Bonus Season Blues: Why Your Wallet Might Not Sing This Year
Bonus Season Blues: Why Your Wallet Might Not Sing This Year
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January 15th, 2024
Written by Frank Glassner, CEO
Veritas Executive Compensation Consultants
Bonus season—when executive hopes fly as high as year-end revenue projections and the anxiety levels of a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. At Veritas Executive Compensation Consultants, we've tuned our instruments and are ready to conduct a symphony—or perhaps a blues jam—on why this year’s bonus season might have some execs singing a different tune.
Economic High Notes Hit a Few Flat Spots
Just when you thought it was safe to budget for that third vacation home, economic turbulence is adding a bit of dissonance to the melody of the markets. While some sectors may see bonuses blooming like spring flowers, others could feel more like they've hit a long winter. Remember, when the economy sneezes, bonuses often catch a cold.
The Performance Conductor’s Score
This year, the baton-wielding maestros—also known as your board of directors—might be setting the tempo with new performance metrics. If your company’s scorecard included riding the stock market's roller coaster without screaming or barfing, congratulations.
However, for those whose metrics were more about solid, less exhilarating growth, the tune might not be quite so jubilant.
Regulatory Rhythms and Compliance Chords
Just as you're ready to jazz up your bonus expectations, regulatory requirements and compliance could come in like an off-key trumpet, disrupting the harmony.
This year, enhanced transparency requirements mean that your bonus isn't just between you and your CFO; it’s potentially under the scrutinizing gaze of shareholders, regulators, and maybe a nosy reporter or two.
The ESG Ensemble
The bandwagon everyone's jumping on—ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)—is now influencing bonus compositions as well. If your company's ESG practices wouldn't stand up to the scrutiny of a particularly discerning kindergarten class, there might be trouble brewing.
It's not just about making money anymore; it's about making money responsibly. Miss the mark, and your bonus might too.
What's the Coda?
Looking ahead, it's clear that bonus season isn’t just a time for popping corks and flying confetti. It's a complex concert of economic indicators, corporate performance, regulatory frameworks, and social responsibilities.
To all the executives out there: it might be wise to temper those bonus expectations—or at least not spend it before it's inked on your check. This year, consider any bonus a serendipitous jazz improvisation rather than a predictable pop chorus. And remember, in the world of executive compensation, sometimes the music stops just when you were starting to dance.
Here at Veritas, we're always ready to help you navigate the cacophony of bonus season and ensure your compensation strategies are music to your ears. After all, even the blues can be beautiful with the right band backing you up.
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