Competency-based Pay Review
“DIT Users are now able to do a single competency profile and it can be used for the development and the pay-review in one easy to use tool, and if managers change, the history and audit trail is there to review and inform.“
– Tony Martin, Director, Comaea UK for Department for International Trade Digital Team, UK Governmenty Martin, MD, Comaea UK Limited
Background
Each digital role within the Department of international trade (DIT) had competency requirements based on the widely used Data, Digital and Technology Framework (DDaT). As part of their annual review, those opting into the competency-based pay review would have to complete a spreadsheet stating if they were working below, working at, or working above the competency requirements for their role. A proficiency level from 1-5 was then calculated and this was then reviewed by their line manager and then signed off by the Head of Profession. The result would inform a pay-decision for the individual.
Year on year, spreadsheets and feedback was misplaced and insecure, so an alternative method was sought to manage and improve the process.
Solution
Comaea was quickly able to set up the DDaT competency framework, define the digital roles, and set the job level requirements for each role. This was comaea’s core functionality and aligned with how the rest of the government departments set up and used comaea.
The comaea software development team was able to create a calculation of proficiency level based on the users already completed competency profile and place this in a Pay-Review plan. This meant that they didn’t have to state whether they were work below, at, or above their job level requirements because we already had this information from their scores.
The process was structured in comaea so the user carried out a self-assessment, and the line manager was able to review and add their comments too, with the final approval from the head of Profession. The calculation looked at the Head of Profession’s approved scores to calculate the proficiency level, which was hidden from the user until the review process was complete.
Outcomes
Keeping the competency assessment and pay-review calculation separate means that the user can review and update their competencies and check out career progression options at any time. It purely focuses on their development opportunities and uses the full range of the DDaT competency framework.
When the next round of competency-based pay review happens, they don’t need to do anything else, as the scores and information is already there – centralised and available to their line manager and Head of Profession.
The process has been simplified and delivered in a structured way that is consistent, fair and repeatable year on year.