Unpacking the process of Employee Grading

How to define, assess and assign a grade according to the 57 different options available in Metals and Engineering Industries Main Agreement ……. the important question is where do we start with the process?

The basic principles of grading are predominantly based on the determination of the employee’s skill levels associated to a machine, material parameters, processes, and the association to a specific task listed in the Technical Schedules and the resulting Grade which is then aligned to a Rate of Pay.

Chris Wright, a SEIFSA Associate Partner, and Grading Specialist compiled this Manual with the objective of providing an understanding of how to navigate your way through the Main Agreement to establish a Grading structure for your organization.

The Main Agreement unfortunately does not provide a step-by-step guide on the “how to” when conducting a grading assessment. To obtain information, define grades and provide guidelines and direction is limited to specialists in the field of grading.

This Manual has been prepared over the last four years and addresses the various issues encountered, answers the many questions asked, and provides guidance on the pitfalls which can derail attempts to establish grading structures. It includes over 50 practical examples which are related directly to the Technical Schedules and best practice that should be adopted by organizations when dealing with employee grading.

Chris has one objective with this manual and that is to educate the trainee or reader about the Grading Process and the different aspects that one should be aware of when defining a skill and grade. His learnings from grading go back to 2012 when, after an intense battle with the employees (fuelled by the union) he decided to master the grading of employees to ensure that “no one could pull the wool over my eyes again”. The practical examples will assist and guide you to implement best practice and avoid the typical issues encountered during the grading process.

One example is that a Grade “A” is only reserved for Qualified Artisans and no other employee may be employed on Grade A. If you did not know this or need clarification on this subject, we highly recommend that you purchase a copy of this Manual to get a better understanding of the Grading within the Technical Schedules.

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