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Might we be seeing a drop on the horizon?

Together, they are building compensation models that are defensible, explainable and aligned with long-term value creation — not just market benchmarking.

In McKinsey & Co.’s latest American Opportunity Survey completed in spring 2022, 36% of respondents identified as independent workers, up from 27% in 2016.

For instance, some of those workers may fear returning to overwhelming workloads that pile up during their absence.

One contributing member said their organization “keeps it simple, usually going up to 5% for lateral moves and up to 10% (or a new minimum) if moving to a higher grade.”

It also works when stock prices only go up, as was the case with Microsoft in the 1990s, which created many millionaires and, thus, role models to be copied by others.

For WorldatWork Members 2026 Priorities of Total Rewards Leaders Survey , research;From Compensation to Collaboration and Connection , Workspan Magazine article;Linking Rewards to Successful Performance Management Practices , Journal of Total Rewards article;Total Rewards Inventory of Programs & Practices , research;Total Rewards Model: A Guide , tool;Guided Checklist for Analytic Thinking & Data-Driven Action in Total Rewards , tool; Nearly 300 total rewards (TR) decision-makers recently participated in WorldatWork’s 2026 Priorities for Total Rewards Leaders survey and provided their vantage point on the elements that will energize them, define their success and perhaps keep them up at night during the year.

“When leaders model these mental fitness skills, trust becomes part of the daily work experience, not an abstract value,” Smolensky said, adding that belonging is built through connection, and recognition is the doorway.

Analyzing 1,070 public companies across 18 markets, the data found up to 81% of global organizations now tie executive compensation to people-related metrics, such as employee retention and turnover.

The other size metrics offer valuable insights into the business model and structure, helping identify the most comparable companies and leading to meaningful benchmarking.