How to Choose a Compensation Survey Partner for Nonprofits

Are compensation budgets holding steady… or getting stuck? 💰 According to Mercer’s latest U.S. Compensation Planning survey, most companies are projecting flat increases for 2026 — around 3.1% for merit and 3.5% for total salary. We are hearing these s What’s behind the caution? 👉 20% of U.S. companies say ongoing economic uncertainty will significantly impact compensation decisions. 👉 Nearly 90% report that budgets are still preliminary, meaning there’s potential for adjustments before year-end. We’re seeing this firsthand with our clients — many are taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach — and we’re hearing it from candidates, who prioritize stability and long-term growth over big salary jumps. Take a look at this article for the full breakdown — and I’d love to hear your thoughts: how are you approaching compensation planning heading into 2026? ⬇️ ⬇️ : https://loom.ly/PA3XULc #talentstrategy #compensation #salarybudget #compensationplanning

Autumn Budget 2026: What does it really mean for finance leaders? With rising employment costs, a likely increase to the National Minimum Wage, and new compliance pressures from the Employment Rights Bill, this year’s Autumn Budget could significantly reshape workforce planning and cost forecasting. According to Hays’ latest insights, 77% of employers still plan to hire in 2026, but over half expect to revise their hiring strategies due to cost pressures. For finance leaders, that means balancing growth ambitions with tighter margins, and potentially rethinking how teams are structured. 📌How are you planning to adapt your workforce strategy in light of these changes? 📌 Are you leaning more on temp/contract models, or doubling down on retention and upskilling? 👉 Read the full breakdown here: 2026 Autumn Budget: What Every Employer and Professional Needs to Know #FinanceLeadership #AutumnBudget2026 #CFOInsights #WorkforcePlanning #HaysUK

Pay transparency isn’t coming. It’s here. 14 states already require employers to post pay ranges, and 10 more are close behind. The shift is happening faster than most realize, and it is reshaping how small employers, including dental practices, compete for talent. Between staffing shortages, rising costs, and patient care demands, compliance can feel like one more burden to manage. But when candidates are already comparing offers by pay and transparency, staying silent on compensation isn’t just risky. It’s a missed opportunity. When you define and communicate pay ranges with intention, you set clear expectations, build internal trust, and attract people who value integrity and structure. Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve: 👉 Build or audit your pay structure. If one exists, evaluate it against reliable local data. If not, create a structure that aligns with your roles and business goals. 👉 Define your ranges. Create internal consistency so employees see fairness, not favoritism. 👉 Document your framework. Ensure pay decisions are consistent, explainable, and defensible. 👉 Communicate the right information to your team. Transparency starts within. Share enough to build confidence and trust in how compensation is handled. Pay transparency isn’t the enemy of small practices. It’s a competitive advantage for those willing to embrace it. Don't know where to start? We simplify compensation so you can focus on what matters most.

Gen Z is reshaping the rules of work — and pay is just the starting point. In a new Newsweek article, Compt CEO Amy Spurling shares her perspective on how younger workers are challenging traditional expectations around salaries, flexibility, and meaning at work. Their message is clear: compensation matters, but so does how work fits into life. Read the full piece: https://hubs.li/Q03RpwP80

There was a time when pay wasn’t supposed to be openly discussed. Once upon a time, pre the rise of Glassdoor, TikTok, Reddit, LinkedIn (and locally - MalaysianPAYGAP); employers were able to hold most of the cards. Pay is seen as a "management tool", and secrecy helped preserve managerial power. The thinking around compensation is "labor cost management" rather than "talent optimization." The goal is simple: minimize cost, maximize output. I also realized many local business owners - both small and large - believe that employees don't need to know about how pay is decided and distributed because if they did, they would cause trouble. Fairness is suppose to be defined by the company, not by shared understanding. But the tide is turning: -It is less 'taboo' now to talk about pay. -Trust in institutions are in decline. -Acquiring and retaining the right people in the current talent landscape is more challenging than ever. That's probably why Mercer’s Global Pay Transparency Report says 57% of companies worldwide are actively assessing the competitiveness of their pay structures and WTW’s 2025 Pay Transparency Report found that 86% of organizations are already sharing, planning to share, or considering sharing pay-range information with employees and external applicants. Here's what I think most people miss: pay transparency isn't a threat - it can be a "thrust" for companies. We want more from people: performance, ownership, effort - and transparency is one of the cleanest ways to get it. When employees can see the rules of the game clearly, they might stop spending energy wondering if the game is rigged - and that reclaimed energy can flow back into the business. BUT ... transparency does not justify being "purely transactional." It's not as simple as "Well, now that I pay more, I can demand more." It might be surprising to hear, but money alone doesn't make everyone engaged. (Even if that is what they are demanding) Don't underestimate the other "levers" in your benefits arsenal such as giving meaning, growth, well-being, recognition and autonomy. Provide people with what they actually value, not what we think they would appreciate - that's where great organizations pull ahead. Here's what I think helps: 1. Publish clear salary bands internally. -Show how progression works. Clarity reduces noise. Noise kills performance. 2. Conduct annual pay-equity reviews. - Not just gender — but role, tenure, function, performance. 3. Train leaders to talk about compensation confidently. - Most managers handle these conversations poorly because they aren't properly equipped for it. 4. Build benefits around actual needs, not assumptions. - Ask your people. Sometimes the most valued benefits cost the least. 5. Anchor transparency to a performance narrative. -Make it clear: “We expect high performance — and we’re committed to fairness, clarity, and support.” Both truths can co-exist. This is a #FactFriday post.

