The Health Service Commission (HSC) has initiated a comprehensive job evaluation for all health professionals and workers in the public service.
This exercise aims to assess the qualifications and significance of all positions within the sector, ensuring that employees receive fair and equitable compensation relative to their contributions.
Launched at the end of July, the evaluation is projected to be completed by mid-November this year.
In an interview with The Herald, Lovemore Marufu, HSC’s acting general manager for conditions of service and industrial relations, explained that job evaluation is a systematic process designed to assess the relative worth of various roles within an organisation. He said:
By using this approach, organisations ensure that the job grading structure is aligned with duties and responsibilities.
The exercise is fundamental to building a fair and equitable compensation system. Job evaluation is not salary increase, promotion, upgrading or cost of living adjustment.
It’s about building a grading structure, establishing job hierarchy, determining pay relationships and developing policies and systems that speak to job responsibilities.
The methodology being used to evaluate jobs in the public health sector is the Patterson grading system. The system categorises jobs based on the complexity of decision-making.
The level and complexity of decisions are essential in grading of different jobs in an organisation. The jobs are categorised into 6 decision bands (A-F).
In addition, jobs are further differentiated or sub-graded within the decision bands based on the complexity, accuracy or tolerance required in the job, pressure of work, supervision given, knowledge, skills and competencies among other factors required to perform role responsibilities.
HSC spokesperson, Tryfine Dzvukutu, said the benefits of the exercise extended beyond the public health sector, as it had a far-reaching spillover to the nation’s productivity. She said:
The Health Service Commission noted the dynamic nature of jobs and the importance of ensuring that the compensation framework remains relevant to job changes.
Health sector jobs evolve due to several factors, including disease burdens, policy changes, emerging diseases, and regulatory and technology changes.
For health care professionals, this exercise offers several benefits, including fair compensation, clear career progression framework and job satisfaction.
Zimbabwe’s public health sector has faced a significant staff attrition rate in recent years, resulting in a substantial exodus of qualified nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and specialists seeking better opportunities abroad, particularly in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia.
More: Pindula News