When pay ranges were first introduced, it was common to use “steps” or increments granted based on the successful completion of another year with the employer. This is sometimes referred to as “passing the foggy mirror test” – all the employee has to do is to stay alive and show up for work to get a step each year. But when Pay for Performance concepts was introduced over 50 years ago, steps were then eliminated from pay ranges in many organizations, open pay ranges became the norm and future pay increases were then to be linked to performance. However, lately, there’s been a lot of issues with Pay for Performance and is being called into question.  What organizations need is a way to recognize employee growth in their abilities to perform their job. This type of growth that we’re talking about is long-term and it’s a steady accumulation of skills and knowledge or experience over time. Listen to Birches Group's Managing Partner, Gary McGillicuddy, as he talks about an innovative alternative to Merit Pay and using time as a proxy to inform pay increases. Community Skills uses accumulated skills and knowledge of your staff to inform pay increases guaranteeing clarity, transparency, and equity in your organization. To see a demo of our Community Skills tool, email [email protected] or check out our website www.birchesgroup.com.

Job descriptions should be the foundational documents of human resource management. The Job description serves as the basis for job grading, establishing the job’s alignment with other positions in the organization. Through this alignment, compensation is established, standards for recruitment, learning and development objectives, performance measures, and a milestone on the career path of the staff member. And yet, with all these core HR functions which should spring forth from the job description, so little attention is given to job design. Listen to Birches Group's Managing Partner, Gary McGillicuddy, as he talks about the key concepts behind creating good job descriptions and their critical role in all other functions of human resources. For more information, head over to www.birchesgroup.com to learn more about our approach and the solutions we provide. And don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast, available anywhere you get your podcasts. A huge thank you to Feedspot for featuring our podcast in their Top 55 Workforce Management Podcasts to follow for 2021! Please visit their website (linked here) to learn more.

An organization's salary budget is its biggest expense and managing it is not easy. The salary scale of an organization is its single most important tool to not only effectively manage pay, but also bring transparency and clarity to its people. Join Birches Group's Senior Marketing Specialist, Bianca Valencia, as she interviews Mancel Francisco, Birches Group's Lead Salary Scale Design Specialist, and Neil Corvite, Birches Group’s Senior Salary Scale Design Analyst as they continue their discussion about why having a balanced and well-designed salary scale is essential for every organization. This episode brings insight to managers and HR practitioners about the importance of having a well-designed salary scale, the cost implications of adjusting the salary scale against the organization’s budget, and how Birches Group’s Salary Scale Design Report helps organizations better understand compensation design.  To learn more about Birches Group's Salary Scale Design service, visit www.birchesgroup.com

An organization's salary budget is its biggest expense and managing it is not easy. The salary scale of an organization is its single most important tool to not only effectively manage pay, but also bring transparency and clarity to its people. Join Birches Group's Senior Marketing Specialist, Bianca Valencia, as she interviews Mancel Francisco, Birches Group's Lead Salary Scale Design Specialist, and Neil Corvite, Birches Group’s Senior Salary Scale Design Analyst as they continue their discussion about why having a balanced and well-designed salary scale is essential for every organization. This episode brings insight to managers and HR practitioners about the importance of having a well-designed salary scale, the cost implications of adjusting the salary scale against the organization’s budget, and how Birches Group’s Salary Scale Design Report helps organizations better understand compensation design.  To learn more about Birches Group's Salary Scale Design service, visit www.birchesgroup.com

Let's Talk About Work is a podcast series produced and presented by Birches Group. Work has never stopped evolving and we’ve been studying it for decades. We have studied the interconnectivity of jobs that makes teams teams; we know what it means to build multidisciplinary organizations and to celebrate everyone’s contribution to the mission. We have the tools. We can help you. For more information, head over to www.birchesgroup.com to learn more about our approach and the solutions we provide. And don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review.