Evergreen Solutions Revised Work Plan Revised Work Plan
In this section we provide a detailed work plan for how we would accomplish the work being requested by
OUA. Evergreen understands that OUA has approximately 55 employees that be included in the study.
Task 1.0-Project Initiation
TASK GOALS: Finalize the project plan with OUA; gather all pertinent data;finalize any remaining
contractual negotiations;and establish an agreeable final timeline for all project milestones and deliverables.
TASK ACTIVITIES
1.1 Discuss with OUA's Project Manager the following objectives: understand the mission of;review our
proposed methodology,approach,and project work plan to identify any necessary revisions and to
assess any concerns;reach agreement on a schedule for the project including all assignments and project
milestones/deliverables;and establish an agreeable communication schedule.
1.2 Identify potential challenges and opportunities for the study.Discuss the strategic direction of OUA
and some of the short-and long-term priorities.This activity serves as the basis for assessing where
OUA is going and what type of pay plan will reinforce current and future goals.
1.3 Obtain relevant materials from OUA, including: any previous projects,research,evaluations,or other
studies that may be relevant to this project;organizational charts for the departments and divisions,
along with related responsibility descriptions;current position and classification descriptions,salary
schedule(s),and classification system; strategic business plans and budgets;benefits information;and
personnel policies and procedures,and the step placement policies.
1.4 Review and edit the project work plan and submit a schedule for the completion of each project task.
1.5 Provide progress reports to OUA's Project Manager throughout the course of the study.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Comprehensive project management plan and database of OUA employees
Task 2.0—Evaluate the Current System
TASK GOAL: Conduct a comprehensive preliminary evaluation of the compensation plan for OUA.
TASK ACTIVITIES
2.1 Obtain and review the existing pay philosophy and structure and look for potential problems and issues
to be resolved.
2.2 Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the current pay plan(s).
2.3 Discuss any pay compression issues that may exist and discuss possible solutions.
2.4 Complete an assessment of current conditions that details the pros and cons of the current system as
well as highlights areas for potential improvement in the final adopted solution.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Review of existing compensation plan(s)and assessment of current
conditions
Task 3.0-Collect and Review Current Environmental Data
TASK GOALS: Conduct statistical and anecdotal research into the current environment within QUA and
guide subsequent analytical tasks.
TASK ACTIVITIES
3.1 Schedule and conduct employee orientation sessions with staff.
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3.2 Meet with the department heads/supervisors to obtain relevant information and statistical/anecdotal
data on specific compensation issues and policies. Obtain insight into perceived current
compensation system strengths and weaknesses.
3.3 Hold two focus groups with OUA staff to obtain additional relevant information and
statistical/anecdotal data on specific compensation issues and policies. Evergreen's focus group
guide will be mutually agreed upon before distribution to staff.
3.4 Work with OUA's Project Manager to administer the JATs and MITs. Our staff utilizes a web-based
tool for data collection, but we can provide paper copies as well as those for classifications without
computers or Internet access. We will seek approval from OUA's Project Manager before
distribution of the JAT/MIT questionnaire.
3.5 Review any data provided by OUA that may provide additional relevant insight.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: JAT and MIT distribution;department head interviews;and employee focus
groups and orientation sessions
Task 4.0—Evaluate and Build Projected Classification Plan
TASK GOALS:Identify the classification of existing positions utilizing Evergreen's job evaluation system;
review JAT responses; and characterize internal equity relationships within OUA.
TASK ACTIVITIES
4.1 Ensure all draft class specifications are provided to Evergreen by OUA's Project Manager.
4.2 Review the work performed by each classification and score. Include an evaluation of supervisory
comments.
4.3 Review JAT scores and identify the classification of positions.
4.4 Schedule and conduct additional follow up with employees for jobs where uncertainty exists over data
obtained from the JATs.
