If you are like most business leaders, your confidence in the economy is growing…but your company is not completely recovered from its COVID experience. It’s left you and your leadership feeling a bit numb. You may have had to cut salaries, freeze incentive plans and either furlough or let employees go. It’s been painful. (Our apologies for reminding you!)
Now you need to move forward with optimism but you can’t just pretend nothing has happened, right?
All of this leaves you feeling uncertain about what your pay strategy should look like in 2021. Questions abound: How can you reward employee performance but not make your cash flow vulnerable? How can you create a pay offering that is more flexible without also unleashing compensation chaos? And so on.
If this is where you and your company find yourselves, you should watch this broadcast.
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Today’s Presenter:
Ken Gibson
SeniorVice President
(949) 265-5703
kgibson@vladvisors.com
23201 Lake Center Drive, Suite 207 ⬧ Lake Forest, CA 92630 ⬧ 949-852-2288
www.VLadvisors.com ⬧ www.PhantomStock.com
4. 44
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5. 55
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6. 66
We Need Your Help
Research Question
Your feedback is important and
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8. 88
23201 Lake Center Drive, Suite 207
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(888) 703 0080
www.vladvisors.com
www.phantomstock.com
www.bonusright.com
Headquartered in Lake Forest, CA
Founded in 1996
Over 600 clients throughout North America
11. 1111
What About Compensation?
If your business is going
to be different, how
should your pay strategy
be different?
In hindsight, how would
have changed your
compensation offering
had you known the
COVID economy was
coming?
14. 1414
Business Leader Questions
“How can I reward performance but also
protect my cash flow?
“What kind of pay approach encourages
value creation so I can fairly share our
(compensation) risk with my people?”
“Should I be rewarding short or long-term
performance—and what form should those
rewards take?”
“How do I create a pay approach that gives
me options in case the economy tanks
again?”
“How do I manage my compensation
expense in this business environment but
still provide a compensation offering that
helps me attract and retain top talent?”
15. 1515
Key Employee Questions
“How does leadership view the
company’s prospects for the future—
confident or pessimistic?”
“What is the company’s commitment
to me going forward?”
“What are the company’s expectations
of me right now?”
“Will the company compensate me for
the value I create—if so, how?”
“What is my earnings potential here
versus other options I could consider?”
“How is company leadership adjusting
to the ‘new reality’ businesses are
facing?”
“What is my future here at this point?”
17. 1717
2021 Pay Strategy Ideals
Encourage Value Creation
Attract & Retain Great Talent
Protect Cash Flow
Safeguard the P&L (interests of shareholders)
Be “Self-Financing”
Be Flexible but Stable
Create Growth Partners
18. 1818
The 5Expectations
1. It Should Reward Value Creation
2. It Should Be Governed by a Clear Philosophy
3. It Should Help You Attract & Retain Top Talent
4. It Should Be Agile but Enduring
5. It Should Create Growth Partners
21. 2121
Keith Williams
Assumed leadership of UL in
2005
Company carrying
considerable debt
Losing market share
Low employee morale
UL had become
bureaucratic and “siloed”
22. 2222
Core Changes Shift from “Incentives” to “Value
Sharing”
Took away local measurements
driving management incentive
plans—all paid on same metrics
▪ “We live together and we die
together”
Aligned everyone behind company
success
▪ “I call it ‘pay the company first.’ ”
23. 2323
Pay the Company First
“Basically, up to the
company’s operating profit
target, all of the profits go to
the company; and only after
that target is met, do we start
funding the incentive pool.”
Example: If UL’s target is $80
million--
100% of first $80 million in
profit goes to company
The next $20 million goes to
the incentive pool
From there on, 50/50
between company &
incentive pool
24. 2424
Pay the Company First
Once value creation is defined,
compensation can follow a formula for
sharing value in a way that aligns key
producers with the company’s business
plan and priorities.
25. 2525
Transition from Incentives to Value-Sharing
The Premise: Value Creation Drives
Value-Sharing
▪ Wealth Multiplier Pay Philosophy—”When
you drive new value, you participate in the
wealth multiple you have helped the
business create”
▪ The Value Creation definition should
protect and promote shareholder interests
▪ Value-sharing encourages a stewardship
mindset towards employee roles: “I own
the outcomes my role exists to produce.”
