As the April pay reviews spark off the usual outcry over fat-cat
bonuses, TUC research has confirmed the imbalance between workers'
and executives' pay. Ross Bentley asked two senior IT executives
whether the discrepancy could be justified.
A TUC report, Executive excess - time to act, (published last
month) revealed that the pay gap between directors and employees
has continued to rise.
Between 1994 and 2001, basic pay rises for directors outstripped
those for average employees by a factor of 3:1.
Analysis of companies' annual reports for the TUC shows that the
median annual salary and bonus for the highest paid directors grew
from £201,000 in 1994 to £416,073 in 2001, an increase of 107% over
seven years. The median of average employee pay in the same
companies rose from £19,272 to £25,223 - just 31% - over the same
period.
We asked two senior IT executives whether top people were entitled
to expect increasingly generous packages, and why lower paid
workers should not complain when they get less.
Any director who has chanced his career in a high-risk job deserves
a decent salary and some security against premature contract
termination. Do you agree or disagree?
Geoff Finch: I agree. Most directors have spent their
working lives developing the skills and experience to be eligible
for that board-level post. When they get there it is often because
the company is under-performing and the existing management will
not or cannot correct the situation. The position is often
precarious and short-lived. Should they be unable to rectify the
problem, the directors run the risk of a tarnished reputation and
reduced earnings, well below what they were receiving before.
Nick Hunn: I disagree. The past few years have increasingly
engendered a spirit of wanting to have one's cake as well as eat
it. We are all aware of the risks in the IT industry, but equally
we are aware of the potential rewards. When I first became involved
in technology there was a clear understanding of the different
markets available and the associated risks. Those who wanted to
play in the faster-moving and more exciting arenas acknowledged
that compromise. Sometimes we got our fingers burnt, but as a
result we learnt. The trend towards removing risk can lead to a
less considered approach.
Company directors are usually guaranteed severance pay when they
come on board. You cannot just refuse to give it to them because
you think they could have done better. Do you agree or
disagree?
Finch: I agree. Most contracts have performance clauses, so
it is not just a case of pay-up and shut-up. Clearly there is a
market rate for the job that reflects the risks involved. It is for
the individual company to decide the risk/reward trade-off and if
it gets it right the job will be well done at an effective
financial cost, which will bring significant net benefits to the
company's shareholders.
Hunn: I fully agree that if it has been offered it should be
paid. But I question why it should be offered. The best incentive
is to reward results. It is all too easy to be blinded by the
bravura of some executives who want you to think that they are
doing more than a job. It may be a more difficult or demanding job
than others within the company, but I fail to see why these people
alone should be safeguarded against inability. I would prefer to
blow away the mist and judge on performance.
All too often company directors are overpaid executives who jump
from sector to sector with no real expertise in any. Their PAs
should be earning more than them. Do you agree or disagree?
Finch: I disagree. Most directors do not chop and change
jobs. UK earnings are not high when compared to the world market
rates for such people. Their total remuneration packages usually
have a significant results-based element. If PA skills were as
necessary and fundamental to the success of a company; this would
be reflected in market rates.
Hunn: I agree. Unfortunately it can be all too true. There
are some who have the flair and understanding to do this and do it
splendidly. A breadth of knowledge and intuition will find its
place in many situations. But reading a few business books and
trying to emulate these peers by constant flitting is a recipe for
disaster. I know of no other industry sector where I can meet so
many chief executives who have no concept of what their company
does or the market it plays in. As for whether their PAs should be
earning more - I've come across a number of PAs who work on the
same principle, so maybe they get what they deserve.
Performance related pay: top executives should be paid according to
how well the company is performing instead of creaming off the
profits and leaving the shareholders floundering. Do you agree or
disagree?
Finch: I disagree, directors' total pay does reflect the
current performance of an organisation. If directors' pay was
reduced by half, in most publicly quoted organisations it would not
significantly change the fiscal position of shareholders. However,
paying well below market rates will attract mediocre people and in
the long-term this could seriously damage the share price or, in
the worse case scenario, prove fatal to the company.
Hunn: I agree. The past few years have seen two disturbing
trends. The first is the denial of a long-term future in the rush
for short-term cash and public offers, which at least the events of
the past year have started to cool. More worrying is the belief
that companies should reward mediocrity. We should reward on the
basis of results: not on the basis of a CV; not on the basis of
scaring the board; but on solid company performance.
Companies should be prepared to pay for the right people if they
want to compete with US firms. High salaries and benefits are just
a fact of life. Do you agree or disagree?
Finch: I agree, salary levels are driven by supply and
demand. They reflect the economic value an individual brings to a
firm. The organisation makes a profit from the deal. If it did not
it would not enter into the contract.
Hunn: There is an interesting implicit assumption that the
only thing that drives a successful executive is the high salary.
It is a part of the equation, but so is the challenge, the company
and the country they want to work and live in. Many of our
competitors are European or Japanese. Their directors may not have
such a high public profile or salary as their US counterparts but
they are just as competent.