The metric register

Everything lumi measures.

All 421 reward metrics, with the standard definition each one is answered against. If a question you need to answer is on this page, it is benchmarked — with the peer group and the sample size attached. They are answered by 282 contributing UK organisations.

Definitions only. The figures live in the product, because members contribute them. When fewer than three employers answered a question, lumi hides the whole card.

Pay 93 Pensions & Savings 31 Health & Protection 36 Benefits & Lifestyle 54 Time Off & Family 62 Incentives & Recognition 62 Wellbeing 19 Governance & Transparency 64

Pay practice 93 metrics

How pay is set, structured, communicated and governed — the practice around pay, not the salary numbers themselves.

#Acting-up pay policy: Whether pay for temporarily covering a higher role follows a documented allowance policy or is decided case-by-case.
#Advance notice given for shift patterns: The typical advance notice given to workers before a shift, from no set notice to two or more weeks.
#Agency worker benefits beyond the AWR minimum: Whether agency workers get benefits beyond the statutory Agency Workers Regulations week-12 entitlement — occupational sick pay, employer pension contributions, discretionary bonus, recognition, discounts, EAP — with a not-applicable option for organisations using no agency workers.
#AI-skills pay premium: Whether the organisation pays an additional premium to attract or retain employees with AI skills.
#Allowance differentiation by role level: Whether allowance amounts vary by role level rather than applying uniformly to all employees.
#Allowances consolidated into base pay at any point: Whether, and how often, allowances are folded into base salary at events such as promotion or contract change.
#Allowances or premiums currently paid: The cash allowances and premiums currently paid, from car and location allowances to shift, weekend and on-call / standby; select all. The on-call / standby allowance is the retainer for being available; the call-out allowance pays for actually attending when called out.
#Allowances reviewed within reward governance: Whether allowance levels are reviewed on a regular governed cycle rather than only ad hoc.
#Annual pay budget setting factors: Top drivers used to set your annual pay budget.
#Apprentice/graduate pay progression framework: Whether apprentices and graduates progress on a dedicated pay framework separate from the main structure, or on an ad hoc basis.
#Employees receive tips or service charges: Whether employees receive tips or service charges from customers.
#Engineering on-call rota frequency: How often is a typical Engineering & Maintenance employee on the on-call rota?
#Engineering standby payment per week: Typical payment per week of Engineering & Maintenance standby cover
#Engineering standby payment structure: For Engineering & Maintenance on-call, how is the standby payment structured?
#Executive salary increase vs the workforce: How the executive salary increase in the last completed review compared with the wider workforce. The IA Principles expect executive increases in line with the workforce. Records the comparison, never the amount.
#External pay and benefits benchmarking approach: Whether external benchmarking data is used to inform pay/benefits decisions, and how formally.
#Formal counter-offer policy: The organisation’s stance on matching external offers to retain resigning employees, from never countering to routine counter-offers.
#Formal merit matrix use: Whether pay increases are differentiated using a merit matrix that combines performance rating with position in the salary range.
#Functions with an on-call or standby rota: Which functions operate an on-call or standby rota?
#Geographic pay differentiation within the UK: Whether pay varies by UK location, from London weighting or multi-zone structures to a single national rate.
#Guaranteed minimum hours (hourly-paid): Whether hourly-paid roles carry guaranteed minimum contracted hours, across all such roles, some, or none.
#Guaranteed-hours offers for zero- and low-hours workers: Whether zero-/low-hours workers are offered guaranteed-hours contracts based on their average hours, as introduced by the ERA 2025 right to guaranteed hours (expected 2027).
#Headline pay increase, by year: Typical (median) base salary increase awarded to the main population in each of the last three review years, and the increase planned for the next review.
#Holiday pay method for irregular hours: Captures which method calculates holiday pay for irregular-hours and part-year workers, from rolled-up to 52-week averaging.
#Home-working expenses typically reimbursed or covered: Which home-working costs the organisation reimburses, such as equipment, connectivity or utilities.
#Hourly pay multipliers by time band: The pay-rate multipliers applied to hourly-paid roles across different time bands, such as nights and weekends.
#Hourly workers paid if scheduled shifts are cancelled: Whether hourly-paid workers are compensated for shifts cancelled at short notice — in full, in part, or not at all.
#How often employees are typically paid: How frequently employees are paid, such as weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
#How on-call (standby) allowances are paid: How on-call pay is structured, whether a flat retainer per period, per day, per call-out, or a mix.
#How pay review outcomes are communicated: How individual pay review outcomes are conveyed to employees in each band — a letter alone, a letter plus a manager conversation, a manager conversation only, email / HR system, or a general announcement.
#How remote roles are benchmarked: The benchmarking basis for remote-role pay — national, regional/local, office comparators, individual, or not benchmarked.
#How the pay award is set: How the most recent general pay award was decided. Records the method only, never the amount or any future award.
#How tips and service charges are distributed: How tips and service charges reach employees — paid directly, pooled through a tronc, distributed by the employer, or mixed.
#IT extended-hours cover model: How is 24/7 or extended-hours cover for IT / Technology staffed?
#IT on-call rota frequency: How often is a typical IT / Technology employee on the on-call rota?
#IT standby payment per week: Typical payment per week of IT / Technology standby cover
#IT standby payment structure: For IT / Technology on-call, how is the standby payment structured?
#Job evaluation method: The main job evaluation method. Under the Equality Act 2010, a study that rates two jobs differently can defeat an equal-value claim only if it’s analytical (jobs assessed on factors such as effort, skill and decision-making).
#Job-evaluation / levelling coverage: The extent to which a formal job-evaluation or levelling framework covers the workforce, from all roles to none.
#Line-manager pay-decision training: Whether line managers receive training or written guidance to support pay decisions ahead of review cycles.
#Location typically used to determine base pay for remote roles: Which location reference sets base pay for remote roles — home, contracted office, a national rate, or the role’s market.
#Logistics: drivers’ overnight allowance: The nightly allowance for HGV drivers who sleep away from home. Under HMRC’s agreed industry scale, up to £34.90 a night can be paid tax-free, or £26.20 when the driver sleeps in the cab.
#Minimum hours paid per call-out: The guaranteed minimum paid when staff are called out, expressed as minimum hours, if any applies.
#Number of grades: The number of grades or levels in the main pay structure. Read it with range width: fewer grades usually means wider ranges.
#Overtime cost as a share of the pay bill: Paid overtime as a % of the gross pay bill in the last completed financial year. A cost outcome shown for context; it isn’t rated.