26. 2626
Reward Outcomes, not Methods
"You cannot hold
people responsible
for results if you
supervise their
methods.“
(Stephen R. Covey)
26
"You cannot hold
people responsible for
results if you pay
them for their
methods.“
(VisionLink)
28. 2828
Key Metric
Focus on One of These:
Profit
Increase in Profits (% or $)
(Sometimes: Revenue Growth)
28
29. 2929
Not Just Profit but Productivity Profit
Productivity profit is profit surplus
that you can attribute to the
contributions of your people,
rather than gains attributable to
the ROI shareholder capital is
driving
36. 3636
Dual Focus
Peter Drucker once wrote that the
manager’s job is to keep his nose to the
grindstone while lifting his eyes to the hills.
He meant that every business has to
operate in two modes at the same time:
producing results today and preparing for
tomorrow. (Ken Favaro, Strategy+Business)
37. 3737
Key
One Value Sharing Philosophy with
Plans that Reward Two Distinct
Performance Periods:
1. 12 months and under
2. Longer than 12 months
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Rules of Thumb
Short-term value sharing
should be tied to profit
(ideally productivity profit)
Long-term value sharing
should be tied to business
growth
(increase in company value)
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9 Long-Term Value Sharing Alternatives
Stock Option
Performance Shares
Restricted Stock
Phantom Stock
Option
Performance
Phantom Stock
Phantom Stock Profit Pool
Performance Unit
Strategic Deferred
Compensation
41. 4141
Grant Equity or
Not Equity?
Full Value or
Appreciation Only?
Yes
Appreciation
Stock Option
Full Value
Performance Based?
Yes
Performance Shares
No
Restricted Stock
No
Reward for Value
Increase or Financial
Performance?
Value Increase
Full Value or
Appreciation?
Appreciation
Phantom Stock
Option
Full Value
Performance Based?
Yes
Performance
Phantom Stock
No
Phantom Stock
Financial
Performance
Appreciation-
Performance Based or
Employee Directed?
Performance
Based
Reward for Profit/Cash
Flow or Other Metrics?
Profits
Allocation or
Objectives Based?
Allocation
Profit Pool
ObjectivesOther Metrics
Performance Unit
Employee Directed
Strategic Deferred
Compensation
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Pay Philosophy
A written statement of what the company is
willing to “pay for.” Should be tied to value
creation.
44. 4444
Compensation Philosophy Statement
How value creation is defined.
How value is shared—and with
whom.
How market pay standards
apply.
How guaranteed pay and value-
sharing will be balanced.
How short and long-term value-
sharing will be balanced.
How merit pay is defined.
45. 4545
Key Areas to Focus On
Explore and refine
“emergency” principles.
Determine priorities for
cash and non-cash
compensation, as well as
benefits.
46. 4646
Then What?
Put it in writing
Refer to it frequently
Communicate it
Emphasize what will be
rewarded
48. 4848
Key Questions
How would you
describe the kind of
experience you want
employees to have at
your company?
How would your
employees describe
the kind of
experience they are
actually having at
your company?
49. 4949
Why it Matters
Your employees control the kind of experience your customers will have with
your company
Your employees are your best source for attracting new talent
Your employees will determine whether your business will thrive or stall as you
head into the post-COVID future.
Your employees will choose whether to become growth partners or growth
inhibitors.
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Prior to COVID-19
“Nearly 70% of business leaders participating in a new global survey said the
current talent pool is shrinking. As a result, the competition for talent has
increased, forcing employers to change their recruiting strategies.” (“Study: Shrinking
Talent Pool Has Recruiters shifting Strategies,” HR Dive, October 5, 2018, Valerie Bolden-Barrett)
53. 5353
Evidence
How many of your key performers—people who are true catalysts
and strategic leaders—have you laid off since COVID-19?
54. 5454
Why You Must Pay Attention to Talent Issues
In a talent market that has a shrinking
pool of skilled labor, where will employers
look for new talent? No one can afford to
passively wait until the right talent
appears. They have to proactively pursue
the people they need—and create an
environment that will draw them in.
55. 5555
Conclusion
There is much riding on your
ability to understand and
respond to the talent market—
and to know what it will take to
compete for great people.
