Blog - MorganHR

17 Sep 2025

What Are the Risks of Managing Compensation in Spreadsheets?

Posted on September 17, 2025 (September 13, 2025) by Alex Morgan

HR professional stressed over broken spreadsheets vs. HR leader confident with SimplyMerit dashboard

Why HR Leaders Still Rely on Spreadsheets Spreadsheets have been the backbone of HR compensation planning for decades. They appear flexible, inexpensive, and easy to share. Yet the risks of managing compensation in spreadsheets have grown too large to ignore. In fact, nearly 90% of spreadsheets contain errors that impact decision-making, according to Aeqium’s recent […]

16 Sep 2025

by Stacy Fenner Permalink

How to Get Managers to Follow Pay Guidelines With Confidence

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Stacy Fenner

Frustrated manager reviewing spreadsheets with identical pay increases.

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes Why Managers Resist Pay Guidelines Every HR leader has seen it: the company spends months designing pay guidelines, only to watch managers question them, ignore them, or quietly spread the budget evenly. To many leaders, guidelines feel like something HR “cooked up on a napkin”—abstract, restrictive, and disconnected from reality. […]

16 Sep 2025

by Michelle Henderson Permalink

How HR Teams Audit Compensation Data for Compliance

Posted on September 16, 2025 (September 13, 2025) by Michelle Henderson

HR team conducting a compensation data audit with compliance charts.

Why Compensation Data Audits Matter Every HR leader knows the pressure: salary budgets are tight, legal requirements keep shifting, and managers need to make fast decisions. Without proper auditing, compensation data becomes a compliance liability. HR teams can’t afford to overlook errors or inconsistent pay practices—especially when regulations around pay transparency and reporting grow stricter […]

15 Sep 2025

by Austin Schleeter Permalink

How Companies Can Ensure Pay Equity in Annual Compensation Cycles

Posted on September 15, 2025 (September 13, 2025) by Austin Schleeter

Pay equity compensation cycles implementation framework showing three-tier approach with data audits, training, and technology

HR directors face a complex challenge: ensuring pay equity in annual compensation cycles while managing hundreds of manager recommendations, budget constraints, and legal compliance requirements. This challenge exists whether you’re addressing pay equity proactively during your regular compensation cycle or launching a dedicated equity audit project. Pay equity requires combining systematic pay equity audits, comprehensive […]

15 Sep 2025

by Laura Morgan Permalink

Merit Cycle Guardrails That Prevent Budget Drift

Posted on September 15, 2025 (September 16, 2025) by Laura Morgan

Reading Time: 5 minutes The Budget Drift Problem Every HR Director Faces Every March, the same crisis unfolds: a company approves a 3% merit pool, yet by cycle’s end, the actual spend creeps to 3.6%. That 0.6% may sound small, but for a 1,000-person company, it can equal $1M in unplanned payroll costs. The culprit? […]

14 Sep 2025

by Daniel Norris Permalink

What is SimplyMerit and How Does It Help with Compensation Planning?

Posted on September 14, 2025 (September 14, 2025) by Daniel Norris

Decision tree comparing SimplyMerit compensation planning with spreadsheets and other tools

The Problem HR Directors Face Every Cycle Every compensation season, HR teams wrestle with spreadsheets, version control headaches, and inconsistent manager recommendations. Errors creep in, approvals stall, and employees lose confidence when communication falters. These challenges don’t just waste time—they can erode trust, drive attrition, and expose organizations to compliance risks. That’s where SimplyMerit compensation […]

13 Sep 2025

by Neil Morgan Permalink

What Tools Help HR Teams Manage Promotions, Bonuses, and Merit Increases Together?

Posted on September 13, 2025 by Neil Morgan

HR professional overwhelmed by tall stacks of paper labeled Merit, Equity, Promotion, Bonus, and Spreadsheets representing fragmented compensation management systems

Picture this: You’re an HR Director juggling three separate spreadsheets for merit increases, another system for promotions, and a completely different process for bonus calculations. Meanwhile, your CEO wants a comprehensive view of total compensation spend, and your managers feel the drag of inconsistent workflows. Clearly, HR teams need integrated compensation management tools that handle […]

12 Sep 2025

by Laura Morgan Permalink

What’s the easiest way to run global compensation reviews with multiple currencies?

Posted on September 12, 2025 (September 13, 2025) by Laura Morgan

Global compensation reviews with multiple currencies visualized on a world map.

Estimated Reading Time: 7–9 minutes The easiest way is to use a compensation planning platform that supports multi-currency pay cycles, real-time conversion, and consistent rules across countries. Global HR leaders often struggle with spreadsheets that don’t align, exchange rates that change daily, and inconsistent rules across regions. These challenges create errors, frustrate managers, and raise […]

11 Sep 2025

by Alex Morgan Permalink

Merit Cycles Without an HRIS? A Complete HR Guide

Posted on September 11, 2025 (September 13, 2025) by Alex Morgan

Merit cycles without an HRIS workflow comparison showing spreadsheet errors versus automated compensation tools

Merit Cycle Reality Check HR leaders often find themselves asking: How can we run fair, consistent, and auditable merit cycles without an HRIS? The answer proves simpler than most expect. By using standalone compensation tools designed specifically to handle budgets, approvals, and merit recommendations in one centralized location, organizations can achieve remarkable results. Without proper […]

10 Sep 2025

by Michelle Henderson Permalink

Best Compensation Planning Software for Small Companies 2025

Posted on September 10, 2025 (September 12, 2025) by Michelle Henderson

SMB compensation software decision framework comparing HRIS add-ons, enterprise systems, and purpose-built tools like SimplyMerit

The best compensation planning software for small to midsize companies combines affordability with simplicity, allowing organizations to deploy solutions quickly without requiring a full HRIS implementation. These purpose-built tools provide audit-ready visibility into compensation decisions while eliminating spreadsheet errors that plague traditional planning processes. Moreover, the right compensation planning software streamlines merit cycles and ensures […]