Compensation Advisory Studio

STI Design

Plan structure — metric weights, payout curves (threshold / target / max), and design diagnostics.

What this analysis does

Design the short-term incentive plan: metric selection, weighting, threshold / target / max payout curves, individual-performance modifier, and funding rules.

Required data

Approved philosophy (P4P posture), peer plan prevalence (Executive Comp · STI Prevalence), funding-pool model, finance forecast.

Key outputs

Per-metric weight, payout curve, plan diagnostics, and total weighted payout at scenario performance levels.

Data caveats

STI plan effectiveness is bound by goal-setting discipline upstream. Plan-design tweaks won't fix calibration issues — flag separately to the Finance partner.

Advisor takeaway

Four-metric plan (Revenue 35%, Margin 25%, Strategic 25%, ESG/People 15%) is sound. Threshold payouts at 50% are right-sized; max at 175-200% is generous vs the 150-180% peer median. Confirm with comp committee.

Next recommended action

Open the Payout Curve Modeler (Executive Compensation) to stress-test plan funding at various performance levels.

Metrics
4
Weights sum
100%
Avg threshold
50%
of target payout
Max payout
200%
weighted across metrics
Revenue
Primary plan metric.
35%
weight
Threshold (perf)
90%
Target (perf)
100%
Max (perf)
115%
@ Threshold
50%
@ Max
200%
Operating margin
Drives profitable growth.
25%
weight
Threshold (perf)
92%
Target (perf)
100%
Max (perf)
110%
@ Threshold
50%
@ Max
175%
Strategic goals
Multi-component scorecard; CEO + comp committee assess.
25%
weight
Threshold (perf)
70%
Target (perf)
100%
Max (perf)
130%
@ Threshold
50%
@ Max
150%
ESG / People
Workforce metrics, safety, ESG; introduced FY24.
15%
weight
Threshold (perf)
80%
Target (perf)
100%
Max (perf)
120%
@ Threshold
50%
@ Max
150%
Advisor takeaway
Medium
What we found

Revenue weighting at 35% is the highest single weight. Combined with the Operating Margin metric (25%), 60% of STI funds on top-of-house financials. Strategic + ESG/People at 40% provides modifier discipline but isn't the funding driver.

Why it matters

If both revenue and margin miss in the same year, the plan effectively pays at threshold (~30% of target). Calibrate goals against the finance plan to avoid a structural payout shortfall.

Recommended action

(1) Hold the four-metric structure. (2) Stress-test the FY plan at -3%, -5%, -10% revenue scenarios in the Payout Curve Modeler. (3) Document the Strategic-metric scorecard with measurable sub-components.

Risks

ESG metric introduction (FY24) doesn't yet have a track record — comp committee will want to see how it scores. Bring the Year-1 scorecard to next meeting.

Questions to ask the client
  • Is the comp committee comfortable with the 200% max on Revenue, or push down to 175% (peer median)?
  • Strategic metric is currently 25% — does the committee want sub-component disclosure in proxy?
Data caveats

Payout-at-max assumes linear interpolation; some peers use stepped curves. Confirm interpolation convention.

Suggested next module

Open Incentive Payout Curves (Executive Compensation) to stress-test plan funding.