The water utility cannot fill licensed operator seats, and the current time-in-grade steps ignore treatment certifications. What should the CHRO evaluate?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Paying for years in the chair when the license is what keeps the plant legal is like tipping the diner for sitting, not cooking. If the talent the city needs is certified, pay the certification. Then run the numbers and see which basis actually fills the seats.
Full Explanation
Compensation strategy should match the talent constraint. Where licensed operators are scarce, skill-based or certification-based pay often outperforms pure time-in-grade because it prices the scarce capability. Evaluation means comparing attraction, retention, and internal-equity effects — not dismissing skill-based pay as a fad or layering a hiring bonus on a broken basis. Promoting people who have not earned the license creates a safety and regulatory problem.