How you arrived here

• Tell me briefly why you reached out about compensation work right now
• Which event or trigger made compensation a top priority this quarter Options: Turnover of key roles, Recent pay equity finding, New business strategy or target markets, Post-merger or acquisition, Proxy advisor scrutiny or investor questions, Other
• When did this issue first surface in a way that required executive attention Options: Within the last month, 1 to 3 months ago, 3 to 6 months ago, 6+ months ago
• Who on your team is most frustrated by the current state of compensation, and why
• Which outcome would make you feel this engagement was a clear success to bring to the CFO and board Options: Defensible market ranges and bands, Clear remediation plan for pay equity issues, Incentive plans aligned to new strategy, Cost-neutral redesign options, Faster hiring in target roles, Other

Where the current system actually breaks

• What single failure in your current compensation approach would make you stop and say we must change it now
• Walk me through a recent example where compensation decisions created visible problems for hiring, retention, or leadership trust
• How often do you see offer slippage where candidates accept competitors despite matching your offer Options: Very often, Often, Occasionally, Rarely, Never
• Which parts of your total rewards (base, short term incentives, long term incentives, equity, benefits) feel most misaligned with your business strategy Options: Base pay, Short term incentives, Long term incentives or equity, Benefits and perks, Job leveling and titles, Other
• If nothing changes with your current approach over the next 12 months, what specifically do you expect will get worse

Who notices first and who pushes back

• Which stakeholder group complains first when compensation causes problems, and what do they say Options: Line managers, HR business partners, Finance/CFO office, CEOs or business unit heads, Employees through Glassdoor or internal channels, Board or compensation committee
• How do your people leaders currently justify pay decisions in promotion or hiring conversations Options: Benchmarks and ranges, Manager discretion only, Pre-set approval gates, Mix of benchmarks and discretion, Not documented
• Who owns the final sign off for changes to pay structure and incentive design Options: CHRO or Head of Total Rewards, CFO, Compensation Committee, CEO, Shared governance
• Which approval or governance step would stop the project if it was missing or withdrew support

Does the data you have tell the real story

• What HR systems currently hold the job and pay data we would need to analyze Options: Primary HRIS, Payroll system, Compensation planning tool, Spreadsheets only, Other
• How clean and consistent is job title and level data across your systems right now Options: Well standardized, Mostly standardized with exceptions, Highly inconsistent, Unknown
• Who on your team can grant data access and run exports for incumbents, compensation, and performance data
• How quickly could your team provide a complete anonymized compensation dataset if we need it for pay equity analysis Options: Within 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, 4 to 8 weeks, Longer than 8 weeks, Not sure
• Which data gap, if not closed, would make it impossible to run the analysis you want

What the board and finance actually require

• What reporting or documentation would the compensation committee expect before they approve a new structure Options: Benchmarking tables and sources, Cost impact model, Pay equity analysis and remediation plan, Implementation timeline, Governance and approval steps, Other
• How would the CFO judge whether a redesign is affordable or a budget risk
• Which metric would convince your executive team that pay changes are working, retention or performance or something else Options: Turnover reduction, Offer acceptance rate, Pay equity gap closure, Total compensation spend as percent of revenue, Performance outcome tied to incentives, Other
• If the recommended pilot proved the expected results, what would have to happen for you to sign a full engagement that week

What alternatives are you actively weighing

• Which external options have you evaluated or are still considering to solve this problem Options: Another compensation consultancy, Boutique specialist firm, Large HR consulting practice, Compensation data vendor only, No external option yet, Other
• Who is your incumbent external partner for compensation or reward work, if any Options: We have an incumbent adviser, We have used project consultants ad hoc, We have no incumbent, Prefer not to say
• What would need to be true about your current in-house approach for you to decide not to hire an outside partner
• Has anyone inside proposed solving this without an outside vendor, and if so who proposed it and what was their plan
• Which risk or downside of changing providers or approaches worries you most Options: Loss of continuity, Data security or privacy, Cost overruns, Implementation disruption, Board pushback, Other