4.5 Develop preliminary recommendations for the classification structure.The classification system
designed at this point would be based solely on internal equity relationships and would be guided by
the JAT scores for each classification.Essentially,a structure of classifications would be established,
and classifications with similar scoring would be grouped and spacing between jobs would be
determined.
4.6 Review recommendations with OUA's Project Manager.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES:JAT scores by class; recommended classification changes; and
preliminary job structure based on internal equity
Task 5.0-Identify List of Market Survey Benchmarks and Approved List of Targets
TASK GOALS: Reach an appropriate number and identify the proper benchmark positions for the external
labor market salary and benefits assessment and identify and develop a comprehensive list of targets for
conducting a successful external labor market salary and benefits assessment.
TASK ACTIVITIES
5.1 Identify a list of classifications(benchmarks)to include in the labor market salary survey. Note:
Evergreen will work with OUA's Project Manager to select up to 45 classifications to use as
benchmarks for the market salary and benefits survey.
5.2 Finalize the list of classifications to use as benchmarks for the market salary and benefits survey.
5.3 Evergreen will work with OUA's Project Manager to select up to 20 targets(i.e.,peer organizations)
for the market salary and benefits survey.
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5.4 Finalize a list of survey targets for the external labor market survey,placing a comparative emphasis
on characteristics such as: size of the organization; geographic proximity to the Okeechobee area;
economic and budget characteristics; and other demographic data.
5.5 Develop a list of survey targets by employee group. Develop a system for use of secondary data
including potential sources and weighting of secondary data, if necessary.
5.6 Review survey methodology with OUA's Project Manager and refine survey methodology prior to
distribution of surveys.
5.7 After approval of survey methodology, develop contact list of peer organizations and notify peers of
impending surveys.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Preliminary list of benchmark positions for the external labor market
salary and benefits assessment; final list of benchmark positions for the external labor market salary and
benefits assessment; initial list of survey peers;final list of survey peers and contacts;and survey methodology
Task 6.0—Conduct Market Salary and Benefits Survey and Provide External Assessment Summary
TASK GOALS: Conduct the external labor market salary survey;conduct a benefits survey;and provide a
summary of the salary and benefits survey results to OUA's Project Manager for review.
TASK ACTIVITIES
6.1 Prepare customized external labor market salary survey for OUA's Project Manager's approval.
Discuss questions and categories to include in the market survey with OUA's Project Manager.
6.2 Develop a listing of the current benefits provided by OUA for comparisons with peer organizations.
6.3 Using the list of OUA provided benefits and major benefits offerings not provided by OUA develop
a list of benefits to include in the external labor market survey.
6.4 Prepare benefits survey to be included with salary survey developed in Task 6.1.
6.5 Contact the targets for electronic completion of the surveys. Provide paper copies by fax, if
requested.
6.6 Conduct necessary follow-up through e-mails, faxes,and phone calls.
6.7 Collect and enter results of surveys into Evergreen's electronic data analysis tools.
6.8 Validate all data submitted and develop and submit summary report of external labor market salary
and benefits assessment results to OUA's Project Manager.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Market salary survey instrument;and summary report of external labor
market salary assessment results
Task 7.0—Develop Strategic Positioning Recommendations
TASK GOALS: Assess the appropriateness of the current compensation philosophy for OUA and develop a
plan for all employees, providing issue areas and preliminary recommendations for strategic improvement.
TASK ACTIVITIES
7.1 Identify the compensation policy and accompanying thresholds.
7.2 Using the market salary data collected in Task 6.0 and the classification data reviewed in Task 4.0,
determine the proper pay plan including number of grades, steps,and ranges. Evergreen will adhere
to the Department of Labor(DOL) Wage&Hour to ensure compliance with salary threshold.
7.3 Suggest,formulate and recommend equitable and fair promotion guidelines for staffs motivation
and retention.
