Elif Lindqvist· Director of Benefits, Bellwether Consulting
Asked in New Member Welcome ·
I joined a 220-person software company in Austin in August as its first dedicated compensation person. Before me, the finance lead and the head of people ran the annual review from a shared spreadsheet over about two weeks.
The review opens in the second week of January. I have a budget figure that is not final, ranges that were built two years ago, and no written guidance for managers.
What would you prioritise in the ten weeks I have? I am tempted to rebuild the ranges first, but I suspect that is the wrong instinct.
1 helpful · 1 agree · 5 replies · 13 views · 5 following
Accepted answer· by Oscar Jansen
Work backwards from the opening date. Weeks one to three: clean the employee data, because job titles, levels and managers will be wrong for about one record in ten. Weeks four to six: agree the budget and a simple merit matrix, performance by position in range, with finance. Weeks seven and eight: a two-page manager guide and one 45-minute briefing. Last two weeks: test the spreadsheet with a friendly manager. Keep 10 to 15 per cent of the budget back for adjustments you only discover once recommendations come in.
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Compensation Consultant, Cardinal Insurance
It is the wrong instinct, and good that you noticed. Ten weeks is not enough to rebuild ranges and run a clean cycle. Age the existing ranges by a sensible market movement figure, flag the jobs where you know they are badly off, and leave the rebuild for spring.
Oscar JansenCEP, CBS
Benefits Manager, Copperfield Mining
Accepted answer
Work backwards from the opening date. Weeks one to three: clean the employee data, because job titles, levels and managers will be wrong for about one record in ten. Weeks four to six: agree the budget and a simple merit matrix, performance by position in range, with finance. Weeks seven and eight: a two-page manager guide and one 45-minute briefing. Last two weeks: test the spreadsheet with a friendly manager.
Keep 10 to 15 per cent of the budget back for adjustments you only discover once recommendations come in.
Victor PereiraCBS, GRS
Sales Compensation Manager, Qasr Holdings
Ask the finance lead what went wrong last year. In my first cycle at a 300-person company, the answer was that promotions were paid for out of the merit pot and nobody had said so. One conversation saved me from repeating it.
Reward Partner, Northwind Logistics
Small thing that matters: decide now who approves exceptions and write it down. If it is unclear in January, every exception will come to you.
Benefits Analyst, Silverline Media
This is exactly what I needed. I have dropped the rebuild, booked the data clean-up for next week, and the finance lead confirmed the promotions problem almost word for word. Holding back 12 per cent of the pot.
