“The main thing a firm would want to do is keep the team together that they’ve assembled,” Aalap Shah said. The provisions can also serve as “a deterrent” to competitors.

Compensation committee chairs saw retainers rise 29% from 2020 to 2025, according to a new report of 1,400 public companies from compensation consultancy Pearl Meyer and the National Association of Corporate Directors.

“The threats are escalating faster than the corporate security practices, and some of the companies are sort of finding themselves a little bit behind the curve,” said Aalap H. Shah, a managing director at Pearl Meyer.

Despite heightened fears for CEO safety and nationwide attention to the subject over the last year, most companies have not increased protocols across personal, home and cyber security, said Pearl Meyer compensation consultant Aalap Shah.

This disparity is expected to manifest at bonus time. Many "were way off with their estimates on financial performance," said Tim Dupuis, principal at compensation consultancy Pearl Meyer.

In an interview with Workspan Daily (WD), Bill Reilly, Pearl Meyer’s managing editor and survey author, shared further insights on expected changes in salary budgets, short- and long-term incentive plans, pay positioning, and governance practices.

Unique dynamics can challenge executive pay strategy in family-controlled organizations. These steps can help avoid pitfalls and deliver success.

The company's rate of AI adoption is important to consider, said Dan Moynihan, managing director at Pearl Meyer.

Uncertainty in the marketplace has become a new normal, Matt Turner, president of executive compensation at Pearl Meyer.

For a new CEO, the last thing you want is to show up and have key members of your team leaving while you're trying to be successful as fast as possible, Dan Moynihan explained.

“This data may indicate some employers are recognizing that in the absence of large compensation increases, they need to offer something to key employees,” said Susan Sandlund, managing director and leadership practice lead at Pearl Meyer.