Round and round it goes, where it stops, everyone knows. Lately, I have been wondering what it will really take to change things in the world of compensation. It would seem that we have more than enough motivation to result in real changes to compensation practices that have been ineffective, or worse, seemingly forever. There seem to be enough incentives to create more successful companies and pay people in a way that allows them to have better lives. A large number of Human Resources and Compensation professionals seem engaged enough to give them the push to make materials improvements. But the hamster wheel keeps squeaking.

Good ‘ole Talent Acquisition. Two words that most hiring managers hate to hear, because most of the time, it means one of their best has just left for a “better opportunity”. Why does it always seem that the grass is greener; and why does it seem that other companies, dare I say your competitors, are always attracting the best candidates?

It’s been a hairy year and it’s time to get out the combs and brushes. Break out your good scissors and clippers. I hate to be the one to tell you, but your compensation plans have “COVID-hair.” We get it. t’s been six months since the last time you sat in the chair of a professional and had your ‘do done. It may have been that long since the last time you covered your roots with someone other than an off the shelf solution.

Over the years, I have conducted countless corporate investigations, including harassment, improprieties, and also bullying (which is, alas, also harassment). The underlying themes in all investigations are usually three things: employees have not been trained in creating respectful workplaces, staff/leadership are not self-reflective, and HR often does not raise the issue to leadership.

Anyone who has taken a class or performed a Google-search on performance goals has learned about the concept of “SMART” goals. The most common breakdown seems to be: S - Specific, M - Measurable, A - Attainable, R - Relevant, and T - Time-bound. We all seem to know this and yet many still seem to have problems creating successful pay for performance programs. I would like to propose a new D.U.M.B. approach that celebrates the spirit of insanity.

Equity is a term that has become a keystone in the world of compensation. We use it in a wide-ranging list of topics including stock-based compensation, pay transparency, gender, and race. I recently did a presentation about the topic titled “Three Buzzwords and One Truth. The buzzwords being fairness, transparency, and internal equity, the truth is the continued growth in variable (differentiated) pay.

Whether you have been managing for 25 years or a few months, ask yourself the question - has anyone taught you how to manage, or are you trying to figure it out as you go? Managing employees well leads to impressive outcomes and unparalleled team success, but how do you know if you are doing it right?

As we move into the compensation planning season, I thought it was time for a quick reminder to focus on keeping things simple. Over-complicating the basics of pay, can make it impossible to successfully accomplish the most complex things. So many small and mid-sized companies work so hard to make base pay “perfect” that they have no time or energy to build effective short-term incentive plans or rational equity compensation plans.

Executive pay is often more like cooking than baking. You are beholden to the ingredients that are fresh at the time you perform the task. Data sets, like great veggies or herbs, are often only available in small quantities at certain times of the year. Some professionals thrive in this environment, loving the swirl of possibilities and the frequent changes that must still result in predictable success.

As the country hits an all-time high in unemployment claims, many of you are on the hunt for the next big career move. But have you thought about your brand, your target job, industry, or culture? It is important you market yourself and that your “brand” is on point. You need to market “You” as the best version of yourself. You may have flaws and weaknesses, but “you” the brand shouldn’t, or at least appear that way. Thinking of yourself as a better-than-average worker who can accomplish anything with ease is almost superhuman. The job market is extremely competitive, and marketing yourself in the best light is a key aspect in finding your ideal position. Here are six (6) components in marketing yourself.

2020, the year of the forced staycation. While some people have been able to take real vacations this year, those of us with multi-generational families, who are immunocompromised or have other concerns about our health and welfare have had very limited options. In the world of Total Rewards, this creates some real concerns.

Are you finding that your stress level increases as the days count down to the first day of the school? With the new school year quickly approaching, many are feeling overwhelmed at the aspect of trying to balance their work responsibilities along with continuing to have their children at home throughout the workday. Questions swirl in your mind as you try to determine how you will effectively meet your job requirements while feeling the added responsibility of overseeing your children’s educational needs…

Every company needs an employee handbook. This necessary tool outlines the basic rules and policies for the company, explains what behavior is acceptable, and communicates state and federal laws and regulations for employers/employees. It is important to keep this handbook updated as these laws and regulations change annually and frequently.

The reason the client needed help was due to one word…overhang. There was just too much overhang, and the company’s major shareholders said the overhang was already high as it was and adding more shares to the share reserve would only make it worse. The shareholders were right. The overhang was high and adding more shares would only make it worse.

This situation has played out hundreds of times and…

Sales compensation is both the easiest and hardest of incentive compensation. Pay must drive specific behaviors, but it needs to avoid unintentional bad behavior. It must align with success at many levels, but provide ease of alignment for each individual. It must be easy to understand, but flexible enough to adjust to critical unpredictable factors. It must be painstakingly exact, while giving everyone some wiggle room to pay as required. Everything about sales compensation design is a compromise.

Equity compensation is an area where many compensation professionals lack confidence on even the most standard of programs. ISOs, Non-Quals, PSUs, RSUs, ESPPs are pretty much the extent of most programs in the U.S. From a management perspective these programs are a bit like computer worms or viruses. They have tentacles that stretch in securities law, employment law, corporate governance, valuation, accounting issues, monetary rules, and tax concerns. A simple change of employee venue can change any, and sometimes all, of these.

Annual performance reviews help to create an open dialogue between employees and managers. While they can potentially add stress to both you and the employee, they strengthen the way you manage the employee by creating a method to continually and regularly assess strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.

The New Remote GEO Diff is a way for you to have remote employees, pay people consistently, and reflect your company's approach for total rewards and compensation philosophy. It is already being done at some companies, so your time to get prepared is not before the 2020 compensation planning surge this coming Fall.

Where do employees go when they need help, motivation, or somewhere to be heard? The answer is Human Resources (HR), or at least it should be. Of the many HR responsibilities, these are often the most difficult for non-HR professionals to fill. HR is the place to go when you aren’t sure where to go.

One of the “tentpoles” of the total rewards profession is retention. Very few performers can continue performing into their later years. Physical, mental, and emotional fatigue quickly wear down all but a few. When people feel used-up they have no desire to be retained. As Margaret mentioned in her article, classic burnout is real, and we can help contribute to fixing it. Performance fatigue is also real, and if we are going to retain our teams, fixing it requires adjusting our recently adjusted version of work. Here are 5 Steps to getting started...