The details
Evergreen Solutions provided an employment compensation and classification study for The Woodlands Township for the first time since 2019 to determine how the township can offer pay more consistent with its peer cities. According to information from the study:
- As of Jan. 1, the township gave staff a 6% raise, but in prior years dating back to 2016 provided a 2.25% annual raise, according to information at the meeting.
- The starting rates in The Woodlands Township were determined to be below the market rates.
- A new pay plan with time-in-position salary adjustments will be implemented effective Aug. 1. Employees will be adjusted to rates consistent with their number of years of service under the new pay plan.
- 3.7% of the township's payroll, or 234 employees, will be affected Aug. 1.
- The cost to implement the plan is about $1.26 million for the salary increases, with an average increase of $5,405 for employees receiving an adjustment, according to the study.
- Further salary increases will be discussed during the township’s budget meetings in August. An increase of 3% to 4% could be discussed, officials said.
“My primary concern is staff compensation. We have not addressed that to the degree it needs to be in several years,” said Ann Snyder, chair of the township’s board of directors.
“Our current pay ranges are not competitive in our market,” said Angela Branch, director of human resources in the township. “When you are not able to offer a competitive rate, the candidate pool is not the quality that you would like it, or the quantity that you would like it to be. In that situation, we have fewer qualified candidates that apply, and we end up having to hire people above the range minimum”
