Survey Process and Methodology

The basic RMA survey process and methodology is outlined below for your information.

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1. Survey Questionnaire
Participants are provided with a survey questionnaire that has been standardized for data collection from the participant organizations. This questionnaire covers both data regarding compensation and benefits and salary administration practices.

2. Specification of Survey Jobs
The questionnaire includes a comprehensive list of the jobs to be surveyed. The survey will be based on a job matching process to compare jobs across the participant organizations. To enable this job matching in each organization the questionnaire contains brief job descriptions focussing on job purpose, key responsibilities and critical job dimensions. Organizations should try and match jobs as closely as practicable.

3. Participants
A list of participants in each survey is separately provided. RMA endeavors to include participants who will be of interest to all organizations participating in the survey.

4. Distribution of Questionnaires
Reward Management Associates will arrange for the distribution of the questionnaires to each participant organization along with detailed instructions for completion.

5. Job Matching and Data collection
RMA will visit each organization after questionnaires are distributed to take participants through the requirements of filling in the questionnaire. This visit will focus on the following:
· questionnaires are completed in order to facilitate proper analysis
· understanding of the organization and equivalent job levels
· a comprehensive understanding of pay issues, policies and practices
· understanding emerging trends and concerns
· proper matching of jobs based on job purpose and parameters.
Prior to the visit by RMA we urge participants to carefully study the questionnaire and begin the completion process. This will enables use of the visit by RMA to seek clarification in order to facilitate final completion of the questionnaire.

6. Questionnaire Submissions
A timetable is provided to that will indicate the final date for submission of completed data questionnaires. We request your co-operation in ensuring that this deadline is adhered to.

7. Data Cleaning and Data Verification and Validation
RMA will undertake a total review of the data provided by each organization and conduct an initial analysis of the data. RMA will revert to participants with queries and clarifications on the data provided to ensure completeness, validity and accuracy of the input. RMA will once again visit to take participants through data submissions and ensure that reported data is properly understood by RMA to facilitate full and proper analysis of the data.

8. Data Analysis
Once the data has been validated RMA will undertake a detailed data analysis that will focus on:
· emerging trends and patterns
· compensation and benefits practices and policies
· competitiveness of participants data against the participant market segment.

9. Formal Report and Presentation
A general report will be prepared for all participants providing a generic market data analysis.

Once the report is finalized and dispatched RMA will be available to participants for a period of one month to provide clarification and assist in the proper understanding of the report.

If sufficient interest is generated the sponsor company may consider hosting a half-day workshop after dispatch of the report in which RMA will make a brief presentation of the major findings in the report to all participants.

Data Confidentiality

All data provided by all participants will be held in the strictest confidence by RMA. No participant including the sponsor company will have access to raw data for any participant organization. All organization data will be codified and the code for an organization will be provided to that organization alone.

Survey Reports

The following reports will be generated for all participant organizations

1. Executive Summary
· Overview of data
· Survey recap
· Report Organization
· Terminology used
· Data Presentation
· Participant list
· List of Positions covered
· List of Positions combined
· List of dropped positions
· List of re-matched positions
· Valuation table

2. Pay Increase Data
· Trend analysis
· Components

3. Summary Data Presentation
· Summary by Job Family
· Summary by Management Level

4. Analysis of Pay Data
· Compensation Analysis by Job Family
· Analysis of pay data by position
· Discrete data listing by position
· Analysis of pay data by position-Graphical Representation

5. Variable Pay Data
· Variable Pay Data by Management level
· Variable Pay Data by Position
· Variable Pay Data by Job Family

6. Valuation of Perquisites & Benefits
· Valuation by Management Level
· Valuation by Position

7. Narrative Data-Pay Practices & Policies
· Salary Grade Structures
· Salary Administration
· Special Pay schemes

8. Narrative Data-Perquisites & Benefits
· Perquisite Structures
· Benefit Structures
· Terminal Benefits
· Employee Loan Schemes
· Variable Pay Plans

9. Differential Employment Practices for Specific Employee Categories
This section is used to provide narrative data on special conditions of employment applicable for certain employee categories (e.g. employment of local nationals in UAE)

Data Comparison Points

All survey data relating to cash compensation will be analyzed at the following comparison points:
· Base salary
· Guaranteed Pay (Base + all Guaranteed Allowances and Reimbursements including guaranteed / fixed Bonus)
· Total Cash (Guaranteed Pay + Total Variable Pay)
· Total Compensation (Total Cash + Valued Perquisites and Benefits). (This report will only be generated if sufficient data is reported to enable the production of this report.)

Time Frames

A detailed timetable will be provided and this will show the complete schedule for bringing the project to closure and ensure report availability. The project will be fully managed and coordinated by RMA.

It is imperative to note that this timing is totally dependent on the participant companies providing completed data within the time lines given to them. In the event that data submission is delayed then the completion date for the survey report will be accordingly delayed. It is therefore very important to ensure that data submissions are timely. No doubt all participants will appreciate this.

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