Treat employees as valued subscribers: How pay transparency improves talent attraction and retention

On the heels of SalesForce’s launch in 1999, companies saw the value of cloud-based managed software. Application Service Providers, as they were called then, exploded in popularity as companies realized the one-and-done sales of software was an outdated business model. With opportunities for ongoing connections to customers, software companies could more easily scale and generate higher revenue over longer time periods. Thus was born the Software as a Service model, a term coined in 2005. With this new model, software companies began to view their customers more like subscribers in which ongoing attention must be paid to prevent attrition. 

Compa believes a similar shift is underway with respect to employees being thought of as subscribers, too, primarily because of the pressures and opportunities spawned by pay transparency implementations. This article explores the importance of pay transparency in treating employees as valued subscribers and introduces Compa Index, a tool that revolutionizes offer management and compensation decision-making.

In today's competitive job market, treating employees as valued subscribers is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. One aspect of this approach is pay transparency. Pay transparency combined with access to real time compensation and offer data not only helps in making perfect offers but also promotes ongoing engagement and trust between employers and employees, a social contract of sorts.

The Shift Towards Pay Transparency

The concept of pay transparency has gained significant traction in recent years. Employees are demanding greater visibility into how their compensation is determined, and candidates are seeking information about pay practices before considering job offers. As a result, even in states where it is not required by law, many organizations are embracing pay transparency as a strategic approach to attract and retain top talent.

The Benefits of Pay Transparency

• Attract Top Talent - One of the key benefits of pay transparency is its ability to attract top talent. When organizations are open about their compensation practices, they demonstrate a commitment to fairness and equity. This transparency can be a powerful differentiator, especially in industries where pay discrepancies have been a long-standing issue. Candidates are more likely to be attracted to or subscribe to organizations that openly communicate their commitment to fair compensation. Making a perfect offer requires access to real time compensation and offer data; reliance on outdated survey data just won’t cut it anymore. The perfect offer is the first sale to a new subscriber.‍
• Increase Employee Engagement - Pay transparency also plays a crucial role in increasing employee engagement. When employees have a clear understanding of how their compensation is determined, they feel more connected to the organization and its goals. Transparent communication about pay practices helps employees see the direct link between their performance and rewards, motivating them to perform at their best. Moreover, employees are more likely to trust their employers when they have access to information about pay structures and salary ranges. Keeping employees engaged proves to them that they matter and are valued. Employees who feel valued do not typically unsubscribe or leave.‍
• Promote Fairness and Equity - One of the fundamental principles of pay transparency is promoting fairness and equity. By openly sharing information about compensation practices, employers can address any pay disparities and ensure that all employees are fairly compensated for their work. This helps create a more inclusive and diverse workplace where employees feel valued and respected. When armed with information that reinforces the fundamental fairness of a company’s compensation practices, employees/subscribers feel appreciated and become brand champions.‍
• Fostering Trust and Loyalty - Transparency builds trust, and trust fosters loyalty. When employees have access to information about pay practices, they feel that their employers are treating them with respect and integrity. This fosters a sense of loyalty, leading to higher retention rates and increased employee satisfaction. Employees who trust their employers are more likely to stay engaged, productive, and committed to the organization's success. This lowers attrition and extends the lifetime value of the subscribers. With the cost to replace an employee/subscriber who leaves ranging from 90%-200% of the employee’s salary, lack of trust comes with a very real hard cost.

Implementing Pay Transparency in Offer Management

To effectively implement pay transparency, organizations can leverage tools like Compa Index. Compa Index is a compensation market data and offer intelligence product that revolutionizes traditional compensation surveys. It connects offer data from an organization's applicant tracking system (ATS) across a customer network, eliminating manual submissions and providing new insights into internal offer spend.

• The Role of Compa Index - Compa Index, developed by Compa, addresses the challenges faced by compensation leaders in setting total rewards strategies effectively. By leveraging real-time market data, predictive insights, and job matching capabilities, Compa Index enables compensation leaders to make informed decisions based on current market trends.
• Offers-based Compensation Benchmarks - Compa Index uses offers as transactional data, similar to the housing market, to provide compensation benchmarks. By combining accepted and rejected offers across its customer network, Compa Index offers real-time data on salaries, bonuses, and stock compensation. This approach provides uniquely pure signals about talent markets, allowing organizations to benchmark their compensation practices against industry trends.
• Predictive Market Insights - In addition to compensation data, Compa Index provides users with predictive insights about where compensation is trending. By combining compensation data with market offer accept rates and offer volumes, organizations can stay ahead of market trends and adjust their compensation strategies accordingly. This helps in making competitive offers and attracting top talent in a rapidly changing job market.
• Job Matching and Leveling - Compa Index matches offer data to Compa's standard career architecture, enabling apples-to-apples market comparison by level and job family. During the onboarding process, Compa configures tenant offer data by enriching it with details like stock vesting schedules and signing bonuses. This eliminates the need for manual submissions and ensures accurate and consistent data matching.
• Internal Offer Reporting - Compa Index also provides powerful dashboarding and reporting capabilities for internal spending patterns. By structuring and enriching offer data during the onboarding process, organizations can track offer activity in real-time. This overcomes the limitations of applicant tracking systems (ATS) and empowers compensation leaders with comprehensive insights into internal offer spend.
• High-Quality Global Data - Compa Index sources data from its customer network in a "give-to-get" model, ensuring high-quality global data. The data comes from applicant tracking system (ATS) data and goes through a rigorous quality inspection process. Compa Index is compliant with SOC2 Type 2 and GDPR, providing industry-leading privacy and security measures.
• Industry-Leading Privacy & Security - Compa Index ensures the privacy and security of offer data from leading global enterprises. The platform is compliant with SOC2 Type 2 and GDPR regulations and is trusted by companies in various industries, including financial technology, aerospace, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. Privacy rules are designed in collaboration with Compa's customer advisory board, which includes representation from companies like NVIDIA, Block, and Stripe.
  
• Empowering Compensation Leaders with Data and Analytics - Compa Index empowers compensation leaders with the data and analytics they need to execute their rewards strategies effectively. By providing real-time market data, predictive insights, and comprehensive reporting, Compa Index enables compensation leaders to make fair and equitable compensation decisions. With access to accurate and up-to-date information, organizations can attract and retain top talent while fostering a culture of transparency and trust.

Conclusion

Treating employees as valued subscribers requires organizations to embrace pay transparency. By openly communicating compensation practices, organizations can attract top talent, increase employee engagement, promote fairness and equity, and foster trust and loyalty. Tools like Compa Index revolutionize offer management and compensation decision-making by providing real-time market data, predictive insights, and comprehensive reporting. With pay transparency and innovative tools, organizations can create a culture of transparency and fairness, ensuring that employees feel valued and engaged.

‍