2026 Proxy Policy Pulse: A Glance at Glass Lewis Changes
Glass Lewis Pay-For-Performance Overhaul Glass Lewis has announced a significant overhaul of its Pay-for-Performance (P4P) model, set to take effect for shareholder meetings beginning in 2026. First disclosed in early summer 2025, these changes mark a substantial shift in how executive compensation alignment is evaluated. In anticipation of the new framework, Zayla has prepared a […]
Long-Term Incentive Plans in Private Companies
Long-term incentives (LTI) use within private companies continues to grow in prevalence. According to WorldatWork, the prevalence of LTIs in private companies increased from 35% in 2007 to 62% in 2019. This increase in prevalence makes sense given the paralleled trend we’ve observed in public company disclosures which noted an increase in LTI award values […]
How to Design Effective Annual Incentive Plans
At Zayla, we believe variable pay programs are essential tools for aligning a portion of employee compensation with organizational and individual performance. When thoughtfully structured, they help to motivate employees, drive business results, and retain top talent by linking pay to near-term performance outcomes. This is why understanding the key components and market best practices […]
Navigating Tariffs, Economic Uncertainty, and Market Volatility in 2025
Avoiding Compensation Whiplash in 2025 In today’s volatile market, businesses are grappling with unprecedented challenges that are affecting businesses at nearly every level – including one of the largest company investments and expenses: compensation. From tariffs and geopolitical risks to labor market shifts, inflation, and stock market volatility, companies are experiencing what can be termed […]
2025 Energy CEO Compensation Trends (Updated June)
Zayla recently completed an expansion of its previous analysis highlighting CEO pay trends in the energy industry based off data from the 2025 proxy season. Company Universe Zayla analyzed compensation data from 183 companies that filed either a DEF14A or a 10-K filing as of June 4th, 2025. Forty three companies were omitted from the […]
How to Solve Energy Industry Compensation Challenges in 3 Steps
How To Solve Your Energy Compensation Pains in 3 Easy Steps In today’s energy industry, compensation challenges seem to be the largest frown face on the pain chart. Given the dynamic pressures facing boards and management teams, it’s easy to understand why this is the case. Combine a tight labor market, especially for engineering talent […]
Current Trends & Future Insights of Executive Compensation for 2025
Zayla recently had the opportunity to provide a “State of the State” briefing to members of WorldatWork on all things executive compensation. The presentation spanned both current trends and future considerations – we thought we’d share some key takeaways for your benefit: Compensation Philosophy There is empirical data that concludes that articulate a compensation philosophy […]
E&P CEO Compensation Trends
Operators in the oil and gas industry today face a range of challenges, from criticisms to their pay governance, to negative commodity prices, to states trying to raid company profits in the name of climate change. The result is an industry environment where market volatility, political tensions, environmental concerns and an in-flight consolidation wave are […]
Compensation Packages in Today’s Market
Crafting an effective total rewards strategy is no easy task. This is especially true in today’s competitive environment where employees have continually challenged companies to reconsider their approach to designing compensatory offerings that will attract, retain, and motivate the very best talent available. At Zayla Partners, we specialize in helping our clients navigate the intricacies […]
Navigating Long-Term Incentive Plans For Private Companies: Key Considerations
As businesses evolve, so do their compensation strategies. It may be challenging for some private companies to attract and retain top-tier talent, and that’s why long-term incentive plans play a pivotal role. The idea is clear: offer a market-competitive long-term incentive that enhances the retention and motivation of the recipient over the long-term all while […]
Factors To Consider In Executive Compensation For IPOs (2024)
Companies transitioning from private to public status typically face the pivotal task of transforming executive compensation structures. This shift is not merely a procedural change but a strategic maneuver to align with public company market norms. The overarching goal is to retain and motivate the leadership team that possesses deep institutional knowledge of the company. […]
Size & CEO Pay
Size & CEO Pay Part 2 in series: “What Matters in CEO Pay?” Size matters. Both company size and CEO pay size matter a lot! While this doesn’t seem like a wild statement, this fact gets tested over and over, most recently with one of the most widely- known executives in the world, Elon Musk, […]
Energy Compensation Survey
Zayla Partners Acquires ECI Energy Compensation Survey January 19, 2024 Executive compensation consulting firm Zayla Partners announced today that the firm has acquired Effective Compensation Inc., a leading energy industry compensation survey company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. “ECI Owner & CEO, Terry Isselhardt, has developed the gold standard of quality compensation data & analytics for the energy industry over […]
Compensation Committee Considerations 2024
At this time last year, 72% of CEOs were expecting a recession in 2023. While the circumstances underlying that prediction have evolved (hypergrowth and hyper-inflation have tapered off), and the Russell 1,000 has returned 18.3% YTD. In short, the market is volatile and predictions are difficult!Over the past year, as we have worked with our […]
Nonprofit Compensation Primer: What You Should Know
Compensation in the nonprofit sector remains a topic of keen interest and occasional debate. Many assume that working for a cause should mean lower salaries and little to no incentive opportunities. However, the reality is that competitive compensation is critical to attracting and retaining talented professionals who can make the most significant impact. This post […]
What Matters in CEO Pay?