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7.4 Produce a pay plan(s)that best meets the needs of OUA from an internal equity and external equity
standpoint.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Proposed compensation strategic direction,taking into account internal and
external equity and plan for addressing unique,highly competitive positions
Task 8.0—Conduct Solution Analysis
TASK GOALS: Conduct analysis comparing JAT values; survey results for the benchmark positions; and
produce several possible solutions for implementation.
TASK ACTIVITIES
8.1 Conduct regression analysis or other appropriate techniques to properly slot each classification into
the proposed pay plan for OUA.
8.2 Place all classifications into pay grades based on Task Activity 8.1. Sort alphabetically by job class
title, in descending order by range,and by old class title and new class specifications.
8.3 Create implementation solutions for consideration that take into account the current position of OUA
as well as the findings from the classification and compensation analysis. Identify and prepare a
range of compensation policy alternatives.
8.4 Discuss with OUA's Project Manager potential solutions.
8.5 Determine the best solution to meet the needs of OUA in the short-term and long-term and document
the accepted solution.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Initial regression analysis;potential solutions; and documented final
solution
Task 9.0—Develop and Submit Draft and Final Reports
TASK GOALS: Develop and submit a draft and final report of the Employee Classification and Compensation
Survey to Okeechobee Utility Authority and present the final report.
TASK ACTIVITIES
9.1 Produce a preliminary draft report that captures the results of each previous step. The report will
include a description of the recommended classification and compensation plan and will include
implementation strategies and the costs associated with implementing recommendations.
9.2 Submit the draft report to OUA's Project Manager for review and approval.
9.3 Make edits and submit necessary copies of the final report to OUA's Project Manager.
9.4 Present the final report to OUA Board.
9.5 Develop implementation database to communicate the process and progress of this project to OUA's
Project Manager.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Draft and final reports; final presentation; communication plan; and
implementation and maintenance database
Task 10.0—Develop Recommendations for Compensation Administration
TASK GOALS: Develop recommendations for the continued administration by OUA staff to sustain the
recommended classification and compensation structure and provide training.
TASK ACTIVITIES
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10.1 Develop recommendations and guidelines for the continued administration and maintenance of the
classification and compensation structure, including recommendations and guidelines related to: how
employees will move through the pay structure/system as a result of transfers, promotions,or
demotions; how to pay employees whose base pay has reached the maximum of their pay range or
value of their position;the proper mix of pay; how often to adjust pay scales and survey the market;
the timing of implementation; and how to keep the system fair and competitive over time.
10.2 Recommend recruitment/retention strategies,where appropriate.
10.3 Present recommendations to OUA's Project Manager for review.
10.4 Provide training and tools to Human Resources Department staff to ensure that staff can conduct
audits/adjustments consistent with study methods until the next formal study is conducted using
Evergreen's JobForce Manager tool that will enable Human Resources staff to estimate future pay
plan changes, update market information,make determinations on reclassifications,and create new
jobs—allowing for streamlining, and an increase in fairness and transparency of regular
compensation and classification tasks after solution implementation.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Recommendations for compensation administration; recommendations
for recruitment/retention policies; and training
Task 11.0—Provide Revised Class Descriptions and FLSA Determinations
TASK GOALS: Update existing class descriptions; create new class descriptions as needed,ensuring
EEO/ADA requirement satisfaction; identify FLSA;provide final version of all class descriptions/specifications
in electronic format(i.e.,MS Word)after approval by OUA's Project Manager.
TASK ACTIVITIES
11.1 Assess current class descriptions for form, content, validity, and ADA compliance and make FLSA
determinations.
11.2 Discuss any necessary changes to the class description format with OUA's Project Manager and
revise classification descriptions based on data gathered from the JAT process.
11.3 Create new class descriptions based on Evergreen's proposed classification structure by leveraging
data from the job evaluation process, if available. Provide complete listing of the allocation of job
classes to salary range assignments.
11.4 Recommend a systematic,regular process for reviewing job descriptions.
KEY PROJECT MILESTONES: Updated class descriptions;new class descriptions as needed;and FLSA
determinations
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