The hottest Compensation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

The job market is a market

Wednesday Wisdom • 123 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
💼 Business Employment Market Trends Compensation Labor relations Corporate culture
  1. The job market is just like any other market. Companies offer certain salaries and benefits to attract workers, but this can change based on demand and supply.
  2. When times are good, companies provide great perks to keep talent, but when the market shifts, they can cut back on salaries and benefits.
  3. It's important for job seekers to understand their worth in the market but also to be flexible when conditions change. Being aware that the job landscape can vary will help in making better career choices.

The Curious Case of the Pearl Jam Posters

Webworm with David Farrier • 10299 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Artists Posters Compensation Design Creativity
  1. An artist was asked to make posters for a Pearl Jam tour but was offered an unusual form of payment.
  2. There were mixed reactions from artists who had similar deals with bands like Pearl Jam, with some feeling undervalued.
  3. The case raises questions about fair compensation for artists and the value of their work, sparking a conversation about artist payment standards.
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Unpacking what it means to be an interim leader.

Elena's Growth Scoop • 766 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💼 Business Career growth Compensation
  1. Interim roles offer flexibility for both employers and employees in fast-changing industries like tech.
  2. Finding an interim role may not be as straightforward as finding a full-time position, but it can be converted from existing opportunities with a specific focus or through a contract-to-hire approach.
  3. Compensation for interim roles should consider benefits, be a mix of cash and equity, and aim to match or exceed full-time market rates for specialized expertise.

💰 Stock-Based Compensation Explained

How They Make Money • 707 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
💰 Finance Investing Stocks Compensation Performance Metrics
  1. Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) is a remuneration strategy where companies reward employees with equity interests.
  2. SBC affects investors through ownership dilution, alignment of interests, and impact on company performance.
  3. There are different types of SBC such as stock options, restricted stock units, and performance shares, each with unique characteristics and implications.

Special Delivery

The Radar • 119 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
💼 Business Work Environment Leadership Compensation Corporate culture Employee Development
  1. Companies tend to become challenging places to work as they grow bigger, often losing sight of the importance of trust and human connection.
  2. Balancing leadership, management, and administrative duties is crucial for organizational success. Executives must prioritize transparency and authenticity to maintain a positive culture.
  3. Having genuine values and treating employees with respect is more impactful than merely pretending to have values. Transparency and fair treatment are key to retaining a motivated workforce.

Compensation for Startups: Designing Your Compensation Philosophy

Lessons • 255 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
💼 Business Compensation Philosophy Startups Performance Implementation
  1. Designing a startup's compensation philosophy is crucial when the company reaches around 50 employees.
  2. Compensation decisions impact people's lives, perpetuate bias, and affect a startup's financials.
  3. Key principles for designing a compensation philosophy include market-based pay, formulaic approach, and pay for performance.

Contribute to Supernuclear (we'll pay you!)

Supernuclear • 279 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
💼 Business Community Living Content creation Compensation Case Studies
  1. The Supernuclear newsletter is looking for submissions about coliving experiences, paying up to $250 per submission.
  2. They are specifically interested in case studies about coliving communities, living near friends or family, tips and tricks for shared living, and disaster tales.
  3. Submissions must be original, high quality, and based on direct experiences with coliving or living near friends.

Your guide to sales compensation & PLG

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 631 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
💼 Business Sales Compensation Software companies SaaS
  1. Sales compensation design involves understanding company goals, seller profiles, and using compensation to drive desired behaviors.
  2. Components of a sales compensation plan include OTE, base salary, variable comp, quota, quota attainment, and more.
  3. When designing a sales compensation plan for a PLG business, consider business goals, roles needed, best practices, and behaviors to incentivize.

A Kick in the Teeth

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 29 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Compensation Leadership Organizational Culture Employee Relations
  1. Amazon shocked managers with a pay freeze despite record profits and successful quarters, damaging trust and morale.
  2. The pandemic revealed the dedication of Amazon managers, who now feel undervalued due to frozen pay based on share price fluctuations.
  3. Amazon's leadership actions risk eroding trust and confidence, raising questions about their motives, behaviors, and commitment to mutual benefit.

Why Did the Tesla Board Attempt to 'Ratify' Musk's Obscene Options Package Instead of Granting a New One?

lawrence’s Substack • 36 HN points • 13 May 24
💼 Business Finance Law Tax Compensation Corporate Governance
  1. The Tesla board attempted to 'ratify' Musk's 2018 options package instead of granting a new one due to legal challenges and potential losses for the company.
  2. Creating a new stock options grant for Musk would lead to massive expenses for Tesla and put the company in financial jeopardy.
  3. Musk does not want a new package as the prospects for Tesla's stock price growth have diminished, making a new reward less appealing, and also resulting in potential tax issues for him.