#Overtime eligibility by level: Which levels get paid overtime, time off in lieu only, or neither. REW_PAY_011 records whether any group gets paid overtime; this shows how far up the levels it reaches.
#Overtime paid: Whether overtime is compensated with pay, with time off in lieu only, or not at all, for any employee population; with a not-applicable option.
#Overtime pay by shift type: The overtime pay multiplier applied to the base rate, recorded for each shift type.
#Paid breaks for hourly shift workers: Whether breaks are paid for hourly-paid shift workers. The law gives a 20-minute rest break in a shift of more than 6 hours (30 minutes over 4.5 hours for under-18s) but doesn’t require it to be paid.
#Pay for 18–20s and apprentices: Whether 18–20 year-olds and apprentices are paid their statutory rate, a rate in between, or the adult rate. Records which rate applies, not the amount.
#Pay increases differentiated by performance rating: Whether pay rises vary with performance rating, and how strongly, versus a flat award for everyone.
#Pay premiums or discounts for remote roles: Whether remote roles attract specific pay premiums, discounts, both, or no location-based adjustment.
#Pay protection on downgrading: How long an employee keeps their previous pay after their role is downgraded. Records the period, not the amount protected.
#Pay range width: The spread of a typical pay range, from minimum to maximum, as a % of the minimum. Records a ratio, not a pay level.
#Pay review budget split: How the last completed pay review budget was divided: general award, increments, merit, promotions, market adjustments or the lowest paid. Records the split, never the amounts.
#Pay review cycle frequency: Frequency of the primary salary review cycle for pay increases.
#Pay review effective month: The month the main pay review takes effect. Records timing only, never the size of any award.
#Pay review eligibility rules: The rules that exclude or reduce pay review increases for some employees. Records the rules, not how many people they affect.
#Pay structure type: The main type of pay structure. Graded structures usually have 6 or more grades and broad bands 5 or fewer; pay spines move people up fixed points, usually once a year.
#Pay-for-skills maturity: Extent to which pay is differentiated based on scarce skills/certifications.
#Periods paid above the weeknight standby rate: Which periods attract a higher standby rate than a weeknight?
#Policy for pay at or above range maximum: How the organisation handles pay for staff who have reached or exceeded their band maximum, from lump sums to freezes.
#Rating distribution guidance: Whether performance ratings follow no target, a cap on top ratings, an indicative distribution or a forced distribution.
#Real Living Wage position: The organisation’s position on the real Living Wage: whether it pays at or above the rate, whether that is formally accredited, and whether it also holds Living Hours accreditation.
#Remote working base pay treatment: How base pay is handled when an employee shifts to remote working — protected, adjusted gradually, adjusted at once, or case-by-case.
#Remote-role pay decisions reviewed for consistency: Whether pay decisions for remote roles are checked for consistency and fairness, routinely or only in some cases.
#Salary increase budget as % of payroll: Salary increase budget divided by total payroll, expressed as a percentage.
#Seasonal-peak premium or retention bonus: Whether extra pay rewards staff through seasonal peaks, via a premium during the peak, a completion bonus, or neither.
#Shape of the last general pay award: The shape of the general award in the last completed pay review: the same %, tiered, flat cash, or cash then %. Records the shape only, never the amount.
#Shift allowance by shift pattern (salaried): Salaried shift allowances as a % of basic salary for two-shift, three-shift, continental and permanent night patterns. Hourly premiums are asked in REW_Q534581 and annual £ values in the allowances table.
#Shift and on-call pay differences between functions: Do shift and on-call payments differ between functions?
#Shift notice and cancellation pay for zero-hours workers: Whether zero-/low-hours workers receive reasonable shift notice and short-notice cancellation pay under the ERA 2025 right (expected 2027), covering neither, one, or both.
#Shift premiums paid for unsocial hours: Whether an enhanced rate is paid for working unsocial hours such as nights or weekends.
#Sources used for external pay benchmarks: The external benchmark sources drawn on, spanning consultancy surveys, live tools, recruiter intelligence and peer networks; select all used.
#Starter rate period for frontline roles: How long new frontline starters stay on a lower starter rate before reaching the full rate for the job. Records the period only, never the rate.
#Starting-salary positioning policy: Captures where new hires are typically placed within the pay range, from below the midpoint to anywhere in range.
#Step between grades: The typical step between the midpoints of adjacent grades, as a % of the lower one. Read it alongside the usual promotion rise. Records a ratio, not a pay level.
#Target market position on base pay: The organisation’s intended pay positioning against the market.
#Target pay position in range for fully competent performers: The target pay position within the salary range for fully competent performers, expressed as a compa-ratio relative to the range midpoint.
#Time to reach the rate for the job: How long progression from the range minimum to the rate for the job usually takes. Records the timescale only, not pay amounts.
#Tips or service charges distributed through a formal tronc: Whether tips or service charges are shared through a formal tronc, the independent arrangement used to distribute them.
#Top performers checked as above market median: Whether the organisation tests, after pay reviews, that its strongest performers sit above the market median.
#Total annual payment for each allowance: Typical total amount paid per employee each year for each type of allowance, in pounds. The on-call / standby allowance is the retainer for being available outside normal hours; the call-out allowance pays for actually attending when called out.
#Tronc participation by role level: Which role levels take part in the tronc, the pooled arrangement for distributing tips and service charges.
#Types of tips included in the tronc arrangement: Which kinds of gratuities are pooled into the tronc — cash tips, card tips, or service charges.
#Typical promotion pay increase policy: How pay rises on promotion are determined — by a fixed percentage, range position, the new band minimum, or discretion.
#Weekend-day standby rate relative to a weeknight: Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend day (roughly 6am to 6pm)?
#Weekend-night standby rate relative to a weeknight: Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend night (roughly 6pm to 6am)?
#Weeknight standby payment: Typical standby payment for one weeknight of cover
#What’s included in holiday pay: Whether regular overtime, commission and allowances feed into holiday pay. In Great Britain they must be included for the first 4 weeks of leave (all leave for irregular-hours and part-year workers), for leave years from April 2024.
#Where remote employees may work from: The geographic limits on where remote employees may work, from UK-only to international.
#Workforce cost as % of income (revenue): Total workforce cost divided by income for the same period, expressed as a percentage — income for charities and public bodies, revenue for companies.
#Workforce cost per FTE (Annual): Total workforce cost divided by average FTE headcount for the same period.