56. 5656
Understand the Employees’ View of Pay
How do employees look at
compensation and why does your
pay offering matter to them?
57. 5757
6 Reasons Employees Care About Pay
Personal
1. Lifestyle & Wealth Accumulation
2. Career Measurement
3. Contribution Ambitions
Business
4. Roles, Expectations & Priorities
5. Partnership
6. Continuity & Fairness
58. 5858
Financial “Hierarchy of Needs”
Cash Flow & Living Standard
Risk Protection
Retirement Planning
Value-Sharing
Wealth Accumulation
Qualified & Executive
Retirement Plans
Comprehensive, Flexible
Benefits Plan
Short & Long-Term Incentive
Plans
Salary & Bonus
Wealth Multiplier Practices
Clear Pay Philosophy
1
2
3
4
5
60. 6060
You Will Need Both Agility & Stability
Create a rewards strategy that
is flexible and combine it with
an operational structure that is
enduring.
61. 6161
How Do Combine Flexibility & Structure?
Look at compensation
strategy as you would an
investment portfolio.
Individual pay
components are your
“asset classes.”
As things change, adjust
weighting of each asset
class.
62. 6262
Create a Balanced Pay Portfolio
1. Each compensation “asset class”
complements the others within the
“portfolio” and its role is clear.
2. The combination of pay components
reflects the company’s rewards
philosophy and respects the value
creation expectation.
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Eight Components of Pay
Benefits
Core benefits
Executive benefits
Qualified retirement plans
Supplemental retirement plans
Compensation
Salary
Short-Term Value-Sharing
Long-Term Value-Sharing
Equity Sharing
All incentives should be in the form of value sharing.
64. 6464
Salary
Performance
Incentives
Sales
Incentives
Growth
Incentives
Core Health
& Welfare
Plans
Executive
Benefit
Plans
Qualified
Retirement
Plans
Nonqualified
Retirement
Plans
Salaries
Competitive with market standards?
Tied to strong performance management process (merit)?
Managed within a flexible but effective structure?
Performance Incentives
Tied to productivity gains?
Clear, achievable and meaningful?
Self-financing?
Sales Incentives
Challenging yet achievable?
Reinforcing the right behaviors?
Differentiating your offering?
Growth Incentives
Linked to a compelling future?
Supporting an ownership mentality?
Securing premier talent?
Core Benefits
Responsive to today’s employee marketplace?
Allocating resources where most needed?
Evaluated to eliminate unnecessary expense?
Executive Benefits
Flexible enough to address varying circumstances?
Communicating a unique relationship?
Reducing employee tax expense?
Qualified Retirement Plans
Giving employees an opportunity to optimize retirement values?
Operated with comprehensive fiduciary accountability?
Avoiding conflicts and minimizing expenses?
Nonqualified Retirement Plans
Optimizing tax-deferral opportunities?
Aligning long-term interests of employees with shareholders?
Structured to receive best possible P&L impact?
A Balanced
Compensation
Strategy
65. 6565
Identify Ideal Allocation
High Variability,
Too Long-term?
Just Right?
Low Variability,
Too Short-term?
High
Low
Variable
Compensation
LongShort Timing
67. 6767
Build a Total Compensation Structure
A total compensation structure
gives you a comprehensive
view of all compensation and
benefit plans and ensures
operational integrity
69. 6969
Creating a Balance
Total Compensation Structure
Name Title/Position Tier Salary
Short-term
Incentive
Target
Long-term
Incentive
Target
Total Direct
Comp
H&W
Annual
Value
QRP
Annual
Value
Security
Plans Annual
Value
Total
Indirect
Comp TRI
Jason Smith CEO 1 $ 300,000 $ 120,000 $ - $ 420,000 $ 18,200 $ 8,000 $ - $ 26,200 $ 446,200
Lucy Jones VP Marketing 2 $ 210,000 $ 45,000 $ - $ 255,000 $ 16,200 $ 7,000 $ - $ 23,200 $ 278,200
Rick Miller VP Sales 2 $ 160,000 $ 85,000 $ - $ 245,000 $ 9,200 $ 6,000 $ - $ 15,200 $ 260,200
Janice Johnson CFO 2 $ 195,000 $ 40,000 $ - $ 235,000 $ 10,200 $ 5,000 $ - $ 15,200 $ 250,200
Maria York Director 3 $ 160,000 $ 10,000 $ - $ 170,000 $ 12,200 $ 4,000 $ - $ 16,200 $ 186,200
Frank North Director 3 $ 150,000 $ 10,000 $ - $ 160,000 $ 11,200 $ 3,000 $ - $ 14,200 $ 174,200
Ricardo South Director 3 $ 140,000 $ 10,000 $ - $ 150,000 $ 7,700 $ 2,000 $ - $ 9,700 $ 59,700
Simon Lewis Director 3 $ 130,000 $ 10,000 $ - $ 140,000 $ 8,700 $ 2,500 $ - $ 11,200 $ 151,200
$ 1,445,000 $ 330,000 $ - $ 1,775,000 $ 93,600 $ 37,500 $ - $ 131,100 $ 1,906,100
How are
these values
determined?
