Comp and Coffee

Comp and Coffee

Comp and Coffee is a podcast by Payscale where we explore the art and science of compensation management. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and join us for conversations on pay and performance—packed with insights, practical tips, and strategies to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world of work.

Episodes

The business impact of confident pay

February 24, 2026 • 36 mins
Pay decisions do not live in isolation. They shape hiring speed, retention, employee trust, and ultimately business performance.  According to Payscale’s 2026 Compensation Best Practices Report, 63% of organizations believe their compensation policies drive positive business outcomes. That confidence shows up in measurable ways, including lower voluntary turnover, faster time to fill, and stronger employee sentiment.  In this epi...
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When pay research speaks: What HR and compensation leaders need to know now

February 24, 2026 • 37 mins
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 t...
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What's in and out for HR and compensation in 2026: Predictions, opportunities, and challenges

January 20, 2026 • 38 mins
HR and compensation leaders are facing a new set of challenges and opportunities in 2026. From new pay transparency laws to AI-driven decision-making, the landscape is shifting fast. This episode unpacks what is in and what is out for the year ahead and explores the trends that will define the future of work. Email: coffee@payscale.com for listener questions and suggestions. Payscale End-of-Year report and HR Prediction...
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Lost in translation: How HR, finance, legal, and leadership can finally speak the same language about pay

January 4, 2026 • 34 mins
Everyone agrees that pay matters. What they do not agree on is what it means. HR talks about fairness and equity.Finance talks about cost and ROI.Legal talks about compliance and defensibility.Leaders talk about performance and business outcomes. These perspectives are all correct, yet they often conflict. When they collide, compensation decisions lose clarity, employees feel confused, and managers deliver mixed messages—leaving...
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Pay transparency again? What you actually need to know for 2026

November 13, 2025 • 35 mins
Another conversation about pay transparency? We know what you are thinking, haven’t we already covered this?  But the truth is, 2025 changed everything. From a wave of new state laws in the U.S. to Canada and the EU rewriting the playbook, pay transparency has moved from policy talk to daily reality. With 2026 around the corner, the stakes are only getting higher.  In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas sits down wi...
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AI overload? What HR Tech 2025 got right (and wrong)

November 7, 2025 • 36 mins
At HR Tech 2025, AI stole the spotlight, but not everyone was convinced. Amid the hype and bold claims, HR and compensation professionals were asking tougher questions: What’s actually working? What’s just marketing? And how can AI really make their jobs easier? In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas sits down with Peh Keong Teh, Chief Product Officer at Payscale, Olivia Sedler, Product Manager at Payscale, and Mark...
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The most important pay conversations you're not having

November 3, 2025 • 36 mins
In a year of tight budgets and increasing expectations of pay transparency, pay conversations are more critical than ever. Skipping, delaying, or diluting these conversations can erode trust and leave employees disengaged. In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas is joined by Payscale leaders to explore the “compensation telephone game,” share how HR trains managers to deliver clear messages, and discuss strategies for ...
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Pay transparency in practice: Making pay a universal language

September 29, 2025 • 29 mins
Pay transparency laws are forcing the conversation—but alignment is what makes it stick.  When it comes to pay transparency, HR, Legal, and leadership often speak in different “dialects.” HR frames it around equity and structure, Legal around compliance and risk, and leadership around outcomes and cost. The challenge? These perspectives rarely align into a shared understanding that employees can trust.  In this episode of Comp an...
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Salary budgets are shifting — here’s how to stay ahead

September 18, 2025 • 27 mins
Salary budgets are tightening — but strategy doesn’t have to.  Payscale’s 10th Annual Salary Budget Survey reveals that planned pay increases for 2026 are dipping slightly from 2025, with economic uncertainty replacing competition for talent as the top driver of budget changes. But even in a cooling pay environment, HR and comp pros have a window to realign strategy before Q4 — if they have the right data in hand.  In this ep...
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Fair pay means nothing if no one believes it

August 27, 2025 • 36 mins
Fair pay means nothing if no one believes it. That’s the wake-up call from Payscale’s latest Fair Pay Impact Report. Despite rising wages, transparency laws, and improved market conditions, employees don’t believe they’re being paid fairly—and it’s costing businesses their best people. In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas is joined by Lexi Clarke and Kate Peter—three women in the C-suite who are putting fair pay ...
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Turning pay into a business driver: A CHRO + CFO conversation