Pensions & Savings 31 metrics

Pension design, contribution rates, matching, and the financial-savings support offered alongside it.

#2029 salary sacrifice cap impact assessed: Captures how far the organisation has assessed the cost impact of the 2029 £2,000 NIC cap on pension salary sacrifice.
#Allowances pensionability by level: Whether allowances count as pensionable pay, recorded for each employee level.
#Bonus exchange into pension: Whether bonus can be sacrificed into the pension and whether the employer shares its NI saving. From April 2029 only the first £2,000 a year sacrificed into a pension, salary and bonus together, is free of NI.
#Cap on pensionable pay: Whether employer pension contributions stop above a set level of pay, for schemes that pay on basic or total pay rather than the qualifying earnings band.
#Cash instead of pension contributions: Whether employees who stop pension saving because of tax limits (usually high earners) get cash instead, and how much of the employer contribution it’s worth. The cash is taxed and NI-able as pay.
#DC pension market review: When the employer last formally compared its DC scheme with the market, and whether it moved as a result. This is the pension review only; the wider benefits re-broke is asked separately.
#Default contribution for auto-enrolled joiners: Captures the default employee pension contribution for auto-enrolled joiners, measured as percentage points above the statutory minimum.
#Default fund charge: The annual management charge on the default DC fund. Auto-enrolment defaults are capped at 0.75%.
#Defined benefit scheme status: Whether the employer has a DB scheme and whether it’s open, closed to new joiners, or closed to future accrual.
#Earnings basis for pension contributions: The earnings definition used to calculate pension contributions (banded qualifying earnings, basic pay, or total pay), which affects contribution value.
#Employer NIC savings shared with employees: Indicates whether employer NIC savings from salary sacrifice are passed back to employees — wholly, partly, or not at all.
#Employer pension cost share of total reward: The employer’s pension contribution cost expressed as a percentage of total reward spend, showing pension’s share of the reward budget.
#ESG or net-zero default pension fund: Captures whether the default pension fund carries a published ESG or net-zero commitment, from net-zero aligned to standard.
#Help to Save promotion for eligible staff: Indicates whether the government’s Help to Save scheme is actively promoted, merely signposted, or not offered to eligible lower-paid employees.
#Intended response to the 2029 salary-sacrifice reform: Captures the organisation’s planned response to the 2029 NIC cap on pension salary sacrifice, from unchanged to withdrawal.
#Maximum employee pension contribution rate by level: The highest employee pension contribution rate the scheme permits at each level, not the typical or default rate.
#Maximum employer pension contribution rate by level: Maximum employer pension contribution rate available to employees at each level (not the typical rate).
#Meets PLSA quality-mark threshold: Whether the main scheme’s total and employer contributions meet the PLSA quality-mark benchmark of 12% total, including 6% from the employer.
#Mid-life MOT / retirement-planning support: Indicates whether mid-career retirement-planning support (a ‘mid-life MOT’) is offered as a structured programme, signposting, or not at all.
#Payroll giving: Indicates whether tax-efficient payroll giving to charity is offered, and whether the employer matches employee donations.
#Payroll-deducted loans / hardship fund: Captures whether short-term financial help is available through payroll-deducted loans, an internal hardship fund, both, or neither.
#Pension contribution auto-escalation: Indicates whether pension contributions automatically step up over time, either by default or as an opt-in feature.
#Pension contribution matching level: Whether the employer matches employee pension contributions and the maximum matched percentage, from none up to more than 8%.
#Pension participation after opt-outs: The share of auto-enrolment-eligible employees who are actively saving in a workplace pension after opt-outs and stopped contributions.
#Pension scheme type (main population): Identifies the pension design for the main employee population: defined contribution, defined benefit, or a hybrid of the two.
#Pension via salary sacrifice by default: Whether pension contributions are made through salary sacrifice as the default arrangement, exchanging salary for employer contributions to save National Insurance.
#Retirement options in the DC scheme: The retirement options built into the DC scheme. Under the July 2026 roadmap, default retirement income solutions are required from 2029 (master trusts and contract-based schemes) and 2030 (single-employer trusts). FCA targeted support began on 6 April 2026.
#Temporary pension contribution flexibility: Indicates whether employees can temporarily lower pension contributions during financial pressure and restore them, formally or informally.
#Type of DC pension scheme: The legal type of the main DC scheme: a master trust, a contract-based group personal pension, or a trust set up for the employer.
#Typical employer pension contribution by level: The typical employer pension contribution at each job level, usually as a percentage of pay.
#Workplace savings alongside the pension: Captures which workplace savings vehicles sit alongside the pension; select all that apply, from ISAs to sidecar savings.

Health & Protection 36 metrics

Private medical cover, dental, income protection, life assurance and health cash plans.

#Average annual private medical insurance (PMI) premium: Average yearly PMI premium the organisation pays per employee, broken down by level of cover.
#Bereavement support beyond leave: Captures which bereavement support services beyond leave are provided; select all that apply, from counselling to probate help.
#Critical illness cover level (lump sum): The level of critical illness cover provided, whether none, a fixed lump sum, or a multiple of salary.
#Dental cover funding basis: Whether dental cover is offered and, if so, whether the employer pays for it or employees fund it voluntarily.
#Fertility support delivery route: Captures the delivery route for funded fertility support — a specialist provider, direct reimbursement, or through PMI.
#Flex-up of life or income protection cover: Indicates whether employees can increase group life and/or income protection cover at their own expense.
#Gender-affirming healthcare support: Indicates whether gender-affirming healthcare is explicitly supported, covered only under standard PMI terms, or not offered.
#Group risk cover: cease age: When group life assurance and income protection stop for employees who work on. The law lets insured cover stop at the later of 65 and State Pension age, which is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
#Health cash plan provision: Captures whether a health cash plan is offered and how it is funded — employer-paid for all, some, voluntary, or none.
#Health services for family members: Which health services the employer extends to employees’ partners and children at no cost to the employee, such as an EAP, a virtual GP or a health cash plan.
#Income protection offering: Whether income protection is offered, and whether cover is short-term, long-term or both.
#Income protection payment term: The longest time employer-funded income protection can pay a claim: a limited term, often 2, 3 or 5 years, or until the end age of the cover, usually State Pension age.
#Income protection salary replacement rate: The proportion of salary income protection replaces while an employee is unable to work.
#Income protection waiting period: The deferred period before income protection payments start after an employee cannot work.
#Levels eligible for employer-provided private medical insurance (PMI): Which job levels are eligible for employer-provided PMI, across the organisation’s level structure.
#Life assurance cover (main population): The death-in-service life assurance sum for most employees, as a multiple of salary.
#Life assurance multiple by level: The death-in-service lump sum at each job level, as a multiple of salary or a fixed sum. REW_BEN_045 records the multiple for the main employee population.
#Men’s health support provided: Indicates whether targeted men’s health support — such as screening or prostate/testicular pathways — is provided.
#Optical cover beyond DSE requirements: Indicates whether optical cover or eye-care vouchers extend beyond the statutory DSE eye-test requirement.
#Physiotherapy and MSK support outside PMI: Whether the employer funds physiotherapy or digital musculoskeletal (MSK) support outside private medical insurance (PMI) and health cash plans, and for whom. Physio inside PMI is asked separately.
#PMI cost-control features: Features that lower the PMI premium by limiting choice or cover: a guided consultant option, a restricted hospital list, a six-week NHS option, or limits on out-patient or mental health cover.
#PMI employee excess or cost-share: The cost employees bear on private medical insurance, from no excess to a per-claim or annual excess, or contributing to the premium.
#PMI scheme components beyond core cover: Which enhancements the organisation’s private medical insurance includes beyond core cover, such as out-patient, mental health, physiotherapy or dental.
#PMI underwriting for new joiners: How PMI treats conditions new joiners already have: covered in full (medical history disregarded), excluded for a period (moratorium) or excluded after a health declaration (full medical underwriting).
#Premium change at last renewal: How the premium rate for private medical insurance, group life assurance and group income protection changed at the most recent renewal. Records the past change only.
#Private cancer diagnostics and fast-track pathways: Captures whether private cancer diagnostics or fast-track pathways are funded as a dedicated benefit, via PMI, or not at all.
#Private medical insurance (PMI) eligibility rules: How employees qualify for PMI — all staff, grade-restricted, or subject to a service requirement.
#Second-medical-opinion service: Indicates whether employees can access a service providing an expert second medical opinion on a diagnosis or treatment.
#Spouse/partner life cover: Indicates whether life cover for a spouse or partner is offered — employer-paid, on a voluntary basis, or not at all.
#Standalone virtual GP service: Indicates whether a virtual GP service is offered in its own right rather than only bundled within PMI.
#Terminal illness policy: Whether the employer has signed the TUC Dying to Work charter or has a written policy for employees with a terminal illness. Staying employed usually keeps an employee’s death-in-service cover in force.
#Use of GIP rehabilitation services: Captures how actively the rehabilitation and early-intervention services embedded in group income protection are used, if at all.
#Weight management support: Whether the employer funds or discounts a weight management programme that can include prescribed weight-loss medication, or offers lifestyle support only.
#When cover starts for new joiners: How long new joiners wait before private medical insurance, life assurance and income protection start.
#Who pays for family PMI: Who funds PMI for employees’ partners and children. Family cover the employer pays for is a taxable benefit in kind for the employee.
#Women’s health support beyond menopause leave: Captures whether women’s health support beyond menopause leave is offered as a clinical benefit, awareness only, or not at all.