Why no LTI
to balance
the STI?
Should we be
addressing
these needs?
70. 7070
What Does It Tell You?
Total Rewards Investment (TRI) Allocation
TRI looks at each component of pay as a percentage of the total
Name Tier Salary STI% LTI% H&W% QRP% SP% TRI
Jason Smith 1 67.2% 26.9% 0.0% 4.1% 1.8% 0.0% $ 446,200
Lucy Jones 2 75.5% 21.4% 0.0% 7.7% 3.3% 0.0% $ 278,200
Rick Miller 2 61.5% 53.1% 0.0% 5.8% 3.8% 0.0% $ 260,200
Janice Johnson 2 77.9% 20.5% 0.0% 5.2% 2.6% 0.0% $ 250,200
Maria York 3 85.9% 6.3% 0.0% 7.6% 2.5% 0.0% $ 186,200
Frank North 3 86.1% 6.7% 0.0% 7.5% 2.0% 0.0% $ 174,200
Ricardo South 3 87.7% 7.1% 0.0% 5.5% 1.4% 0.0% $ 159,700
Simon Lewis 3 86.0% 7.7% 0.0% 6.7% 1.9% 0.0% $ 151,200
Salary STI% LTI%
H&W% QRP% SI%
71. 7171
Pursuing a Balanced Structure
Total Compensation Structure
Name Title/Position Tier Salary
Short-term
Incentive
Target
Long-term
Incentive
Target
Total Direct
Comp
H&W
Annual
Value
QRP
Annual
Value
Security
Plans Annual
Value
Total
Indirect
Comp TRI
Jason Smith CEO 1 $ 300,000 $ 75,000 $ 75,000 $ 450,000 $ 18,200 $ 8,000 $ 15,000 $ 41,200 $ 491,200
Lucy Jones VP Marketing 2 $ 210,000 $ 36,750 $ 36,750 $ 283,500 $ 16,200 $ 7,000 $ 10,500 $ 33,700 $ 317,200
Rick Miller VP Sales 2 $ 160,000 $ 60,000 $ 40,000 $ 260,000 $ 9,200 $ 6,000 $ 8,000 $ 23,200 $ 83,200
Janice Johnson CFO 2 $ 95,000 $ 34,125 $ 34,125 $ 263,250 $ 10,200 $ 5,000 $ 9,750 $ 24,950 $ 288,200
Maria York Director 3 $ 160,000 $ 16,000 $ 16,000 $ 192,000 $ 12,200 $ 4,000 $ 8,000 $ 24,200 $ 216,200
Frank North Director 3 $ 50,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 180,000 $ 1,200 $ 3,000 $ 7,500 $ 21,700 $ 201,700
Ricardo South Director 3 $ 140,000 $ 14,000 $ 14,000 $ 168,000 $ 7,700 $ 2,000 $ 7,000 $ 16,700 $ 184,700
Simon Lewis Director 3 $ 30,000 $ 13,000 $ 13,000 $ 156,000 $ 8,700 $ 2,500 $ 6,500 $ 17,700 $ 173,700
$ 1,445,000 $ 263,875 $ 243,875 $ 1,952,750 $ 93,600 $ 37,500 $ 72,250 $ 203,350 $ 2,156,100
We’ve
reduced the
STI targets.
