Compensation Trends for Comp Professionals

The legislative lowdown: February 2026

Connecticut is moving closer to salary ranges in postings and Illinois wants variable pay in job ads. Meanwhile, Denmark and Italy are moving ahead on EU Pay Transparency Directive compliance. Read all about it in this month's legislative lowdown.

News to know: February 2026 labor market and pay legislation update

As 2026 moves into its second month, employers continue navigating a labor market defined by measured hiring, moderate wage growth, and expanded pay transparency enforcement. Below are the latest labor market signals from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the most important pay-related legislative developments shaping compliance in early 2026.

Remote work doesn't actually improve job satisfaction

Remote work doesn't make employees more satisfied with their jobs. That's the counterintuitive finding from new research. Remote workers report higher satisfaction not because of flexibility, but because they work for companies with stronger workplace cultures and better pay. The remote premium is a selection effect, not a location effect.

Pay transparency laws for employers: compliance is cheaper than the "trust tax"

Pay transparency fines are P&L line items. The real cost is the "trust tax." The millions spent on top talent loss, fixing a damaged reputation, and higher recruitment costs. Compliance is cheaper than the fallout. Here's why smart employers comply.

Why compensation and HR decisions are so tricky in 2026

Is this the age of economic re-enlightenment? Companies planning for growth while cutting costs? Our panel of experts sits down to discuss this, AI adoption in compensation, and why HR needs to bring better data to the boardroom.

Payscale's Compensation Best Practices Report: HR finds its footing in "The Year of Strategic Alignment"

AI skills won't get you a raise. The labor market crashed in 2025 and comp budgets are shrinking. Yet 68% of executives now view compensation as a strategic lever. Payscale's Compensation Best Practices Report reveals what's working (and what's not) in this new era of comp.

Job growth evaporated in 2025. How should HR respond?

Job growth evaporated in 2025, but the January 2026 jobs report showed unexpected strength. Should HR look to cut comp costs or gear up for hiring? In this uncertain market, guessing is dangerous game. Here's how to prepare for both scenarios.

The Legislative Lowdown: January 2026 pay transparency updates

Pay transparency laws stuck to their New Year's resolutions better than you did. The EU Pay Transparency Directive deadline looms, Virginia's HB 1164 returns, and Ontario just flipped the switch. Here's your January compliance update.

News to know: January 2026 labor market and pay legislation update

As 2026 begins, employers are navigating a labor market characterized by slower hiring and cooling wage growth, alongside a steady drumbeat of pay transparency and wage compliance changes. Below are the most important labor market signals from the latest federal releases and the key pay-related laws that took effect on January 1, 2026.

The cost of living vs wages in the US: what every employer must know in 2026

Why don't raises feel like raises? Because you're measuring the cost of labor while employees fret about the cost of living. Ten years of inflation and wage growth reveal the gap, and what HR leaders should do about it.

2026 top HR and compensation priorities and predictions from Payscale leaders

A summary of what’s in, what’s out, and what’s next from the latest Comp and Coffee episode 125 with Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist

Total rewards statements: communicating pay the easy way (with templates and examples)

Turn that modest 2.5% pay increase into an impressive 8% total rewards hike without spending an extra penny. Total rewards statements show employees what they're actually earning, not just what hits their bank account.

Compensation trends: Modern perspectives on pay

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