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.
2. 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 every member of staff
and this decision was communicated in writing to each individual. All affected
members 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.
Page 1 of 8
Graph 1
60
Number of Professors
50
40
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
E
Zone
Salary Disribution
Zoning Distribution
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
Salary
Distribution
Zoning
Distribution
Zoning
Distribution
%
A
B
C
D
E
TOTAL
29
30
20
9
2
90
6
50
25
9
0
90
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 preassimilation 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
were receiving 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).
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Table 2
Number of Professors
Under-zoned
34
Within Zone
45
Over-zoned
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
No Profs
%
Male
66
73%
Female
24
27%
Total
90
100%
Over-zoned
As % of Group
11
17%
0
0%
11
Within Zone
As % of Group
31
47%
14
58%
45
Under-zoned
As % of Group
24
36%
10
42%
34
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
Male – Salary Distribution
Male – Zoning Distribution
Female – Salary Distribution
Female – Zoning Distribution
A
20
4
9
2
B
22
38
8
12
C
14
18
6
7
D
8
6
1
3
E
2
0
0
0
Page 3 of 8
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
40
Number of Professors
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
A
B
C
D
E
Zone
Male
Female
Both profiles mirror the overall zoning distribution and this demonstrates
proportionality 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
0
0%
35-55
42
47%
>55
48
53%
Total
90
100%
Over-zoned
As % of Group
0
-
4
10%
7
14%
11
Within Zone
As % of Group
0
-
22
52%
23
48%
45
Under-zoned
As % of Group
0
-
16
38%
18
38%
34
No Profs
%
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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
30
Number of Professors
25
20
15
10
5
0
A
B
C
D
E
Zone
35-55
>55
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
No Profs
%
WHITE
74
82%
BME
4
4%
UNKNOWN
12
13%
Total
90
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.
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Table 7
Zone
BME - Salary Distribution
BME - Zoning Distribution
A
2
0
B
1
2
C
1
2
D
0
0
E
0
0
3 members 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
No Profs
%
DISABLED
2
2%
NOT DISABLED
88
98%
Total
90
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
6
Number of Managers
5
4
3
2
1
0
A
B
C
D
Zone
Salary Disribution
Zoning Distribution
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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
2
6
Number of Managers
Over-zoned
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
GENDER
ETHNICITIY
No Managers
%
UNDER-ZONED
OVER-ZONED
Male
5
56%
1
1
Female
4
44%
1
0
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.
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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
Director of HR&SS
Nicola Ratcliffe
HR Strategic Support Manager
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