August 8, 2025 • 33 mins
When the CFO asks why… will you panic or present your case with confidence?  In this episode of Comp and Coffee, we go behind the scenes with Lexi Clarke and Philip Watson to uncover how HR and Finance can stop speaking past each other—and start building stronger pay strategies together. Whether you're preparing for budget season or defending comp decisions in the boardroom, this episode gives you the language, data, and mindset y...
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The pay crystal ball: predicting the future with Pearl Meyer + Payscale

July 10, 2025 • 37 mins
Compensation isn’t just an HR function—it’s a core business strategy. In this episode of Comp and Coffee, we look into the pay crystal ball with Rebecca Toman of Pearl Meyer, Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist at Payscale, and Sara Hillenmeyer, Payscale’s Director of Data Science. Together, they explore how trusted data, AI, and a forward-thinking approach to comp strategy can help organizations not just keep up—but lead. I...
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Closing the Confidence Gap: Pay Strategy Challenges in 2025

June 20, 2025 • 38 mins
What happens when your pay strategy sparks more questions than confidence—and your best people start walking? In this episode, we bring in the experts to tackle the hard truths behind tough pay conversations and how to rebuild trust before it’s too late. Episode resources: https://www.payscale.com/featured-content/cbpr Email coffee@payscale.com for listener questions and suggestions
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Compensation History: A Walk Through the Past and Future of Pay

June 13, 2025 • 53 mins
Compensation has come a long way—from handwritten ledgers and dusty binders to AI-powered insights and real-time salary data. But what does the past teach us about where we’re headed? Join us for a nostalgia-packed, future-forward journey through the history of comp, featuring expert reflections from WorldatWork, and predictions from the people shaping the next era of pay. 
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113: Gender Pay Gap Report: Facts revealed

May 1, 2025 • 26 mins
What's the state of the gender pay gap in 2025?  In this episode Ruth Thomas discusses Payscale's 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report with Amy Stewart, Payscale's principal content strategist and author of the report.  Together, they explore the controlled and uncontrolled pay gaps, the impact of pay transparency, and the various systemic factors contributing to the gender pay gap.  Gain insights into why pay disparities persist and what or...
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112: Give your salary data strategy a glow up

April 29, 2025 • 57 mins
With the median company now using three salary data sources—and four or more for larger organizations—it’s clear that more data is the norm. But more doesn’t always mean better. Are you truly getting the most out of your investment in compensation data? Or just adding complexity without clarity? In this episode, we break down what an effective compensation benchmarking strategy really looks like—and how to use multiple data sources...
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111: Leading through the gap: Women, pay equity & the path to the
C-suite

April 16, 2025 • 43 mins
Why has the gender pay gap stalled, and what does it take for women to break into leadership? In this episode of Comp & Coffee, Ruth Thomas sits down with Payscale’s Chief People Officer, Lexi Clarke, and Chief Customer Officer, Kate Peter, to explore the latest findings from the 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report. They discuss the challenges women face in leadership, the role of pay transparency, and what businesses can do to close the ga...
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110: Key trends from the 2025 Compensation Best Practices Report

April 8, 2025 • 36 mins
Compensation practices are constantly evolving, and staying ahead requires a keen understanding of the latest trends and data. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Amy Stewart, Principal of Content Strategy; Sara Hillenmeyer, Senior Director of Data Science; and Lulu Seikaly, Senior Corporate Attorney, to pour over the latest insights from the Compensation Best Practices Report 2025. We’ll explore the hottest trends in pay stra...
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109: What’s Next for Compensation Technology with Cliff Stevenson

March 12, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas is joined by Cliff Stevenson, Director of Research at Sapient Insights Group, to discuss the latest trends in HR technology. The conversation covers AI's impact on compensation, HR anchor systems, and the importance of real-time data to enhance compensation strategies. This episode offers valuable insights and advice for HR and compensation leaders looking to navigate upcoming te...
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108: Spill the Beans on Pay Transparency Trends with Lulu Seikaly

March 3, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of "Comp and Coffee," Ruth Thomas is joined by Lulu Seikaly, our senior corporate attorney and pay transparency expert at Payscale, to unravel the complexities of pay transparency trends and legislation. With new laws continually emerging, the duo explores what this shift means for organizations, employees, and the future of compensation practices. This episode is packed with insights on compliance, the growing impo...
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