The Case for Merit Cycles

Merit cycles, also known as focal reviews, are pivotal events in the HR calendar that determine compensation and promotion adjustments for employees. As a people manager and team leader, they were often the bane of my existence—for reasons I’ll get to later. Now, as the co-founder of a compensation software company, I understand that the difficulties and headaches of these crucial pieces of people operations run that much deeper for HR professionals.

These cycles are typically conducted annually or semi-annually, following a performance review process. They encompass various elements such as promotions, merit changes, market adjustments, equity grants, and bonuses, making them a crucial aspect of talent management. But, for as crucial as they are, they are still a massive lift and largely still done manually.

So, if they’re such a headache, are they even worth the work? I’ll break down why merit cycles matter, why they’re hard, and—because this is our platform so a plug is totally shameless—what CandorIQ is doing about it.

Why Merit Cycles Matter

1. Talent Acquisition and Retention: Merit cycles play a significant role in attracting and retaining top talent. By offering competitive compensation and recognition for performance, organizations can better ensure they retain their best employees and attract new talent.
2. Fair Compensation and Equitability: Through merit cycles, organizations can track if they are paying employees fairly based on their contributions. This should be done using credible external data as well as internal data.
3. Recognition and Reward: Merit cycles are an opportunity to provide recognition to employees for their efforts. This can contribute to employee satisfaction and motivation.
4. Alignment with Company Goals: Merit cycles help align employees' goals and objectives with those of the company. By linking compensation to performance and company objectives, organizations can create a more focused and aligned workforce.

The Challenges of Merit Cycles

1. Budgeting and Deployment: Organizations need to carefully manage their budget allocation for merit cycles and ensure it is deployed effectively to achieve the desired outcomes.
2. Cross-Collaboration: Merit cycles require collaboration across different departments, including HR, finance, leadership, and management, to ensure a fair and comprehensive process.
3. Complexity and Nuance: Merit cycles involve a lot of nuance, requiring a deep understanding of performance data, insights from managers, and the ability to navigate complex compensation structures.
4. Manual Processes: Historically, merit cycles have been managed using manual processes, often involving spreadsheets and time-consuming tasks like creating reward letters.

How CandorIQ Helps

At CandorIQ, we understand the challenges of managing merit cycles and offer solutions to streamline the process. Our platform automates workflows, provides data and insights for informed decision-making, and facilitates real-time collaboration among stakeholders. By leveraging automation and intelligent recommendations, CandorIQ helps organizations ensure that merit cycles are efficient, transparent, and aligned with their strategic objectives.

While merit cycles are essential for talent management, they come with their own set of challenges. By leveraging technology and best practices, organizations can navigate these challenges more effectively and ensure that their merit cycles contribute to a motivated, engaged, and high-performing workforce.