Expert Perspective
by Edie Kingston
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April 5th, 2010
Expert Perspective by Grahall’s OmniMedia Editorial Board
April 1, 2010 was not just April’s Fools Day but also National Census Day, the day that the US Census Bureau wanted all Americans to use “as a point of reference for sending your completed forms back in the mail”. This prompted our Editorial Board to consider what some of the important questions are that companies should be asking themselves to move forward during these challenging economic times.
Surely, the number 1 question on that list for many companies is: How can we increase our revenues, profits and customer base? At Grahall, we see a better way of phrasing this question as: “How do we motivate and incent employees and executives to increase revenues, profits and customer base?”
Continue reading “10 Questions That Can Help YOU Move Forward” »
Filed under: Expert Perspective
Tags: Total Rewards Strategy
Expert Perspective
by Edie Kingston
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November 2nd, 2009
Expert Perspective by Grahall’s OmniMedia Editorial Board
The caffeine must have kicked in by the time Grahall’s Expert Perspective from Grahall’s OmniMedia Editorial Board
The Editorial Board took up a discussion around the article Reuters by Ross Kerber published on October 22, 2009 (More Americans plan to delay retirement). Of no surprise to anyone who hoped to retire on their 401(k) investments, Kerber shares: “More Americans plan to delay retirement following steep drops in the value of their savings accounts, data from several new surveys show.”
Continue reading “From Here to Eternity” »
Filed under: Expert Perspective
Tags: Total Rewards Strategy
Expert Perspective
by Edie Kingston
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October 12th, 2009
Expert Perspective by Grahall’s OmniMedia Editorial Board
As Bloomberg’s Peter Eichenbaum shares (in his September 24, 2009 article “American Express Plans to Reverse Compensation Cuts“) “American Express Co., the credit-card issuer that repaid the U.S. bank bailout program, plans to reverse compensation cuts imposed seven months ago because the economic outlook has improved. Annual merit increases and contributions to retirement plans will resume in January, and a 10 percent salary reduction for managers in the senior vice president ranks and above will be rescinded, according to a memo from Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault to employees.”
That announcement likely put smiles on the faces of many American Express employees. And as a public relations move it might also have eased some investors’ minds with its suggestion that American Express’s financial outlook has improved. But we wonder if the “same dance in the same old shoes ” really is the right step for American Express? Is the company missing a great opportunity?
Continue reading “Same Dances in the Same Old Shoes – The Eagles” »
Filed under: Expert Perspective
Tags: Job Postings, Pension Plans, Total Rewards Strategy
Announcements
by Tom Roth
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October 10th, 2009
Grahall invites you to participate in the 2009/10 Survey of Business, People and Total Reward Strategy Changes
Grahall’s Tom Roth says: “Many of our clients and friends have begun to ‘re-think’ their organization’s reward programs for 2009 and 2010. For most firms the first phase (the last 6 months) was directed towards continuation of cutting costs ‘across the board’ in an effort to respond to the turbulent economy. Many now are entering the next phase of restructuring / realigning / renewing them in order to more effectively position their organization’s Business and People Strategies in anticipation of economic recovery. This research study is designed to take an in-depth look at the immediate past, and more importantly, to capture plans for the future.”
Claudia DeFrancisco, survey coordinator, says: “After we collect and analyze the data, participants will receive a summary report of this study at no cost. Be assured that responses to this survey will be held the strictest confidence, and that your firm’s data and responses will not be disclosed to anyone.”
The survey will take just a few minutes to complete; it is organized in 5 brief sections:
• Environmental and Organization Profile
• Stakeholder Influence Profile
• Business Strategy
• Recession-Related Changes to People Strategy
• Rewards Strategy and Recession-Related Changes
Click here to participate in the survey contact Claudia DeFrancisco at claudia.defranciso@grahall.com,
If you have questions about the survey please contact Tom Roth at tom.roth@grahall.com or Claudia DeFrancisco at claudia.defrancisco@grahall.com
Filed under: Announcements
Tags: survey, Total Rewards Strategy
Announcements
by Edie Kingston
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October 1st, 2009
You are cordially invited to participate in a new study by Grahall on:
Business, People and Total Reward Strategy Changes Survey:
A Study on Recovery Driven Rewards Supporting Business and People Strategies After a Recession
This research study is unlike any other:
o It looks at how companies are approaching the next phase of restructuring / realigning / renewing their rewards programs to more effectively position their organization’s Business and People Strategies in anticipation of economic recovery.
o It is designed to take an in-depth look at firms’ the present rewards structures, but more importantly, it is designed to capture rewards program plans for the future.
