Pay Intelligence

Perspectives on the changing world of pay from the XpertHR team. This blog includes news, commentary and analysis on pay issues, law, employee relations, recruitment, retention, reward and work organisation.

XpertHR research reveals pros and cons of employee recognition schemes

Employee recognition schemes might result in employees being presented with a certificate, retail voucher or cash award. Whatever the form of the award, many employers now use some form of employee recognition scheme to encourage employees to "go the extra mile". XpertHR's survey report on employee recognition schemes looks at why organisations use such schemes, and how they are operated.

Our survey report provides full details of:

  • what organisations are hoping to achieve with their employee recognition schemes, and whether these objectives are being met;
  • what form recognition awards take;
  • how schemes are managed and promoted;
  • what behaviours are recognised; and
  • the problems organisations have encountered with their recognition schemes.
Sheila Attwood Posted by Sheila Attwood
on May 10, 2013 12:01 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

XpertHR economic commentary May 2013: Playing with fire?

Fire breathing 3 Luc ViatourThe UK economy has successfully avoided an unprecedented triple-dip recession.
But the economic situation remains precarious:
  • The economy has effectively been going sideways, with growth flat for an extended period.
  • The IMF warns that Chancellor George Osborne is "playing with fire" by sticking with austerity at a time of very low growth.
  • Worrying signals are emerging from the labour market, with unemployment rising once more.
XpertHR's economic commentary for May 2013 reports on latest data and expected future trends in a number of key economic indicators of direct relevance to HR professionals and reward specialists, including pay awards and pay forecasts, inflation, economic growth and labour market trends. We also detail the national minimum wage rates for 2013/2014.
Continue reading XpertHR economic commentary May 2013: Playing with fire?.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on May 1, 2013 12:00 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How to choose and use a salary survey

Organisations often need to compare their salary and reward levels with those of their competitors, but where do they find this information, and how should they use the data they gather?

Salary surveys are a key source of market data on salaries and other elements of reward, but the useful of the data to an organisation will depend on a number of factors including how the data is collected, the data breakdowns available, how accurate the data is and how the information is presented.

Once an organisation has identified its chosen salary survey provider it needs to decide how the data will be used, while also taking into account the limitations of salary survey data.

XpertHR's latest additions to the "How to" section are two guides on salary surveys - How to choose a salary survey, and How to use a salary survey.

Together, these two guides take employers through the process of choosing the right salary survey for the task in hand, and then how to interpret and apply the data to inform recommendations and make decisions on salary and reward levels.

Some of the issues that employers may need to consider when choosing and using salary surveys, and which are addressed by these guides, are the following:

XpertHR Salary Surveys is a specialist provider of pay data. It publishes 15 surveys each year across a range of core business roles and industries. Find out more about XpertHR Salary Surveys.

Sheila Attwood Posted by Sheila Attwood
on April 24, 2013 12:20 PM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Benefits and allowances survey - take part now

In the current period of low pay awards, many organisations are looking to their benefits package to deliver value for money for the organisation and as an engagement tool for employees. But what benefits do other organisations offer, and at what level?

XpertHR's benefits and allowances survey investigates these issues - the questionnaire asks about the availability of around 40 different benefits and allowances, as well as brief details of the level of benefit provided, and in return for completing the survey you'll receive a free summary report of these findings.

But that's not the only reason to take part! All respondents will also be entered into a prize draw to receive one of four £25 Marks & Spencer vouchers.

The full findings will also be available in a special detailed benefits report (running to almost 200 pages!) produced by XpertHR Salary Surveys, which respondents can purchase at a discounted rate.

The survey is open until Friday 3 May, so please hurry and take part today!

Sheila Attwood Posted by Sheila Attwood
on April 23, 2013 1:33 PM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

National minimum wage 2013/2014: Adult rate to increase by 1.9% to £6.31 per hour

NMW1314.JPGThe UK national minimum wage adult rate increases by 1.9%, when the national minimum wage rates for 2013/2014 come into effect on Tuesday 1 October 2013.

