The ancient art of Job Evaluation!

On a recent trip to Sri Lanka, we weren't expecting to find evidence of job evaluation from the tenth century!

One of the fantastic sites we visited was Mihintale, where Buddism is believed to have been inaugurated on the island.  

It is an amazing site set on a mountain peak and well worth the climb, should you ever visit this beautiful country.

​On the site of the monastery there, we came across two stone tablets which are inscribed with administrative rules and regulations. Incredibly, these inscriptions were installed outside the refectory by King Mihindu at around 960 AD. 

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The regulations mentioned on the tablets are meticulously detailed. The first part deals with the conduct of the monks, whereas the second part covers the temple administration by lay servants and their emoluments.

​​It set out exactly what and how staff were to be paid, so must be one of the earliest examples of a transparent pay structure! Set in stone are details that compare the payments made to staff as varied as florists, cooks, stonemasons and clerics. 

​Even in ancient times, the monks saw the value of developing an organisational structure that showed how workers could aspire to develop their careers... I just hope that it was based on a robust method of job evaluation that also reflected market rates!