In order to meet the specific needs related to a type of employee, such as sales positions or one type of compensation program, such as base pay, the Wilson Group has five primary practice areas:
sales compensation, executive compensation, variable compensation, base compensation and performance management/measurement.

This allows us to have flexibility in working with each client in one or more specialized program or with a type of employee.

Within each of the five practice areas, our approach includes development of reward strategies in alignment with our client’s strategic objectives. By creating a strategy that aligns the key success factors of your business with the rewards and incentives your company provides. Wilson Group has unique expertise in developing total reward strategies and systems that focus on the organization's key business drivers while building commitment. This results in increased shareholder and employee value, driving high performance for your organization.

Wilson Group's Capabilities = Your Competitive Advantage
Our powerful assessment tools, approaches to strategy formulation, and in-depth industry and consulting experience bring focus to each client and provide solutions to your company's unique compensation problems. We have worked with many leading high-performing companies to:

Assess existing programs and practices for gaining alignment and commitment. Identify critical gaps and assess how important filling these gaps will be to the organization. Establish a reward strategy that fits the unique requirements of the organization. Develop action plans to address priorities and needs that are long-term focused and short-term specific.

The sales function serves a critical role in determining the success of the commercial enterprise. Sales generate the revenues the organization needs to operate. The sales staff represents the organization in the marketplace and identifies the fit between customer needs and the organization's products and services. For many organizations, the sales staff is the critical link between the organization and its customers.

In high-performing companies, executives spend considerable time and effort to make certain the sales function is organized, staffed, trained and compensated in a manner that is consistent with the organization's strategy. There is alignment between the organization's needs and how the sales function operates. These companies use a well-defined sales process that creates a competitive advantage, such as the Science of Selling™ (provided by Sales Research Institute, a Wilson Group strategic partner). They are supported by sales information systems, such as Incentive™, which is available from Incentive Systems™ (another Wilson Group strategic partner). These actions result in a greater commitment to the goals of the organization and the ability to sustain market leadership.

The marketplace for strong sales talent is always highly competitive. However, it is often not just how well sales representatives are paid, but how they are rewarded that is critical to success. The organizations that are able to attract and retain desired talent understand what is important to their people and to the organization. They create opportunities for individuals to earn attractive rewards by demonstrating performance that supports the firm's strategy.

Collaboration Is Key to Success
We usually work in collaboration with representatives from throughout the organization - from sales, marketing, finance, operations and human resources departments. Together, we build systems that work. Because of this collaborative approach, the assessment and design process often reflects how the client wants the sales organization to work. The process focuses on key business drivers. It is success oriented and innovative. When we transfer knowledge to our clients, they become committed to successful implementation. In the end, our clients demonstrate their desired results in top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability. That is what winning is all about.

Variable compensation programs can be powerful mechanisms for linking an organization's strategy with desired actions. Whether the compensation is for teams or individuals, an entire organization or a specialized group, for short-term or long-term performance, delivered in cash incentives or stock options, it is critical to align what is needed with how it is rewarded.

Variable pay programs are increasing in most organizations. They are extending to lower levels, and their performance measures are becoming better linked to individual, group and organizational success. Organizations that use variable pay programs enjoy an effective competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Determining the Right Approach for Your Organization
The Wilson Group can identify what is needed for your variable pay programs to succeed. Our assessment tools and analysis can assist you in determining whether a variable pay program will have the desired impact on performance. We examine measurement systems, management support, performance management practices, culture and trust, and other factors that are essential for success. Variable pay is not appropriate for every organization. We will first advise you whether you should proceed. If we find that variable pay programs can work in your organization, we will work with you to develop them.

Customize the Program to Your Requirements
When variable pay programs are adopted from other organizations, they often fail. Each organization pursues different strategies, and has a unique culture and organizational requirements. Wilson Group works with key representatives from the organization to design variable pay plans that fit effectively within the organization. We serve as design experts, educators and facilitators for our clients. Our knowledge of - and ability to apply - tools, methodologies, benchmarking data and frameworks is based on the experience of successful companies. As a result, we create high-impact variable pay programs, while helping clients develop their internal capabilities to manage and improve them over time.

