Pay conversations, freshly brewed
HR and comp leaders are under pressure: tighter budgets, new transparency laws, and rising expectations from every direction. Our podcast brings you expert insights so you can step into every pay conversation with clarity, confidence, and a plan.
Want to join us on the mic?
Let’s talk: coffee@payscale.com
Want to join us on the mic?
Let’s talk: coffee@payscale.com
Meet the host and community
Whether you’re an HR leader navigating pay transparency laws or a comp pro trying to get buy-in for better data, Comp and Coffee is your go-to resource for real talk, practical tips, and expert insights.
Ruth Thomas
Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist at Payscale, has spent more than 30 years helping organizations around the world modernize their pay strategies. As the co-founder of Curo Compensation and a recognized leader in pay equity, Ruth knows the hard conversations and practical solutions that move the needle—and she brings that experience to every episode.
What's trending
What's in and out for HR and compensation in 2026: Predictions, opportunities, challenges
HR and compensation leaders are facing a new set of challenges and opportunities in 2026. From new pay transparency laws to AI-driven decision-making, the landscape is shifting fast. This episode unpacks what is in and what is out for the year ahead and explores the trends that will define the future of work.
Lost in translation: How HR, finance, legal, and leadership can finally speak the same language about pay
Everyone agrees that pay matters. What they don’t agree on is what it means.
HR sees fairness. Finance sees cost and ROI. Legal sees compliance. Leaders see performance. Each perspective is valid, but when they compete instead of align, pay decisions lose clarity and managers are left translating mixed messages.
In this episode of Comp and Coffee, Ruth Thomas sits down with Hannah Beaver, Director of Compensation at Trilogy Health Services, and Kim O’Grady, Compensation Supervisor at Designer Brands, to explore how organizations can turn pay into a shared language—one that builds trust, alignment, and credibility from the C-suite to the front line.
When pay research speaks: What HR and compensation leaders need to know now
In this episode of Comp and Coffee, Ruth Thomas sits down with Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer at Sapient Insights Group, and Amy Stewart, Payscale’s Manager of Content & Research, to unpack how HR and compensation leaders can turn data into strategic, defensible decisions.
We explore the latest research on HR systems, compensation trends, and the growing role of AI in pay and talent management. Stacey shares insights from the 28th annual HR Systems Survey, highlighting the tension HR leaders face between driving growth and managing costs, navigating workforce shifts, and understanding mid-market versus enterprise trends. Amy provides a sneak peek at Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report, including pay increase trends, “peanut butter” pay practices, and strategies for retaining top talent while controlling costs.
