When pay research speaks: What HR and compensation leaders need to know now

About this episode

Ruth Thomas discusses with Stacey Harris and Amy Stewart how HR and compensation leaders can leverage data for strategic decision-making in compensation and talent management.

In this episode of Comp and Coffee, Ruth Thomas sits down with Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer at Sapient Insights Group, and Amy Stewart, Payscale’s Manager of Content & Research, to unpack how HR and compensation leaders can turn data into strategic, defensible decisions. We explore the latest research on HR systems, compensation trends, and the growing role of AI in pay and talent management. Stacey shares insights from the 28th annual HR Systems Survey, highlighting the tension HR leaders face between driving growth and managing costs, navigating workforce shifts, and understanding mid-market versus enterprise trends. Amy provides a sneak peek at Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report, including pay increase trends, “peanut butter” pay practices, and strategies for retaining top talent while controlling costs. Key takeaways include: Data-driven decision making: Use multiple validated data sources to interpret trends and avoid overreacting to headlines. Strategic compensation: Confidence in pay offers and total rewards is critical, especially in uncertain markets. Technology & AI: AI is transforming compensation strategy, enabling smarter market pricing and…

People in this episode

Host: Ruth Thomas

Guests: Stacey Harris, Amy Stewart

Topics covered

• HR systems
• compensation trends
• AI in pay management
• data-driven decision making
• strategic compensation

Keywords

• pay research
• HR leaders
• data sources
• pay practices
• talent retention

Mentioned in this episode

Products: HR Systems Survey, Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report

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