Competitive Pay: How to Build a Fair Compensation Program

Compensation equity, paychecks being held in the air

Competitive pay isn’t just about numbers—it helps you hire top-tier candidates faster, reduce churn-related expenses, and avoid the hidden costs of disengaged employees. In our conversation with compensation expert Susan Pyles, a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience, we discussed some practical strategies for building a solid compensation program. Defining Competitive Pay Competitive … Read more

DIY Compensation Analysis vs. Hiring an Expert: Which Method Is Right for Your Business?

DIY vs. Expert Compensation

When it comes to compensation analysis, you know it’s not as simple as just updating a spreadsheet or comparing job titles. In our experience, figuring out fair pay today almost always demands more than just a DIY approach. We talked with Susan Pyles, a seasoned compensation expert, who explained why many organizations benefit from outsourcing … Read more

How the Best Organizations Approach Compensation

Two compensation experts

You know how challenging it can be to develop a compensation strategy that continuously attracts and retains the talent you need. By learning from the approaches used by top-performing organizations, you’ll find some practical ways to design your pay practices. In this post, we’ll cover the best of the best, including building a clear compensation … Read more

7 Common Compensation Questions

Types of sources to use, frequency of market studies, handling employee questions about fairness, etc.—these are just a few of many compensation issues and questions that you face every day. We’ve compiled answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive related to compensation. 1. What sources do most employers use to benchmark … Read more

The Top Compensation Mistakes Our Experts Have Witnessed—and How to Avoid Them

Crumpled money

In our years of working with organizations on their compensation strategies, we’ve seen firsthand the costly mistakes that can undermine even the best intentions. These are real challenges we’ve encountered time and again in our direct work with organizations.  While your organization may be feeling some of the effects of these mistakes—everything from unnecessary turnover, … Read more

Compensation Beyond Salary: 4 Ways to Attract and Retain Talent Without Paying More

Image of money on a green background

When organizations find themselves unable to match the market rates or pay employees as much as competitors, it can feel like a big disadvantage in the competition for talent. But compensation isn’t just about salary; it’s about the entire value offered to employees. As leaders, you have the ability to get creative with compensation strategy, … Read more

HR in a Pinch: Why Fractional HR May Be Right for Your Organization

Fractional HR Consultant

The Highlights: For small and mid-sized businesses the HR function is a critical part of business operations, but there’s often not a perfect approach to staffing or resource support. Organizations often grapple with the timing of that first full-time HR hire. For those with one or multiple HR team members, employee transitions, employee leave, and … Read more

5 Key Types of Executive Compensation

The Highlights:

  • Executive compensation is the pay and benefits provided to top-level leaders, including salaries, bonuses, equity incentives, perks, and retirement plans.
  • The five key types of executive compensation are base salary, short-term incentives (bonuses), long-term incentives (equity-based rewards), benefits and perks, and deferred compensation.

5 Key Types of Executive Compensation

Executive compensation plans come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes depending on what business objectives the organization is aiming to achieve, the desired complexity of the plans, the demographics of the organization in terms of size, revenue, and industry/sector, as well as the various legal stipulations that apply to executive pay.

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What is an HR Compliance Audit and Why Do You Need It?

HR Compliance Audit meeting

The Highlights:

  • An HR compliance audit is a thorough review of an organization’s policies, practices, and documentation to ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations
  • An HR compliance audit covers policies, procedures, employee files, benefits, payroll, workplace safety, and legal compliance to identify risks and keep the organization compliant.
  • Organizations need to regularly audit their HR policies and practices to not only to ensure legal compliance, but also to mitigate risks, improve internal processes, and maintain a fair workplace.

HR and business leaders are responsible for ensuring that their organization is aligned with current best practices and compliant with employment laws. Conducting periodic HR compliance audits can protect your company by catching any issues before they become problems or employee complaints.

In plain terms, an HR audit examines your current policies, handbooks, and procedures to check if they measure up to evolving regulations. While compliance may not sound exciting, it’s incredibly important today as laws and best practices frequently change. Doing regular check-ups reduces exposure to risks like lawsuits or fines down the road.

“Regular HR compliance audits are not just about ticking boxes; they’re about identifying opportunities for strategic improvements aligned with real business goals.”

Allison Kenney, Manager of HR Advisory Services

In this article, we’ll review what’s involved in a human resources audit, why it matters, and tips to keep your HR department complaint.

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What is the Difference Between Benefits and Perks?

What’s the Difference between Benefits and Perks?

A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that “more than half of millennials (56%) agreed that a quality benefits package influences their choice of employers and 63% say that benefits are an important reason in staying with an employer.”

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