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When the Swiss Bank decided it would no longer tie the Swiss Franc (CHF) to the Euro, the value of the Swiss Franc skyrocketed, immediately impacting equity markets and foreign exchange traders. However, bankers were not the only ones affected by this move. The results of your global relative TSR plan could change as well. To find out why, read our latest expert insight.
Published: March 2015 Read Article ›
Global HR administration is hard work, especially when it comes to navigating the labyrinth of rules and regulations governing 13th and 14th month bonuses in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Fortunately, our colleagues in Aon Hewitt's Legislative Reporting practice have just published a fantastic summary of the global requirements you need to know.
This year, ISS is adding a number of factors to how it evaluates equity pay plan proposals beyond the cost of plan administration. Technology and life sciences companies, which often rely more heavily on equity for their overall pay mix at all levels of the organization, should be aware of how ISS's new scorecard approach could impact a favorable proxy vote.
A new digital economy has arrived in Germany, and its impacting every business sectors. Consequently, engineers are in high demand, but a shortage of talent is forcing companies to recruit from outside markets. Big differences in total compensation levels and pay practices across Europe, the United States and Asia mean German companies need to up their global benchmarking game.
Published: February 2015 Read Article ›
Radford's 2014 Severance & Change-in-Control Practices Survey provides detailed information on how technology companies treat involuntary termination and change-in-control (CIC) scenarios on an organization-wide basis. At their core, severance programs did not change dramatically since our 2011 survey; however, we still observed several meaningful trends worth noting.
Depressed by Western economic sanctions and a sharp drop in the price of crude oil, Russia's economy and currency have weakened considerably in the past few months. This dramatic change is prompting multi-national companies to consider quick adjustments to pay programs for employees in Russia. We recently surveyed clients to see how they are tackling this issue.
Published: January 2015 Read Article ›
In the January 2015 issue of WorldatWork's Sales Compensation Focus newsletter, Radford's Scott Barton discusses how key business metrics can be used to determine if your sales incentive plans are properly designed and functioning at maximum efficiency. Measuring the rate of change in sales costs vs. revenue growth is a simple step that can open up a world of insight.
The adoption of mandatory post-vest holding requirements is on the rise, yet disclosures relating to illiquidity discounts associated with this governance practice are often lacking. Companies that fail to appropriately address the methods and assumptions used to quantify discounts could soon face more scrutiny.
Companies often adopt mandatory post-vest holding requirements to achieve governance benefits, including the creation of a pathway for executives to meet ownership guidelines. However, holding periods, when designed to meet accounting standards, have significant potential to deliver valuation savings.
Although ownership guidelines and holding periods are increasingly common, few companies understand and take advantage of the full breadth of governance benefits associated with holding requirements. From building an ownership culture to enforcing clawbacks, there's more than meets the eye.
Mandatory post-vest holding requirements are a rare find; they allow companies to maximize their investment in equity compensation while being a good corporate citizen at the same time. From numerous governance benefits to reduced accounting costs, holding periods are worth the investment.
Although a majority of life sciences companies still have salary structures, it's no secret that the use of formal salary systems is on the decline. New research from Radford shows this trend in action, but also points to why it could start to slow down soon.
Published: December 2014 Read Article ›
Performance-based equity plans with Relative TSR metrics arrived in Europe well before they showed up in the US. As plan design practices begin to mature in the US market, it's time to take a fresh look at what we can learn from the European experience.
It's common knowledge that promotions lead to engaged employees. And while promotion rates at technology firms in the US are up, the same can't be said everywhere. New research from Radford explores promotion practices in China, India, the UK and the US.
For private technology and life sciences companies on the path to an IPO, does it matter when you hire a CFO? When it comes to their pay, the surprising answer is that it all depends on how you look at it. Read our latest article to find out why.
Published: November 2014 Read Article ›
When it comes to benchmarking pay, India is not an easy market. With shifting labor pools, highly uneven annual increases in fixed compensation, and stark differences in pay between local firms and multinationals, getting rewards right in India is a big challenge.
In this article, Radford's team in Europe conducts an in-depth, side-by-side comparison of big pharma equity practices in Europe and the US. The results reveal a few important similarities in equity strategy, and several striking differences, all of which point to new viewpoints on how best to attract and retain talent across the Atlantic with equity.
Published: October 2014 Read Article ›
While companies face intense outside pressure to reduce the costs of administering broad-based equity plans, new research from Radford indicates that high-performing biopharmaceutical companies are actually aggressive users of equity, both in terms of grant values and participation rates.
For more than 10 years, the pendulum of equity compensation strategy has swung firmly in the direction of RSUs and away from stock options. Now it's time to ask a few hard questions: Is this shift in strategy working, and who wins and loses?
Published: September 2014 Read Article ›
As the popularity of performance-based equity awards with relative TSR metrics surges, regulators, shareholders and proxy advisors are sure to pay closer and closer attention to plan disclosures. This article examines key disclosure requirements.
Published: August 2014 Read Article ›
There's more than one way to calculate percentile rank, and the methodology choices you make could have a big impact on the results of your next performance-based equity grant with relative TSR metrics. Read this article to find out why.
It might be hard to fathom in a world so often dominated by complex legalese, but taking a proactive, marketing-minded approach to communicating your executive compensation program is increasingly the safest way to travel in a rocky compensation governance landscape.
Performance-based equity awards with relative TSR metrics have a simple mission: to align managing-pay and performance. However, that doesn't mean the plans themselves are simple. This articles explores common design oversights and creative fixes.
The increasing prevalence of restricted stock and performance shares are changing the way stock awards are communicated. In this EMEA Market Insights article we explore what is being communicated around equity awards and the method to do so.
Published: June 2014 Read Article ›
As the European biotech market continues its revival, more companies are focusing on getting their "compensation house" in order. In this EMEA Market Insights article we examine the factors to consider when evaluating which equity plan is right for your company.
As evidenced by numerous media headlines this year, when it comes to adding or removing performance ratings, there is no right answer. Nevertheless, a growing number of companies are considering a move away from performance ratings and/or ranking. Before taking the plunge at your company, consider these five issues.
Published: May 2014 Read Article ›
Any experienced compensation professional will tell you, selecting the right market for talent (i.e., industry, region, and/or specific comparator group) is usually the first and last step in determining the success or failure of a meaningful compensation assessment. This is particularly true in countries like the UK, which feature global talent hubs like London.
As the global competition for technology sector talent reaches feverish heights, meaningful (and often overlooked) opportunities for labor cost differentiation exist within countries. This is particularly true in the UK, where regional differentials in pay for like technology jobs can easily range by +/-10%.
In the months leading up to an initial public offering (IPO), technology and life sciences companies often undertake a radical reimagining of their equity compensation programs. This process usually includes the adoption of new equity incentive and employee stock purchase plans.
Published: April 2014 Read Article ›