#incentive

Cengage continues to show its true colors and it just keeps getting worse... On May 26th an email went out to people leaders letting them know that employees that made a Transformative or Outstanding impact would receive an impact award (if they are not on the normal Incentive plan). This is typically a small bonus like 5%.

On June 2nd, HR emailed people leaders again saying our bad, that's not actually going to happen. This happening after many managers have already spoken to employees. and now Managers are having to break the news to their employees.

Now, for the people who are on the incentive plan with a 10% - 40% bonus, just need to get achieved (significant impact) for it to pay out. and it is still going to.

In other words, to the people that have a job profile not allowing them to be on the incentive plan but absolutely crushed it this year, I am sorry and unfortunately Cengage is giving you the middle finger and has no desire to walk back their walk back.

Companies like BNY and their consulting sidekicks have perfected the art of “economic development,” which mostly means convincing state and local governments that a few hundred cubicles and a ribbon‑cutting justify millions in tax incentives. McKinsey brings the playbook, BNY brings the headcount projections, and suddenly the state is handing out credits like party favors to “stimulate regional growth.”

Once the incentives are locked in, the hiring machine kicks in. States love when companies hire local graduates, and companies love it even more because those hires help them unlock annual tax credits tied to job‑creation commitments. New grads from state schools are especially attractive: they’re local, they’re eligible for incentive programs, and—let’s be honest—they’re cheaper than experienced workers. Salaries vary, but the pattern is predictable: new grads cost less, and incentive‑eligible hires cost even less to the company once the credits hit.

Who negotiates all this? At BNY, it’s typically a mix of Corporate Real Estate, Government Affairs, and Tax/Finance, working quietly behind the scenes to secure incentives without ever mentioning them to the employees whose jobs justify the credits.

And how do new grads help? Simple: every qualifying hire checks a box on the state’s incentive scorecard. The state gets “job creation.” BNY gets tax credits. And the new grads get… well, a selfie with Fabs and welcome to the Bounce House - North Campus.

Accountabilty goals for HR Leadership this year
~Spot bonus program for employees
~~<Employee Recognition Programs
~Gift Cards
~Birthday/Wedding/Birth/Death-Flowers and Cards.
~~Eliminate bias in the incentive comp plans. ~~Capital Management and group sales reps should not get quarterly bonuses. Unfair. Offensive
~~More employee committee participation at Board of Director level
~More benefit enhancements
~More employee recognition in Annual Report
~More employee input in decision making
<Eliminate excessive performance evaluations waste
~At least $5K raise for every employee making under $150K per year.
~release employee survey within 1 month after employees complete it.
~mandatory WARN notices in advance of layoffs
~early retirement buyouts for all eployees over age 55.
~Eliminate monthly webinars. Replace with reruns of "The Office."

What are people hitting quota wise to go to club this year?

Nike has disclosed that executive compensation includes ESG metrics, which explicitly include diversity outcomes. While the company doesn’t break out the exact weighting, market norms suggest ~10%–20% of annual bonuses are tied to these factors.

Using reasonable assumptions:
• ~385 VPs globally
• VP bonus: ~$100K–$500K
• ESG/diversity weighting: ~10%–20%

Implied diversity-linked bonus per VP:
• ~$10K (low)
• ~$30K–$50K (typical)
• Up to ~$100K

Estimated total annual payout:
• Low: ~$3.9M
• Most likely: ~$12M–$18M
• High: ~$38.5M

Midpoint:
$14M Annually

Why this matters:

At the midpoint, that’s roughly $14M (and could be much more) per year in incentives aligned to these outcomes at the VP level alone.

Bottom line:
A defensible estimate is that Nike directs ~$10M–$20M annually of VP incentive compensation toward diversity-linked metrics; raising legitimate questions about how heavily these targets are weighted relative to other performance priorities.

This post uses only publicly available information, and observational analysis derived from such. Further augmented by published industry trends.

