What is the Patterson Job Grading System?

The Patterson system grades jobs based on the level of decision-making required, not on the qualifications of the person doing the job. This is an important distinction. You are grading the job itself — its complexity, its accountability, and the nature of the decisions it requires — not the individual occupying it.

The system uses six main bands (A through F), each divided into two sub-grades (1 and 2), giving twelve grades in total. Each band corresponds to a level of decision-making complexity, from highly routine and defined at Band A through to strategic and integrative at Band F.

The six Patterson bands explained

Band A (Defined decisions) covers semi-skilled and unskilled roles where tasks are prescribed and repetitive — general labourers, cleaners, production assistants. Workers follow instructions with little discretion.

Band B (Automatic decisions) covers skilled and clerical roles where the work is learned through training and applied consistently — bookkeepers, administrators, artisans. Decisions follow established procedures.

Band C (Interpolative decisions) covers supervisory, technical, and junior professional roles where the employee must exercise judgement and apply their knowledge to variable situations — team leaders, technicians, junior managers.

Band D (Discretionary decisions) covers middle management and professional roles with real authority and accountability — HR managers, accountants, department heads. These roles shape how the business operates day to day.

Band E (Strategic decisions) covers senior management roles responsible for shaping divisional or business-wide strategy — general managers, directors, heads of departments in large organisations.

Band F (Integrative decisions) is reserved for executive leadership — CEOs and equivalent roles — where decisions integrate the entire enterprise and carry the highest level of accountability.

Why it matters for pay equity

South African employers are legally required under the Employment Equity Act to ensure that employees performing work of equal value receive equal pay. The Patterson system gives you a defensible, structured basis for determining what 'equal value' means in your organisation.

Without a formal grading system, pay decisions become subjective and arbitrary. That creates risk. An employee who earns less than a colleague in the same or comparable role can refer a dispute to the CCMA or Labour Court — and the burden is on you to justify the difference. Patterson grades give you that justification, provided they are correctly applied and consistently used.

Employment Equity reporting and the Patterson link

The Department of Employment and Labour's EEA reporting forms require employers to categorise employees by occupational level. These levels — Top Management, Senior Management, Professionally Qualified, Skilled Technical, Semi-Skilled, and Unskilled — map directly onto the Patterson bands.

Accurate Patterson grading is therefore essential for meaningful employment equity reporting. Incorrectly graded roles lead to skewed EEA reports, which can attract scrutiny from the Department of Labour and undermine your employment equity plan.

Common mistakes employers make

The most frequent error is grading people rather than jobs. If your senior administrator has a degree, that does not automatically make the administrator role a Band D position. The grade reflects the decision-making requirements of the role, not the qualifications or experience of the current jobholder.

Inconsistent grading across departments is another common problem. When HR, Finance, and Operations each apply their own interpretation of the bands, your pay structure becomes incoherent and legally vulnerable.

Finally, many employers apply Patterson grades at the time of hiring and never revisit them. As roles evolve — particularly in technology-driven businesses where responsibilities shift rapidly — outdated grades create inequities and compliance gaps.

How OptiHR can help

OptiHR conducts full Patterson job grading exercises for South African businesses of all sizes. We review each role against the decision-making criteria, assign defensible grades, and align your pay structure with the results. We also assist with employment equity planning, ensuring your EEA reports accurately reflect your workforce.

If you have never formally graded your jobs, or if your current grading feels arbitrary, a structured Patterson review is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your HR function.