Competitive rewards benchmarking system and method

• US 6,741,993 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Towers Perrin Capital Corp. (Willis Towers Watson plc)
• Original Assignee: Towers Watson Pennsylvania, Inc.
• Inventors: Zitaner, Eric, Haslett, Susan, Bensky, Kathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US09/650,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/2, 707/9, 707/102, 705/11
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The invention concerns a system and method for implementing and/or administering a competitive rewards database. Member data is received from at least one member computer via a data feed. The (raw) member data is automatically mapped and incorporated into the competitive rewards database. A data capture tool, preferably coupled to a data network, is operable to adjust the mapping of member data. A rewards workbench, preferably coupled to a data network, is generally operable to query the competitive rewards database.

Claims

1. A method for administering a competitive rewards database comprising:

a) receiving member data from one of a plurality of member computers via a data feed, wherein the member computers are associated with members of a plurality of different organizations and the member data comprises compensation data for the corresponding member organization;

b) automatically mapping the member data for incorporation into the competitive rewards database by mapping at least selected segments of the member data into corresponding fields of records for the competitive rewards database; and

c) incorporating the member data into the records of the competitive rewards database, whereby the competitive rewards database maintains member data for the plurality of member organizations, whereby one of the member computers can access on behalf of the corresponding member organization only a subset of the competitive rewards data maintained in the database, the subset comprising the member organization'"'"'s compensation data and compiled competitive rewards data derived from a compilation of the competitive rewards data obtained from the other member organizations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the member data further comprises employment data for employees of the different member organizations and the competitive rewards database comprises the employment data and, for each of the employees, at least one of base pay data, long term incentive pay data and annual incentive pay data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the competitive rewards database contains at least one calculated data value for the at least one of the base pay data, the long term incentive pay data and the annual incentive pay data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using a data capture tool to adjust the mapping of the member data.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using a data capture tool coupled to a data network to provide remote access by one of the member computers associated with one of the member organizations to at least a portion of the competitive rewards databases thereby providing the member organization with access to the compensation data for the member organization and to a statistical summary of the compensation data for the other member organizations.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using a rewards workbench to query the competitive rewards database in support of analyses of the member data, the analyses comprising at least one selected from a group comprising evaluation of prevalence of reward practices and plan provisions, comparison of member reward values to specific comparator groups, development of market reference data, model and development of base pay structure, analyses of competitive rewards cost implications, and data mining analyses.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the rewards workbench is coupled to a data network and is operable to provide remote access by one of the member computers associated with one of the member organizations to at least a portion of the competitive rewards database.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the rewards workbench is operable to automate data feeds between the competitive rewards database and at least one third party human resources management system that is not associated with the plurality of member organizations, thereby supporting a submission of certain compensation data in the form of a survey to the third party human resources management system.

9. A competitive rewards database system comprising:

a) a competitive rewards database subsystem having a competitive rewards database and a data communications channel for communicating member data between the competitive rewards database and a plurality of members associated with different organizations, the member data comprising compensation data for each of the member organizations;

b) a data mapping table for automatically mapping the member data prior to incorporation into the competitive rewards database by mapping the member data to corresponding fields of the competitive rewards database; and

c) a member computer system for each of the different member organizations, each member computer comprising a human resources management system (HRMS) having a data feed coupled to the data communications channel

whereby the competitive rewards database enables each of the member organizations to complete an analysis of the compensation data for the corresponding member organization in view of a statistical summary of the compensation data for the other member organizations.

10. The system of claim 9 the member data further comprises employment data for employees of the different member organizations and the competitive rewards database comprises the employment data and, for each of the employees, at least one of base pay data, long term incentive pay data and annual incentive pay data.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the competitive rewards database contains at least one calculated data value of the compensation data.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising a data capture tool operable to adjust the mapping of member data.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a data capture tool is coupled to a data network and is operable to provide remote access to at least a portion of the competitive rewards database to enable a Line Manager for one of the member organizations to review the compensation data associated with each employee supervised by the Line Manager.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising a rewards workbench operable to query the competitive rewards database in support of the analysis of the compensation data by one of the member organizations.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the rewards workbench is coupled to a data network and is operable to provide remote access to at least a portion of the competitive rewards database.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the rewards workbench is operable to automate data feed to at least one third party human resources management system that is not associated with the plurality of member organizations, thereby supporting a submission of certain compensation data in the form of a survey to the third party human resources management system.

