COMP NEWS – The Mississippi State Personnel Board is changing its pay system to a more performance-based compensation structure in order to “ensure a quality workforce.” The MSPB is the central personnel agency for the Mississippi state government.
During this review, we knew it was time to undertake what we believe will be the most significant impact on state employees in 40 years. In the fall of 2019, MSPB decided to overhaul the state’s classification and compensation system. During the past two years, we launched Project SEC2 (a State Employee Classification and Compensation initiative) and worked tirelessly to implement the new system on Jan. 1, 2022.
The board first decided to reevaluate the 1900 job classifications within their system to get a better understanding of their employee’s roles.
First, we had to evaluate the 1,900 job classifications in our old system. We removed duplicate and generic classifications and simplified the system with only 650 new job classifications. We met with nearly 300 state employees who are considered subject matter experts in their fields to help us understand what state employees in various industries do.
Each of these classifications was then given a pay grade which included a minimum, market, and maximum salary for that specific job. The level of pay received by employees will be performance-based.
An employee’s salary falls within the range based on several factors, including performance, experience, special certifications, or scarce skills. The employing agency determines this intending to compensate employees competitively, consistently, and equitably.
According to the board, no employee will receive any pay reduction through this new structure.
It also makes it easier for current and future employees to pursue a defined career path in public service through state government. Through all this, no state employee received a salary reduction due to implementing the new system.
More and more companies are switching to a performance-based compensation structure. Local and State governments are even beginning to adopt these new structures in an attempt to maintain their workforce.
To read more about the Mississippi State Personnel Board’s new compensation structure, click here.
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