Incentive Pay Under Fire

Currently, there’s a greater focus by politicians and the public on income inequality, environmental issues, and diversity and inclusion, said Alan Johnson, managing partner at compensation consulting firm Johnson Associates. “I think those are not necessarily the traditional bank risk measures, but for a large, visible financial institution, they are going to be under more…

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Top Money Managers are in Bidding Wars Over Diverse Talent, Making Eye-popping Counteroffers to Land Candidates

Alan Johnson, managing director and compensation consultant at ​Johnson Associates, said that despite the big push from firms to hire more women and people of color, significant progress could be extremely slow — to the frustration of many. “After 50 years of excuses, many people don’t want to hear any more excuses,” Johnson said. But…

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Junior Salaries Rise as Top Companies Struggle with Young Employee Retention

Even the most prestigious companies have struggled to retain junior employees in recent months as the mental toll of the pandemic and demanding expectations drive out young talent. “There’s a shortage of experienced junior people,” said Alan Johnson, who is the managing director of Johnson Associates, a compensation consultancy that works with financial services firms.…

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Wall Street Bids Up Junior Banker Salaries in Battle for Talent

A full-scale bidding war has broken out on Wall Street, this time over young bankers, as firms struggle to attract and keep talent after the pandemic added to famously crushing workloads… “There’s a lot of competition for the best people,” said Alan Johnson, managing director of the Wall Street compensation consultancy Johnson Associates. “I think…

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First-year Analysts at JPMorgan Will Now Make $100,000

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is raising the salary of first-year analysts to $100,000, up from $85,000, a person familiar with the matter told CNN Business. The pay hike, which takes effect July 1, means some millennials and Gen Zers will be making six-figure salaries fresh out of college… The hikes will make JPMorgan the most lucrative…

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Equities Traders, Underwriters on Track for Biggest Bonus Bumps

Incentive compensation for equities traders may climb as much as 30% while underwriters could see a 40% jump, Johnson said Thursday. Stock underwriters — who worked on a record number of special-purpose acquisition companies in the first three months of the year — are “significantly outperforming” their counterparts in debt capital markets, the consultancy said.…

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CEOs are Getting Paid Bonuses Like There Was No Pandemic

Compensation consultants have long argued that owning stock best aligns the interests of the CEO with those of the company’s shareholders, who are the ultimate owners of the company. Yet companies also note that that sticking to pre-set financial goals during economic downturns may not reward corporate leaders for any critical decisions they make that…

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CHROs Flag Burnout, Excessive Stress in Board Reports

“I think generally people think 2021 will be a better year financially and hopefully the workforce will get back. As we tell clients, I think pay is really important, but I think at the moment, the fatigue and stress of the employee workforce is at least as important,” says Alan Johnson, managing partner at Johnson…

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Eli Lilly Doesn’t Plan to Claw Back Past Pay From Former CFO

Growing societal awareness around inappropriate behavior in recent years, accelerated by the #MeToo movement, is forcing companies to be more transparent in cases of executive misconduct, said Alan Johnson, managing director at Johnson Associates Inc., a compensation consulting firm. “Historically, companies either did nothing or allowed people to leave quietly,” Mr. Johnson said. “That appears…

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