This will take the national minimum wage adult rate from its current 2012/2013 level of £6.19 per hour to £6.31 per hour for 2013/2014.

The increase was announced this morning (15 April 2013) by Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Here we report full details of the national minimum wage rates for 2013/2014.
Continue reading National minimum wage 2013/2014: Adult rate to increase by 1.9% to £6.31 per hour.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on April 15, 2013 10:55 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Forty years on: salary survey tracks widening pay gap

XpertHR and the Chartered Management Institute are launching the results of the National Management Salary Survey today. The full text of the press release is below. The two organisations and their predecessors have worked together on the survey since its launch in 1973 and this year celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Bonus boom for directors: bosses' rewards widen long-term gap
Company Directors (including chief executives) have enjoyed pay increases almost twice the size of the average UK executive over the last 12 months, according to new salary data published today by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. 

The differences are largely due to sharp percentage increases in bonus payments at top levels, compared with previous years. The gap widens further still for chief executives, whose pay rose five times as much as that of the average executive - leaving CEOs earning 30% more than forecast on the basis of salaries recorded when the National Management Salary Survey first took place 40 years ago. 
Continue reading Forty years on: salary survey tracks widening pay gap.
Mark Crail Posted by Mark Crail
on April 10, 2013 1:05 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Will ONS' new inflation measures find favour with pay setters?

CPIRPICPIHRPIJ.jpgAll change for inflation!

Or is it?

Following a review of official inflation measures, it would seem that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has lost faith in retail prices index (RPI) inflation. It has downgraded the status of RPI inflation, and has introduced two new, experimental measures of inflation (RPIJ and CPIH).

Yet RPI continues to be the most widely consulted (and therefore influential) measure for pay setters in the private sector.

Here we look at what's happening with inflation measures, and present links to guidance on how to choose which inflation measure might be most useful to your organisation, when it comes to pay setting, including the following: How to use inflation statistics in pay setting (XpertHR subscription required).
Continue reading Will ONS' new inflation measures find favour with pay setters?.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on April 9, 2013 7:00 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Benefits & allowances: New XpertHR benchmarking survey now open for business!

We've just launched the 2013 XpertHR benchmarking survey of benefits and allowances, and would like to invite you to take part!

The online questionnaire is here.

Head over to XpertHR's Employment Intelligence blog to find out more about the benefits of taking part in this survey!
Continue reading Benefits & allowances: New XpertHR benchmarking survey now open for business!.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on April 8, 2013 11:15 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

XpertHR economic commentary April 2013: Back into the abyss?

Samuel Dixon NiagaraApril 2013 is a crucial month for UK economic recovery.

Economic growth data released this month will show whether the UK economy has slipped "back into the abyss" of recession (to adapt a phrase from David Cameron).

This would signal an unprecedented triple-dip recession.

But elsewhere in the economy, the outlook appears more certain. Employers in the private sector predict moderate pay rises for 2013, while the UK labour market remains surprisingly robust.

XpertHR's economic commentary for April 2013 reports on latest data and expected future trends in a number of key economic indicators of direct relevance to HR professionals and reward specialists, including pay awards and pay forecasts, inflation, economic growth and labour market trends. We also look at key announcements from Chancellor George Osborne's Budget 2013.
Continue reading XpertHR economic commentary April 2013: Back into the abyss?.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on April 1, 2013 12:00 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Benchmarking pay forecasts for 2013: New interactive tool from XpertHR!

How will your organisation's 2013 pay award compare with those at other private sector organisations?

I'm very pleased to report that we've just added a new interactive tool to XpertHR, which makes it easy for you to find out.
XpertHRPayBenchmarker2013Awards.JPG
XpertHR's private sector pay forecast benchmarker spreadsheet enables you to see how your organisation measures up against the latest pay forecast benchmarking data from XpertHR, and against latest expert inflation forecasts compiled by XpertHR (XpertHR subscription required).
Continue reading Benchmarking pay forecasts for 2013: New interactive tool from XpertHR!.
Michael Carty Posted by Michael Carty
on March 27, 2013 7:00 AM 		| | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
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