No more secrets. Owner Susan at Allied Plumbing & Heating has created transparent pay levels for the Techs and they appreciate the honesty and clarity. Now, they know what they need to do to move up the ladder. Pretty cool! (And, nice pic of the two of us on Ride Along Day last week!)
I’ve been playing with this idea for the last 20 years. The sealed envelope thing has permitted a lot of unfair play. What is the big secret? As an employee, everywhere I have ever worked, we knew what others made, even if it wasn’t fair and wasn’t openly discussed. It dawned on me that women wouldn’t be making 77% of what men make doing the same jobs if the salary and wage scales were transparent. I was deeply influenced by Jack Stack’s books The Great Game of Business and A Stake in the Outcome, too. What if we just got REAL about the compensation and bonus opportunities?
For starters, it may illuminate some inconsistencies and inequalities. Perhaps someone hit you up for a raise one day when you were feeling a bit generous, or desperate. And perhaps someone else, doing the same job, didn’t bring it up, so they didn’t get a matching raise. That’s how things can get out of balance. Sometimes it’s a matter of flat out sexism. Sometimes, it’s just the “squeaky wheel.”
For the last few years, I have been helping people implement better compensation and bonus program. A shout out to my pal and partner, Al Levi, who shares my beliefs and commitment to a fair and honorable way to pay, and who has taught me a lot about coupling technical, sales and operational training with the pay pathway. What we’ve found is that the sky doesn’t fall. A better way to pay increases trust. It builds respect and fair play.
Join me on August 26th for LIVE online workshop…How To Create A Winning Employee Incentive Program. You and me, we’ll cover the basics, and share some great tools to help you move from foggy to crystal clear when it comes to paying the great people who work for you.
xo$ Ellen
BTW…if you have ever said, “I just can’t find good people anymore,” you definitely want to come to the workshop. There are lots of great people in your market area. Men and women. Let’s help you connect with them.
