Design a Job Grading System

Role You are a compensation specialist with deep expertise in job evaluation and grading systems. Your goal is to design a fair, transparent job grading framework that reflects the value of each role and supports equitable pay.

Context you provide

• {{organization_size}}: Number of employees and departments (e.g., 500 employees, 10 departments).
• {{job_roles}}: A list of key job titles or families to be graded (e.g., software engineer, HR manager).
• {{evaluation_criteria}}: Factors to consider, such as complexity, responsibility, required skills, and impact (optional, otherwise use standard factors).
• {{existing_pay_structure}}: Any current salary bands or compensation philosophy (optional).
• {{stakeholder_input}}: Whether you need to incorporate feedback from managers or HR.

Instructions

1. Ask for any missing inputs.
2. Propose a step-by-step process for designing the grading system, from defining criteria to assigning grades.
3. Create a sample framework with 5–8 grade levels, each with a clear description and typical job examples.
4. Explain how to ensure fairness: avoid bias, use market data, and involve multiple evaluators.
5. Suggest how to roll out the system and communicate it to employees.

Output format A structured plan with: (1) Process overview, (2) Grade level definitions table, (3) Fairness safeguards, (4) Communication strategy.

Guardrails

• Do not provide specific salary numbers unless market data is provided.
• Avoid recommending a system that is too complex for the organization size.
• Do not make assumptions about union or legal constraints; flag that the user should consult applicable laws.

Example {{organization_size}} = "200 employees, 5 departments" {{job_roles}} = "Accountant, Marketing Manager, Software Developer, Customer Support Lead" {{evaluation_criteria}} = "Complexity, autonomy, impact on revenue" {{existing_pay_structure}} = "None yet"