Pay hasn’t changed in 60 years and it’s costing employees dearly. Almost everything in life has become instant and on-demand except pay. 📊 More than half of UK employees say money worries affect their work. 💳 1 in 4 adults are financially vulnerable. 💸 UK households paid £84.5bn in interest last year just to bridge the gap between paydays. It’s clear: the traditional monthly pay cycle isn’t just outdated. It’s holding people back. Aslan is helping to accelerate pay into the 21st century. That means rethinking not just how much people earn but how and when they access it. James Gozney has been talking to HR magazine on this subject: https://lnkd.in/eYQ4Dwq5 #FinancialWellbeing #Payroll #HRInnovation #EmployeeExperience

Doing more with less sounds admirable… until you’re actually living it. This year, I lost 50% of my payroll administrators to a reduction in force. The work didn’t shrink with the team, it just shifted to fewer shoulders. Payroll doesn’t stop for staffing changes. People still need to be paid accurately, taxes still need to be reconciled, and compliance deadlines don’t shift just because headcount does. So we do what payroll professionals always do: we find a way. We absorb more. We work longer hours. We double-check everything because mistakes affect people’s livelihoods. But here’s the one thing I know for sure. Doing more with less can’t be a long-term strategy. It leads to burnout, turnover, and loss of institutional knowledge that’s hard to replace. Payroll teams are some of the most resilient professionals out there. We’ll rise to the challenge (we always do), but organizations need to recognize the cost of “leaning out” critical functions like payroll. As we head into year-end, I know I’m not the only one staring down the chaos with a smaller team and the same (if not higher) expectations. To everyone in payroll making it happen — I see you. We may be fewer in number, but our impact remains the same: keeping the organization running, one paycheck at a time.

Today’s the day - Massachusetts Pay Transparency is officially here. Starting October 29, 2025, employers with 25 or more Massachusetts-based employees are now required to include salary or hourly pay ranges in all job postings, and to share those ranges with employees upon request or during promotions. This legislation, officially titled “An Act Relative to Salary Range Transparency,” isn’t just another compliance box to check. It’s a reflection of where the workplace is heading: toward clarity, equity, and trust. From a recruiter’s perspective, this shift brings both challenge and opportunity: ➡️It challenges organizations to take a closer look at their compensation strategy and internal equity. ➡️It creates an opportunity to differentiate, because transparent, data-driven pay practices build credibility with both candidates and employees. At The Nagler Group, we’ve already begun helping clients align job postings, compensation frameworks, and messaging to reflect not only compliance but culture. Pay transparency isn’t just about numbers; it’s about trust, alignment, and leadership. How your organization approaches this change will say a lot about your values and the kind of employer you strive to be. If your team is navigating how to adapt, benchmark, or communicate these changes effectively, let’s connect - we’re here to help. 📧drolli@naglergroup.com 📖 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ezu4KQiX #PayTransparency #Massachusetts #HRStrategy #Recruiting #Compensation #Leadership #TheNaglerGroup #BostonHR

A transparency I have personally communicated to leaders and companies I serve, the median is a point in time and a generalized direction - not the strategy. With moving targets and varying degrees of talent, be mindful, be purposeful, be intentional, and be transparent with the behind the scene mechanics (who, what, where, WHY???). Be objective, be fair, but most importantly - be consistent and communicative.