New Job Evaluation and Position Grading System

Accurately monitoring our compensation system in a constantly changing labor market is essential to sustaining Loyola’s commitment to providing competitive pay and benefits for our employees. Offering competitive compensation is critical to our ability to attract and retain the talented individuals who support our daily operations, and envision and implement new strategic initiatives. Employee compensation comprises a significant portion of the Loyola total compensation package and is one of our largest operating costs. The ability to accurately monitor and evaluate compensation is critical to our goal of paying fair and competitive salaries.

Our current job evaluation and grading system was developed in January 2001 and updated in July 2006 by Mercer Consulting. Human Resources recently conducted an exhaustive study of our current system and concluded that, given the pace at which the job market is moving, a more nimble and comprehensive compensation system was warranted. Although we adjust the pay grades annually based on projected market increases, we concluded that the current job evaluation guidelines and pay grades no longer accurately measure the status of our jobs’ value in today’s market.

After researching and evaluating a range of options, and in consultation with the President’s Cabinet, we purchased a new, more robust job evaluation tool and developed new pay grades. The new pay grades reflect the levels of work at Loyola in relation to reliable market data, which is updated annually based on numerous major comprehensive salary surveys. The new grades and evaluation tool ensure that we are hiring at today’s competitive rates while taking into consideration the compensation levels of existing employees.

The new compensation system will go into effect on July 1, 2009. To prepare for this transition, Human Resources evaluated each position or groups of positions at Loyola using the new job evaluation method and 2009 salary survey data, and assigned each position to the appropriate new grade. The new grades are based on a market structure comprised of 20 grades. Non-exempt Staff positions are allocated to grades 4 through 13 and exempt Administrator positions are allocated to grades 8 through 18. Grades 8 through 13 are shared by Staff and Administrators.

In May, Human Resources will individually notify you of your position’s grade in the new system. This new grade will not affect your current rate of pay. However, the new system will support Loyola in making more precise pay decisions in the future based on annual salary surveys and standardized methods.

If you have any questions about the new system, please contact our Compensation Manager, Jane Shock-Osborn, at 410-617-1370.