Consultant Reviews Compensation, Classification

A review of the compensation and classification systems of Northern’s clerical-technical and administrative-professional employee groups is under way. 

Segal/Sibson Consulting, a firm specializing in compensation and organization effectiveness, is on campus this week conducting focus-group discussions with select department heads, AP staff and CT employees (pictured).

“The groups include employees at all levels from across the campus," said Art Pickering (Human Resources). "We worked hard to get a good cross-section of people involved, some selected by their respective unions, some by the Human Resources staff. There also is a good variety of senior employees and newer Northern employees.”

The consulting firm will provide NMU with a set of recommendations in about six months.

"We are kicking off the first phase of discovery and strategy development," said Karen Hutcheson, vice president of Sibson Consulting. "We will consolidate information from the electronic surveys, the focus groups, written materials, discussions with leadership and market research into a contemporary compensation and classification strategy. The goal is to develop a foundation for moving forward and to demystify how positions are classified and how pay scales are determined. By building into the strategy a communications process, it will help foster understanding and trust."

Pickering said Human Resources will evaluate the recommendations and determine whether Northern incorporates all or some based on their benefits to the university as a whole.

“We want to develop a classification system that is open and easy to use. As a result, marketplace issues will be more easily addressed,” said Pickering.