Universities need to deal with trainee compensation

Science Forever • 159 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🚌 Education Compensation Unionization Higher Ed
  1. Universities are facing challenges regarding the compensation of their trainees, leading to unionization efforts.
  2. Graduate students are advocating for fair compensation as they contribute significantly to research efforts and are considered full-time employees.
  3. The financial strain on universities due to demands for better compensation for graduate students is a significant issue in higher education.

The Price Anderson Suicide Pact

Gordian Knot News • 161 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
💰 Finance Insurance Nuclear power Compensation
  1. In the US, the response to nuclear accidents is governed by the Price Anderson Act and American tort system
  2. The Secondary Financial Protection under Price Anderson can lead to mandatory post-casualty assessments on nuclear plants
  3. INPO, a self-regulation inspection service, influences the safety culture of nuclear plants by focusing on preventing costly accidents

Compensation for Startups: Implementing and “Defending” Your Compensation System

Lessons • 58 implied HN points • 05 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups Compensation Implementation Philosophy Management
  1. When implementing a compensation system for startups, focus on simplicity to ensure sustainability.
  2. Establish centralized control to maintain the integrity of the system and avoid potential errors.
  3. Key steps for initial implementation include creating/updating leveling system, designing compensation philosophy, and mapping employees to new levels and bands.

Salaries, Staffing, and School Sizes

SFEDup • 58 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🚌 Education Staffing Salaries Compensation Programs
  1. San Francisco Unified School District employs more certificated staff per thousand students compared to most other districts in the state.
  2. San Francisco has the smallest elementary schools and highest percentage of small schools among Bay Area districts.
  3. San Francisco spends more on teacher compensation than most districts, primarily due to employing more teachers and providing benefits to retired teachers.

Golden Handcuffs[Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 21 May 22
💰 Finance Compensation Stocks Incentives Investing Financial Analysis
  1. Golden handcuffs are financial incentives designed to keep employees with a company for a specific period by offering benefits like stock options.
  2. Companies use golden handcuffs to retain good talent, align employee incentives with company success, and when cash flow is limited.
  3. Considerations when dealing with golden handcuffs include potential stock value fluctuations, public vs. private company shares, and evaluating companies for true value amidst market hype.

023. Startup equity: The obvious, yet often-bungled way to motivate employees

Safe For Work (SFW) • 7 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Employee Motivation Leadership Compensation Management
  1. Employees often undervalue their equity in startup companies, leading to a lack of motivation and missed opportunities for potential financial gain.
  2. Startup leaders need to openly and honestly discuss equity with employees to help them understand its value and make informed decisions about their compensation.
  3. Engaging with the emotional aspects of equity and providing guidance on how to value it can lead to better employee motivation, productivity, and retention in tech startups.

Why Must You Pay Sales People Commissions?

Dan’s Substack • 2 HN points • 19 Apr 24
💼 Business Sales Compensation Company Culture Employee Motivation Organizational Behavior
  1. Salespeople being paid commissions is a common practice, but it can lead to various recurring problems like high turnover and internal disputes.
  2. Research suggests that higher incentives, like commissions, can actually reduce performance in some cases, which is a counter-intuitive result.
  3. The debate over sales commissions reflects two different views of worker motivation: Theory X, where employees are seen as lazy and need external rewards, and Theory Y, where workers are viewed as self-motivated and thrive on autonomy.

✅ Monday briefing: Met comms slammed, employee culture, reputation of PR, pay gaps, hidden salaries, AI strategy, NHS backlash, foodbank fundraiser, and more...

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 04 Oct 21
💼 Business Public Relations Corporate strategy Media Studies Compensation
  1. Companies need to pay attention to employee culture. Red flags include high turnover rates and excessive working hours, indicating issues within the organization.
  2. Salary transparency is important, but many companies avoid sharing salary information. This practice can contribute to pay gaps and employee dissatisfaction.
  3. There's a growing focus on the role of AI in business strategy. Governments are starting to invest in AI technologies to support economic growth and address skills shortages.

How should we deal with copyright and AI?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Copyright Training Compensation
  1. Copyright issues arise with AI training models because of the potential use of copy-protected content by generative AI providers.
  2. Fair use is a complex concept involving the balance between free speech, copyright protection, and the implications for AI training.
  3. An economic argument suggests that balancing creator rights with AI innovation can be achieved through a system that compensates content creators for lost profits due to AI use.

🔅 Should the Star of Africa Shine in the UK this weekend?

baobabnewsletter • 0 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🌍 World Politics Colonialism Heritage Independence Conflict Compensation
  1. There is debate on whether the Star of Africa, a 530-carat diamond in the UK, should be returned to South Africa.
  2. The diamond is part of historical colonialism and holds cultural significance for South Africa.
  3. Opinions are divided, some call for the return as a symbol of heritage, others believe it's no longer relevant.