Benefits & Lifestyle 54 metrics

Company cars, flexible benefits, allowances and the lifestyle benefits around the core package.

#Annual car allowance amount by level: The typical yearly cash car allowance paid at each job level, in pounds.
#Annual flexible benefits allowance by level % of base pay: The annual flexible-benefits allowance offered at each employee level, expressed as a percentage of base pay.
#Average redundancy cost (x monthly base salary): Average total cost of one redundancy over the last completed year, as a multiple of the employee’s MONTHLY base salary. Include statutory and enhanced redundancy pay, pay in lieu of notice and settlement sums.
#Benefit costs tracked centrally as part of total reward: Whether benefit costs are captured centrally within total reward reporting.
#Benefits currently offered: Private Medical Insurance (PMI) covers the cost of private treatment; a health cash plan refunds everyday health costs (dental, optical, physio) up to set limits. Income protection pays a share of salary during long-term illness; critical illness cover pays a one-off lump sum on diagnosis of a listed condition. An EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) is a confidential advice and counselling line. Salary-sacrifice schemes (cycle-to-work, EV cars) fund a benefit from pre-tax pay. Tick a benefit only if your organisation arranges it today — employer-arranged counts whether employer- or employee-funded. A mental health support programme means a structured, funded programme (for example a digital platform or counselling pathway), not first aiders or an EAP alone.
#Benefits enhanced for cost-of-living or market pressure: Whether benefits were improved in the past year due to cost-of-living or labour-market pressure.
#Benefits participation and utilisation: Whether the organisation monitors take-up and usage of key benefits, and across how many of them.
#Benefits supporting sustainable choices: Which benefits actively support sustainable choices, such as a green pension option, home-energy support, or sustainable-travel incentives.
#Business mileage rate (own car): The mileage rate for business journeys in employees’ own cars. HMRC’s approved rate rose from 45p to 55p a mile for the first 10,000 miles from 6 April 2026 (25p after that). Payments above the approved rate are taxable.
#Cash allowance offered instead of a status car: Whether eligible employees can take a cash allowance instead of a status-based company car.
#Company car eligibility mileage requirement: The annual business mileage threshold an employee must reach to qualify for a business-need company car.
#Company cars as a status or grade-based benefit provision: Whether company cars are given as a perk linked to seniority or grade, not business need.
#Contractor access to employee benefits: Whether contractors and freelancers can access employee benefits such as EAP, discounts or training, and how broadly.
#Cycle to Work limit: The highest value an employee can take through the Cycle to Work scheme, a salary-sacrifice hire of a bike and safety equipment. There is no government cap on the value.
#Documented redundancy process: Whether a written redundancy process exists and is applied consistently across the organisation.
#Early-retirement / pension-bridging support: Whether restructuring includes support for early retirement or bridging pension income until a pension starts, routinely or case-by-case.
#Eligibility criteria for business need company car: The factors that qualify an employee for a company car provided because the role requires one.
#Employee benefits reviewed regularly to assess relevance: How regularly the benefits package is reviewed to check it stays relevant and good value.
#Employee notice period by level: The contractual notice an employee must give to resign, shown for each job level.
#Employer notice period by level: The notice period the employer must give to end employment, recorded for each employee level.
#Employer-funded PMI eligibility rate: The share of the workforce eligible for employer-funded PMI.
#Enhanced voluntary redundancy terms: Whether voluntary redundancy packages are more generous than the organisation’s compulsory redundancy terms, or matched to them.
#EV home charging reimbursement rate (pence per kWh): The pence-per-kWh reimbursement rate applied to business-related EV charging at an employee’s home.
#EV-only restriction on salary-sacrifice cars: Captures whether a salary sacrifice car scheme is restricted to EVs, prioritises them, or is fuel-neutral.
#Flexible benefits platform: Whether employees can select or adjust their benefits through a flexible benefits platform.
#Free or subsidised staff parking: Whether staff who drive get free or reduced-cost parking at or near work. Parking at or near work is a tax-free benefit for employees.
#LGBTQ+ inclusive benefits coverage: Whether core benefits are structured to be inclusive for LGBTQ+ employees and their families.
#Line managers trained to manage redundancy conversations: Whether line managers are trained to handle redundancy conversations with affected employees.
#Low-emission or electric vehicles mandated or prioritised: Whether company car policy requires or gives preference to low-emission or electric vehicles.
#Maximum number of weeks’ pay used to calculate redundancy: The maximum number of weeks’ pay used when calculating a redundancy payment.
#Maximum redundancy pay multiple offered, excluding notice: The largest enhanced redundancy payment offered, expressed as a multiple of the employee’s statutory redundancy entitlement and excluding notice.
#Notice handling approach in redundancy situations: How notice is usually handled in redundancies — worked, garden leave, paid in lieu, or mixed. Garden leave: the employee remains employed and paid through the notice period but stays at home. Payment in lieu of notice (PILON): employment ends at once and the notice period is paid as a lump sum.
#Optional benefits enrolment rate: Proportion of employees enrolled in at least one optional/flexible benefit.
#Outplacement or career transition support offered: Whether outplacement or career-transition support is offered to employees leaving through redundancy.
#Paid study time for funded qualifications: Whether employees on employer-funded qualifications get paid study time — full leave, limited time, or none.
#Personalised/flexible benefits allowance: Whether employees receive a flexible benefits allowance they can allocate to their own choices, from none through limited choice to a full personalised allowance.
#Private fuel for company-car drivers: Whether company-car drivers get free private fuel, repay private use, or pay for their own fuel and claim business mileage. Car and fuel benefits must be payrolled from April 2027. There’s no fuel benefit charge on electricity.
#Professional body subscriptions: Whether the employer pays professional membership or registration fees. Registration fees needed to practise, and subscriptions to bodies on HMRC’s approved list (List 3) that are relevant to the job, are tax-free; others are taxable.
#Public transport subsidy beyond season-ticket loans: Whether the organisation financially supports employee public-transport costs beyond providing season-ticket loans.
#Reasonable-adjustment process for benefits access: How far the organisation supports neurodiverse employees and reasonable adjustments in accessing reward and benefits, from none to a formal process with dedicated support.
#Redundancy outcomes review for fairness and bias: Whether redundancy selection outcomes are checked for fairness and potential bias.
#Redundancy pay calculation basis: Which pay elements are included when calculating redundancy payments, from basic salary to variable pay.
#Redundancy pay terms offered: Whether redundancy pay is statutory only or enhanced, and how any enhancement is structured.
#Relocation cap and tax: The standard cap on relocation support and whether the employer pays the tax on anything above the tax-free limit. Qualifying removal costs up to £8,000 a move are free of tax and NICs; the limit hasn’t changed since 1998.
#Relocation support availability: Whether the organisation helps cover relocation costs for hires who must move for the role, via policy or case by case.
#Repaying qualification costs on leaving: Whether employees who leave soon after an employer-funded qualification must repay part of the cost, and for how long. To deduct it from final pay, the employee must have agreed to it in writing in advance.
#Role levels eligible for a status car allowance or lease car: Maps which role levels qualify for a status car allowance or a lease car.
#Salary sacrifice arrangements participation rate: The share of employees taking part in any salary sacrifice arrangement.
#Salary-sacrifice car scheme: who can join: The eligibility conditions for the salary-sacrifice car scheme. A sacrifice can’t reduce anyone’s pay below the National Minimum Wage, so every scheme needs that check; this asks about conditions beyond it.
#Selection criteria for redundancy documented and objective: Whether the criteria for selecting employees for redundancy are documented and objective.
#Staff discount on own products: The standard discount employees get on the organisation’s own goods or services, not third-party discount schemes. It is usually tax-free if staff still pay at least what the item costs the employer.
#Staff events and seasonal gifts: Whether all staff get a party or event, a seasonal gift or a seasonal cash bonus. A yearly event open to all staff costing up to £150 a head is tax-free, as is a non-cash gift of up to £50 (a trivial benefit). Cash bonuses are taxed as pay.
#Trans-inclusive health/benefits support: Whether benefits or health plans explicitly provide trans-inclusive support, where legally permitted; partial coverage is a middle option.
#Workplace EV charging: Whether the workplace offers electric-vehicle charging for employees, free of charge, at a cost, or not at all.

