Aligning 7 occupational levels: Rugby team analogy

Converting current controversial seven occupational levels

to comply with concepts of equity and fairness

Aligning 7 occupational levels with positions in a rugby team is a fun and meaningful way to illustrate how roles in an organization correspond to different levels of responsibility and decision-making—just like on the rugby field.

Here’s a creative and practical alignment:

🏉 7 Occupational Levels Aligned with Rugby Team Positions

Occupational Level	Rugby Position	Role in Rugby	Workplace Equivalent
1. General Worker / Entry-Level	Props / Locks (1 3 4 5)	Provide strength, stability, and foundation in scrums and rucks	Physical labour, technical tasks, ground-level support
2. Skilled Worker / Technician	Hooker / Flanks & 8th man (2 6 7 8)	Skilled, mobile, and strategic in linking forwards and backs	Skilled trades, technical operators, frontline support
3. Junior Supervisor / Team Leader	Scrum-half (9)	Connects forwards and backs, quick decision-making, initiates plays	First-line supervisor, team coordinator
4. Middle Management	Fly-half (10)	Chief decision-maker, directs game strategy, distributes the ball	Project manager, department manager
5. Senior Management	Centres (12 & 13)	Implements strategy, balances attack and defence, reads the game	Regional manager, senior leader
6. Executive Management	Wings (11 & 14)	Finishers, fast and effective, capitalize on space and opportunity	Strategic leaders, innovators, expansion-focused
7. CEO / Visionary Leader	Fullback (15)	Last line of defence, calm under pressure, sees the whole field	CEO or MD — ultimate accountability and vision

🧠 Why This Analogy Works:

• Each rugby position contributes uniquely—just like each workplace role.
• Strategy, execution, support, and leadership all play vital parts.
• The alignment shows progression from groundwork to vision.

🔢 Constant Percentage Increase

To divide the range into 21 levels with a constant percentage increase, apply the geometric progression formula:

Value at Level n=A×r(n−1)\text{Value at Level } n = A \times r^{(n-1)}

Where:

• A=A = starting value (say 100)
• r=r = common ratio
• n=n = level (1 to 21)

Solving for rr where:

• Final value (Level 21) = 1000
• Start value (Level 1) = 100

r=(1000100)120=101/20≈1.122r = \left(\frac{1000}{100}\right)^{\frac{1}{20}} = 10^{1/20} \approx 1.122

 

📈 Level Breakdown (Rounded to Nearest Whole Number)