EU-wide guidelines on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification: Step-by-step toolkit

Following Tool 7, the company introduced a monitoring system to ensure the sustainability of its gender-neutral approach to job evaluation and classification.

• Annual review schedule. The job evaluation committee agreed to review the results once a year, using the toolkit’s self-assessment checklist
• Introduction of new jobs. Any new roles would be immediately assessed. When the mobile catering division was launched, jobs such as ‘mobile catering manager’ and ‘logistics coordinator’ were added to the grading structure from the start. Other triggers included unexplained gender pay gaps identified in quarterly pay reports

The recruitment policy was revised so that all job ads use gender-neutral language, reviewed by the HR director before posting. Interview questions were limited to the objective skills, experience and competencies defined in the job evaluation and classification.

The promotion policy was updated to state that pay progression would be based on meeting the requirements of the higher-level job, as defined by the job evaluation and classification. Performance reviews were linked to the key responsibilities in the updated job profiles.

To strengthen transparency, Saveur Européenne introduced a dashboard on the intranet. It displayed:

• Job titles (e.g. ‘sous chef’) mapped to their job group (e.g. grade 5)
• Pay ranges for each grade and complementary and variable pay components
• Annual updates on gender pay gap progress (e.g. the gap was reduced from 7 % to 4 % after the first year)

A formal complaints process was also set up. Workers could raise queries or submit challenges about their job classification or pay through a dedicated portal or through their trade union representatives. A subcommittee of the job evaluation committee reviewed all complaints within 30 days.