How you want outcomes framed for senior leaders

• What language or deliverable will most move your board and CFO, detailed cost models or high level executive summaries Options: Detailed cost and modeling decks, Executive summary with key charts, Both detailed and summary deliverables, We need templates for the board pack
• What is the one decision the board needs to make after seeing our work
• Who will be the executive sponsor that we should plan to brief regularly
• Which cadence for governance reviews would be acceptable starting during implementation Options: Weekly working sessions, Biweekly milestones, Monthly executive check ins, Quarterly steering committee

Readiness to commit and practical constraints

• What single operational constraint would block this project from starting on your preferred timeline
• Which third party systems must we integrate with for a successful implementation Options: Your HRIS, Payroll provider, Compensation planning tool, Performance management system, None
• How many full time equivalents can you dedicate to partnership tasks like workshops, data preparation, and approvals Options: 0.5 FTE, 1 FTE, 2-3 FTEs, 4+ FTEs, Unsure
• Are there regulatory or legal approvals that could delay access to pay or employee data Options: Yes, major approvals required, Yes, routine legal review, No known approvals required, Unsure
• Who will own data security and privacy sign off on our access and analysis
• If your data cannot be provided in the requested timeframe, what alternative would you accept to keep momentum Options: Sampled dataset, Pilot in a single business unit, Synthetic data for modeling, Delay start date

The other practical questions we must answer

• Which geographies and employee populations must be included in benchmarking and pay equity work Options: Single country, Multiple countries, Global population, Exempt employees only, All employees
• How many unique job families or job codes will we need to map during job leveling Options: Under 10, 10 to 50, 50 to 200, 200+
• Which compensation elements should we exclude from the analysis because they are one time or irregular Options: Signing bonuses, One time retention payments, Legacy awards, None to exclude, Other
• What is your target window for completing the initial diagnostic and presenting recommendations Options: Within 4 weeks, 6 to 8 weeks, 2 to 3 months, 4+ months
• Which hard stop or milestone would cause you to pause the project midstream Options: Budget constraint, Leadership change, Unexpected data quality issue, Legal/regulatory challenge, Other

What success looks like and how you will judge it

• What are the top three measurable outcomes you want to achieve from this engagement Options: Close pay equity gaps, Reduce offer-to-acceptance time, Align incentives to new strategy, Lower voluntary turnover in key roles, Reduce total comp spend growth, Other
• By when do you expect to see the first signal that changes are working for hiring or retention Options: Within 3 months, 3 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, Longer
• Which metric would cause you to declare the engagement a failure if it did not move materially
• Who in your leadership team must publicly endorse the deliverables for them to be adopted

Practical next steps and decision timeline

• If we presented a scoped pilot that proved value, how quickly could you move to contract Options: Within one week, 2 to 4 weeks, One to two months, Longer than two months
• Who is the final decision maker we should align with to avoid rework
• What internal approvals would be required for kickoff and how long do they typically take Options: Single executive approval, Board or compensation committee approval, Procurement and legal review, Multiple approvals required
• What would make you comfortable signing a statement of work after an initial diagnostic Options: Clear scope and deliverables, Transparent cost and timeline, Data readiness confirmed, Executive sponsorship confirmed, All of the above
• Finally, what concern should we address first in our proposal to remove the biggest barrier to you saying yes

• Evidence Gathering Kickoff and Data Protocol Alignment
• Site 1 Job Data Collection Workshop, corporate and salaried roles
• Site 2 Job Data Collection Workshop, operations and hourly roles
• Site 3 Job Data Collection Workshop, sales, incentives, and equity roles
• Stakeholder Perspectives Synthesis and Evidence Gap Decision Meeting

