Overview Compensation Program Review

​This project has helped drive future compensation program decisions focused on helping Georgia Tech retain, attract, and appropriately compensate the best and brightest faculty and staff. 
Below are highlights of the compensation review program outcomes.

Use the menu to navigate this page. 

• Program Timeline
• Market Equity Study
• Compensation Strategy, Administration, and Governance
• Job Structures & Pay Ranges

Program Timeline 

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Market Equity Study

Georgia Tech jobs were matched to industry benchmark jobs based on responsibilities noted in the Georgia Tech job descriptions. The initial equity increase budget was allocated to staff identified as low versus market and to staff with salaries below the quartile aligned to their years in role. Newly hired and newly promoted employees were excluded from consideration.

As a result of the study, the first phase of salary increases for staff occurred in December 2021. The first phase of salary increases for faculty will take place in the first quarter of 2022. Additional adjustments for staff and faculty will be made in a phased approach during the remainder of 2022 and are dependent on available department budget funding. 

Georgia Tech also updated its minimum wage for non-temporary employees to $15 per hour. Back to top

Compensation Strategy, Administration, and Governance

A review was conducted of the Georgia Tech compensation philosophy and compensation policies. From this review, we are proposing new guidelines focused on the frequency of market equity reviews, and the processes used to assess and address internal equity issues. These guidelines and processes will help us meet our goal of maintain a compensation program that contributes to an exceptional and equitable work environment for all employees. Back to top

Job Structures & Pay Ranges

Select components of the Georgia Tech Job Classification and Compensation System (JCCS) were reviewed to determine where changes may be needed. Click here to view the latest changes.  

Staff pay ranges were designed to allow flexibility in providing pay, while maintaining equity within the Institute and a salary competitive with the relevant job markets. Salary grades were designed to facilitate pay adjustments based on years in role, experience and skills, preferred certifications and degrees, and competencies.

Unit HR Representatives will be provided with an employee staff census indicating recommended target placement in market based on years in current role. Individual job performance and job knowledge, as well as the Institute’s financial position, determine the employee’s position in the quartile. In accordance with Georgia Tech and USG policy, employees must be paid at the minimum of the pay grade range, not the minimum of the target quartile. Back to top

Future Phases | Market Equity Studies

Moving forward, the Compensation Team will collaborate with unit leaders to conduct future internal and external equity studies. These studies will not focus on the individual employee but on all employees within the same job or job family. As many of these jobs within the job families are shared institution-wide collaboration will be required amongst leaders to define scope, complexity and maintain internal equity amongst those similarly situated.

Unit leaders should engage their HR Representative, should they require equity reviews of jobs within a job family. Individual equity reviews because of hire, promotion, or reclassification will continue case-by-case. These market and internal equity reviews will be conducted on a quarterly basis.

Positions identified for review should be provided in the first month of each calendar quarter. Recommendations will be provided by the third month of each calendar quarter. Manager or Practitioner workflow in OneUSG Connect will be submitted by the unit to be effective at the beginning of a pay period based on the pay frequency of each employee. Pay adjustments should not be retroactive and should be effective at the beginning of a pay period. The Georgia Tech payroll calendar can be found at hr.gatech.edu/payroll for reference. Back to top

Requests for Equity Increases Above 9.9% Resume

In October 2021, we announced a pause on all internal equity increases requiring an approval above 9.9%. Those requests can now resume. The Institute is still required to comply with the University System of Georgia Human Resources Administrative Practice Manual related to the Salary Increase Administrative Process for cumulative increases within a fiscal year. Back to top

Timing & Processing of Pay Adjustments

The number of adjustments in your unit will determine the best processing method. Units with a large number of adjustments should engage their HR Representative and Compensation Consultant to enable transactional loading, which will require planned resources and fixed periods to enable payment

However, units with a small number of adjustment can use the Manager/Practitioner workflow within the OneUSG Connect to complete these transactions.

Pay adjustments should not be retroactive and should be effective at the beginning of the next on-cycle pay period. Refer to the Georgia Tech payroll calendar hr.gatech.edu/payroll for appropriate dates.  Back to top

Retention Process Reminder

The Retention Pool and process is a separate program from the Internal Equity and Market Studies. The retention pool is the mechanism used to retain existing employees who have received an external job offer by making them a counter-offer. The external offer should be for the same job the employee is currently performing at Georgia Tech. If you need assistance with a counter-offer engage your HR Representative. Back to top