Are Companies Paying for HR Professionals to Advance?

While it's well understood that HR professionals’ career advance more easily with a PHR or SPHR certification, the impact had, until recently, been unquantified. As we previously reported in "Infographic: The Impact of the PHR and SPHR on Careers," PayScale researchers have made the value of gaining certification clear. Those professionals who hold a certification earn more money and get promoted faster. What's more, the advantage is seen in a variety of industries and locations. For the hard numbers, be sure to read the full report.

PHR and SPHR Certifications Boost Pay in Nearly All Sectors

No matter where you live or where you work, earning a PHR or SPHR certification means a higher average salary. That’s among the findings of the research behind PayScale’s new report “Worth It? The Value of the PHR and SPHR.” PayScale analysts looked at the median pay for a given job title and compared those that held either a PHR or the SPHR with those that did not. They then rolled up these values to analyze the impact of a PHR or SPHR on salaries in entire metros and industries. Across ten largest metros and ten of the most significant industries, holders of one of the two certifications on average make significantly more than those who do not.

Shifting HR Careers into Overdrive

In competitive job categories like HR, careers can often feel like they are stuck in the slow lane. The new PayScale report "Worth it? The Value of the PHR and SPHR" reveals that attaining a PHR or SPHR certification is a powerful way to break out and accelerate a HR career.  

Get the Edge You Need to Retain and Recruit the Top Talent

Did you miss PayScale's Talent Wars events? Well, now's your chance to get a taste of the insights and advice the attendees got. In the keynote presentation below, PayScale's Director of Professional Services Stacey Carroll provides strategic guidance for companies seeking to retain their top talent, as well as attract the people that will help their company hit key targets. Pour yourself a cup coffee, grab a notepad and get ready to learn.

Confessions of a Feminist on the Paycheck Fairness Act

It’s with a heavy heart that I realize that it is ok with me that the Paycheck Fairness Act didn’t pass the Senate. While I value equal pay, my beliefs about what needs to happen in order for that outcome to be achieved have to be balanced with my beliefs about the law and how businesses should be run.

The New Jobs Employees Want

When we were kids, our teachers told us that the jobs we'd have as adults didn't even exist yet. We of course they assumed they were referring to "Astronaut Princess" or "Professional Pony Namer." Unfortunately, those jobs haven't materialized. But some of the ones that have appeared instead are pretty cool -- plus, they pay well.

More Top Performers Plan to Leave

A recently released research study from Aflac reveals that not only are nearly half of employees looking for greener pastures, but that top performers are the ones most likely to be looking. This further reinforces the employer concerns about retention that PayScale identified in the 2012 Compensation Best Practices Report.

Social Media Policies Vary Dramatically

Social media is growing like gangbusters and companies are trying to figure out what to do about it. Which industries are leaders and which are laggards? The latest PayScale Infographic, based on data from the 2012 Compensation Best Practices Report names names.

Pros and Cons of the Paycheck Fairness Act

As you may know, the Paycheck Fairness Act recently failed to progress to a vote in the Senate. This legislation could have greatly impacted both employees and employers. It is intended to update the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and by extension the Equal Pay Act of 1963, by limiting acceptable reasons for differences in pay, increasing penalties for failing to meet standards, reducing small business exemptions and barring retaliation for the disclosure of salary information. Perhaps because of its potential to change so much, it is highly controversial.

Getting Performance Reviews Right

Performance Reviews: From Pain to Gain

Does anyone love performance reviews? They can cause anxiety for both the employee under review and the reviewer. PayScale compensation consultant Mykkah Herner argues that it doesn't have to be this way. Performance reviews can and should be a means to empower business, not a painful box-checking exercise.