1st of a Multi-Part Series Is CEO pay back in the crosshairs of the President of the United States? One could infer such a position after President Biden’s recent visit to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike where he jumped in the picket line alongside union workers who are striking in protest for more pay […]
The Essential Guide To Conducting A Compensation Analysis
In an increasingly competitive job market, the need to attract and retain the best talent is a top priority for any company. One of the key factors that potential employees consider when evaluating job offers is compensation. Organizations should validate that their offerings are both market competitive and internally equitable. These two characteristics will lead […]
Telling the Compensation Story Through Reported and Realizable Executive Compensation
Executive compensation is a hot topic in the corporate governance world. The discussion and evaluation of the fairness of executive pay practices has ramped up considerably since the arrival of Dodd-Frank, evolving as investor expectations and disclosure trends among public issuers have changed. Last year, the SEC finalized disclosure rules on how companies should communicate […]
CEO to NEO Pay Index Matters
When we conducted a three year (2019 – 2022) pay and performance comparison of the top ~2,000 public companies (by market cap), we found CEO pay that was too far removed from the other named executive officers (NEOs) resulted in an inefficient relationship between the amount of compensation delivered and shareholder return generated. Specifically, companies […]
Solving Compensation Whiplash
Compensation Whiplash ™ – the movement of compensation up and/or down so rapidly it gives you a headache. The recent labor market has hit HR/Compensation departments with a nasty concoction of variables – unprecedented labor market volatility, commodity price swings, hyperinflation, the great resignation, silent resignations, remote work, DEI, and 5 generations working together at […]
Executive Retiree Incentive Challenges
Solving the Incentive Compensation Challenges in Executive Retirements In collaboration with WorldAtWork’s Workspan Magazine, Zayla’s CEO (Chris Crawford) and Managing Partner (Ian Keas) wrote this article regarding executive retiree compensation. What used to be golden handshakes for retiring executives, along with the retirement parties and going-away gifts – have increasingly become executive and board wrestling […]
Steps to Pay Equity
Pay Equity Is More Than A Buzzword In Today’s Workplace. Pay equity is the practice of paying employees equally for equal work, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics. Studies have shown that companies with pay equity are more profitable, have higher employee morale, and are better able to attract and retain […]
Client Alert – CLAWBACK Update
An Update on Executive Compensation Clawbacks Back in October 2022, the SEC adopted final rules detailing listing standards for “Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation” – or more commonly known as “clawbacks.” The rules, implemented 12 years after the passing of Dodd Frank, are summarized for reference. In an interesting turn of events, the SEC, after […]
2023 Energy Company First Filers Analysis
It was a great year!
