One of the key decisions employers must make is the level of compensation provided to employees. Compensation is a significant cost, and employees are one of the most important assets of the organization. It is important that the organization makes and executes good strategic choices. To facilitate this process, many organizations think systematically about its job structures for compensation and pay levels for different jobs. An organization's job structure consists of relative pay for different functions and different levels of responsibility. It defines, for example, the difference in pay between entry-level and management jobs, as well as different entry-level jobs in different departments, such as in production or accounting. Pay level is the average amount that an organization pays for a particular job and includes wages, salaries, and bonuses. Job structure and pay levels together form the pay structure, a policy that helps the organization achieve goals related to employee motivation, cost control, and the ability to attract and retain talented employees.
This activity is important because it will help you distinguish between the various factors that impact an organization’s pay structure. The goal of this activity is to classify decisions based on the factors used to establish a pay structure.
HR professionals develop pay structures for their organations based on such factors as legal requirements, company goals, and market forces. Drag each item into the appropriate column on the chart.
1. Equal pay for equal work
2. National compensation survey
3. Product markets
4. Benchmarking
5. Equitable pay rates
6. Child labor laws
7. Federal minum- wage laws
8. Overtime pay
9. Retention of talented staff
10. Trends in labor markets
11. Company cost centers
A. Legal Requirements
B. Organizational Goals
C. Market Forces