Equally, if not more important, than how much your executives are paid is how they are paid. This drives organizational alignment, improved performance and competitive advantage.

Executive compensation programs should be designed to answer questions such as:

1. What measures should be incorporated to ensure that executive interests are aligned with those of key stakeholders?
2. What is the correct mix between base, short-term and long-term compensation?
3. Are the programs, measures, and outcomes driving the executive actions and behaviors that you need to be successful?
4. How can the compensation levels be justified by the performance achievements of the organization?

The Wilson Group has unique expertise in aligning the executive compensation system with the strategy and key success factors of the business. Our powerful assessment tools, compensation designs, and in-depth experience bring focus to each client and provide customized approaches to your unique requirements.

Assess the competitiveness of total compensation packages for key executives, including base salaries, short-term incentives, long-term incentives and perquisites; Design short-term and long-term executive-incentive programs that are linked to organizational performance and aligned with key stakeholder interests; and Develop customized executive plans that communicate and reinforce critical goals and strategies.

A well-designed system for delivering competitive base pay to your employees is a key element of any effective reward system portfolio. While historically seen as a maintenance element or even a "necessary cost" of doing business, companies today realize that they need to demonstrate the value of this significant cost.

A focused, streamlined base pay plan can greatly enhance both the organization's operational effectiveness and its attractiveness quotient. Sound base pay tools and practices will provide a strong framework for integrating a variety of reward programs, including variable pay, recognition and performance management.

Organizations today share two conflicting realities:

• While competitive pressure to manage expenses is severely limiting base compensation budgets, wages and salaries remain one of the largest single operating line items - one that must be effectively managed.
• The growing economy and tight labor market has made attracting and retaining the best talent more difficult - and more expensive - than ever.

The Wilson Group assists companies in identifying and developing innovative ways to:

• Use limited salary dollars creatively;
• Respond to industry and geographic market trends and salary movement;
• Reflect both organizational values and employee needs;
• Increase the involvement and accountability of line managers to manage base pay;
• Keep the whole process simple to understand and administer; and
• Encourage development and expanding capabilities.

Determining the Right Approach for Your Organization
The Wilson Group works hard to understand your company - its unique business, culture, values and goals - beginning with an assessment and analysis process that helps us collaborate with you to determine the most appropriate approach to base compensation. We assist in defining your competitive market position, and internal pay trends and issues, while looking closely at your base pay delivery system to determine if it supports your company's direction.

We work jointly with management and other key individuals to build tools for describing, categorizing and quantifying the value of your jobs in relation to each other and to competitive markets. Our approach focuses on identifying and describing what you and your customers want and need from your employees. Then we construct systems in which people are paid effectively for "doing the right thing."

The Wilson Group's skilled, flexible and collaborative style will yield an approach to base pay that is based on these success factors in order to enhance the competitiveness, effectiveness and value of base compensation.

Employees know what they are responsible for and see how their work is linked to the broader strategy, goals and priorities of the organization. Managers help to translate company goals into individual actions, then provide people with the coaching and assistance to make them successful. People know how they are doing on a regular basis. They often receive and discuss frequent, ongoing feedback that indicates how they are doing. There are clear consequences to one’s actions. Positive consequences can be higher than average merit pay increases promotions, special bonus awards and other forms of non-cash recognition. Negative consequences can include performance warnings. The process is simple, supported by consistent tools and procedures that are legally defensible. The human resource department is not focused on compliance, but provides the tools, training and assistance needed for managers to fulfill their responsibilities.

What the Wilson Group offers:
Our collaborative approach to performance management goes beyond the simple view of this process as a training intervention. Rather, our approach builds commitment, utilizes tools that fit the style of the organization and develops programs as a means to increase understanding, commitment and excitement about the process. Therefore, we can provide our clients with:

• An assessment of their current programs and practices,
• A process to develop a performance management program to fit your unique requirements and style,
• A set of tools, adapted to the process, that provides assistance and consistency,
• Training of executives and managers in their custom developed process,
• Assistance with the implementation and monitoring of the progress and
• Recommendations on the technology needed to support the program over time.