• Deliver incentive payout histories and plan term sheets in the agreed template for Site 3.
• Provide timekeeping extracts and mapping instructions to link to HR headcount for Site 2.
• Upload copies of any collective bargaining agreements or documented temporary pay schemes referenced in the workshop.
• Supply a reconciliation file showing how site differentials and premiums were calculated for a representative pay period.
• Document all incentive plan types and calculation rules
• Validated Site 3 dataset with incentive calculations and equity award records structured for modeling.
• Decision on whether any sales roles require a bespoke benchmarking bucket or adjustment method.
• Confirm engagement scope and success criteria
• Provide grant schedules, vesting tables, and any valuation assumptions for equity awards to be included in total pay.
• Flag any roles that should be treated as custom benchmarks and provide rationale and supporting evidence.
• Present synthesis of collected datasets and mapping outcomes
• Prioritized evidence gap log with handling approach for each gap.
• Finalized list of benchmarking and pay-equity hypotheses to be executed in the delivery phase.
• Timeline and decision rules for any outstanding document collection confirmed.
• Publish the consolidated evidence gap log with the agreed handling approach and deadlines for closure.
• Provide the finalized hypothesis list and the population definitions to be used by analysts in the next phase.
• Collect any remaining documentary evidence flagged as required for high-priority gaps and upload to the secure repository.
• Data collection protocol finalized and agreed for use across the engagement.
• Complete stakeholder interview roster and per-site workshop calendar established.
• Secure transfer method and timelines confirmed for all required extracts.
• Provide standardized data templates for HR extract, payroll extract, job descriptions, and incentive detail files.
• Publish the agreed workshop schedule with time windows for each site within 48 hours.
• Compile initial stakeholder contact list with role, function, and availability notes.
• Confirm attendees and data sources for Site 1
• Validated Site 1 job-level dataset mapped to job families and a preliminary leveling scheme.
• Catalog of missing documents and data fields required for Site 1 benchmarking.
• Deliver a corrected HR extract with the agreed field standard and file format for Site 1.
• Collect and upload job descriptions and org chart snapshots for all roles flagged as ambiguous.
• Provide payroll breakdown for the representative sample used in the workshop, including all pay components and effective dates.
• Confirm operational pay components and payroll rules
• Validated Site 2 dataset with payroll rules and pay components normalized for analysis.
• List of exceptions and non-standard arrangements requiring special handling or adjustment.
• Define required data fields and file formats
• Review stakeholder perspectives and documented evidence
• Validate timekeeping and headcount linkages
• Walk through representative job records
• Validate incentive and commission data fields
• Prioritize evidence gaps and assign handling approach
• Map sales roles to job families and compensation structures
• Agree secure transfer, access controls, and timelines
• Map operational roles to job families and competency bands
• Map jobs to job families and proposed levels
• Collect equity award schedules and vesting documentation
• Confirm hypotheses for benchmarking and pay-equity testing
• Identify documentation gaps and evidence needs
• Document exceptions and non-standard pay arrangements
• Finalize stakeholder interview plan and per-site cadence
• Document escalation and evidence-readiness rules

• Competitive Market Benchmarking Report
• Design Base Pay Structures and Salary Ranges
• Short‑Term Incentive Plan Design and Term Sheet
• Long‑Term Equity Compensation Modeling and Scenarios
• Pay Equity Statistical Analysis and Remediation Roadmap
• Job Architecture, Level Definitions, and Grade Guides
• Sales Compensation Plan Redesign and Quota Modeling
• Post‑Merger Pay Harmonization Package
• Executive Compensation Benchmarking and Proxy‑Ready Disclosure
• Global Compensation Framework and Localization Guides
• HRIS and Payroll Implementation Guide with Import Files
• Compensation Governance and Pay Administration Policy
• Incentive KPI Design and Performance Linkage Models
• Equity Grant Modeling and Dilution Scenarios
• Total Rewards Communication Materials and Manager Scripts

Competitive Market Benchmarking Report

• Industries and peer groups to include in the benchmarking (use NAICS codes or descriptive names)
• Number of incumbent roles to benchmark from your job roster (estimate headcount per role) Options: 1-10 roles, 11-50 roles, 51-200 roles, 200+ roles
• Coverage required by geography and level (e.g., US - HQ / UK - London / APAC - country list)
• Data artifacts you can provide for benchmarking (select all available): Options: Job descriptions, HRIS compensation export CSV, Org chart, Previous benchmarking report
• Define acceptance criteria for the benchmarking report (for example: minimum sample size per role, required fields in CSV such as base, target bonus, job level)

