United NationsHuman Resources

Management ModulePrinciples & Policies of the UN

Compensation & Job Classification System

Charter of the United NationsArticle 101

3. The paramount consideration in the employment of staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity for securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

Two compensation principles

• NoblemaireThe international civil service should recruit from

the Member States including the highest paid. Professional salaries are set by reference to the highest paying national civil service.

• FlemmingCompensation for locally recruited staff should

reflect the best prevailing conditions found locally for similar work. General Service salaries set on the basis of local salary surveys.

Common System Organizations

United Nations (UN) World Health Organization (WHO)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

I nternational Civil Aviation Organization (I CAO)

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Universal Postal Union (UPU)

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

I nternational Telecommunication Union (I TU)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNI CEF) I nternational Maritime Organization (I MO)

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

World I ntellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

I nternational Trade Centre (I TC)

I nternational Fund for Agricultural Development (I FAD)

I nternational Labour Organization (I LO) United Nations I ndustrial Development Organization (UNI DO)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

I nternational Atomic Energy Agency (I AEA)

World Food Programme (WFP) World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UN Common System local salary surveys

• Local salary survey committee (staff) • Committee suggests local ‘comparators’ by

ICSC criteria• Look for employers with systematic pay

policies• Use ‘benchmark’ jobs for comparison• Compare ‘apples to apples’ • Select best employers (5,7,10,15 and 20

depending on the category of a duty station)

Definitions of work

Procedural, operational and technical

Support Range from routine or

repetitive to varied, complex and paraprofessional

Knowledge through experience

Often requires post-secondary education or technical training.

GENERAL SERVICE

PROFESSIONAL

Analytical, evaluative, conceptual, interpretative.

Judgment and decision making

Discretionary choices

Requires organized body of knowledge

University degree

Rank-in-person* Salary hierarchy Personal

qualifications or contributions

INTERNAL PAY POLICY

Rank-in-job Job hierarchy Responsibility

and assigned tasks or contributions

*not used by the Secretariat

What is job classification?

Method for organizing jobsand levels of responsibility

Objectives of job classification

Internal equity

equal pay for work of equal value

Objectives of job classification

Support the UN Common System Inter-

organization mobility

Objectives of job classification

Internal justice

Fairness

Consistency

Transparency

Objectives of job classification Relate salaries to services

Workforce planning

Budgeting

Job classification standards: factors considered – P

category Nature of work: Focus and

Deliverables, Scope and Context Enabling Environment:

Organizational Context, Managerial focus and Exposure/Risk

Partnership: Engagement and Communities of Interest

Results: Impact of Actions and Leadership Roles

Job classification standards: factors considered – GS

category• Nature of work: Focus and Deliverables,

Scope and Knowledge/Skills/Expertise• Organizational Environment:

Organizational context and managerial guidance received

• Teamwork and Relationships: Engagement, Contacts and Language

• Results: Impact of Action and Team Role

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING – THE KEY TO

JOB CLASSIFICATION

EXERCISE: Should these two posts be classified at the same grade level?

Secretary A• Drafts/types

correspondence; reviews for completeness & grammatical accuracy prior to supervisor’s signature;

• Maintains supervisor’s calendar & schedules appointments;

• Organizes & maintains files;

• Screens callers & incoming mails;

• Responds to queries about the office activities.

Secretary B• Drafts/types

correspondence; reviews for completeness & grammatical accuracy prior to supervisor’s signature;

• Maintains supervisor’s calendar & schedules appointments;

• Organizes & maintains files;

• Screens callers & incoming mails;

• Responds to queries about the office activities.

Organizational SettingScenario 1

Head of Department

Division Director Division Director Division Director

Chief of Branch Chief of Branch

Unit Head

Secretary B

Secretary A

Unit Head

Organizational settingScenario 2

Head of Department

Division Director Division Director Division Director

Chief of Branch Chief of Branch

Unit Head

Secretary B

Secretary A

Unit Head

Principal Assistant

Organizational settingSome factors affecting distinction in

gradesHR management: Diversity/scope/stability of programmes Geographic locations Delegated authority

Financial management: Value, reliability & nature of funding Currency transactions

Procurement: Technical complexity Variety of goods & services procured

What job classification is NOT

The focus of job classification is on jobs

Not on people sitting on the jobs.

Job classification is NOT

A tool for recognizing good performance.

A tool for promoting specific individuals.

A/RES/56/253

Requests involving a change in grade level:

exceptional in nature; change in the nature or scope of the

work; details on increased responsibility; workload statistics; no reference to the incumbent or

potential incumbent.

When to request a classification review?

New post. Unclassified post. Substantial change in

duties. Job classification audit.

Job classification phases

Phase 1 Job analysis

Generic Job Profiles

Note: instead of going through the full job classification review process, posts may be associated to a GJP.

Job classification phases

Phase 2Job evaluation

References

On job classification ST/AI/1998/9 – System for the classification of posts. http://

www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/classif.htm

On Common System and compensation ICSC document in the Participant Manual ICSC website: http://icsc.un.org