Maybe then they wouldn't need to spend so much energy controlling us. Old concept, I know. But today's corporations seem to have forgotten it completely.

You get 3% or less wage increase while they are living their dream from your sweat and tears. You can’t get paid your incentive pay on time. You will be asked for even higher performance, but no pay increase. It’s the hurtz way.

As the CEO of Hertz Global Holdings (appointed April 2024), Gil West received a total compensation package of $35.18 million in the 2024 fiscal year. The package was largely driven by a $33 million stock award, with a base salary of $1.125 million to $1.5 million, according to Salary.com research and Justia filings.
The News-Press
The News-Press
+3
Compensation Breakdown (Hertz):
Total Compensation: ~$35.18 million.
Base Salary: $1.5 million (annualized).
Stock Awards: $32.3 million in sign-on grants.
Incentives: Target annual bonus of at least 150% of base salary.

Optimum Communications Inc Class A (OPTU) has provided an announcement.

On March 12, 2026, Optimum Communications, Inc.’s compensation committee approved deferred cash awards for key executives, including CEO Dennis Mathew, CFO Marc Sirota, General Counsel & Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Michael Olsen, and President, Consumer Services Michael Parker, as part of its 2026 long-term incentive program. One-third of each award will vest on December 14 of 2026, 2027, and 2028, contingent on continued service, with grants valued at $5 million for Mathew, $1.75 million for Sirota, $1.5 million for Olsen, and $1.125 million for Parker.

The deferred cash awards will constitute 50% of the 2026 long-term incentive package, with the remaining portion expected to be delivered as cash performance awards under the company’s existing 2017 long-term incentive plan, effectively replacing restricted stock units used in prior years. Executive long-term incentive targets, base salaries, and bonus plan targets remain unchanged from 2025, but the committee has shifted to setting and evaluating bonus performance on a quarterly basis, which may tighten alignment between pay and short-term operational results and provide more frequent performance feedback to senior leadership.

FULL ARTICLE --> https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/Tipranks/756219/optimum-communications-adopts-new-executive-long-term-incentive-plan/

So Directors and above 100% stock for Incentive comp and no Merit increase? How is this even acceptable?? This is basically a pay cut. Anyone hearing something different?

https://share.google/MiU2en0MjFobP27j2

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/collin-county/city-plano-offer-att-20m-incentive-agreement-move-headquarters/287-148ac984-5700-44a9-abae-d9cc7dbb6aff

https://search.app/66Anh

33% are doing the minimum waiting for the axe hoping for severance
33% are doing the minimum waiting to retire
33% are barely doing the minimum waiting to see whether they got another job.

the other 1% work because they dont know any better.

No raises...everyone fired every other Tuesday...zero chance of being promoted or getting exceeds...of course people are skating...there is no incentive to row the boat on a sinking ship.

This is apparently company wide, according to the "incentive programs & policies" sparq page.

Steve said that we achieved 100% on the goals for the Annual Incentive Plan and that it would be funded at 100%. and I quote: "it means there's enough money to pay the entire company 100%, but not everybody is going to get 100%. Some people will get less, some people will get more. We've been talking about establishing a high performance culture. I am pushing the management and leadership team to make sure we differentiate. So, if you're a top performer, you should expect more than 100%. That's what our management team has to do. We're not gonna just spread the funds out amongst the whole company. Were going to recognize the top performers."

Anyone want to share what the percentage was for those of us who got CEPed last year?
Thanks!

does anyone know if we hit target for bonuses?

Just tell me when we will get the 100% STI payout so I can send this laptop back! lol

Would be curious to see company wide numbers on this. Certain divisions have suffered under the low morale. There is little incentive to perform. It's only a matter of time for the rest. The C Suite does not care at all. When will their customers wake the f up?

Execs, directors, CEO still getting paid their big paychecks; all while staff can’t get our incentive pay on time. Let’s create more positions and pay top dollar to them.
You really think this company has integrity to do the right thing?

