Total Compensation Overview

This section covers the factors that make up total compensation and best practices around communicating compensation to candidates.

What Is Total Compensation?

A total compensation package includes base salary, benefits, incentives and awards, leave, workplace flexibilities, and other programs (like loan forgiveness) that contribute to an employee's overall earnings and job satisfaction.

Who Are the Stakeholders for Total Compensation?

Your HR Partners can walk you through the total compensation offerings, flexibilities and limitations, by role. Government agencies may not always be able to compete with the private sector when it comes to pay. However many government agencies are able to recruit, develop, and retain top talent by offering opportunities to make impactful contributions at scale, combined with transparent, market-based pay and benefit packages.

SMEs -- those who are in the same or similar roles across sectors can help you and your HR partners understand the current market, and how the external market comparisons could impact an agency's ability to attract and retain qualified employees.

Additionally, budget and finance departments are crucial for aligning total compensation cost projections with agency and office budgets.

What Is Covered in This Section?

We'll explore the details of total compensation for government employees, including how financial and non-financial benefits are structured.

• We'll explore the components of government pay scales, emphasizing the advantages of government roles like work-life balance, job security, loan forgiveness, and meaningful work

• We'll cover strategies for communicating compensation effectively to candidates and navigating negotiations and promotions within the government pay framework

• We'll provide best practices on salary transparency and the basics of offer negotiations