public Schools. In Part 1, Evergreen’s consultants researched and analyzed the current performance by identifying areas where there was a high potential to improve efficiencies within the scope of the project, measuring and mapping the current state of the identified area; and analyzing the current state to determine the likely causes of inefficiencies. In Part 2, Evergreen’s consultant identified the obstacle(s) to implement the recommendations; developed countermeasures to address the causes of inefficiencies; and designed the future state of the workflows with integrated countermeasures.
Cobb County, GA: Comprehensive Compensation Review and Update of Classification/Pay System
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Cobb County to conduct a Comprehensive Compensation Review and Update of Classification/Pay System. The scope of work included a comprehensive compensation and benefit market survey; job analysis and evaluation; evaluation of internal and external compensation equity; an implementation recommendation and update; and preparation of draft and final reports. Evergreen updated the salary range structure based on the compensation survey results and internal relationships, while minimizing compression, and assuring internal equity and external competitiveness for sworn (full and part-time); non-sworn; and part-time employees. Evergreen further made recommendations regarding a Step Plan for all County graded positions. Evergreen reviewed and updated job descriptions and coordinated an appeal process for employees to appeal through their management and address any concerns.
St. Petersburg College, FL: Classification and Compensation Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with St. Petersburg College to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study for faculty and staff. Evergreen performed the following tasks: reviewed current classification grade methodology and proposed recommended strategies for the College; conducted interviews and/or job audits to determine redundancies and inefficiencies; updated job descriptions; identified career ladders/promotional opportunities; provided a maintenance system to keep the classification structure current and equitable; and provided training to HR to ensure that staff can administer the new system in the future.
Columbus Consolidated Government, GA: Classification and Compensation Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with Columbus Consolidated Government to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study and Analysis. Columbus is Georgia’s first consolidated city/county government, the second largest city in Georgia and is a recognized leader among its peer cities, and takes pride in its operational efficiency and the excellent quality of life it fosters.
Evergreen conducted an external market analysis to determine whether the City was competitive with its peers. Evergreen worked with Human Resources and City leadership to review the Cit’s classification and compensation structure and recommended comparable public and private survey markets. Evergreen considered the compensation and benefits package received by employees with the City as it related to both the external and internal markets. The City’s objectives for this study were to: attract and retain qualified employees; ensure positions performing similar work with essentially the same level of complexity, responsibility, and knowledge, skills, and abilities are classified together; provide salaries commensurate with assigned duties; outline promotional opportunities and provide recognizable compensation growth; provide justifiable pay differential between individual classes; and maintain a competitive position with other comparable government entities and private employers within the same geographic areas.
City of Norfolk, VA: Classification and Compensation Study
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with the City of Norfolk to conduct a Classification and Compensation Study. Evergreen conducted a job analysis to determine internal equity as well as an external labor market analysis to determine whether the City was competitive with its peers.
Virginia State University: Campus Climate Survey and Salary Analysis
Evergreen Solutions was retained by Virginia State University to conduct a Campus Climate Survey, Salary Analysis and provide an Administration Plan. The University’s Campus Climate Survey provided stakeholders’ opinions on a variety of issues including, but not limited to, campus environment, institutional policies and practices, shared governance, job satisfaction, customer service, change management, inclusion, staff development, talent acquisition and management, interpersonal relations and teamwork, leadership, and communications. The Faculty and Staff Compensation Study and Salary Administration Plan provided information regarding internal equity and an action plan for the University to be more competitive in the marketplace in attracting and retaining qualified employees.
City of Marietta/Board of Lights and Water, GA: Compensation Review and Update of a Pay and Classification System
Evergreen Solutions was engaged with the City of Marietta/Board of Lights and Water to conduct a Review and Update of a Pay and Classification System. Evergreen performed the following tasks: evaluated job descriptions for all full-time and part-time single incumbent positions and recommended appropriate job classification, FLSA classification, and salary range; updated and/or created full-time and part-time classification specifications as needed to uniformly reflect distinguishing characteristics, FLSA status, essential functions, minimum qualifications, working conditions, license requirements, regulatory requirements, certifications, and competencies required to do the job (knowledge, skills, and physical abilities); conducted a full market analysis of take-home pay with comparable labor market including both private, when applicable, and public sector (locally, regionally, and statewide) using an approved peer group with a focus on actual take-home pay; established a consistent and competitive market position that the City could strive to maintain that aligned with the City’s compensation philosophy; reviewed and provided an assessment on the competitiveness of the City’s entire benefits package (including annual/vacation leave, sick leave, holidays, health, dental, life, disability, retirement, tuition reimbursement, etc.); designed and recommended an implementation strategy (including cost) and a maintenance strategy, including policy revisions or additions for the updated compensation system with the lowest financial impact on the City and greatest gain to positions that fell outside of a designated range; included any best practice recommendations that would positively impact hiring or retention; and provided training to appropriate City staff on the utilization and maintenance of the system.