The Office of the Public Service Commissioner (OPSC) held a three-day Job Evaluation Workshop last month to enhance the job-sizing capabilities of public sector employees.

Partnering with Strategic Pay New Zealand who conducted Strategic Pay 10 (SP10) Accreditation Training, the workshop was held from July 29 to 31 and marked the inaugural session of the year, with this being the first iteration in a series of workshops to be held in the Cook Islands since Covid-19.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management sponsored the training fees for all participants, showcasing the Government’s dedication to investing in the professional development and growth of the workforce.

Participants included from the Airport Authority, the Cook Islands Audit Office, Avarua Cable Limited, the Bank of the Cook Islands, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, Infrastructure Cook Islands, Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, the OPSC, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Seabed Minerals Authority, Te Aponga Uira, and the Ministry of Transport who focused on sharing and learning about job-sizing and evaluation.

Leading the training was Mike Boneham, principal consultant at Strategic Pay New Zealand who has a rich background in human resources. Boneham honed his expertise while serving in the Australian Government before transitioning to the private sector across Europe.

Currently based in New Zealand, he brings a wealth of international experience to the training, ensuring participants receive first-class guidance and insights.

In opening the workshop, OPSC human resources manager Tepaeru Tauraki encouraged participants to capitalise on the workshop learnings to enhance their existing job evaluation skills.

“We have a commitment to serve our stakeholders to the best of our ability as public servants,” Tauraki said. “Where recruitment and job-sizing are necessary, working closely with relevant Government and non-government partners to articulate national priorities is critical.”

“To maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the job grading methodology, it is essential to train and accredit new job evaluators, as well as ensure that existing job evaluators maintain their accreditation.

“These individuals must not only understand the grading system itself but also be well-versed in the various agency structures and strategic goals. Proper training ensures that job evaluations are conducted consistently and accurately, upholding the Public Service values of impartiality and transparency.”

Following the successful completion of the workshop, all 14 participants, including three who undertook a one-day refresher, will receive a certificate and formal accreditation in the SP10 Job Evaluation System. This accreditation is valid for three years and follows the completion of an SP10 Job Evaluation Manual and post-workshop assessments.

The workshop provided participants with a job-centered approach that assesses 10 factors and includes education, experience, complexity, scope, problem-solving, the freedom to act, the impact and the results of decisions, interpersonal skills, authorities, and people.

The workshop was also timely, given the continuation of discussions between the OPSC and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last month regarding the Cook Islands Functional Review, which has been endorsed by Cabinet.

“The first functional review conducted by the ADB in 2011, recommended that job-sizing be undertaken for the entire Public Service, including the rewriting of all job descriptions. So this workshop is in part the culmination of past efforts between the OPSC and Government Agencies to provide participants with those skills and increased ownership of the Job Evaluation (JE) process, as well as collaboration with agencies across the Government to better understand and own the process,” said OPSC chief executive officer Myra Patai.

“The JE is also a process that hasn’t always been well understood by agencies, with the refreshed Job Evaluation Committee (JEC) implemented in June 2020 as a way to respond to those concerns.”

• Sian Solomon/OPSC