Performance Management System Project Update - March 16, 2017

Email Overview From Tim Rogers

Hi Folks-

As you may already know, The Singer Group, Inc. is conducting Compensation/Classification and Performance Management studies for the Metropolitan Library System. The firm has extensive experience performing similar studies for numerous library systems regionally and nationwide. Two of the Consultants were on site on February 27^th and 28^th to officially kick off these studies.

The Consultants, Dr. Paula Singer and Ms. Lorraine Kituri, met with library leadership and staff in a series of interviews and meetings to hear directly from you about compensation, classification and performance management at the Library. Thank you to everyone who participated in any of these sessions.

We have set up two pages on the Library’s intranet, one for compensation and classification and the other for performance management. To access the sites, go to: Classification and Compensation Study or Performance Management System. Information about the studies, summaries from the onsite meetings, and information on the project committees and committee members for both projects have already been posted. Please check the sites regularly to stay informed.

So why are we going through this now? The purpose of these studies is three-fold:

1. To ensure the Library’s compensation system is a strategic tool to achieve our mission and fulfill Library Unbound through a compensation study that will determine the level of competitiveness and equity of the salary structure for all library staff, both internally and externally.
2. To achieve a credible classification system that ensures positions performing similar work with like levels of complexity, responsibility, knowledge, skills and abilities are classified together.  This will be achieved through a classification study that will analyze all library positions on each of these factors and recommend appropriate grade placements.
3. To develop a performance management system that accurately assesses employee performance and promotes professional growth and development, while ensuring alignment of work expectations with Library Unbound.

Later this month, the Consultants will send an online survey to all staff. The survey will include questions pertaining to compensation, classification and performance management at the Library and will allow the Consultants to hear directly from all staff on these issues. Survey responses will be compiled and reported in aggregate form only. Individual responses will be kept confidential.

During the project, the Singer Group will conduct surveys of similar local and regional public library systems as well as other organizations (local governments, private sector employers, and non-profit organizations) with whom the library competes for talent to gather external market salary data.

In order to get a better understanding of your jobs, The Singer Group has asked that a cross-section of staff complete position description questionnaires (PDQ’s) detailing all duties and responsibilities. Staff asked to complete PDQ will be comprised of the different locations and positions at the library. The completed questionnaires will enable The Singer Group to accurately compare and analyze the work of all positions both internally and externally.

The study includes interviews with a cross-section of employees. Employees to be interviewed will be identified by the Consultants later in the study process, in mid-June. The purpose of these interviews is to further understand the duties and responsibilities of your library jobs. The Consultants will also be conducting a series of focus groups towards the end of the study to pilot test the newly developed performance management system. Employees to participate in these focus group sessions will be selected at random.

To ensure The Singer Group is able to hear directly from all staff (whether selected to complete a PDQ, participate in focus groups, or an interview), they have set up a study hotline – [email protected]. Staff are encouraged to use the hotline to contact the Consultants directly to ask questions or share information as pertains to the study. The hotline is entirely confidential and goes directly and only to the Consultants, who will respond to inquiries or comments personally.

Staff can also go to members of the Compensation Project Committee or Performance Management Committee with questions about the project or anything they would like to bring to the attention of the Consultants. Members of the committees will serve as a direct link between staff and The Singer Group in addition to being an on-going focus group and sounding board for project activities. A list of both committee members is provided on the intranet sites for both projects.  

I would like to emphasize that there should not be an expectation of pay increases as a result of the compensation and classification study. All recommendations will be based on data gathered during the study.  However, I can also assure you that no employee will lose his or her job or have a decrease in pay as a result of this study.  We anticipate having both projects completed by the end of August 2017.

Every other week, a communication will go out to all staff giving an update on project status or project activities. If you have any questions or would like more information you may contact the Consultants directly through the study hotline or Project Managers, Michele Gorman, Chief Organizational Development Officer at [email protected] or Kelley Hoffman, Director of Human Resources at [email protected].  

Thank you for your participation in these important projects!

Best wishes,

Tim