Design Base Pay Structures and Salary Ranges

• Which job families require a redesigned pay structure (list job family names from your job architecture)
• How many salary grades / bands do you want represented in the new structure? Options: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, 13+
• Are current range midpoints and compa-ratios available in your HRIS export (employee ID, grade, salary, midpoint)? Options: Yes - full fields, Partial - some fields, No
• Specify any fixed budget ceilings or comp budgets that the new ranges must respect (e.g., total base payroll delta % or fixed dollar cap)
• Which approvers must sign range changes (title or role, e.g., VP Total Rewards, CFO, Compensation Committee)?

Short‑Term Incentive Plan Design and Term Sheet

• Which roles should be eligible for short-term incentives (list by job code or title)
• Describe your current bonus formula artifacts (example: target %, attainment curves, accelerator tiers) and attach if available Options: Attach file, No attachment, describe in text
• Indicate the primary performance measures to link to payout (select up to 3): Options: Revenue / bookings, Profit / EBITDA, Customer retention / NPS, Individual quota attainment, Operating metrics (specify)
• Estimate the aggregate target bonus pool as a percent of base payroll or a fixed budget (provide % or $)
• Do any legal, union, or employment-regulation constraints apply to bonus payments in your jurisdictions (e.g., mandatory withholdings, bonus clawback language)? Options: Yes - list jurisdictions, No

Long‑Term Equity Compensation Modeling and Scenarios

• Which equity vehicles are in use or under consideration (e.g., stock options, restricted stock units, performance shares)? Options: Stock options, Restricted stock units, Performance shares, Other
• Provide a current cap table snapshot or highest-level summary (attach CSV or describe key shareholders and option pool size) Options: Attach cap table, No cap table available
• Specify desired modeling scenarios (examples: 0%, 5%, 10% option pool increases; IPO exit vs acquisition; 3 vesting schedules)
• Indicate maximum acceptable dilution thresholds by stakeholder (e.g., board limit of X% dilution)
• Who on your team manages equity administration and will provide grant history (title or role and contact email)

Pay Equity Statistical Analysis and Remediation Roadmap

• Provide the most recent payroll export you can share (required fields: employee ID, base pay, total compensation, hire date, grade, location, and protected-class attributes) Options: Ready to upload CSV, Can export on request, Not available
• List the protected-class fields you can supply (for example: gender, race/ethnicity, veteran status) and the system where they reside
• Specify the significance threshold for statistical tests you prefer (for example p < 0.05) and whether you require subgroup analysis (e.g., by country, function) Options: p < 0.10, p < 0.05, p < 0.01, No preference
• List remediation options you consider viable if gaps are found (examples: pay adjustments, promotional actions, market corrections) and any required governance approvals
• List the evidence and deliverable acceptance criteria that will validate the remediation roadmap (for example: list of proposed adjustments with employee IDs, cost delta by grade, board-ready summary)

Job Architecture, Level Definitions, and Grade Guides

• Which job-description templates or JD fields do you use today (attach a sample or name the template type) Options: Attached sample, We use free-text JDs, No standard template
• How many distinct career ladders or job families must be covered in the grade guide? Options: 1-3, 4-7, 8-15, 15+
• Do you maintain competency matrices or behavioral anchors per level (attach matrix or indicate location in HR drive) Options: Yes - attach, Yes - stored in HRIS, No
• Specify promotion criteria and required artifacts per level (examples: time-in-grade, performance rating threshold, certification)
• Which global localization needs exist for level definitions (for example: country-specific seniority norms or statutory job classifications)

