2014 Vol. 98 No. 4

27 HќќѠіђџȱ юћјђџ ѝџіљ 2014 individual, departmental and/or bank-wide plans. The primary message to employees –žœȱ‹Žȱ‘ŠȱŠœȱ‹Š—”Ȃœȱ™›˜ęœȱ˜ǰȱ so goes their pay. A sales incentive program would also be part of any incentive plan considerations. Ž—ŽęœǯȱThe change in philosophy from merit-based to incentive-based compensation also changes the œ›žŒž›Žȱ˜ȱ‹Ž—Žęȱ™›˜›Š–œǯȱ ‘Ž›Žȱ can be more variables but, again, ™›˜ęŠ‹’•’¢ȱ›’ŸŽœȱ™Š¢–Ž—œǯȱ ˜›Žȱ organizations are establishing or converting retirement plans to 401(k) and/or ESOP arrangements, which ’›ŽŒ•¢ȱ›Ž•ŠŽȱ˜ȱ™›˜ęŠ‹’•’¢ǰȱ’Ÿ’—ȱ employees and management even more incentive to perform. Compensation structure. The following examples compare components of a typical meritbased and a typical incentive-based compensation plan. 0HULW EDVHG FRPSHQVDWLRQ (Example – See Chart 1.) Base salary: 100 percent (71 percent of total compensation) = $25,000 Ž—ŽęœDZȱřŖȱ™Ž›ŒŽ—ȱǻŘŘȱ™Ž›ŒŽ—ȱ˜ȱ total compensation) = $7,500 Bonus/incentive: 10 percent (7 percent of total compensation) = $2,500 Total compensation: 140 percent of base salary = $35,000 ,QFHQWLYH EDVHG FRPSHQVDWLRQ (Example – See Chart 2.) Base salary: 100 percent (65 percent of total compensation) = $25,000 Ž—ŽęœDZȱŘśȱ™Ž›ŒŽ—ȱǻŗŜȱ™Ž›ŒŽ—ȱ˜ȱ total compensation) = $6,250 Bonus/incentive: 30 percent (19 percent of total compensation) = $7,500 Total compensation: 155 percent of base salary = $38,750 It is important to remember that when an incentive-based program is well-designed, the bank will Ž¡™Ž›’Ž—ŒŽȱ’—Œ›ŽŠœŽȱ™›˜ęœȱ‘Šȱ will more than pay for the increase in employee compensation. Thus both employees and shareholders ‹Ž—Žęǯȱ ˜ȱŠŒŒ˜–™•’œ‘ȱ‘’œȱ˜Š•ǰȱ‘Žȱ bank needs to set levels of expected performance and only provide payments for performance above these expectations. Future considerations. Current trends in compensation indicate that: % Financial institutions are continuing to actively manage ‘Ž’›ȱ™Ž›œ˜——Ž•ȱŒ˜œœȱŠ—ȱœŠĜ—ȱ levels. % Organizations are reducing the number of positions, in part by increasing productivity levels and ‘ŽȱŽĜŒ’Ž—Œ¢ȱ˜ȱ˜™Ž›Š’˜—œǯ % Financial institutions are paying Œ˜–™Ž’’ŸŽȱœŠ•Š›’Žœȱ˜›ȱšžŠ•’ꮍȱ individuals. % Employees are paying more of ‘Ž’›ȱ‹Ž—ŽęȱŒ˜œœǯ % Increasingly, the industry is ˜ěŽ›’—ȱŸŠ›’˜žœȱ’—ŒŽ—’ŸŽȱŠ Š›œȱ to encourage higher levels of employee performance. Combined, these trends indicate that leaders of forward-looking banks are continually evaluating the methods by which they can enhance their operations, maintain a competitive ™˜œ’’˜—ȱŠ—ȱ‹ŽĴŽ›ȱ›Ž Š›ȱŽ–™•˜¢- ees for results. Well-designed performance-driven incentive compensaMERIT-BASED COMPENSATION STRUCTURE Bonus/Incentive 7% Benefits 22% Base Salary 71% Total Compensation: 140 percent of base salary = $35,000 2. Incentive-based compensation (Example) Base Salary: 100 percent (65 percent of total compensation) = $25,000 Benefits: 25 percent (16 percent of total compensation) = $6,250 Bonus/Incentive: 30 percent (19 percent of total compensation) = $7,500 Chart 1 INCENTIVE-BASED COMPENSATION STRUCTURE Total Compensation: 155 percent of base salary = $38,750 Bonus/Incentive 19% Benefits 16% Base Salary 65% Chart 2 &RQWLQXHG RQ SDJH

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