Our template for one global grade structure with local pay ranges

Sharing what we ended up with after two years, since I struggled to find worked examples. Medical devices company, about 7,000 employees, 26 countries, 14 global grades evaluated by one method.

Each country has its own ranges per grade, built from local survey data at the median. Range spread is 40% at grades 1 to 6, 50% at 7 to 10 and 60% above. Midpoint progression is whatever the local market gives us; we do not force a standard step. In Japan it is about 9% between grades, in India closer to 28%. Countries with fewer than 30 employees share a regional structure with a country factor.

The one thing I would change is that we split ranges by job family too late. Engineering needed its own ranges in 11 countries from the start.