Review of the Assimilation Process

1.INTRODUCTION

Following approval by Council of the revised arrangements for the review of senior pay, this paper provides a summary of the outcomes of the assimilation process and includes an equality analysis.

2.THE ASSIMILATION PROCESS

On 26 April 2012 Council approved the revised pay review process and all members of staff affected by the changes were written to individually confirming the assimilation arrangements.

The appropriate line manager completed a recommendation form for each professor/senior manager,detailing which zone they considered the individual should be assimilated to and the bases for these recommendations. These were then put forward for moderation.

Professorial recommendations were moderated at two levels:

  1. 3 x Faculty panels chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost.Cases were moderated for consistency, and where appropriate, endorsed or changed.
  1. A University panel chaired by the Vice Chancellor, comprising the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, the three Faculty Deans, the Director of Human Resources and Student Services and the Director of Finance and IT.

Managerial and specialist recommendations were moderated at the University panel only.

The University panel determined the final zone allocation for everymember of staff and this decision was communicated in writing to each individual. All affectedmembers of staff were offered the opportunity to meet with their Dean or Director. All staff had the right of appeal against the decision of the University panel.

The University panel considered recommendations for 90 professorial staff and 9 managerial and specialist staff.

3.PROFESSORIAL ZONING DISTRIBUTION

The overall outcome of the assimilation process and the impact on the professoriate salary profile is represented in Graph 1.

Graph 1

The blue salary distribution line shows the distribution of pre-assimilation professorial salaries when compared to the pay ranges assigned to each zone. The red zoning distribution line represents the outcomes of the assimilation process and this profile provides a benchmark for the equality analysis detailed in the rest of this paper. Table 1 (below) shows the actual numbers of professorial staff underpinning the distribution shown above.

Table 1

Zone / A / B / C / D / E / TOTAL
Salary Distribution / 29 / 30 / 20 / 9 / 2 / 90
Zoning Distribution / 6 / 50 / 25 / 9 / 0 / 90
Zoning Distribution % / 7% / 55% / 28% / 10% / 0 / 100%

It was envisaged that zone B would be the principal zone for most professors and that there would be decreasing numbers of professors at the higher zones. The pre-assimilation salary distribution is rather flat across zones A-C. The assimilation process has reshaped the profile producing a peak at zone B and as such the new profile is in line with expectations.

Table 2 (below) details the number of professors who, following the zoning exercise werereceiving a salary below the minima of the zone to which they have been assimilated (under-zoned), the number who are receiving a salary within the range of the zone they have been assimilated to and the number who are receiving a salary which is in excess of the maximum of their assimilated zone (over-zoned).

Table 2

Under-zoned / Within Zone / Over-zoned
Number of Professors / 34 / 45 / 11

The 34 under-zoned professors have received a salary increase to the minima of the appropriate zone with effect from 1 August 2012.

4.PROFESSORIAL EQUALITY ANALYSIS

The University introduced the changes as a basis for aligning pay to contribution levels; to enable a clear and consistent basis for reward across the grade 10 groups and in order to ensure full and appropriate compliance with equalities legislation.

Analysis has been undertaken across all equality data recorded in Human Resources, in order to assess the impact of these changes and to ensure there was no bias.

4.1.Gender

Table 3 shows the male/female split across the professoriate and details the profile following the assimilation process.

Table 3

Male / Female / Total
No Profs / 66 / 24 / 90
% / 73% / 27% / 100%
Over-zoned / 11 / 0 / 11
As % of Group / 17% / 0%
Within Zone / 31 / 14 / 45
As % of Group / 47% / 58%
Under-zoned / 24 / 10 / 34
As % of Group / 36% / 42%

All over-zoned professors are male and a larger proportion of females (42% of females compared to 36% of males) are under-zoned. Table 4 details the salary distribution compared to the distribution following assimilation.

Table 4

Zone / A / B / C / D / E
Male –Salary Distribution / 20 / 22 / 14 / 8 / 2
Male –Zoning Distribution / 4 / 38 / 18 / 6 / 0
Female – Salary Distribution / 9 / 8 / 6 / 1 / 0
Female – Zoning Distribution / 2 / 12 / 7 / 3 / 0

The data shows that a large proportion of females who had a salary which fell in zone A have been assimilated to a higher zone and the number of females across zones B, C and D have increased.

The gender zone profile following assimilation is shown in Graph 2.

Graph 2

Both profiles mirror the overall zoning distribution and this demonstratesproportionality in the zoning allocation, based on the size of the male/female groups. Women remain underrepresented as a group at the professorial level compared to the academic group as a whole. The University will monitor and review gender profiles, in relation to promotions and rezoning decisions.

