Performance Pay expert Alfie Kohn
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...My formula for how to pay people distils the best theory, research, and practice with which I am familiar into three short sentences: Pay people well. Pay people fairly. Then do everything possible to take money off people’s minds. Notice that incentives, bonuses, pay-for-performance plans, and other reward systems violate the last principle by their very nature... Thanks to Alfie Kohn for the photo en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfie_Kohn
”
A fair pay system for general staff
www.alfiekohn.org/managing/cbdmamam.htm
We need your help:
1. 2.
Contact TEU to find out more or get invovled: ext 85169 auckland@teu.ac.nz or visit www.payfairly.org.nz
Maybe you want to keep up to date with the campaign, or maybe you want to help put up posters, share flyers with your colleagues, lobby for change, or more? Talk to other general staff about our campaign. Ask what they need to do to make this happen. Explain that if we all work together we can make a difference. It’s more important we show we care now than afterwards when decisions are already made.
There is a better way:
fair pay
TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa
Thanks to Michael Renner at Flickr for the photo www.flickr.com/photos/mgrenner57/2258875977/
www.payfairly.org.nz
TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa
www.payfairly.org.nz
More than just performance pay
Here’s our plan -
Let’s encourage cooperation and value experience and knowledge, not internal competition
To value staff and to support excellence we plan to have the best pay system for general staff in a New Zealand university. Our ‘fair pay’ plan is compatible with the University’s new Performance and Development Review process. It has three elements:
In 1993 The University of Auckland introduced a performance pay system for general staff. Staff soon found that the reality of performance pay did not match management promises of bigger and more frequent pay increases.
performance pay with a fair method of remuneration that encourages cooperation and reflects the way work is actually done in a university environment. The unions’ proposed model for general staff is consistent with the academic staff remuneration model.
Today, Auckland remains the only university in New Zealand with While performance pay rewards a purely performance pay system individuals for their results, a for general staff. At other whole team normally achieves universities general staff have those results. Evidence shows models that incorporate annual performance pay undermines increments and recognition workplace teamwork of experience, loyalty and and adds to stress. Staff knowledge. shouldn’t have to compete with each other In 2007 the union to get the pay rises they surveyed its general staff all deserve. members to find out what workplace-related issues This year we are most concerned them. launching a campaign More than three quarters of for general staff to be the general staff involved paid fairly. We need in the survey said that they your help. were unhappy with the performance pay system. TEU National President Te Tumu Whakarae The Tertiary Education Tom Ryan Union and other unions on campus are committed to replacing the system of
1. Automatic pay increases Currently general staff fit into six salary levels, each one of which has a minimum and maximum pay grade. In our new system, agreed salary levels would be subdivided into six steps. General staff who perform ‘satisfactorily’ will automatically progress through the steps each year. Because The University of Auckland maintains high workplace standards, performance is assumed to meet reasonable expectations unless managers declare it unsatisfactory.
2. Progression development
through
professional
In addition to the progression available through automatic increments, staff can progress through the acquisition of skills, knowledge and expertise. If a general staff member is recognised as being ‘Proficient’ or ‘Expert’, they will qualify for pay increases and faster progression. Recognition of Proficiency Certificate An employee who is recognised as Proficient will have reached a high level of skill by a) researching and reflecting upon and learning from their work experience and/or undertaking training which enhances their professional development and job performance. A certificate will be issued to recognise Proficiency. Work towards the certificate will be designed to increase the institutional knowledge of the university, as well as the skills of the individual employee. Recognition of Expertise Certificate An employee who is awarded a Recogniton of Expertise Certificate will have demonstrated
TERTIARY EDUCATION UNION Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa
a very high level of skill by a) researching and reflecting upon and learning from their work experience and/or undertake training which enhances their professional development and job performance. It is expected that the work which is done for the Recognition of Expertise Certificate will be more advanced than the work done for the Recognition of Proficiency Certificate. Achievement of Proficient and Expert and accelerated progression An employee who has gained Recognition of Proficiency will be entitled to an additional payment equivalent to one salary step or a negotiated set rate. Similarly, an employee who has gained Recognition of Expertise will be entitled to an additional payment equivalent to two salary steps or a set rate to be negotiated.
3. Bonus payment A request for a lump sum payment for the completion of special projects over and above normal duties can be made by an employee’s manager or by an employee through their manager.
Benefits to the employer The employer will benefit from the new model in several ways. It will be easier to plan budgets with the new system because salary costs will be more predictable. Managers will find it easier to retain staff, and they will notice an increase in productivity and cohesion amongst staff as the frustrations and divisions of the old system are left behind. Find out more at www.payfairly.org.nz
www.payfairly.org.nz