Should I give my people raises to match rising inflation?
Questions are submitted by our Workest readers. Sign up to ask an HR question of your own, and to contribute to the conversation
We know inflation is affecting many employers and employees right now. David Watson, Product Marketing Manager at Zenefits, shares what you need to know about inflation — and advice for how to handle pay accordingly.
1. The state of inflation and the talent market
The annual rate of inflation in the United States hit 6.8% in November 2021, the highest in more than 3 decades, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Payscale’s 2022 Compensation Best Practices report found that 85% of organizations are concerned about rising inflation and 76% of organizations experienced labor shortages or difficulty attracting talent in 2021.
2. Approaches to compensation
With talent so hard to come by and inflation so high, should you increase compensation to retain your current employees and attract new ones? Some organizations raised their minimum salaries at the beginning of 2022, while others chose not to. Companies have also opted to give bonuses to account for rising inflation.
3. Metrics to monitor
The best approach will depend on your situation. David recommends paying attention to a few metrics to guide your decision. First, keep an eye on the Consumer Price Index, which is a measure of the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of goods and services. Additionally, track your company’s attrition rate and identify trends. If you notice certain roles or departments are more impacted than others, you can act accordingly.
For more help addressing compensation in light of inflation, watch the video below.
What do you think? Join The Conversation
Please login or Register to submit your answer
Recent People Operations Questions
-
What are some strategies to manage employees who work virtually?
Dec 05, 2022
1 answers
-
What are some workforce trends I should be aware of as I plan for 2023?
Oct 21, 2022
1 answers
-
How do people fit into the idea of ’emorational’ decisions?
Oct 21, 2022
1 answers
-
What should I be thinking about if I’m looking to expand my workforce globally?
Oct 21, 2022
1 answers
Most read stories
Where do I mail my tax returns? That depends on your location. Here is our guide to each IRS mailing address, based on your state.
When designing a paid time off policy or managing PTO requests, take this List of Federal Holidays into account
An employee handbook can be crucial in building a positive workplace culture and employee loyalty, but they’re not easy to write. That’s why we’re breaking down the process for you and offering you 7 employee handbook examples.
Separating an employee is never easy — for the worker or the HR staff member. The challenge is to conduct the meeting in a professional way that not only protects the rights of the business, but those of the employee as well.
This website provides general information related to Zenefits services and related laws and best practices. This content and Zenefits employees do not provide legal advice. While we strive to provide useful general information applicable to the majority of our readers, we do not - and cannot - provide legal advice specific to your company and your situation. Already a Zenefits customer? Enjoy on-demand HR Advisory Services for all your HR and compliance questions. If not, learn more here.