Detailed results and findings from this study will be summarized in a written report, which will be sent to survey participants at no cost.
To participate in this study or to download a free version of the previous study’s key findings, please contact Claudia DeFranciso at claudia.defranciso@grahall.com.
Filed under: Announcements
Tags: Business Strategy, People Strategy, Total Rewards Strategy
Announcements
by Tom Roth
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August 31st, 2009
As early signs of recovery appear on the horizon, many of our clients are beginning to “re-think” their rewards programs. Recognizing this, Grahall has initiated a groundbreaking Total Rewards Research Study. We invite you to participate. And if you do so, you will receive the summarized results for free.
Continue reading “Don’t Miss this Opportunity” »
Filed under: Announcements
Tags: Economic recovery, Total Rewards Strategy
Expert Perspective
by Edie Kingston
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August 23rd, 2009
Expert Perspective by Grahall’s OmniMedia Editorial Board
We expect that The Washington Post article by Brady Dennis and Tomoeh Murakami Tse, “Pay Czar Quietly Meets With Rescued Companies” presents a simplified version of the work that Pay Czar Kenneth R. Feinberg has undertaken to determine “…executive compensation at seven companies that received large government bailouts.” The article says: “For each company, [Feinberg] will have to assess the role individual employees play and their ability to generate revenue.”
There are far more dimensions to executive pay than just those two mentioned: role and revenue generation.
Continue reading “To the Rescue” »
Filed under: Expert Perspective
Tags: Executive compensation, pay czar, Total Rewards Strategy
Newsfeeds
by News Monitor
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August 18th, 2009
Published in Thomasnet.com August 18, 2009 By Ilya Leybovich
In an unstable job market, compensation rates can be as volatile as job security. How are managers restructuring compensation, and what changes can employees expect to see in salaries and benefits?
Link to full article.
Filed under: Newsfeeds
Tags: employee pay, recession, Total Rewards Strategy
Expert Perspective
by Michael Dennis Graham
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August 3rd, 2009
Expert Perspective by Grahall’s Michael Dennis Graham
In her July 27, 2009 Wall Street Journal article titled “U.S. Pay Czar to Rework Contracts Deemed High”, Deborah Solomon says: “The role of the government in setting pay is reaching a pivotal moment. Seven banks and industrial companies that received significant bailouts must submit proposals for their compensation packages by Aug. 13: Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., American International Group Inc., General Motors Co., Chrysler Corp., Chrysler Financial and GMAC Financial Services Inc.”
Missing from most if not all of the discussion surrounding this issue is an acknowledgement of the business cycle in which these troubled companies find themselves. The fact that these firms are part of the government bailout is a big hint. They are “troubled companies.” In our lingo that business cycle is called “turnaround.” And, perhaps the most important consideration when developing a compensation program for a turnaround company is that the right compensation structure tends to be counter-intuitive.
Continue reading “The Tail Wagging the Dog” »
Filed under: Expert Perspective
Tags: Executive compensation, Total Rewards Strategy, turnaround
Grahall in the News
by Edie Kingston
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July 12th, 2009
Published in SHRM June 19, 2009 by Stephen Miller
Rewards are the most powerful way to motivate employees to accomplish business results, especially, when they are aligned with business strategy,” says Michael Graham, a consultant at the Grahall Research Institute, a research firm and consultancy. But according to Grahall’s newly released Total Rewards Strategy Alignment Study, most U.S. companies say their pay, benefits and rewards programs are not meeting their business needs.
Link to full article.
Link to Grahall’s Total Rewards Strategy Alignment Study
Email Michael Graham at michael.graham@grahall.com
Filed under: Grahall in the News
Tags: Total Rewards Strategy
April 1, 2010 was not just April’s Fools Day but also National Census Day, the day that the US Census Bureau wanted all Americans to use “as a point of reference for sending your completed forms back in the mail”. This prompted our Editorial Board to consider what some of the important questions are that companies should be asking themselves to move forward during these challenging economic times.