Glen Oaks Community College (GOCC) is entering the final stages of a thorough compensation study conducted by Evergreen Solutions LLC. The study aims to enhance the college’s ability to attract and retain top talent through competitive compensation structures and updated classification systems.
The compensation study was carried out in four key phases, beginning with outreach efforts that collected data through forums with GOCC employees. This was followed by an internal analysis, where existing data was reviewed and current conditions were assessed. An external analysis was then conducted, focusing on market surveys and positioning. The final phase involved the development of solutions, which included reporting findings and making recommendations.
The outreach process featured 10 virtual focus group sessions and an online survey, engaging a total of 55 GOCC employees. The study highlighted several strengths of Glen Oaks Community College, such as its generous benefits and strong campus culture. However, it also identified areas for improvement, particularly in compensation for some positions.
The market survey compared GOCC’s compensation with similar institutions, adjusting for regional cost of living. The results revealed that salary range spreads varied significantly, with 34 positions showing positive market range penetration and 10 positions falling behind. Overall, the average market penetration stood at 31.2%.
Based on these findings, Evergreen Solutions LLC provided several recommendations. These included implementing a market-responsive pay plan with 15 pay grades, adjusting range spreads and midpoint progressions to align more closely with market standards, and adopting classification recommendations to better align with job analysis and task (JAT) processes. Additional recommendations focused on developing policies for salary adjustments for new hires and for employees who are promoted, demoted, or transferred to different classifications.
The study presented four options for implementing the recommended pay plan, with the “Hybrid Parity” option emerging as the preferred approach. This option acknowledges both total tenure and time spent in the current classification when considering salary adjustments for the affected positions. It offers a balanced method for ensuring that employees are fairly compensated while addressing the challenges of market competitiveness.
Glen Oaks Community College is now moving forward with the next steps, which include finalizing these recommendations, developing a comprehensive final report, notifying employees of the changes, and updating job descriptions to reflect the new classification system.
