Here is a recent question on LinkedIn : “How does someone determine the dollar value of a benefits package ?”. There was no additional explanation or clarification. Many of the answers provided were relatively detailed, covering different types of benefits, talking about “net present value”, referring to actuaries and the concept of value vs that…
Compensation provider Birches Group extends its reach in the region – an interview with Warren Heaps
February 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
My friend Warren Heaps is a Partner at Birches Group, an independent consulting firm specialised in providing compensation information in over 180 emerging and developing countries. Birches Group very recently announced that they have entered into an agreement with Aon Hewitt, one of the major global compensation consultancies. Under the partnership, Aon Hewitt will make…
Why the big pay gap between managers on the same grade?
February 14, 2012 by 4 Comments
In my career in Compensation & Benefits, I have often heard this question or a variation upon it : I see managers getting twice the pay of other managers from the same group and same job grade… Why is this, and how can you explain it ? This is a fair question on the differences…
Should you rely on free compensation data from magazines and recruitment organisations?
February 12, 2012 by 1 Comment
Recently a few recruitment organisations have issued free “salary guides” for certain countries or industries. Magazines, whether business oriented or focused to the individual consumer, also run regular reports and guides with exciting titles like “Are you paid enough ?”. There are even websites where you can get free pay information (say, regarding a position…
5 traps to avoid for your Compensation projects
February 7, 2012 by 2 Comments
You have to manage one or more Compensation & Benefits projects and want to achieve success as they form part of your objectives for the year. Before you rush into implementation mode, here are 5 fundamental traps to avoid : 1 – Lack of executive buy-in All projects require a clear sponsor. This is especially…
The limits of Emiratisation quotas
January 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Your company has set some ambitious targets around emiratisation / nationalisation. You’ve been a good Compensation manager. You have integrated Emiratisation into the bonus calculations for your organisation. The idea was : “If it’s in their objectives, then the Directors will focus on it”. So you sat with the HR Director and the CFO and…
Is pay the main component of employee engagement at Fortune 100 Best Places to Work For ?
January 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Last week, Fortune published its famed annual ranking of 100 Best Places to Work For with this introductory comment : “Fat paychecks, sweet perks, fun colleagues, and over 70,000 jobs ready to be filled — these employers offer dream workplaces. Like Google, which reclaims the top spot this year to become a three-time champion.” Here…
