How Can We Offer a Career Path to Our Office Boy Without Changing His Grade or Salary?

Hello Team,

We need to give a designation to one of our office boys (peon) who has been performing basic level admin activities for two years, such as filing, record-keeping, maintaining petty cash, cab booking, etc. We need to do this without increasing the salary or changing the unskilled grade.

Could you please advise on a designation that we can provide, which also offers a potential career path for him as he intends to pursue further studies?

Regards,

Geeta Motwani

Office assistant/Admin Assistant is worth considering.

Role of an Admin Assistant

The activities you mention, when combined, point to the role being that of an Admin Assistant; this is definitely not an unskilled profile. You will have to consider him at the highest skill level as per the state skill hierarchy since he is maintaining petty cash besides performing 2-3 more activities. Whether you like it or not, if you don't pay wages meant for the highest skill level, you will continue to deprive minimum wage payment to him/her. Non-payment of minimum wages as per the skill level is frowned upon by all, including courts. You need to be careful there.

Dear Madam,

I share the same views as Mr. Shrikant's. When someone is doing multitasking jobs, to think of denying them due wages and skill level, especially by an HR person, goes against the sense of propriety and legality.

Regards,

Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant

Dear Geeta, your management has been unjust to the employee by utilizing his knowledge and assigning him clerical tasks for the last two years. Instead of appreciating and motivating him by compensating the clerical minimum wage, the management is paying him unskilled category wages.

Now, suddenly you feel the need to seek advice from the members after two years about the designation, only to safeguard your company from legal consequences. You can propose an Assistant designation by compensating semi-skilled wages, which will help him with his further studies, and he will remain loyal to your organization as long as he serves.

Excuse me for my views if they have hurt anyone's feelings.

Regards, Suresh

Hi all,

Thank you for the advice. However, I would like to add that our management has fully supported the person and guided him to complete his education so that we can logically give him what he deserves. Following your responses, we have initiated the next course of action. He has just completed his 10th class, and we are now making efforts to help him complete his 12th as well.

All of you have been a great help. Thanks a lot!

Geeta,

If the Management is positive and supporting the employees, I suggest you go for "ASSOCIATE - ADMN" instead of helper/un/semi/highly worker. Once he acquires the required qualifications, you can change his designation to Officer/Executive, etc.

Regards,
Kameswarao

Dear Geeta,

I appreciate your recognition of someone's skill and your desire to promote it. Always strive to offer a position that aligns with the individual's current qualifications and job responsibilities. Considering the individual has completed their HSC, the title of 'office attendant' would be suitable and fall under the USK category.