Compensation Benchmarking: A Surefire Way to Make Data-Backed Decisions for Your Employees

As a CEO or founder, your employees are your greatest asset. And if you want to retain the best talents, it's essential to compensate them fairly. But how do you know if you're paying your employees competitively? The answer lies in compensation benchmarking data. By adopting this method, you can compare your salaries to the industry standards and adjust accordingly. In this blog, we'll guide you on how to benchmark employee compensation, so you can make informed decisions and keep your team happy.

Define Your Job Titles & Descriptions

Before you start comparing salaries, you must first define each job description in your company. A well-defined job description will help you get accurate data from external sources. Define the job title, job description, and responsibilities of each position in your organization. Ensure the job description is up-to-date and clearly outlines the job's role, responsibilities, and qualifications.

Collect Data from the Industry

The next step is to research the industry standards for each job position. You can do this by collecting data from several sources, such as online job boards, industry reports, compensation surveys, and online databases like Pave. Ensure the data is up-to-date, relevant, and reflect your geographic location. We regularly recommend Pave because it’s real-time data synced from payroll platforms. It’s also a free resource if you connect your company’s payroll system - even better! 

Analyze the Data

Once you've collected the data, it's essential to analyze it to determine where your organization stands in terms of compensation. Look for trends and patterns in the data and identify areas where your salaries may be falling behind or exceeding industry standards. Also, consider factors such as geographic location, experience, education, and performance when comparing data.

Adjust Your Compensation Strategy

After analyzing the data, you may find that your compensation strategy needs adjustment. It's essential to ensure your compensation package is fair and competitive to retain your employees. The cost of turnover is significant, so avoid it if you can. Consider adjusting salaries, bonuses, and other benefits to match or exceed industry standards.You may also consider adding an equity component to your compensation plan. 

Communicate Changes to Your Employees

Once you've implemented changes to your compensation strategy, it's essential to communicate them to your employees. Explain the changes, how you made your decision, and how they benefit the employees. Ensure they understand that you value their contributions and are committed to compensating them fairly.

Adopting compensation benchmarking can give your organization a competitive edge and ensure your employees feel valued and compensated fairly. Be sure to define your job positions, collect data from industry sources, analyze the data, adjust your compensation strategy, and communicate changes to your employees. By following these steps, you'll be on your way to making data-backed decisions that keep your team happy, engaged, and motivated.

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If you’d like to learn more about how TaxTaker can help you evaluate compensation and take advantage of tax credits to offset the costs associated with your engineering workforce, connect with our team.

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