Determination of Comparator Agencies. The selection of comparator agencies is a critical step in the study process. We typically use the following factors to identify appropriate comparators and will receive approval before proceeding with the total compensation study. Our recommended methodology is that we involve management, Human Resources, employee representation, and the City Council, in the decision-making process of selecting which comparable agencies are included, PRIOR to beginning the study. Our experience has shown that this is the most successful approach. The factors that we typically review when selecting and recommending appropriate comparator agencies include: ⮚ Organizational type and structure – While various organizations may provide overlapping services and employ some staff having similar duties and responsibilities, the role of each organization is somewhat unique, particularly in regard to its relationship to the citizens it serves and level of service expectation. During this iterative process, the City’s current/ previous list of comparators, if any, and the advantages/disadvantages of including them or others would be discussed. ⮚ Similarity of population served, City demographics, City staff, and operational budgets – These elements provide guidelines in relation to resources required (staff and funding) and available for the provision of services. ⮚ Scope of services provided – While having an organization that provides all of the services at the same level of citizen expectation is ideal for comparators, as long as the majority of services are provided in a similar manner, sufficient data should be available for analysis. When reviewing this factor, the City’s unique services would be evaluated in order to ensure that the majority of comparators provide the same services. This ensures that each comparator yields a sufficient number of matches for the City’s jobs. ⮚ Labor market – The reality of today’s labor market is that many agencies are in competition for the same pool of qualified employees, because large portions of the workforce don’t live in the communities they serve, are accustomed to lengthy commutes, and are more likely to consider changing jobs in a larger geographic area than in the past. Therefore, the geographic labor market area (where the City may be recruiting from or losing employees to) is taken into consideration when selecting potential comparator organizations. As part of this analysis, we will determine whether the City has identified agenc...
