Thomas A. Farmer

UPDATED–Now in Korea | 이제 한국에 있어요!

29 May, 2025

Freelance Total Rewards is now in Korea! … More UPDATED–Now in Korea | 이제 한국에 있어요!

Do You Understand Compensation & Benefits?

12 February, 2025

People often think too narrowly about compensation and benefits. Many think it’s payroll. It’s way more than payroll! in fact it’s not even payroll! Payroll is the delivery of compensation … More Do You Understand Compensation & Benefits?

Do the Right Thing, and the Limits of DEI and Non-Discrimination Laws

22 December, 2024

As a management consultant focusing on fairness in matters of pay and related HR practices, I understand both sides of the arguments and the activism surrounding equality in employment and … More Do the Right Thing, and the Limits of DEI and Non-Discrimination Laws

Job Architecture is Essential

3 April, 2023

You must understand and evolve the job architecture, and not do compensation in isolation. … More Job Architecture is Essential

How to Be a Total Rewards Mentor

12 July, 2022

How to be a total rewards mentor … More How to Be a Total Rewards Mentor

Courage, Peanut Butter and Talent Retention

10 March, 2022

Too many managers allocate their merit budgets like spreading peanut butter: same amount evenly spread. … More Courage, Peanut Butter and Talent Retention

Retention starts with competitive pay for value. Loyalty is not value.

13 September, 2021

There’s so much out there concerning employee experience, engagement, EVP, employer branding, etc. It’s all good and it all makes a difference. We seek to “win hearts and minds” as … More Retention starts with competitive pay for value. Loyalty is not value.

Showing Up Sick–Are you Rewarding it?

19 August, 2021

Are you rewarding people for showing up sick? … More Showing Up Sick–Are you Rewarding it?

I took a walk with my wife

10 July, 2021

Work has been very busy, thankfully. Monday, I took a day off and had asked my wife to take a vacation day so we could enjoy a long weekend and … More I took a walk with my wife