A Better Way to Align Pay, Performance

In 2020, amid the vast economic uncertainty from Covid-19, CEO total pay levels were mostly unchanged year-over-year, with lower cash compensation partially offset by equity grants. As we look ahead and consider how the pandemic will affect pay levels for 2021, we anticipate three trends.

The study offers total compensation figures as well as details on base salaries and incentive-related elements of a typical compensation package.

The pandemic has made omnichannel and digital expansion an urgent priority for traditional retailers.

How does the board keep the magic alive as the company matures? How does the organization keep talent engaged when financial incentives become less effective? How do you keep competitors—whether established or upstarts—from coming for your now-proven talent?

The pandemic and other developments have changed the landscape for corporate behavior and strategy. Executive compensation must adapt accordingly for companies to capture fresh opportunities and overcome new challenges.

Stay competitive with your Director Pay decisions to attract the best talent and avoid criticism.

Semler Brossy Consulting Group has conducted a comprehensive, ten-year study on publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) pay programs. The study explores how pay trends have moved and changed over time, emerging practices, and the forces driving the changes.

Many business thinkers have criticized corporate “short-termism” that discourages crucial long-term investments in intangible capabilities. Executive pay programs get much of the blame, as even “long-term incentives” last only three years, with the goals for each year’s tranche reset annually.