VRA Acquires Web-Based Job Evaluation Software

A five-day training workshop on Job Profiling and Job Evaluation has been organised in Accra to give hands-on training and tutelage to VRA's Grading Panel members on a newly acquired Web-Based Job Evaluation Software.

The new Web-Based JEasy Job Evaluation Software which is a system designed for the profiling and evaluation of job functions of staff in the Authority is an upgrade of the original Standalone Job Grading System which has been in existence in the Volta River Authority since 2007.

A thrilling benefit of the application is that VRA’s cross-functional team of Job Evaluation Panel members can now undertake grading activities from any VRA work location and in any part of the world when the need arises. The previous JEasy Standalone version however, required that all Grading Panel members be physically present in a particular location before any grading exercise could be undertaken.

The Grading Panel members, who are subject matter specialists, were selected from all the VRA locations to enlighten them on the need for consensus and transparency in the job grading process. It is expected that their technical expertise and work experiences, coupled with in-depth knowledge of jobs in the Authority would impact positively on the work of the Grading Panel.

Selected group of Directors, who are members of the Job Evaluation Validation Committee, were also trained. Their role would include ensuring the review and endorsement of job ratings prior to implementation of the grading results.  The Validation Committee will also serve as the policy-making body responsible for reviewing and recommending improvements on the Job Evaluation System and processes.  

Other participants including Administrators, Human Resource Managers and Supervisors, Staff Group Leaders of the Senior Staff Association and the Divisional Union of PSWU received training on the Web-Based JEasy software and its new functionalities. An overview of Job Evaluation and introduction to the software's Job Profiler, among others, were also discussed.

Opening the workshop, the Deputy Chief Executive (Services) Mr. Maxwell Odoom said the Standalone system had been used to carry out the evaluation of over 550 jobs in the Authority since 2007 and the outcomes of which had been used to develop a new salary structure for the Authority. He expressed satisfaction about the upgraded functionalities of the Web-Based JEasy Job Evaluation Software which he described as being user-friendly and multi-functional.

According to Ms. Sanet de Lange, an Executive of the Products Division of 21st Century Pay Solutions Group based in South Africa, the software is made up of multi-functional applications which are intended to make work easier for users. Ms. de Lange, who facilitated the workshops, commended VRA for being able to achieve more with the Standalone system in a limited time space as compared to many of their other clients; she emphasised that, “this is an achievement considering that most companies achieve far less within the same time frame”.

She recommended, however, that there was the need for all new VRA jobs to be graded first for a determination of the position’s value, before adverts are sent out ahead of job interviews. This, she explained, is in line with job evaluation best practice all around the world.

A group photograph of the participants and the course facilitator, Ms. Sanet de Lange (middle row: fifth from left). Also in the shot are Mr. Isaac Aidoo (front row: first from left) - Director, Human Resources; and Dr. Isaac Doku (front row: first from right) - Director, Management Information Systems.

 

In other news (October, 2013)

• Gas Turbines and Generators hauled to KTPP site ahead of schedule.
• VRA's Investment Department celebrates first anniversary.
• VRA holds Emergency Press Conference.
• VRA Staff attend Knowledge Management Workshop.

 

Read other year 2013 news | Read archived news