But we’ve
balanced with a
LTIP (wealth
creation).
This can
strengthen
partnership and
improve retention.
72. 7272
A Better Balance?
Total Rewards Investment (TRI) Allocation
TRI looks at each component of pay as a percentage of the total
Name Tier Salary STI% LTI% H&W% QRP% SP% TRI
Jason Smith 1 61.1% 15.3% 15.3% 3.7% 1.6% 3.1% $ 491,200
Lucy Jones 2 66.2% 17.5% 17.5% 7.7% 3.3% 5.0% $ 317,200
Rick Miller 2 56.5% 37.5% 25.0% 5.8% 3.8% 5.0% $ 283,200
Janice Johnson 2 67.7% 17.5% 17.5% 5.2% 2.6% 5.0% $ 288,200
Maria York 3 74.0% 10.0% 10.0% 7.6% 2.5% 5.0% $ 216,200
Frank North 3 74.4% 10.0% 10.0% 7.5% 2.0% 5.0% $ 201,700
Ricardo South 3 75.8% 10.0% 10.0% 5.5% 1.4% 5.0% $ 184,700
Simon Lewis 3 74.8% 10.0% 10.0% 6.7% 1.9% 5.0% $ 173,700
Salary STI% LTI%
H&W% QRP% SI%
73. 7373
The 2020 Picture
Sample
Position
Salary Short-
TermValue
Sharing
Total Cash Flow
Impact
Plan A $110,000 $11,000 $121,000 $121,000
Plan B $100,000 $30,000 $130,000 $130,000
74. 7474
The 2021 (More Agile) Picture
Sample
Position
Salary Short-Term
Value
Sharing
Long-Term
Value
Sharing
Total Cash Flow
Impact
Plan A $100,000 $5,000 $20,000 $125,000 $105,000
Plan B $100,000 $0 $30,000 $130,000 $100,000
Plan C $80,000 $10,000 $40,000 $150,000 $90,000
77. 7777
How to Focus on the Future
Here’s our vision for the
future.
Here’s how we plan to
get there.
Here are our current
priorities.
Here’s the role we need
you to perform.
Here are the resources
you will be able to use.
Here’s our philosophy
about pay and rewards.
Here are the specific pay
programs you’ll
participate in.
Here’s how our pay
programs will work for
you if we achieve our
plan.
79. 7979
The 5Expectations
1. It Should Reward Value Creation
2. It Should Be Governed by a Clear Philosophy
3. It Should Help You Attract & Retain Top Talent
4. It Should Be Agile but Enduring
5. It Should Create Growth Partners
81. 8181
Digital platform for
building short and
long-term value
sharing plans
Efficient plan design
process
Affordable plan design
cost
Effective plan launch
material
Superior ongoing plan
management
83. 8383
Would you favor a
digital subscription
option that allows
you to build your
own plans on
BonusRight but with
VisionLink’s help?
Research Question
87. 8787
Take advantage of a one-half hour
consulting call with a VisionLink
principal at no charge.
Indicate interest on final survey.
Consultation Offer & Survey
Request a copy of our slides
and complimentary
consultation.
Please respond to research
question.
We value your input.
90. 9090
Today’s Presenter:
Ken Gibson
SeniorVice President
(949) 265-5703
kgibson@vladvisors.com
23201 Lake Center Drive, Suite 207 ⬧ Lake Forest, CA 92630 ⬧ 949-852-2288
www.VLadvisors.com ⬧ www.PhantomStock.com
ThankYou!
94. 9494
VisionLink’s Focus: Help Business Leaders Build and
Sustain a High Performance Culture
Accelerate performance through pay strategies that
transform employees into growth partners.
95. 9595
If you do that…
• Quality of talent will improve.
• Employee engagement will expand.
• Performance will be magnified.
• Business growth will be accelerated.
• Shareholder value will increase.
96. 9696
Today’s Presenter:
Ken Gibson
SeniorVice President
(949) 265-5703
kgibson@vladvisors.com
23201 Lake Center Drive, Suite 207 ⬧ Lake Forest, CA 92630 ⬧ 949-852-2288
www.VLadvisors.com ⬧ www.PhantomStock.com
ThankYou!