Conventions for Gauge – Wakefield and NJC
Mental Skills and Initiative and Independence
How often….:
NJC
Virtually always / 8-9 times out of 10More often than not / > 50% of times
Sometimes / < 50% of times
Rarely / 1-2 times out of 10
Interpersonal Skills
Basic = basic skills expected of most employees
Enhanced = enhanced skills are those normally expected of most employees but enhanced by regular use and experience of the relevant activities
Developed = developed skills are those developed beyond the level expected of most employees, through training or experience
Highly Developed = Highly developed skills are those developed well beyond the level expected of most employees, usually through a formal training process but possibly through extensive use and refinement of the relevant skills.
Needs of clients;
Basic = basic needs of clients are those which can be readily satisfied.
Demanding = demanding needs of clients are those which cannot always be immediately satisfied.
Very demanding = very demanding needs of clients are those which may be difficult to satisfy.
Exceptionally demanding = exceptionally demanding needs of clients are those which may be extremely difficult to satisfy.
Initiative & Independence
Recognised service practice (or equivalent) = The jobholder has the freedom to operate within parameters determined by the Head of Service (or other senior officer within the service) and generally has access to a manager for advice or guidance on serious problems, policy or resource issues.
Only broad council practice = Broad Council practice means practice which has been established at Authority level but which does not, necessarily, apply in exactly the same way (if at all) to every service.The jobholder has the freedom to operate within parameters determined by broad council practice and there is no further input or guidance provided from within their own service. The jobholder may (or may not) be required to seek advice from more senior officers on policy or resource issues.
Only relevant Council policy = Relevant Council policy means Council/Authority policy with regard to the service or services concerned.
The jobholder has the freedom to operate within parameters determined only by relevant council policy. There is no input or practice available from either their own service or any other service of the authority to draw on and the jobholder is subject to senior managerial direction (e.g. from the Chief Executive, Executive Director, Head of Service).
Physical Demands
Modest lifting or carrying effort= that which is only slightly above normal. For example, lifting or carrying single or double packs of paper, an empty bucket or a light piece of equipment (e.g. kitchen tools, empty pans or containers).
Considerable lifting or carrying effort- that which is significantly above normal. For example, lifting or carrying piles of files, a bucket of water, a full pan or similar container or a piece of training or similar equipment.
High lifting or carrying effort- that which would be seen as great effort above normal. For example lifting or carrying large containers of food or similar, half full dustbins, bags of compost, primary school age children or equivalent.
Very high lifting or carrying effort- that which would be seen as very great effort above normal. For example lifting or carrying full dustbins, sacks of potatoes or soil, teenagers or adults with physical disabilities or equivalent.
Proportion of working time:
NJC
Very small / 1-2%Small / 3-10%
Medium / 11-25%
Large / 26-50%
Very Large / > 50%
Mental Demands
Periods of Mental Demands:
NJC
Short Periods / < 1 hourMedium / 1 hr – 2 hrs
Lengthy / Several hours e.g. most of morning
Prolonged / All or most of day
Prolonged Sensory Attention:
NJC
Small / 0-10%Medium / 11-25%
Large / 26-50%
Very Large / > 50%
Frequency of conflicting demands:
NJC
Occasionally / 2 – 3 times /weekFrequency of deadlines:
NJC
Occasionally / <= 1 / weekRegularly / >1 / week
Frequently / Almost daily
Very Frequently / > 1 / day
Frequency of unpredictable deadlines:
NJC
Occasionally / < 1 / monthRegularly / > 1 / month
Frequently / Almost weekly
Very frequently / > 1 / week
Emotional Demands
Frequency of behaviour placing emotional demands on jobholder:
NJC
Relatively Infrequently / < 1 / monthRelatively Often / >1 / month
Frequently / > 1 / week
Very frequently / > 1 / day
Responsibility for People
Implement= to investigate, advise, make recommendations for improvement in practice etc.