Time Off & Family 62 metrics

Annual leave, enhanced family leave, carer’s leave, sick pay and sabbaticals.

#Additional discretionary days off: Which extra discretionary days off the organisation grants beyond annual leave, such as birthday, wellbeing, or life-event days.
#Annual leave buy/sell availability: Whether employees can buy extra annual leave, sell unused days, both, or neither.
#Annual leave days (excluding bank holidays): Typical annual leave for full-time employees, excluding the 8 UK bank holidays, recorded as a number of days.
#Annual leave donation between colleagues: Whether a formal scheme lets employees transfer their unused annual leave to colleagues who need it.
#Backup or emergency care days: Whether the organisation provides emergency backup care for children or adult dependants, whether fully funded or via discounted access.
#Bank holiday swap availability: Whether employees can substitute UK bank holidays for alternative days off, for example to observe other cultural or religious dates.
#Bank holiday working premium: The standard uplift paid for working UK bank holidays, from no premium up to double time.
#Bereaved partner’s paternity enhancement: Whether the organisation pays above the statutory bereaved partner’s paternity entitlement introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025.
#Bereavement leave: who is covered: Who paid bereavement leave covers. From April 2027 there’s a day-one right to up to two weeks’ unpaid leave for immediate family and for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, for both parents.
#Carry-over of unused annual leave: Whether unused annual leave can be carried into the next year, and whether carry-over is standard or limited.
#Childcare support: Captures which forms of childcare support are provided, from workplace nurseries to backup care; select all that apply.
#Day-one paternity and parental leave: Indicates whether paternity and unpaid parental leave are already offered from day one, as required from April 2026.
#Dedicated paid menopause leave: Whether the organisation offers dedicated paid menopause leave, broader support without specific leave, or no specific provision.
#Documented OSP eligibility rules: Whether the eligibility criteria for occupational sick pay are clearly documented — fully, partly, or not.
#Domestic abuse leave and support: Whether employees facing domestic abuse can access paid leave and a formal support pathway, one, or neither.
#Eldercare navigation support: Whether the organisation offers services helping employees arrange or navigate care for elderly relatives.
#Employer-funded fertility treatment: Captures the depth of employer-funded fertility treatment, measured as the number of IVF cycles or the financial cap offered.
#Enhanced maternity pay: repayment rule: Whether enhanced maternity and adoption pay must be repaid if the employee doesn’t return, or leaves within a set period, and how long that period is.
#Enhanced maternity pay: service needed: The service needed for enhanced (above-statutory) maternity and adoption pay. Statutory maternity and adoption pay need 26 weeks’ service by a set point.
#Enhanced occupational sick pay duration: The typical number of weeks enhanced occupational sick pay runs before it drops to statutory or nil.
#Enhanced shared parental pay: Whether shared parental pay is enhanced above statutory provision.
#Expected workplace attendance for remote-eligible roles: How often remote-eligible employees are expected to attend a workplace, from fully remote upwards.
#Extra annual leave earned through service: The largest increase in annual leave that length of service can earn, over the starting entitlement.
#Flexibility for frontline staff: The flexibility open to frontline employees who can’t work from home. Shift swaps, flexible start and finish times and a say in rotas are the most common.
#Flexibility stated in job adverts: Whether job adverts name the flexible working options available for the role.
#Flexible working patterns offered as standard: Which flexible-working patterns the organisation runs as standard, such as compressed hours, core hours, flexitime, or annualised hours.
#Four-day week or nine-day fortnight: Captures whether any group works a four-day week or nine-day fortnight, including at trial stage.
#Holiday-pay record keeping: Whether annual-leave and holiday-pay records meet the Working Time Regulations, including accrual tracking for irregular-hours and part-year workers.
#How UK bank holidays are treated: Whether UK bank holidays are counted within the annual leave allowance, granted on top, or a mix.
#Mandatory shutdown leave: Whether employees must take annual leave during set shutdown periods, organisation-wide or only in some areas.
#Maternity & adoption pay vs statutory: Whether maternity and adoption provision is statutory only or enhances pay, leave, or both.
#Maximum additional leave purchasable per year: The most additional annual leave an employee can typically buy in a year.
#Neonatal care leave above statutory: Captures whether neonatal care leave is enhanced above the statutory entitlement, through better pay, additional leave, or both.
#Occupational sick pay reviewed against the April 2026 SSP reform: How far sick pay arrangements have been aligned to the April 2026 SSP reform (no lower earnings limit or waiting days), up to enhanced OSP.
#Occupational sick pay vs SSP: Whether the organisation pays enhanced occupational sick pay above SSP, only SSP, or a combination of the two.
#Paid bereavement leave (days): Paid bereavement leave provided for the death of a close family member, in days. UK law provides statutory parental bereavement leave and unpaid time off for dependants, but no general bereavement entitlement.
#Paid carer’s leave above statutory: Captures whether carer’s leave is enhanced with pay above the statutory unpaid entitlement, from none to fully paid.
#Paid emergency or compassionate leave: Whether emergency or compassionate leave is fully paid, paid at discretion, unpaid, or not specifically provided.
#Paid fertility-treatment leave: Indicates whether time off for fertility treatment is dedicated paid leave, rather than drawn from sick or annual leave.
#Paid grandparental leave: Whether employees can take paid leave to care for or support a new grandchild.
#Paid parental leave beyond statutory: Whether the organisation offers any paid parental leave, going beyond the statutory unpaid parental-leave entitlement.
#Paid pregnancy-loss leave: Indicates whether paid leave for pregnancy loss or miscarriage is offered as formal policy, at discretion, or not at all.
#Paid study or exam leave: Whether the organisation grants paid time off for study or exams, rather than unpaid leave or no specific provision.
#Paid volunteering leave: Whether the organisation offers paid time off for volunteering, as opposed to unpaid leave or no formal provision.
#Phased retirement: Whether phased or flexible retirement is offered. Some DB schemes, such as the LGPS, let members draw some pension while working reduced hours, with the employer’s agreement.
#Probation period: The length of the standard probation period. From 1 January 2027 the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal falls from 2 years to 6 months.
#Reach of flexible working: How widely flexible working is available across the workforce. Every employee can request flexible working from their first day.
#Remote working abroad (workation) policy: The organisation’s approach to employees working remotely from abroad, from uncapped through a day limit or case-by-case to prohibited.
#Return-to-work support after family leave: Whether employees returning from extended family leave receive structured support such as coaching and phased return beyond the statutory minimum.
#Review of extended or repeated OSP cases: Whether extended or repeated occupational sick pay claims are reviewed before approval, for all cases, some, or none.
#Right-to-disconnect policy: Whether the organisation sets expectations limiting out-of-hours contact, via a formal right-to-disconnect policy, informal guidance, or neither.
#Sabbatical and career break availability: Whether extended sabbaticals or career breaks are available, and whether any such leave is paid or unpaid.
#Sick pay scale by service: How occupational sick pay at full pay grows with service. NHS and local government schemes run from 1 month’s full pay in the first year to 6 months’ after 5 years, each followed by a period at half pay.
#Standard full-time weekly hours: Standard full-time weekly hours. Needed to compare leave, pay and allowances fairly between organisations.
#Starting annual leave by level: Starting annual leave at each level, excluding bank holidays and service increases. The legal minimum is 5.6 weeks (28 days for a five-day week), which can include bank holidays.
#Surrogacy parity with adoption: Whether employees having a child via surrogacy get the same pay and leave as those adopting, fully, partly, or not at all.
#Time off for medical appointments: How time off for medical appointments is handled. There’s no general right to paid time off for them, apart from antenatal care; paid time off can be a reasonable adjustment for a disabled employee.
#Time off in lieu (TOIL) as an overtime alternative: Whether employees can take equivalent time off instead of being paid for overtime worked.
#Unlimited annual leave: Whether any group of employees has uncapped annual leave with no fixed entitlement, covering all staff, some roles, or none.
#Waiting period before occupational sick pay: Whether a waiting period applies before occupational sick pay starts, and roughly how long it lasts.
#Weeks of enhanced maternity and adoption pay: Number of weeks where maternity and adoption pay exceeds statutory provision.
#Weeks of enhanced paternity pay: Whether paternity pay is enhanced above statutory, and for how many weeks.

