5 Main Takeaways from… Our Equitable Compensation Structures Working Group

How do you make your organization’s compensation structures more equitable? On July 5, 2023 a group of SVP Investees, Alumni and Staff came together for a virtual discussion about just that. Knowing that this topic isn’t one that is talked about often, nor one that easily allows for creativity and freedom to explore “outside the box”, we opened up the conversation so each participant was able to share their thoughts on things organizations can consider to make each step in an employment relationship more equitable. The purpose of the session was to create a space for leaders and those in HR roles in our SVP community to share freely amongst their peers. While we can’t sum up the entirety of this incredibly generative discussion in one brief blog, below are 5 main takeaways from the conversation. 

Pre-employment

1. Rethink your job posting

The employment relationship begins long before the first day on the job. Something that was previously seen as taboo is actually now an emerging best practice: listing salary (ranges) and full compensation packages with your posting. One reason for this is that it shows prospective employees that the organization understands that they may have to take salary and overall compensation into consideration prior to spending time applying for the role. 

When it comes to where to post the opportunity, it is important to post in a wide variety of places to ensure that it’s getting seen! While resources in non-profit organizations are always limited, it is important to carve out a budget for job postings, as posting only to free sites can leave an organization at a disadvantage, not accessing a larger pool of applicants. 

2. Create a more equitable, accessible interview process

Job applications can be a full-time job in and of themselves, and most applicants are seeking new employment while continuing to do their current job. By offering multiple interview timing options (both during and outside of standard working hours) an organization can help make the process more accessible.. Additionally, compensating applicants for their time for interviews or assignments can help to ensure that they can offer their best in the application process, while also feeling assured that the organization they’re considering working with values their time. Lastly, traditional interviews suit a certain type of applicant who can perform under pressure and think quickly on their feet. If this is not a skill required for the role, a more welcoming process can include asking applicants for their accessibility needs, sending applicants the questions and interview format in advance, providing the option to elaborate upon an answer or ask further questions in the days after the interview has taken place. 

Employment

3. Lean on external experts and your team to evaluate compensation structures

Growing Chefs Co-ED’s shared about their work with Talent Collective to evaluate their compensation offerings and job descriptions, with the goal of accurately compensating for the work being done. Some of their learnings that were shared with the working group included involving staff in the creation and regular updating of job descriptions and decision making processes. 

4. Think big, start small

It may not always be possible to revamp an organization’s pay structure in one fell swoop. Taking a staged approach can be a more effective way to make changes within the organization, and is often more palatable to Boards. Adding perks to overall compensation like unlimited sick days, shifting to a 4 day work week with full pay, or employer paid benefits packages can help move the organization in the right direction and help with retention if offering a higher wage is not currently within reach. 

Layoffs and Termination

5. Keep the end in mind from the start

Layoffs or terminations are never fun and can be very uncomfortable for everyone involved. Ensuring that these moments are navigated with a human-first approach and leaving space for emotions can help the process go as smoothly as possible. Long before the layoff or termination stage however, the best way to ensure that the news doesn’t come entirely as a surprise is to provide clear expectations from the beginning, and to have ongoing communication throughout the employment relationship.

We are grateful for such rich and complex conversation! The solutions laid out above have been put into practice by organizations in our community. Organizations implementing equitable HR practices are reporting higher job satisfaction numbers and retention within their teams. 

All respondents to our post-event survey said they learnt something new from this discussion. We look forward to continuing to offer these forums that allow leaders in our SVP community to come together and speak openly on topics that are relevant to their roles. 
If you are a current SVP Investee or Alumnus leader interested in joining the Leadership and/or HR working group, or any of our other working groups, please reach out to Selma or Candice.