Compensation Trends for Comp Professionals

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

Hiring may be picking up, but the workforce landscape is anything but settled. May’s News to Know covers early labor market recovery signals, the growing backlash against AI-driven layoffs and corporate benefit cuts, and key pay legislation updates. Here's what compensation and HR leaders need to know heading into June.

EU pay transparency directive FAQs: What employers need to know before compliance begins

The EU pay transparency directive is reshaping how organizations approach pay equity, reporting, and transparency across Europe. Following Payscale's webinar with leading pay transparency experts, we've compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions from HR, compensation, and legal professionals navigating compliance. Learn what the directive requires, who it applies to, key deadlines, reporting obligations, employee rights, and practical steps organizations should take now to prepare.

Winning over the CFO: 3 ways to convert comp from cost to catalyst

Sometimes CFOs treat compensation as a line item instead of the strategy that it is. To reframe the conversation, use fresh data, business outcomes, and continuous compensation so that it transforms from a cost to a catalyst.

Payscale Peer surpasses major milestone

The gap between when the market moves and when your data catches up is where comp teams lose. Payscale Peer, composed of real compensation records sourced directly from HRIS systems, has just passed 10 million incumbents, giving compensation professionals the ability to walk into leadership meetings with numbers they can stand behind.

The legislative lowdown: May 2026

The EU’s pay transparency rollout has hit delays, while Virginia, Maine, and Connecticut push ahead with new salary transparency laws. For employers, the message is clear: compliance timelines may shift but pay transparency expectations continue rising globally. Read more.

Why Peanut Butter Pay Increases and Job Hugging Are a Dangerous Combination

Across-the-board pay increases may feel fair, but paired with job hugging, they create hidden workforce risk. Learn what the data says and how to build a smarter salary strategy.

Payscale Smart Reporting: Transform compensation teams from admins to advisors

A compensation professional's guide to moving beyond peanut butter pay increases, focusing on how small HR teams can prioritize raises, retain top performers, and communicate total rewards without breaking the budget.

Smarter total rewards strategies for small organizations with tight budgets

A compensation professional's guide to moving beyond peanut butter pay increases, focusing on how small HR teams can prioritize raises, retain top performers, and communicate total rewards without breaking the budget.

2026-2027 Salary Budget Survey is now open for participation

Payscale's 2026-2027 Salary Budget Survey is now open. Share your 2026-2027 pay increase plans and get free data on merit, COLA, and salary budgets.

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

Hiring may be picking up, but the workforce landscape is anything but settled. April’s News to Know covers early labor market recovery signals, the growing backlash against AI-driven layoffs and corporate benefit cuts, and key pay legislation updates. Here's what compensation and HR leaders need to know heading into May.

Payscale Compass: measuring compensation effectiveness beyond retention rates

HR teams that rely on retention as a proxy for organizational health are flying blind. The reckoning will come when the job market opens back up. Learn how compensation data — and Payscale Compass — gives HR teams a clearer, more actionable read on workforce health.

Compensation is becoming more distributed

At WorldatWork Total Rewards, Payscale's Breakfast Briefing made one thing as clear as crystals: pay decisions don't fail because of bad intentions. Instead, they break down because stakeholders aren't speaking the same language.

Compensation trends: Modern perspectives on pay