New CEO's compensation package was just detailed in an 8-K filing: base salary of CAD 1.2 million with USD 7 million long-term incentive plan (70% PSUs, 30% RSUs - vests Sep 2029):
Target Bonus: CAD 1.62 million
Sign-on Options: USD $2 million
Sign-on RSU: USD $2 million
Total Target Direct Pay: ~ 13.8 million (sum of 1st year salary, bonus and all equity grants)

Any managers got any insights on what the merit and incentive numbers look like vs prior year?

I haven’t seen any end of year AIP percentages and you would think that it would be released by now given we are in a new year and new quarter.

What are you hearing about 2027 AIP? Is it from a reliable source?

Any word if flexible schedules will be eliminated 2026? It’s one of the biggest incentives the company currently offers.

Thoughts?

Did you know the SEC encourages whistleblowing and even incentivizes it?

"The SEC's whistleblower program was established by Congress to incentivize whistleblowers to report specific, timely and credible information about possible federal securities laws violations.

The Commission is authorized to provide monetary awards to eligible individuals who come forward with high-quality original information that leads to an SEC enforcement action in which over $1 million in sanctions is ordered. The range for awards is between 10% and 30% of the money collected."

If you see something, say something.

Learn more on the SEC.gov website:
https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/whistleblower-program

How will those of us that have been displaced (October) be remembered for incentive allocations that are happening now (finalized in January)? Will leaders just need to remember us that have been displaced or is there an organized process perhaps led by HR to advise managers so they don't forget us?? I was a top performer.

If I’m on leave during these two milestones, how am I impacted? I assume invectives were decided this past month and 401K match is just math, but does LOA impact receipt of either?

Sold two rack servers to this guy, told him if he buys another 3 I will front another one for free. 1.5 percent margin

Everyone keeps asking for specific names, which is understandable but nobody here has them…. The SVP,Vp and band5s affected were already notified - everyone else including AD will be tomorrow

Here is the bad news… someone already posted it on here, but so much stuff is being posted that it moved all the way down.

The stock together award along with the KPIs that made it up are no longer on VZ web, that is being changed up - https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kaejqjzn

How many people would actually like to go, assuming they take away our stocks and Short term incentive?

Dan is cutting everything

this email capture bs is sooooo annoying!!! no one wants to give me their email when they are buying a .10 cent scantron or a candy bar, no matter how many times I ask! pushing us to do more work with no incentive once again!

Does anyone know if there is a new incentive plan for bankers? Premiers, RBs, and PBs?

Is Chase still better?

Just venting but I guess I'm curious if anyone (assuming they watch this page) has had the same thing happen

Sold a big 11:11 managed backup deal ~$18k monthly charges to customer. T--a told that "Rule of 72! You'll make a bunch of money". BS. We recognize 15% of that as GP$, not commissions. I'm on 20% com plan. So I get $540/month. I make more than that a week on cables and DON'T have to project manage the thing over 10 weeks, dozens of meetings.

Wait there's more! The rep from 11:11 asks me if I got the SPIFF. "What SPIFF?" Oh yeah, we're running an incentive where you get 2x the monthly charge upfront! $36K...that would have been nice for the effort I + tyeam put in. Would've gladdly shared it with my gals for their work on it.

So I go complain to my VP. More calls. Turns out "oh we have to pay for overhead". Jesus F! I complained enough they "let me" recognize 15% of the $36k, $5,400, and then I get only 20% of that too!

WTF is wrong with these people?

On Sparq, it looks like the Incentive Program page was updated mid/late August & now there's no mention of merit, only RRP. The downloadable PDF is also new, talks about base salary, incentive opportunities & benefits--and having to exceed established goals. Nothing official has been communicated in team calls, although maybe it was in the latest town halls?

Rumor that we are losing people we don’t want to lose and company will be forced to offer incentives to keep needed talent.

Thank you.