Equal pay conundrum solution “dead easy”

My thoughts on the equal pay for equal work row embroiling the BBC (how DO you compare chalk with cheese?) last month elicited an interesting and comprehensive response.

My reader said the solution was “dead easy. You have job evaluation.”

He continued: “What is of higher value; requires more education, knowledge or experience; financial impact; and people management skills required. Are their skills extremely rare?”

He added that each evaluation system has to be 'folded' to any specifics of the industry e.g. it may not work for footballers nor Rap stars.

And he knows what he’s talking about having done this for more than 100,000 people in the multinational company he was an HR high-flyer with for 35 years.

“And it works” he says, “be they engineers, lawyers, finance, doctors, pilots, HR, marketers, ship captains, teachers, plant operators, Chief Executives etc.”

But how would he rank the BBC Person for China, USA and the Middle East?

“All three are important areas. China is big but just one country. The US is important AND has global influence.

“The Middle East is many countries almost impossible to understand and always a likely trouble spot if you lob in Israel and Iran. So ME grade 1, US grade 2, China grade 3.”

Simples, really. So what on earth are the top wallahs at the BBC doing?