Sales Compensation Plan Redesign and Quota Modeling

• Provide historical quota attainment data (recommended: last 12 quarters by rep, attach CSV with rep ID, quota, attainment) Options: Attach CSV, Will provide on request, Not available
• Which sales roles are in scope (for example: SDR, Inside AE, Field AE, AM) and how are they differentiated in your headcount file
• Describe current accelerator tiers, caps, and clawback rules (attach current plan document if available) Options: Attach plan doc, Describe in text
• Indicate your preferred quota-setting approach for modeling (historical attainment, territory potential, top-down target, hybrid) Options: Historical, Territory potential, Top-down, Hybrid
• Are there CRM or sales performance data constraints we should expect (for example: missing closed dates, inconsistent rep IDs, or blended bookings definitions)? Options: Yes - list constraints, No

Post‑Merger Pay Harmonization Package

• Provide legacy payroll and grade exports from both organizations (required fields: employee ID, base, total comp, grade, currency) Options: Both attached, One attached, Will provide later
• Which entities and currencies must be harmonized and in what target currency reporting should be produced?
• Specify the preferred harmonization horizon (for example: immediate equalization, phased over 12 months, role-by-role exceptions) Options: Immediate, Phased 3-6 months, Phased 12 months, Role-by-role
• Indicate any pre-existing retention or transition bonuses that must be preserved or restructured (attach award schedules) Options: Attach schedules, No preserved payments
• Are there collective bargaining agreements or local employment rules that will limit harmonization in any country? Options: Yes - list countries, No

Executive Compensation Benchmarking and Proxy‑Ready Disclosure

• Provide the list of executive positions to benchmark and the incumbent names/titles for disclosure tables
• Share prior proxy disclosure language or compensation committee minutes relevant to comparable peer selection (attach DOC/PDF) Options: Attach DOC/PDF, No prior proxy available
• Specify peer group rules for benchmarking (for example: revenue band, industry, public vs private, geography)
• Estimate filing deadlines and review cycles for proxy or board materials (for example: proxy filing date, compensation committee meeting date)
• Define acceptance criteria that will confirm the executive benchmarking package is proxy-ready (for example: disclosure tables populated, narrative drafted, peer justification included)

Global Compensation Framework and Localization Guides

• List countries in scope for localization and any special statutory pay rules we must model (for example: 13th month, mandatory benefits)
• Provide local benefits data you want included in total rewards modeling (examples: employer social contributions, statutory leave cash equivalents)
• Specify currency conversion policy for multi-country comparisons (spot rate, rolling average, budget FX) Options: Spot rate, 30-day average, Budget FX, Other
• Indicate localization artifacts you need (for example: country guide PDFs, payroll checklist, tax withholding notes) Options: Country guide PDF, Payroll checklist, Tax notes, All of the above
• Who are the local approvers or HR leads in each jurisdiction (list title and contact) to validate localization guides

HRIS and Payroll Implementation Guide with Import Files

• Provide a sample HRIS export CSV with headers (employee ID, grade, salary, bonus target, equity grant history) or indicate if you need a template created Options: Sample attached, Need template
• List target payroll systems and required import formats (for example: payroll import CSV, SFTP transfer, field names required)
• Specify mandatory field mappings that must be included in the guide (for example: employee ID mapping, pay element codes, pay period identifiers)
• Confirm file size, frequency, and security requirements for imports (for example: max rows per file, daily vs monthly import, SFTP/FTPS encryption)
• List the acceptance criteria that will validate the import files and implementation guide (for example: successful test import of sample file, sample payroll run with zero errors)

Compensation Governance and Pay Administration Policy

• Which governance bodies and cadences do you have today (for example: monthly total rewards ops, quarterly comp committee)?
• Provide existing policy artifacts to be revised (examples: pay administration policy, promotion policy, salary increase policy) Options: Attach artifacts, No artifacts
• Specify approval thresholds that should be enforced in the policy (for example: manager approval up to $X, HR + finance above $Y, board for executives)
• Indicate auditing and reporting needs for governance (for example: quarterly pay variance report, annual pay-equity dashboard)
• Are there regulatory reporting artifacts we must include or reference in the policy (for example: EEO-1, country-specific pay reporting)? Options: Yes - list, No