Incentives & Recognition 62 metrics

Bonus design, long-term incentives, commission, and long-service and peer recognition.

#Adjusting formulaic bonus outcomes: How far judgement can override a bonus formula’s result, from no discretion through documented committee discretion to undocumented adjustment.
#All-employee share plan (SAYE or SIP): Captures which all-employee tax-advantaged share plans are operated — SAYE (Sharesave), SIP, both, or neither.
#Annual recognition budget per employee: The yearly amount budgeted per employee to fund recognition awards, or none.
#Attendance bonus and protected absences: Whether an attendance bonus is paid and how protected absences are treated. Counting pregnancy, maternity or disability-related absence against a bonus risks discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
#Average payout vs maximum bonus (last 12 months): The most recent year’s average bonus payout expressed as a percentage of the maximum bonus potential.
#Bonus buy-outs for senior hires: Whether the organisation compensates senior recruits for bonuses forfeited on leaving a previous employer, and how often.
#Bonus deferral period and vehicle: For bonuses that are deferred, the usual deferral length and form, from one-year cash through multi-year cash to shares or equity.
#Bonus during maternity leave and long-term sickness: How much bonus is paid for periods of maternity leave and long-term sickness. The Equality Act 2010 (s74) requires bonus for time worked and for compulsory maternity leave.
#Bonus for joiners and good leavers: How the main bonus scheme treats people who join part-way through the bonus year, and good leavers.
#Bonus payment timing after year end: How soon after the performance year ends annual bonuses reach employees, banded by months elapsed.
#Bonus spend as a % of the pay bill: Total bonus paid in the last completed financial year as a share of the UK base pay bill. It measures the size of the pot, not individual awards or any future budget.
#Bonuses deferred for any population: Whether part of the bonus is deferred rather than paid immediately, and how widely deferral applies.
#Business share of bonus by level: The typical weighting between individual and business/company performance in the main bonus scheme, by level.
#Cap on commission earnings: Whether sales commission earnings are limited, distinguishing uncapped plans from soft caps or decelerators and firm hard caps.
#Clawback period: How long executive awards stay open to clawback after payment or vesting. The 2024 UK Corporate Governance Code asks listed companies to disclose the minimum period and why it suits them.
#Clawback provisions on paid awards: Whether clawback provisions allow already-paid awards to be recovered in defined circumstances.
#Commission plan structures used: The basis on which commission is calculated, from revenue or margin to quota attainment or units sold.
#EMI or CSOP option plans operated: Captures which discretionary tax-advantaged share option plans are operated — EMI, CSOP, both, or neither.
#Employee referral awards: Whether employees get an award for referring someone who is hired, and its typical value per hire. Referral awards are taxed as pay.
#Employee-ownership structure (EOT): Whether an employee-ownership model such as an Employee Ownership Trust is established, being considered, or absent.
#ESG, safety or people measures in incentives: Whether incentive plans embed non-financial measures like ESG, safety or people goals, either as weighted metrics or as a modifier/underpin.
#Executive shareholding requirement: The minimum shareholding executives must build and keep while employed, as a % of base salary. The IA Principles expect listed companies to set one.
#Form recognition awards take: The main form recognition awards take: cash, experiences or vouchers, points, or a mix of these.
#FS: deferral period for material risk takers: The minimum deferral period for material risk takers’ variable pay. For dual-regulated firms, PRA PS21/25 sets a single 4-year minimum for performance years starting after 16 October 2025 (before: up to 7 years for senior managers).
#FS: variable-to-fixed pay limit: The maximum variable-to-fixed pay ratio set for material risk takers. The 2:1 bonus cap for dual-regulated firms ended on 31 October 2023, but firms must still set an appropriate ratio.
#Gatekeeper metric for any bonus payout: Whether a gateway metric (such as profit, safety or compliance) must be met before any bonus is paid.
#How the bonus pool is funded: How the main bonus pool is generated: top-down from profit share, bottom-up from targets, or a hybrid of both.
#Levels eligible for long-term incentives: Shows which employee levels qualify to participate in long-term incentive plans, recorded level by level.
#Limits on recognition award frequency: Whether formal or informal caps limit how often one employee can receive recognition awards.
#Long service award scheme: Whether the organisation runs a scheme rewarding employees for reaching length-of-service milestones.
#Long service milestones recognised: The service anniversaries at which the organisation gives a long service award.
#Long-service award value by milestone: The typical monetary value of the long service award an individual employee receives at each recognised length-of-service milestone.
#Long-term incentive or equity plans: Whether the organisation operates any long-term incentive or equity plan for any part of the workforce.
#LTIP holding period: The holding period after executive LTIP shares vest. The UK Corporate Governance Code expects vesting and holding to total five years or more; the IA expects at least a 3-year performance period plus a 2-year holding.
#LTIP performance measures: The performance measures in the main long-term incentive plan for executives, from relative TSR and EPS to ESG and strategic goals.
#LTIP threshold vesting: The share of the maximum LTIP award that vests at threshold performance. The IA Principles expect no vesting below median for relative measures such as TSR.
#Malus and clawback triggers: The events that let the company cut or recover executive awards. The 2024 UK Corporate Governance Code asks listed companies to describe these, for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2025.
#Malus provisions used (reduce unpaid awards): Whether malus provisions allow unpaid or unvested awards to be reduced for misconduct, risk or compliance failures.
#Maximum annual LTI % of base pay by level: Maximum long-term incentive opportunity expressed as a percentage of base salary.
#Maximum bonus % opportunity by level: The maximum bonus achievable at each job level, expressed as a percentage of base salary.
#Measures used in your main bonus or incentive scheme: The performance measures the main bonus or incentive scheme pays against; select all that apply.
#Output-based pay for frontline staff: Whether frontline pay includes output-based elements, and whether they’re individual or team-based. The National Minimum Wage still applies to output-based pay.
#Peer-to-peer recognition: Whether employees can recognise each other, from no scheme through informal peer recognition to a points or social-recognition platform.
#Post-employment shareholding: Whether executives must keep shares after they leave. The UK Corporate Governance Code asks listed companies for a formal policy; the IA expects the full requirement (or the holding on leaving, if lower) for 2 years.
#Primary objective of incentive schemes: The primary purpose of the organisation’s incentives — driving performance, aiding retention, controlling cost, or a mix.
#Profit share or gainshare arrangements: Whether staff broadly share in company profits or team gains, distinguishing all-employee profit share from site or team gainshare.
#Proportion of employees eligible for a bonus: The share of the workforce eligible for a bonus or incentive scheme, from under 10% to over 75%.
#Recognition budget held by managers: Whether managers control a devolved recognition budget, hold only a central budget, or have none to spend.
#Recognition impact measured: Whether the organisation tracks how its recognition activity affects engagement or retention outcomes.
#Retention or project-completion bonuses: Whether bonuses are used to retain or reward completion by employees in critical roles, and whether this is formalised.
#Sales commission plans: Whether the organisation runs any sales commission or commission-based incentive scheme; a simple yes/no gate.
#Sales pay mix: The variable share of on-target earnings for the main sales roles. It records the mix, not pay levels.
#SAYE invitations and savings terms: How often SAYE (Sharesave) invitations are made and which savings contract lengths are offered. SAYE savings contracts run for 3 or 5 years.
#SAYE share option discount: The discount applied to the share option price under a Save As You Earn scheme, where 20% is the statutory maximum.
#Share plan participation rate: The share of eligible employees actively participating in the all-employee share plan, banded from under 10% to over half.
#Sign-on bonuses used for any roles: Whether sign-on (joining) bonuses are used, and how routinely — from never to a core attraction tool.
#SIP elements used: Which components of a Share Incentive Plan the organisation uses — free, partnership, matching or dividend shares — or none.
#Target annual LTI % of base pay by level: Target annual long-term incentive award, expressed as a percentage of base pay, at each employee level.
#Target bonus opportunity by level (as % of base salary): The on-target bonus opportunity at each level, expressed as a percentage of base salary.
#Types of long-term incentive plans offered: The primary long-term incentive vehicle offered, spanning equity awards (RSUs, options, performance shares) and cash LTIPs.
#Typical value of an individual recognition award: The typical monetary value of a single individual recognition award, or non-financial only.
#Vesting schedule of the main LTI: When awards under the main long-term incentive vest. For listed companies’ executive directors, the UK Corporate Governance Code expects vesting plus holding to total at least five years.