4.2.Age

Table 5 details the age profile of the professoriate and the impact of the assimilation process on different age ranges.

Table 5

<35 / 35-55 / >55 / Total
No Profs / 0 / 42 / 48 / 90
% / 0% / 47% / 53% / 100%
Over-zoned / 0 / 4 / 7 / 11
As % of Group / - / 10% / 14%
Within Zone / 0 / 22 / 23 / 45
As % of Group / - / 52% / 48%
Under-zoned / 0 / 16 / 18 / 34
As % of Group / - / 38% / 38%

It takes a number of years to gain experience and establish a relevant contribution profile at professorial level therefore it is not concerning that there is no representation within the ‘below 35’ age group. The ‘35-55’ and ‘over 55’ groups are, in the main, evenly split, though there are slightly more over-zoned professors in the ‘over 55’ group. This may be a consequence of the previous reward systems having been applied over a longer period for this group. Graph 3 shows the distribution for each age group.

Graph 3

The distribution of each age group mirrors the overall profile of the professoriate and does not identify any bias across the groups.

4.3.Ethnicity

Analysis has been undertaken on ethnicity, though due to small numbers of BME staff and a relatively high proportion of staff choosing not to disclose this information, it is difficult to draw many meaningful conclusions. The ethnic profile of the professoriate is shown in table 6.

Table 6

WHITE / BME / UNKNOWN / Total
No Profs / 74 / 4 / 12 / 90
% / 82% / 4% / 13% / 100%

Though small in number, the analysis shows that the position of BME staff has improved as a result of these changes. Table 7 details the BME salary distribution compared to the distribution following assimilation.

Table 7

Zone / A / B / C / D / E
BME - Salary Distribution / 2 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 0
BME - Zoning Distribution / 0 / 2 / 2 / 0 / 0

3members of BME staff were under-zoned and will receive a pay award as a result of the assimilation process. None of the group were over-zoned and there are no longer any BME staff within zone A.

The data does not identify any bias across the groups, and BME representation within the professoriate remains consistent with Keele’s benchmark data.

4.4.Disability

Analysis of staff who have declared a disability has also proven difficult due to the small numbers involved, table 8 details the professoriate profile.

Table 8

DISABLED / NOT DISABLED / Total
No Profs / 2 / 88 / 90
% / 2% / 98% / 100%

Out of the staff who declared that they have a disability, 1 was under-zoned and 1 was paid a salary within the zone they were assimilated to.

5.MANAGERIAL & SPECIALIST ZONING DISTRIBUTION

The outcome of the assimilation process and impact on the managerial and specialist salary profile is represented in Graph 4.

Graph 4

The blue salary distribution line shows the distribution of pre-assimilation manager salaries when compared to the pay ranges assigned to each zone. The red zoning distribution line represents the outcomes of the assimilation process. Table 10 provides the data underpinning graph 1.

Table 10

Zone / A / B / C / D / TOTAL
Salary Distribution / 2 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 9
Zoning Distribution / 2 / 2 / 5 / 0 / 9

The managerial and specialist framework is role specific and only zones A-C apply to this group. The University did not expect to find a particular distribution of zones across this group because the scope of each role is determined by institutional requirements.

Table 11 details the number of managers who are under-zoned, over-zoned and receive a salary within the zone they have been assimilated to.

Table 11

Under-zoned / Within Zone / Over-zoned
Number of Managers / 2 / 6 / 1

The 2 under-zoned managers have received a pay increase to the minima of the appropriate zone.

6.MANAGERIAL & SPECIALIST EQUALITY ANALYSIS

An equality analysis has been undertaken for the managerial and specialist group, though the sample is small. Table 12 presents the equality analysis for managerial and specialist staff against all characteristics.

Table 12

Characteristic / No Managers / % / UNDER-ZONED / OVER-ZONED
GENDER / Male / 5 / 56% / 1 / 1
Female / 4 / 44% / 1 / 0
ETHNICITIY / White / 8 / 89% / 2 / 1
Unknown / 1 / 11% / 0 / 0
DISABILITY / No Disability / 9 / 100% / 2 / 1
AGE / 35-55 / 8 / 89% / 2 / 0
Over 55 / 1 / 11% / 0 / 1

It is not possible to identify any issues of significance across any of the characteristics because of the levels of representation.

7.SUMMARY

The equality analysis undertaken on the assimilation process has not identified any bias in the application and introduction of the new zoning framework. The new system was implemented with effect from 1 August 2012.

Transitional arrangements for the 2012 Pay Review Process have been communicated and both individuals and line managers are invited to make recommendations for pay awards against the appropriate contribution framework.

Claire Appleby / Nicola Ratcliffe
Director of HR&SS / HR Strategic Support Manager

Page 1 of 8