Enforcement= to officially stop, proscribe, issue formal warnings etc.
Comply= to follow, abide by, ensure others follow etc.
Responsibility for Supervision
How often do demonstration of duties/training to others:
NJC
Occasionally / 1/monthRegularly / Several times/month
Frequently / Several times/week
How many people does the job-holder have responsibility for:
Local
One otherSmall number / 2 to 9
Medium / 10 – 49
Large / 50 - 100
Very Large / Greater than 100
Responsibility for Finance
“Accounting for”= to give reckoning of; explain; monitor; audit; authorise payment of invoices from committed expenditures – this covers receipts as well as expenditures.This does not refer to the cashier function or to other staff who handle or process cash.Jobholders who certify payment of invoices would answer ‘Yes’ but those who check, code, initial invoices with purchase orders etc. would not.
Similarly, the completing or processing of timesheets or other standard forms relating to information about payments, benefits, use of labour, plant, materials etc. would not justify the ‘Yes’ answer. These responsibilities will be dealt with under the processing of information questions within the Responsibility for Physical Resources factor.
What target or budget is the jobholder responsible for and what sums does postholder account for:
Local
Small / < £10KConsiderable / £10k - £250K
Large / £250K - £2M
Very Large / £2M - £10M
Extremely Large (not for accounting) / > £10M
What amount of cash, or other form of money does the jobholder handle and is responsible for (per day):
Local
Small / < £100Considerable / £100 – £1000
Large / >£1000
What level of discretion does the jobholder have to spend a budget:
Local
Minimal / On < 5% of total budgetModerate / On 5% - 20% of total budget
Considerable / On 20% - total budget
Responsibility for Physical Resources
Value of Equipment or tools used by the jobholder:
Local
Relatively Low / < £10kExpensive / £10K - £50K
Very Expensive / >£50K
Value of other people’s possessions the postholder is responsible for:
Local
Very Small / < £25Small / £26 - £100
Moderate / £101 - £500
Large / >£500
How would the range of supplies or stocks, which are personally procured or ordered by the jobholder best, be described?
A limited range is part of a range of stocks which are of the same type, e.g. repeat orders of food supplies for a school kitchen or vehicle parts for a vehicle workshop.
A moderate range would be the complete range of supplies or stocks, which are of the same type, e.g. office stationery for the whole Authority or food supplies for all Authority schools.
A wide range would be a number of different types of supplies and stocks, e.g. vehicle parts and horticultural machinery and products; all highway maintenance equipment and plant; all office stationery and furniture.
A wide and high value range would be a number of different types of supplies and stocks, e.g. the food and kitchen equipment AND schools supplies for all the Authority's schools; ALL the Authority's vehicles, plant and machinery or ALL office equipment and IT requirements.
Working Conditions
Very disagreeable, unpleasant or hazardous situations are those where the temperature, light, dirt, odour, noise and hazards are significantly worse than normal office conditions and where the jobholder does not have control over them but HAS TO work in them. For example: working in excessive heat or excessive cold; in freezing conditions; working with pneumatic drills; working on scaffolding; when subject to excessive threats of assault.
Requirements for special training, protective measures or clothing could be indicative of these types of situation.
What proportion of working time is exposed to weather:
Local
Small / < 10% / e.g. Up to 45 mins of a 7.5hr dayMedium / 10% - 50% / e.g. Up to 3.75hrs of a 7.5hr day
Large / 50% - 75% / e.g. Up to 5.5hrs of a 7.5hr day
Very Large / >75% / e.g. > 5.5hrs of a 7.5hr day
How long continuously exposed to anti-social behaviour:
Local
Very Short / <2 minsShort / 2 – 5 mins
Moderate / 5 – 15 mins
Lengthy / > 15 mins
How often subject to abuse:
NJC
Occasionally / Up to once per weekRegularly / Several times/week
Frequently / Daily
Very Frequently / Several times/day