17. A competitive rewards database system comprising:

a) a competitive rewards database subsystem having a competitive rewards database and a data communications channel for communicating member data between the competitive rewards database and a plurality of members associated with different organizations, the member data comprising compensation data for each of the member organizations;

b) data mapping table for automatically mapping the member data prior to incorporation into the competitive rewards database by mapping the member data to corresponding fields of the competitive rewards database;

c) a member computer system for each of the member organizations, the member computer having a data feed coupled to the data communications channel, whereby the member computer system can access the compensation data for the corresponding member organization and statistical data summarizing the compensation data for the remaining member organizations;

d) a data capture tool operable to adjust the mapping of member data; and

e) a rewards workbench operable to query the competitive rewards database in support of an analysis of the member data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the competitive rewards database contains at least one base pay data, long term incentive pay data and annual incentive pay data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the competitive rewards database contains at least one calculated data value.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the data capture tool is coupled to a data network and is operable to provide remote access to at least a portion of the competitive rewards database.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the rewards workbench is coupled to a data network and is operable to provide remote access to at least a portion of the competitive rewards database.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the rewards workbench is operable to automate data feeds to at least one third party human resources management system.

23. A method for managing competitive rewards data for a plurality of members of different organizations, comprising:

obtaining the competitive rewards data from computer systems associated with the plurality of members for storage in a database, each member computer system coupled to the database via a data feed for communicating the competitive rewards data for the corresponding member organizations;

in the event that a portion of the competitive rewards data comprises a raw data format that is not compatible with a database format for the database, then converting the portion of the competitive rewards data having the raw data format to the database format;

for each of the members, using a data mapping table to map at least selected segments of the competitive rewards data into corresponding fields of records for the database; and

processing a plurality of the database records to complete an analysis of the competitive rewards data on behalf of a requesting one of the members for one or the organizations, whereby the requesting member can evaluate the competitive rewards data associated for its organization in the context of a derived summary of the competitive rewards data obtained from the members of the other organizations.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the competitive rewards data comprises at least one of fixed compensation data and incentive compensation data for individuals employed by the members.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data comprises transmitting the competitive rewards data from each member computer system via the data feed to the database.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data further comprises transmitting the competitive rewards data from each member computer system to the database on a periodic basis.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data for each of the members comprises:

sending a polling signal from the database to one of the member computer systems; and

responsive to the polling signal, transmitting the competitive rewards data from the member computer system via the data feed to the database.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the data mapping step comprises:

using the data mapping table assigned to the corresponding member to map without manual intervention the selected segments of the competitive reward data associated with the member into the corresponding fields of database records;

storing the database records in the database.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of generating a report relevant to the analysis of the competitive rewards data.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis provides an up-to-date mapping for rewards data of employees of the requesting member to an established benchmark.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis comprises a comparison of the rewards data for the requesting member to a benchmark derived from the reward data maintained by the database.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis provides the requesting member with an ability to evaluate the prevalence of reward practices and plan provisions based on a robust data set comprising the compensation rewards data submitted by the members.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis provides the requesting member with the ability to compare reward values of the members to specific comparison groups.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis allows the requesting member to develop market-based compensation reference data based on the competitive reward data submitted by the members.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the analysis allows the requesting member to model and develop a base compensation structure by evaluating the competitive rewards data submitted by the members.

36. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of exporting competitive reward data maintained in the database in an electronic format on behalf of one of the members for use in a survey submission.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein one of the member computer systems can access on behalf of the member only a subset of the competitive rewards data maintained in the database, the subset comprising the member'"'"'s competitive reward data and compiled competitive rewards data derived from a compilation of the competitive rewards data obtained from the members.

38. A method for managing competitive rewards data for a plurality of members of different organizations, comprising:

obtaining the competitive rewards data from computer systems associated with the plurality of members for storage in a database, each member computer system coupled to the database via a data feed for communicating the competitive rewards data for the corresponding member organizations;

in the event that a portion of the competitive rewards data comprises a raw data format that is not compatible with a database format for the database, then converting the portion of the competitive rewards data having the raw data format to the database format;

for each of the members, using a data mapping table to map at least selected segments of the competitive rewards data into corresponding fields of records for the database;

processing a plurality of the database records for a subset of the compensation reward data accessible by a requesting one of the members for one of the organizations to complete an analysis of competitive rewards, the subset comprising the requesting member'"'"'s competitive reward data and compiled competitive rewards data derived from a compilation of the competitive rewards data obtained from the members of the other organizations; and

generating a report of the analysis for the requesting member, whereby the analysis provides an up-to-date mapping for individuals employed by the requesting member to an established benchmark.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the competitive rewards data comprises at least one of fixed pay data and incentive compensation data for the individuals employed by each of the members.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data comprises transmitting the competitive rewards data from each member computer system on a periodic basis via the data feed to the database.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data for each of the members comprises:

sending a polling signal from the database to one of the member computer systems; and

responsive to the polling signal, transmitting the competitive rewards data from the member computer system via the data feed to the database.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of obtaining the competitive rewards data comprises transmitting the competitive rewards data from each member computer system at predetermined intervals without manual intervention via the data feed to the database.