Incentive Plan Decision Making
While Pay versus performance disclosures will headline most executive pay stories, the real cruxt of the matter is designing pay + performance programs. Many public, private and not for profit company boards and management are asking how to set pay for stretch and who should design the incentive plan mechanics. We provide simple guiding principles. […]
SEC’s Pay Versus Performance – 2023 Early Impressions
SEC’s Pay Versus Performance – 2023 Early Impressions As we head into March and the start of proxy season, the SEC’s newly required Pay Versus Performance disclosures are front of mind for many that deal with compensation and corporate governance. The Commission just recently released some *timely* clarifications on their rules, called Compliance & Disclosure […]
2023 Compensation Committee Priorities
2023 Compensation Committee Priorities A recent poll conducted found that 98% of CEOs expect a recession in 2023, although there is little agreement on the duration or severity. While economic uncertainty will be an influencer of compensation committee meetings and decisions on executive pay throughout 2023, there are a number of priorities Compensation Committees may […]
A New Currency: Work From Home
A New Currency in the Compensation Toolbox: Work From Home If necessity is the mother of invention, then the COVID pandemic is the mother of a new compensation currency: Work From Home (WFH). The Evolving Compensation Toolbox The total compensation toolbox has evolved rapidly over the last 30 years. For most of the 20th century, […]
What Job Seekers are Looking For
What Job Seekers Are Looking For Job seeker preferences are shifting – with candidates now indicating that the right salary/benefits takes priority over other elements (like the flexibility of remote work) when considering a new role. That’s the headline from a recent survey conducted by Sense, an AI-driven solutions provider for enterprise recruiting, which polled […]
Future State of Remote Work
Future State of Remote Work A recent study conducted by Gallup found that as pandemic-related restrictions have eased, so has the prevalence of fully remote work for “remote-capable” employees. With Gallup estimating 70M+ full-time employees in the US capable of working remotely, and the current tightness in the labor market, how companies define the “workplace” […]
North America ‘enthusiasm gap’ about ESG’s
North American ‘Enthusiasm Gap’ About ESG’s According to an Oxford and Protiviti survey conducted over the second quarter, North American business leaders lag leaders from other countries in their views on the importance of ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) on business success over the next decade. While recent assessments of ESG in executive pay have found a range of practices […]
Pay VS Performance Disclosure Rules
Pay VS Performance Disclosure Rules The SEC adopted new pay vs performance disclosure rules on August 25. We have provided commentary on these new rules and in particular, we predict the following may be natural outcomes: The new disclosures will take additional time and lengthen disclosures. Most companies will likely report the new disclosures in […]
Recession-Proof Compensation Strategies
Strategies for a Recession-Proof Compensation Plan The Market Background The stock market is down approximately 22% year to date (S&P 500 and Russell 2k) and US GDP has dropped in the last two quarters. By many economists’ measures, this defines the beginning of a recession. And while recessions and higher unemployment typically go hand in […]
SEC Executive Compensation Clawback Rules
SEC Compensation Clawback Rules It took 12 years post Dodd Frank and a 3-2 political party divided vote, but the SEC has finally adopted new clawback rules. Here is an early summary, and for those who love the details, see the full release below. Full Rules Release Summary: Recovery of Erroneous and Excessive Executive Compensation […]
The Times, They are a Changin’ for Compensation Committees
Sitting on a board is no picnic. The primary responsibility for board members has evolved from its focus as a shareholder fiduciary over the last few years. In addition to this role, public, private and nonprofit boards must now also share the company’s responsibility to be a good community partner through environmental, social and governance […]
2023 E&P Bonuses – Strong Payments Ahead
2023 E&P Bonuses – Strong Payments Ahead As the end of August nears, companies are wrapping up Q2 FY 2022 earnings reporting, summer breaks are winding down, and company leaders are turning their collective attention to what needs to be done to close out FY2022 and prepare for FY2023. 2022 has been an eventful year […]
How to Choose a Compensation Consultant
With unemployment holding at record lows – but a potential recession sitting over the horizon – companies are faced with a tricky paradigm: be able to attract, retain and motivate their workforces in the current “war for talent”, but stay agile enough to be able to respond to potential future macro challenges. To help chart […]
New Executive Stock Sales Rules are Coming!
Heads up! New rules are coming for executive stock sales. The new “companion” rules appear to be changing in tandem due to a recent Wall Street Journal article that uncovered executives who were taking advantage of existing rules to gain advantages on well timed stock sales. One SEC rule change is pending in regard to […]
Review Those Peer Groups
“We look for compensation programs that drive sustainable value for a company’s investors in a way that links pay with performance relative to peers.” This excerpt is from an article published on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance by John Galloway, Head of Investment Stewardship at Vanguard, Inc. Given current volatility in the […]
Getting IPO Pay Right
It has been a hot 18 months for companies going public in the US. Since January 2021, US exchanges have added 1,151 new companies to their ranks. What has not been as hot is the performance of these new companies since going public. The average return to date is negative -19%, with only 8% of […]
Employee Retention During Hyperinflation
How to Retain and Attract Employees During Periods of Hyperinflation You Are the Company You Keep By Chris Crawford, CEO & Founder of Zayla Partners | June 15, 2022 A hyper leap in the costs of goods and services does not immediately translate into increased compensation. The supply and demand of labor is the key […]