Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
This use case describes an integrated methodology rather than a single named client. It illustrates how organisations – particularly in Spain and the wider European market – can build the foundations required for the EU Pay Transparency Directive by connecting an organisational (job evaluation) model, a compensation model, a consolidation model and supporting analytics, all reinforced by knowledge transfer.
The approach is applied across organisations seeking to align their talent and reward strategy with their business strategy and to meet the requirements of the EU Pay Transparency Directive and equality regulations. Typical clients are organisations that need a defensible, transparent basis for pay decisions – whether to demonstrate compliance, strengthen internal equity, or professionalise their compensation framework. The methodology supports both HR teams and managers, with a deliberate emphasis on transferring knowledge so capability remains in-house.
Organisations adopting this approach are typically working to address:
The absence of a defensible, objective basis for establishing the internal value of jobs
Limited transparency in criteria for pay decisions, as required under the transparency directive and equality regulations
An unclear link between job evaluation, compensation structures and pay decisions
Difficulty demonstrating internal equity, external competitiveness and a coherent remuneration culture
A need to identify critical groups and potential pay-equity risks for regulatory compliance (pay audits and remuneration records)
Reliance on external support, rather than embedded internal capability
The principal driver is the EU Pay Transparency Directive and related equality regulations, which require organisations to define work of equal value, justify pay differences, structure pay transparently and conduct pay audits.
Meeting these requirements depends on a sound, analytical job evaluation foundation. Beyond compliance, the work supports better talent management, more equitable and competitive pay decisions, and a stronger evidence base for managing people.
The methodology is built around interconnected models that, together, form the backbone for a transparency strategy:
1 – Organisational model (job evaluation)
Defines the backbone for talent management and policy design, based on the evaluation of positions. This establishes a structured grade framework that underpins everything else.
2 – Compensation model
Provides the reference remuneration framework for making equitable, appropriate and competitive salary decisions, defining the pay elements and structures most aligned with the organisation.
3 – Consolidation model
Enables team leaders to have structured, objective conversations about how far individuals have consolidated in their positions and how to respond to their professional development expectations.
4 – Communication
Drives clear, impactful communication of the models, criteria and pay decisions to the organisation.
Analytical job evaluation. An easy-to-use analytical job assessment methodology (gradar) is used by both HR teams and managers, providing transparency in the process and valid, defensible results that comply with equality regulations.
Pay analytics. Dashboards are used to analyse and design remuneration structures, evaluate competitiveness, equity and remuneration culture, and identify critical groups.
Regulatory compliance tools. Dedicated tools support pay audits and remuneration records for equal-pay compliance, complemented by up-to-date global salary market data with level and grade equivalencies aligned to major job evaluation methodologies.
Competency and behaviour evaluation. Competency-based assessment supports more consistent, objective performance evaluation, which can serve as a differentiating indicator for pay.
Knowledge transfer. Official certification and training (online and offline) are provided so that clients hold the knowledge in-house. Generative-AI tools are also used to explain the organisational and career-path model and to support managers in defining career paths and development plans.
Legal assurance. The approach is reinforced by collaboration with specialist legal, tax and labour experts to identify, prevent and mitigate compliance risks.
The combination is designed to deliver a solid model, transparency in criteria, and effective communication – the three pillars of a credible transparency strategy.
Role and position information for analytical job evaluation
Compensation data for structure design and equity analysis
External salary market data, with level and grade equivalencies across methodologies
Competency and behaviour assessment data
Demographic and pay data for pay audits and remuneration records
How to structure the grade framework that forms the organisational backbone
What remuneration elements and structures best fit the organisation's strategy
How to define and measure consolidation within a position
What to communicate, to whom, and how, to meet transparency expectations
How much capability to build in-house through certification and training
How to evidence equity and respond to identified critical groups
Establishing defensible internal job value. Without analytical evaluation, criteria are hard to justify under equality regulations.
Connecting the models. Job evaluation, compensation and consolidation must be linked coherently rather than treated in isolation.
Demonstrating compliance. Pay audits and remuneration records require reliable underlying grading and clean data.
Embedding capability. Sustained transparency depends on transferring knowledge to HR and managers, not just delivering a one-off project.
These are addressed through an easy-to-use analytical methodology, integrated analytics, official certification and training, AI-supported knowledge transfer, and specialist legal assurance.
The approach is designed for use by both HR teams and managers, with team leaders central to the consolidation conversations. Knowledge transfer through certification, training and AI-supported tools ensures the wider organisation understands the models, while specialist legal partners provide compliance assurance.
An organisational model (job grade framework) based on analytical job evaluation
A compensation model defining remuneration structures and elements
A consolidation model supporting structured development conversations
Pay analytics dashboards for competitiveness, equity and remuneration-culture analysis
Equal-pay compliance outputs (pay audits and remuneration records)
Certification, training and AI-supported knowledge transfer
A communication approach for criteria and pay decisions
A defensible, transparent basis for pay decisions aligned with equality regulations
Clearer links between job value, compensation structures and pay decisions
Improved ability to evidence internal equity and external competitiveness
Identification of critical groups and pay-equity risks
Embedded internal capability to sustain transparency over time
A structured job grade framework established through analytical job evaluation
Pay analytics covering competitiveness, equity and remuneration culture
Pay audit and remuneration record outputs for regulatory compliance
Capability built through official certification and training
(As this describes an integrated methodology rather than a single project, specific client outcome figures are not stated.)
Organisations should begin with the organisational model, since analytical job evaluation provides the backbone for compensation, consolidation and transparency. Job evaluation, compensation and consolidation are most effective when linked into a single, coherent framework rather than managed as separate exercises.
Compliance and capability should be built together: a defensible methodology, combined with embedded knowledge transfer, is what makes transparency sustainable. Analytics can then evidence equity, as dashboards and pay-audit tools turn the grade framework into actionable equity insight.
Finally, specialist legal, tax and labour input should be brought in early, as this reduces compliance risk.
Organisations preparing for the EU Pay Transparency Directive and equality regulations
Companies needing a defensible basis for work of equal value and pay audits
Organisations seeking to connect job evaluation, compensation and development
Businesses wanting to embed transparency capability in-house
Spanish and wider European organisations professionalising their reward frameworks
Analytical job evaluation provides an objective, defensible basis for comparing work of equal value, structuring pay and explaining pay decisions – all required under the Directive and equality regulations. It also underpins reliable pay audits and remuneration records.
The organisational model establishes job value and the grade framework; the compensation model defines remuneration structures and elements; the consolidation model supports structured conversations about how far individuals have grown within their positions. Together they form the backbone for a transparency strategy.
Using compliance tools that draw on a reliable grade framework and clean pay and demographic data, supported by external market data with level and grade equivalencies. This allows organisations to evidence equity and meet regulatory requirements.
Through official job evaluation certification and training (online and offline), reinforced by AI-supported tools that explain the models and guide managers in defining career paths and development plans, so knowledge remains in-house.
Specialist legal, tax and labour experts help identify, prevent and mitigate compliance risks and ensure transparency policies are correctly implemented, giving the approach a rigorous and defensible footing.
No. A deliberate emphasis on knowledge transfer – certification, training and AI-supported tools – is intended to embed capability within the HR team and management, reducing ongoing reliance on external support.
Job architecture insights are delivered through the gradar platform - connecting job evaluation, compensation analysis and pay transparency in one consistent framework.
Job evaluation
Compensation
Pay transparency