Wellbeing 19 metrics

Employee assistance, mental-health support, financial wellbeing and health screening.

#Annual wellbeing budget per employee: The annual wellbeing budget per employee in GBP.
#Cost-of-living interventions in the last 24 months: Captures which discrete cost-of-living measures were taken in the past two years; select all that apply.
#Documented financial wellbeing strategy: Indicates whether financial wellbeing is supported by a documented strategy rather than one-off or ad hoc measures.
#EAP use rate: The share of covered employees who used the EAP in the last completed year. An outcome shown for context; it isn’t rated.
#Earned wage access before payday: Captures whether employees can draw earned pay before payday (earned wage access) — across all staff, frontline only, or in pilot.
#Employee Assistance Programme offered: Whether the organisation provides an Employee Assistance Programme (confidential advice/counselling line) to employees.
#Free or subsidised staff meals: Indicates whether staff meals are provided free of charge, at a subsidy, or not at all.
#Health screening or assessments offered: Whether the organisation offers health screening or health assessments (e.g. health checks, medicals) to employees.
#Independent debt advice access: Indicates whether independent debt or money-guidance support is funded, signposted (e.g. via MaPS), or not provided.
#Limit on early pay withdrawals: Indicates whether earned wage access withdrawals are capped, typically as a percentage of pay already accrued.
#Managers with mental-health training: Measures the share of people managers who have completed mental-health awareness training, banded from none to over three-quarters.
#Mental-health support provisions: Captures which mental-health provisions the organisation offers, from MH first aiders and counselling to manager training; select all that apply.
#Occupational health access: Captures whether an occupational health service exists and how quickly referrals are turned around, from no provision to a guaranteed sub-two-week SLA.
#One-to-one financial coaching: Captures whether personal financial coaching or advice beyond pensions is offered, from funded one-to-one advice to workshops only.
#Season ticket / commuting loans: Indicates whether loans for season tickets or other commuting costs are made available to employees.
#Sickness absence per employee: Average working days lost to sickness absence per employee in the last completed year. An outcome shown for context; it isn’t rated.
#Wellbeing and health data tracked: Which wellbeing and health metrics the organisation actively monitors, such as absence rates, PMI claims, wellbeing scores or EAP utilisation; select all that apply.
#Wellbeing strategy and review cadence: Captures whether a written wellbeing strategy exists and, if so, its review cadence, from ad hoc to more than annually.
#Who pays earned wage access fees: Captures who bears the cost of earned wage access transactions — the employer, the employee per use, or a subscription.

Governance & Transparency 64 metrics

Pay-gap analysis, pay-transparency readiness, reward strategy and pay equity.

