Competitive rewards benchmarking system and method

• US 8,015,197 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• 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 Incorporated (Willis Towers Watson plc)
• Inventors: Zitaner, Eric, Haslett, Susan, Bensky, Kathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Leslie
• Application Number:
  US12/229,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 707/758, 707/E17.124, 707/E17.125, 707/E17.116, 705/7.39, 705/14
• US Class Current: 707/758
• 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 computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing steps of a method for managing competitive rewards data for an entity, comprising the steps:

collecting raw forms of the competitive rewards data from the entity and from sources other than the entity with the use of a computer, the competitive rewards data comprising compensation and employment benefits-related data for employees of the entity and employees engaged by others than the entity;

mapping the raw forms of the competitive rewards data to employment-related benchmarks for incorporation of mapped competitive rewards data in a computer database, the mapping comprising an automated translation of the raw forms of the competitive rewards data to the benchmarks to achieve a correlation of each data element in the raw forms of the competitive rewards data with corresponding elements in the database; and

completing an analysis of the mapped competitive rewards data for one or more of the employees of the entity by comparing the mapped competitive rewards data to at least one of the benchmarks.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises collecting the raw forms of the competitive rewards data from Human Resources Management Systems.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises collecting the raw forms of the competitive rewards data from information in surveys.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the employment-related benchmarks comprise job function, discipline, or level.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the analysis comprises one of an evaluation of prevalence of reward practices and plan provisions, a comparison of member reward values to specific comparator groups, a development of market reference data, model and development of base pay structure, and an analysis of competitive rewards cost implications.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the raw competitive rewards data comprises one or more of base pay data, long term incentive pay data, annual incentive pay data, and benefit plan provision data.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the steps to be performed by the computer-executable instructions further comprise using a data feed between the competitive rewards database and at least one third party human resources management system that is not associated with the entity for submission of certain mapped competitive rewards data in the form of a survey to the third party human resources management system.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the mapped competitive rewards data generates an up-to-date mapping for competitive rewards data of the employees for the entity to at least one of the benchmarks.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, the steps to be performed by the computer-executable instructions further comprise preparing a report disclosing the results of the analysis for the mapped competitive rewards data for one or more of the employees of the entity.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the employment-related benchmarks comprise one or more benchmarks defined by the entity.

11. A competitive rewards system comprising:

a competitive rewards database, coupled to a computer system, operative to receive raw forms of competitive rewards data from an entity and from sources other than the entity, the competitive rewards data comprising compensation and employment benefits-related data for employees of the entity and employees engaged by others than the entity;

means for mapping the raw forms of the competitive rewards data to employment-related benchmarks for incorporation of mapped competitive rewards data in the competitive rewards database to achieve a correlation of each data element in the raw form of the competitive rewards data with corresponding elements in the database; and

a rewards workbench, configured to query the competitive rewards database in support of an evaluation of the mapped competitive rewards data, the evaluation comprising an analysis of the mapped competitive rewards data for one or more of the employees of the entity by comparing the mapped competitive rewards data to at least one of the benchmarks.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a data feed between the competitive rewards database and at least one third party human resources management system that is not associated with the entity to support a communication of certain mapped competitive rewards data between the competitive rewards database and the third party human resources management system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the analysis supported by the rewards workbench generates an up-to-date mapping for competitive rewards data of one or more employees for the entity to at least one of the benchmarks.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the employment-related benchmarks comprise one or more benchmarks defined by the entity.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the rewards workbench is configured to automate data feeds between the competitive rewards database and at least one third party human resources management system.

16. A computer-implemented method for administering a competitive rewards database comprising:

collecting through one or more data feeds raw competitive rewards data comprising at least one of base pay data, long term incentive pay data, annual incentive pay data, and benefit plan provision data for employees of an entity and competitive rewards data from a plurality of sources other than the entity;

mapping the raw forms of the competitive rewards data to employment-related benchmarks by completing a translation of the raw forms of the competitive rewards data to the benchmarks, thereby achieving a correlation of each data element in the raw forms of the competitive rewards data with corresponding elements in the database;

incorporating the mapped competitive rewards data into the records of the database;

analyzing the mapped competitive rewards data with support of a computer by performing a comparison of the competitive rewards data to one of the benchmarks maintained by the competitive rewards database; and

generating a presentation of results for the competitive rewards analysis.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of using a rewards workbench to automate a data feed between the competitive rewards database and at least one human resources management system that is not associated with the entity, thereby supporting a communication of certain mapped competitive rewards data between the database and the human resources management system.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of analyzing the mapped competitive rewards data further comprises a total compensation planning analysis or a performance-based analysis.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the mapping step comprises using a data mapping table to map without manual intervention the raw competitive reward data based on benchmark global job matches.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of the entity establishing the employment-related benchmarks.