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Order Form & Payment Schedule
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Data Access Authorization & System Access Agreement
• Milestones & Acceptance Criteria Annex
• Governance & Steering Committee Charter
• Change Order Agreement
• Termination and Transition Agreement

• Obtain written sign-off for benchmarking analyses
• Obtain written sign-off for pay-equity analysis and remediation roadmap
• Obtain written sign-off for pay-structure and incentive design deliverables
• Confirm HR and payroll implementation guides delivered and accepted
• Confirm transfer and receipt of final data package and working files
• Obtain legal/compliance sign-off on implementation and disclosure risks
• Receive acceptance of executive summary and board-ready materials
• Confirm agreed remediation tracking and monitoring process
• Obtain final billing authorization
• Execute project closure and archival confirmation

• Go-live handback and health check
• First measurement review
• Remediation burn-down and handoff review
• Quarterly governance and outcome review
• Annual outcomes and continuous improvement planning

• Decide which persistent issues and enhancement requests will be advanced in the next quarter with owners and timelines.
• Determine the current status of implementation blockers resolved and the count of prioritized initiatives completed versus targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Agree a concrete escalation and resolution plan for any unresolved blockers with target dates.
• Confirm operational handoff readiness items are published and accessible to the HR and payroll teams.
• Publish a remediation closure log with evidence links for each closed item and an updated list of outstanding blockers.
• Document the escalation plan for unresolved blockers with target resolution dates and required evidence for closure.
• Deliver the handoff package including runbooks, training materials, and HRIS mapping files for steady-state operations.
• Quarterly outcomes dashboard
• Confirm whether reduction in pay-equity statistical flags and percent of pay ranges implemented in HRIS meet the targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Confirm deliverables and owners
• Publish the quarterly outcomes report with metric sources and a summary of approved enhancements for the next quarter.
• Deliver the HRIS mapping file and validation checklist required for the next implementation wave.
• Update the remediation tracker with progress notes and revised target dates for any delayed items.
• Annual outcomes summary
• Confirm whether the annual reduction in pay-equity statistical flags and findings acceptance rate met targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Agree the prioritized continuous improvement roadmap and the measurement cadence for the next 12 months.
• Publish the annual outcomes report including financial and talent impact analysis and the approved roadmap.
• Create a standing measurement dashboard and schedule for the agreed governance cadence for the coming year.
• List required internal owners for long-term governance and confirm handoff of steady-state responsibilities.
• All deliverables are confirmed handed to your HR and payroll teams with named owners and completion status.
• Incumbent system wind-down approach is confirmed and documented, including data archive or migration status and contract/renewal disposition.
• Immediate post-go-live blockers are identified with remediation actions and target dates.
• Provide the final data migration report including checksums and any reconciliation exceptions.
• Publish the incumbent decommission plan showing decommission/read-only decision, archive status, and contract termination or retention steps.
• Distribute the short remediation plan with owners and target dates for all high-priority post-go-live issues.
• Present first measurement data vs targets
• Confirm whether the count of open remediation actions and the percent assigned to client-side owners are on track relative to targets recorded in Engagement Scope.
• Document root causes for any shortfalls and agree corrective actions with target dates.
• Update the remediation action tracker with assigned client-side owners and target completion dates for all open items.
• Provide an HRIS extract showing current pay-range loads to validate implementation progress versus the Engagement Scope target.
• Schedule a focused detailed review for remediation items older than 30 days with required evidence attached to each action.
• Remediation burn-down summary
• Unresolved blockers and escalation plan
• Talent and financial impact review
• Deployment and data transfer validation
• Persistent issues and enhancement requests
• Diagnose root causes for gaps
• Open remediation action review
• User onboarding and training signals
• Prioritized continuous improvement roadmap
• Handoff readiness to HR and payroll operations
• Agree corrective actions and deadlines
• Decide on actions that require external support
• Confirm timeline to next burn-down checkpoint
• Governance and measurement cadence for the year ahead
• Next quarter governance commitments
• Incumbent system wind-down confirmation
• Close loop and document follow-up
• Blockers and immediate remediation actions
• Agree short remediation plan and next checkpoints