Sheffield City Council: Restoring trust in role reviews

Sheffield City Council asked us to analyse their job evaluation processes after questions were raised by both employees and trade unions. They were committed to building a new programme that ensured equity and consistency across the organisation. Find out what they needed – and how we helped. 

The challenge

"At Sheffield City Council, we are committed to fairness, transparency, and equity for all our employees. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to maintain a strong job evaluation framework, but we recognised that in a changing environment—and following concerns raised by our workforce and trade union partners—it was time to take a fresh look. 

In Autumn 2023, concerns were raised around equal pay and the implementation of our existing job evaluation scheme. We took these concerns seriously and commissioned a comprehensive, independent review to assess our processes, data, and outcomes. While the review confirmed that the Greater London Provincial Council (GLPC) scheme we had been using was fundamentally sound, it also highlighted that the way it had been applied within the Council may have led to disparities. 

We knew we had to act. That’s why we launched the Sheffield Role Review Programme—a proactive, organisation-wide initiative to introduce a new job evaluation process that ensures fairness and consistency for every employee, from frontline staff to senior leadership. 

This isn’t just about compliance—it’s about doing the right thing. We’ve worked closely with our trade union partners (Unison, GMB and Unite) to co-design a new approach using the National Joint Council (NJC) job evaluation scheme, which is widely used across the public sector. Every role in the Council will be reassessed to ensure it is graded appropriately and transparently. 

We’re committed to keeping our staff informed and involved throughout the process. This programme is a key step in building a more equitable and future-ready organisation—one where every employee can trust that their role is valued fairly."

The solution

We supported Sheffield City Council in responding to a complex and sensitive challenge with clarity, structure, and strategic insight. Our role began with facilitating the independent review of the council’s job evaluation processes, helping to identify where implementation gaps may have led to inconsistencies. 

Working in close collaboration with council leadership and trade union representatives, we helped shape the Sheffield Role Review Programme. Our team brought deep expertise in organisational design, public sector HR frameworks, and change management to ensure the new job evaluation process was robust, inclusive, and aligned with best practice. 

The result

We helped the council design and deliver a transition plan to move from the GLPC scheme to the NJC  and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) schemes, ensuring that the new process would be transparent, equitable, and sustainable. This included developing governance structures, communication strategies, and implementation roadmaps to guide the council through the change. 

By focusing on both the technical and cultural aspects of job evaluation, we helped Sheffield City Council take a significant step toward restoring trust, ensuring fairness, and building a stronger foundation for the future. 

"This programme is about fairness, transparency, and doing right by our people. With Grant Thornton’s support, we’ve been able to take a complex issue and turn it into a clear, collaborative path forward. Their insight and guidance have been invaluable in helping us build a process that reflects our values and supports every member of our team."

Claire Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Sheffield City Council  

For more insight and guidance, get in touch with Simon Christian.