Beyond Market Rate: A Blueprint for Pay Equity That Works
Compensation is more than a budget line item—it’s a strategic tool that reflects your organization’s values and directly impacts retention and engagement. However, many employers either lack a defined compensation philosophy or rely on generic frameworks that fall short of addressing today’s workforce expectations. This session empowers HR professionals with the knowledge and tools to build a compensation philosophy that aligns with organizational goals, advances pay equity, and strengthens the business case for fair pay. Using a real-world case study, participants will explore the pitfalls of “market rate” benchmarks and discover actionable methods for calculating internal role value, correcting historical pay biases, and creating transparent compensation formulas. Hands-on tools and interactive exercises will help attendees design strategies that attract talent, improve retention, and embed fairness as a competitive advantage, providing a foundation for success.
Learning Outcome 1: Analyze a real-world case study to identify and address gaps in compensation systems.
Learning Outcome 2: Learn actionable techniques to calculate internal role value and correct historical pay biases.
Learning Outcome 3: Gain tools and insights to build a strategic, values-driven compensation philosophy that meets employee needs, aligns with expectations, and drives pay equity.
Nicole Armstrong
Nicole is an award-winning social entrepreneur. As a 2018 People’s Liberty Haile Fellow, she founded Ellequate—a leading data-informed employer certification and cohort-based leadership program for workplace equity. For over a decade she developed design and brand strategy for mission-driven organizations around the globe. Before founding her company, she practiced social innovation, applying the principles of human-centered design to complex challenges alongside those most impacted by inequity. Nicole holds a BS in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati and an MA from Suffolk University. She is a member of the Cincinnati Business Courier's Forty Under 40 Class of 2020.
