Dear Rice employee,
As Winter Recess nears, the Total Rewards Team is eager to share the following update on the Total Rewards Initiative. This multi-year project will solidify Rice as an employer of choice by enhancing Rice’s compensation and benefits programs and positioning Rice to attract and retain best-in-class professionals.
The project began in February 2023 with a comprehensive study of employee benefits and staff compensation. The study included stakeholder interviews, an in-depth comparison of Rice’s staff compensation and benefits to peer universities and local and national employers, and an employee sentiment survey on benefits offerings. The study’s outcomes include a multi-year plan of enhancements, with the first occurring in early 2024.
Timeline for Staff Jobs & Pay Enhancements
- January 1:
- New career levels will be added, providing more career growth opportunities for staff.
- New job families will be added, making it easier for staff to see career paths and opportunities.
- New, market-based pay ranges will be published, ensuring competitive staff pay and alignment with the additional career levels.
- February 1:
- Pay changes go into effect for impacted staff.
What Does This Mean for You?
- All staff will have a new pay grade and pay range.
- Most staff will be in the same job classification, job family, and subfamily.
- Most staff will be in the same or similar career level (the career level may have a new name).
- Some staff (about 15%) will receive a pay increase on February 1, 2024.
- Pay increases will occur for staff members who fall below the minimum of their new pay range.
- Current estimated pay increases will result in a $2 million investment from the university.
- All staff will have expanded opportunities for career development. The staff job structure has been expanded to include more career levels, fostering staff members’ professional growth and enabling them to chart a clear path for their career development within Rice.
- All staff will have better visibility into career opportunities with additional job families, making it easier to identify new career options.
Next Steps.
During the month of January, Human Resources will work with departments and schools to finalize pay adjustments.
Additionally, the following activities will unfold from December through February:
- January 1, 2024: Staff job and pay grade changes will be available in iO and visible to employees.
- January 2, 2024: Staff will receive an email containing their current job and pay grade information and the updates going into effect on January 1, 2024.
- January 3, 2024: Staff information sessions begin.
- January 26, 2024: Staff receiving a pay increase to the pay range minimum will receive an email detailing their new pay amount.
- February 1, 2024: Pay changes go into effect for impacted staff.
- February 15, 2024: Staff on the semi-monthly payroll will begin receiving their adjusted pay.
- February 16, 2024: Staff on the bi-weekly payroll will begin receiving their adjusted pay.
More information about the updates to staff jobs and pay can be found in the HR Knowledge Café under the Compensation section. If you have questions or want more information, visit the HR Knowledge Café under the Total Rewards Initiative (expand the “Total Rewards Information Sessions” section) to sign up for one of our upcoming staff information sessions for supervisors and/or staff or email compensation@rice.edu.
Sincerely,
Your Total Rewards Team