#AI in pay decisions: governance level: Whether AI tools inform pay decisions and the governance around them, from no use to human oversight with bias auditing.
#AI proficiency in base pay reviews: Captures whether an employee’s AI proficiency factors into base pay review decisions — formally, informally, not at all, or planned.
#AI use in reward benchmarking: Captures how far AI tools are used in reward benchmarking or market analysis, from embedded in process to exploring.
#Annual gender pay gap analysis: Whether the organisation runs a gender pay gap analysis at least yearly; ‘In development’ means it is being introduced.
#Benefits linked to defined objectives: Whether employee benefits are tied to defined objectives such as retention or engagement, and whether their performance is reviewed against those aims.
#Benefits re-broke frequency: How often the organisation runs a full market review or re-broke of its benefits, from annually to never.
#Benefits take-up measurement: Whether the organisation tracks how much benefits are used and feeds that into design decisions, systematically, occasionally, or not.
#Dedicated reward team size (FTE): The size of the organisation’s dedicated reward function, from no resource or a shared HR/reward role up to five or more FTE.
#Differentiated reward for AI/digital talent: Indicates whether AI or digital talent gets differentiated reward — separate ranges, RSUs or retention vehicles — formally or case-by-case.
#Disability pay gap analysis cadence: Whether the organisation measures pay gaps by disability status at least yearly; ‘partially’ signals partial coverage.
#Disclosure of AI use in pay decisions: Whether the organisation tells employees when AI has informed pay decisions affecting them, ranging from always disclosed to no disclosure.
#Dismiss-and-rehire policy position: The organisation’s policy for avoiding dismiss-and-rehire when changing pay, pension or benefit terms. Restrictions under the Employment Rights Act 2025 commence on a date set by regulations.
#Documented pay transparency approach or policy (in place): Whether the organisation has a written pay transparency policy setting out what pay information is shared.
#Employees have access to pay ranges for their grade/role family: Whether employees can see the pay ranges for their grade or role family — fully, partly, or not.
#Equal-value role grouping readiness: How far the organisation can group roles into equal-value categories (skills, effort, responsibility, conditions) for equal-pay comparison, from not at all to fully.
#Equality impact assessment on reward changes: Whether reward changes undergo an equality impact assessment before launch, always, only for major changes, or never.
#Ethnicity and disability pay gap readiness: Readiness for ethnicity and disability pay-gap reporting at 250+ employees. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill is in draft and has no commencement date.
#Ethnicity pay gap analysis cadence: Whether the organisation measures its ethnicity pay gap at least yearly; ‘partially’ signals partial or inconsistent coverage.
#EU Pay Transparency Directive readiness: The organisation’s readiness for the EU Pay Transparency Directive, from not started through to fully compliant.
#Exceptions to standard pay rules formally documented: Whether departures from standard pay rules are formally recorded with a written justification.
#External benefits broker or adviser: Whether the organisation engages an external benefits broker or adviser, on a full-service basis, for projects, or not at all.
#Final sign-off on the annual pay decision: Which role or body holds final approval of the annual pay and reward decision, such as the HRD, CFO, CEO or Remuneration Committee.
#Formal pay progression policy within bands: Whether a documented policy sets out how pay progresses within a salary band.
#Formal pay ranges defined for all permanent roles: Whether documented pay ranges exist for permanent roles; ‘partially’ signals incomplete coverage across roles.
#FS: remuneration code in scope: Which regulatory remuneration codes apply (FCA Handbook SYSC 19D, 19G, 19B and 19E, and the PRA Rulebook for insurers). They set rules on material risk takers’ pay, such as deferral, payment in shares and clawback.
#Harmonising terms after an acquisition: How transferred employees’ terms are handled after an acquisition or TUPE transfer. Under TUPE, a change is void if the transfer is the reason for it, unless an exception applies.
#Incentive outcome review by characteristic: Whether incentive payouts are analysed by protected characteristic, where data allows and the law permits.
#Independent remuneration adviser: Whether the remuneration committee appoints its own adviser. The UK Corporate Governance Code says the committee should appoint any consultants, and quoted companies must name them in the remuneration report.
#Market supplement review: How market supplements are reviewed. A pay gap between men and women doing equal work is lawful only if a material factor other than sex explains it, such as market evidence (Equality Act 2010, s.69).
#Menopause action plan status: Whether the organisation has, or intends to, publish a voluntary menopause action plan before the 2027 mandate, and how advanced those plans are.
#Minimum wage compliance checks: Which controls the employer runs to stay compliant with the minimum wage. In recent government naming rounds the commonest causes of underpayment were deductions, unpaid working time and wrong apprentice rates.
#Naming outsourced-worker providers in GPG report: Whether the organisation is ready to name outsourced-worker providers in its gender pay gap report, as the Employment Rights Act will require.
#Off-cycle pay increase incidence rate: Measures the share of employees given a pay rise outside the annual review cycle, excluding promotions; the answer is a banded percentage.
#Pay compression and internal equity review: Whether each annual pay cycle checks outcomes for pay compression and internal equity across comparable roles.
#Pay decisions reviewed for fairness before implementation: Whether pay decisions pass a fairness check, such as calibration or central review, before they take effect.
#Pay progression basis outside the annual review: What drives pay progression between annual reviews and promotions, whether performance- or tenure/service-led.
#Pay range publication on job adverts: Whether pay ranges are shown on job adverts — for all roles, some roles, or none.
#Pay range review frequency: How frequently pay ranges are refreshed against market data, ranging from quarterly to never reviewed.
#Pay ranges linked to a job evaluation framework: Whether pay ranges are anchored to a formal job evaluation or grading framework rather than set ad hoc.
#Pay review appeal route: Whether employees can formally challenge their pay review outcome, via a dedicated appeal route, the grievance process, or not at all.
#Pay review system: What technology supports pay review cycles, from dedicated compensation software or an HRIS module to outsourcing or spreadsheets.
#Pay transparency readiness assessment: Whether the organisation has assessed its readiness for pay transparency, reviewing structures, data quality and communications.
#Proactive equal-pay audit frequency: Whether the organisation proactively audits pay for equal-pay risk, and how frequently, from never to more than annually.
#Progression eligibility linked to performance outcomes: Whether eligibility to progress depends on performance outcomes, and how consistently that link is applied.
#Promotion decision governance: Captures the level at which promotion decisions are controlled, from central criteria-based governance through to manager discretion or ad hoc case-by-case calls.
#Promotion equity monitoring: Captures whether the organisation analyses promotion rates across protected characteristics to detect equity gaps; the answer reflects how regularly this is done.
#Published equality action plan coverage: Whether a published equality action plan exists and which areas it addresses: gender, ethnicity, disability or menopause. Menopause is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
#Reward and benefits communication plan (Annual): Whether reward/benefits communications are planned and documented on an annual cycle.
#Reward communications effectiveness measurement: The methods used to gauge whether reward and benefits communications land, from open rates to surveys and query volumes.
#Right to a pay explanation: Indicates whether employees can obtain an explanation of how their individual pay was set, through a formal or informal route.
#Roles re-graded because of AI: Whether AI’s reshaping of job content has triggered any role re-grading or re-evaluation in the past year; higher options indicate broader impact.
#Salary positioning guidelines on promotion: Whether formal guidelines set the recommended pay positioning to apply when someone is promoted.
#Salary-history questions removed: Whether the organisation has stopped asking candidates about previous salary during recruitment, a practice linked to reducing pay inequity.
#Socio-economic pay monitoring: Whether the organisation analyses pay outcomes by employees’ socio-economic background, already doing so, considering it, or not.
#Time-in-grade promotion expectation: Captures whether a minimum tenure in role or grade is required before promotion, and whether that rule is standard or varies by job family.
#Total reward statements adoption: Whether total reward statements are provided and the annual access/usage level.
#Total rewards strategy (Documented): Whether a documented total rewards strategy exists that integrates core rewards elements (pay, benefits, wellbeing, careers).
#Total rewards strategy pillars: Which reward components the strategy formally covers, from base and variable pay to wellbeing and recognition; select all.
#Total rewards strategy refresh recency: Recency of total rewards strategy refresh/review.
#Trade union recognition: Whether the employer recognises a union for collective bargaining, and for how much of the workforce. This is recognition, not the share of staff who are union members.
#Typical maximum pay increase for promotions: The usual ceiling on a pay rise awarded at promotion, expressed as a percentage of salary.
#Umbrella and agency worker reward checks: Whether reward parity and compliance checks are applied to umbrella-company and agency workers, from none to a full parity framework.
#Voluntary pay gap publication: Which pay gaps the organisation discloses voluntarily beyond mandatory gender reporting, such as ethnicity, disability, or CEO pay ratio.
#Workforce engagement on executive pay: How the board engages the workforce on executive pay. The UK Corporate Governance Code names three engagement methods and asks the remuneration committee to report on this engagement.

See where you stand on any of them

Members answer once and see their position against the benchmark on every metric above — cited, and updated as the pool moves.

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