FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Worth of Work (WoW) methodology?

The Worth of Work is a values-based internal equity and job classification system developed over 40 years of applied research with public sector organizations. Rather than using a generic off-the-shelf approach, WoW is built around the values your workforce identifies as most important — Job Knowledge, Responsibility, Difficulty of Work, and Work Environment. Each job is evaluated using a structured point-factor instrument that produces a defensible, quantified score anchoring every position's pay range directly to the market. Over 14,000 public sector employees have participated in the values survey process that underlies the methodology.

How does WOW Evolution™ generate pay ranges?

Each job is scored across four factors — Job Knowledge, Responsibility, Difficulty, and Work Environment — using a point-factor matrix, with sub-factor add-ons for things like certifications, supervisory scope, and hazard exposure. That scoring produces a job value (expressed as a decimal, not a letter grade). WOW Evolution™ then runs regression analysis against market survey data to translate each job's value into a market-based minimum, midpoint, and maximum pay rate — so every position gets its own individualized, defensible pay range rather than being forced into a generic pay grade.

What is "internal equity" and why does it matter?

Internal equity means employees are paid fairly relative to one another based on the actual worth of the work they perform — not tenure, negotiation skill, or department politics. It's the practice of making sure two jobs requiring similar knowledge, responsibility, difficulty, and working conditions land in similar pay ranges. It's a best-practice management objective (not a legal requirement), but it's foundational to earning employee trust, defending pay decisions, and avoiding the morale problems that come from perceived unfairness.

What is pay compression, and how does WOW Evolution™ help?

Pay compression happens when new hires are paid close to — or even more than — tenured employees in the same role, usually because market rates rose faster than internal pay adjustments. It erodes morale and can drive your best performers out the door first. WOW Evolution™ helps by keeping pay ranges continuously tied to current market data through regression-based analysis, so ranges stay realistic year over year instead of going stale. It also supports COLA adjustments and step-based implementation plans, giving you a structured, affordable way to phase in corrections rather than an all-at-once budget shock.

Is our compensation data secure?

Yes. WOW Evolution™ runs on a secure, on-premise local server appliance — your compensation and employee data stays on infrastructure you control, rather than living in a third-party cloud environment. This on-premise model is one of the reasons public sector IT and procurement teams trust the platform: sensitive HR data never has to leave your network to power the analysis.

How long does implementation take?

Timelines vary by organization size and job count, but most public sector entities can expect their initial job valuation, market survey integration, and pay plan generation to be completed within a few months of kickoff — not the year-plus timelines associated with traditional outside consulting engagements. Because WOW Evolution™ automates the scoring, regression, and pay plan generation that used to require manual spreadsheet work, most of the time investment shifts to job data collection and internal review rather than waiting on a consultant's calendar.

What size organizations is WOW Evolution™ designed for?

WOW Evolution™ is built for small to mid-sized public sector entities — cities, counties, and school districts — that need professional-grade compensation management without enterprise-level cost or complexity. It's especially well-suited for organizations with limited HR staff who need a defensible, ongoing pay administration tool rather than a one-time consulting report that goes stale.

Do we need an outside consultant to use WOW Evolution™?

No. WOW Evolution™ is designed to be run directly by your HR or finance staff — no consultant required for day-to-day use. The methodology and calculations that traditionally required a compensation consultant are built into the platform itself. That said, professional services support is available if you want help with initial job scoring, survey data mapping, or special projects along the way. We also work with a variety of consulting firms and resources if you already have a person you are working with.