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Quick answer: Paterson remains a widely used job-evaluation language in South African private employers, many SOEs, municipalities, and SETAs. It ranks jobs by decision-making complexity into bands A–F (then sub-bands/sub-grades) — grades are not performance scores and not market salaries by themselves. Divine ICTP delivers human-led Paterson evaluation and board-ready packs. National/provincial Public Service departments use DPSA’s Compensate–Evaluate (from August 2024), not Paterson. Peromnes®/T.A.S.K.® are proprietary to their owner — Divine does not licence or deliver them.
What Paterson is (and is not)
Paterson is a decision-band method associated with Dr T.T. Paterson and long adopted in South Africa. Practitioners evaluate the job, not the incumbent:
- Broad bands A–F by type and complexity of decisions required
- Then sub-banding and sub-grading for internal relativity
- Vacant roles can be graded from current job descriptions
Paterson does not produce salary figures. Market benchmarking is a separate step, using named survey sources, peer sets, and RemCo-approved positioning policy.
A grade describes job worth. It is not a performance rating and it is not a rand amount.
Where Paterson is still common (2024–2026)
South Africa has no single mandated corporate JE system. Evidence from tenders, consultancies, and EE occupational-level mapping (EEA9) shows a segmented market:
| Segment | Typical expectation |
|---|---|
| Private corporates, many SOEs / SETAs / municipalities | Paterson still widely specified and understood |
| Licensed Peromnes / T.A.S.K. estates | Proprietary systems — owner exclusivity; soft language only for third parties |
| Multinationals needing global survey alignment | Hay / Korn Ferry Guide Chart, Mercer IPE, WTW Global Grading — when those estates are already chosen |
| National/provincial Public Service departments | Compensate–Evaluate (DPSA) from 1 Aug 2024 — not Paterson |
Public tenders for executive job evaluation often ask for Paterson methodology, individual role reports, a consolidated summary, and a committee presentation — the same shape as a board-ready grading pack.
Public Service correction
Do not equate DPSA Public Service grading with Paterson. Departments in scope moved to Compensate–Evaluate from August 2024; older Evaluate/EQUATE results follow DPSA directives on usability. Private-sector and many SOE/SETA buyers may still specify Paterson — confirm the framework in the RFP or SOW.
Soft Peromnes / proprietary systems
Deloitte Consulting (Pty) Ltd states it is sole proprietor of Peromnes® and T.A.S.K.® and that no other provider may licence or provide related consulting. Divine ICTP:
- Does not claim to deliver, train, or licence Peromnes or T.A.S.K.
- May help translate client-supplied licensed outcomes into RemCo-ready documentation and band-policy framing
- Leads with Paterson and recognised-framework board packs
What Divine ICTP delivers
- Job profiling suitable for evaluation and audit trail
- Paterson banding / sub-grading with written rationales
- Grade summary tables for EXCO / RemCo / validation committees
- Pay-band framework explanation linked to named market sources (as scoped)
- Committee validation notes and board presentation outline
- Organisational framing where structure and grades must move together
We do not sell automated grading software, invent national Paterson salary tables, or issue Companies Act compliance certificates.
How buyers should choose a grading partner
| Criterion | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Framework fit | Paterson vs global systems vs proprietary estates already licensed |
| Human judgement + audit trail | RemCo defensibility; software records ≠ evaluation |
| Board-readable outputs | Profiles, grades, bands, decisions requested |
| Survey honesty | Named source, date, peer set — or no market claim |
| Independence path | Committee validation, not silent grade changes |
Large survey houses and Big Four reward practices remain relevant when you need subscription salary databases or global framework integration. Divine ICTP’s lane is boutique, board-usable Paterson / recognised-framework packs — see also RemCo readiness.
Grades, equal pay, and RemCo
Stale grades and weak profiles create equal-pay and RemCo risk. Refresh job content before re-grading. Map framework grades to EE occupational-level language carefully (EEA9 is a reporting bridge, not a JE method). For statutory rem policy/report duties applicable to public companies and SOCs, treat JE packs as HC inputs and engage counsel — see G6.
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Divine ICTP · Job grading and evaluation · Johannesburg, nationwide
EnquireFAQ
Is Paterson mandatory for all SA employers?
No. It is widely used and familiar, not a universal legal mandate.
Is Paterson the Public Service standard?
No. DPSA departments use Compensate–Evaluate (from August 2024).
Does Divine ICTP do Peromnes grading?
No. We do not licence or deliver Peromnes®/T.A.S.K.®. Soft documentation support only where clients supply licensed outcomes — confirmed commercially before engagement.
Do you also do Hay / Mercer / WTW evaluation?
We do not claim those licensed methodologies as Divine products. If your estate already runs on them, we discuss governance-pack or referral options at proposal stage.
Where can I see pack structure?
Download the Board-Ready Job Grading Pack sample (PDF) or read What’s in a Board-Ready Job Grading Pack.