Towers Watson Releases the 2010/2011 Canadian Survey Report on Professional &
Skilled Trades Personnel Compensation

Employees working in the retail and wholesale trade sector received the largest short-term incentive awards

TORONTO, Nov. 24 /CNW/ - Towers Watson Data Services today announced the release of its 2010/2011 Canadian Survey Report on Professional & Skilled Trades Personnel Compensation. The data are based on the responses of 239 organizations encompassing 1,503 locations reporting data on 98,142 incumbents. Data are presented on a total of 50 geographic areas and 104 industry classifications.

Bonus and profit sharing trends
Bonus and/or other cash incentive payments, including profit-sharing and commission, averaged 24.5% of salary for all salary levels combined. The percentage of eligible employees receiving a short-term incentive varied slightly among salary levels, ranging from a high of 35.5% of professional and skilled trades personnel earning $100,000 or more to a low of 25% of incumbents earning less than $40,000.

Industry summary
The percentage of professional and skilled trades personnel receiving a bonus and/or other cash compensation varied significantly among the industry sectors reported. More than three-quarters of eligible incumbents in the banking and finance sector (81%) received incentive compensation, while less than one-quarter of incumbents in the services (24.8%) and health care (4.3%) sectors received an incentive payment. Professional and skilled trades personnel working in the retail and wholesale trade sector received the highest average incentive compensation at 31.7% of salary, while those working in the utilities and energy sector received the lowest average incentive compensation at 4.3% of salary.

Geographic summary
There were notable regional differences in bonuses and/or other cash compensation. The largest percentage of eligible employees receiving incentive compensation were found in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (37.8%) and the Northern Territories (46.3%); the lowest percentage of eligible employees receiving incentive compensation work in British Columbia, with 21.7% receiving a payment. However, in terms of average incentive payout the opposite was true — incumbents in British Columbia received the highest incentive payments averaging 31.9% of salary, while employees in Manitoba/Saskatchewan and the Northern Territories received the lowest incentive payments, averaging 16.9% and 6.5% respectively.

Organization size summary
Employees in large organizations fared somewhat better than those in small to mid-sized organizations. In organizations with more than 2,500 FTEs, just under one-quarter of eligible employees (22.5%) received incentive payments averaging 29.6% of salary. Although the incentive payments averaged less than half that paid in large organizations, more eligible incumbents received incentive payments. Almost half of eligible employees (49.4%) received an incentive payment averaging 10.1% of salary in organizations with 300 to 999 FTEs.

The 2010/2011 Canadian Survey Report on Professional & Skilled Trades Personnel Compensation is available online, or as an online/printed report set.

About Towers Watson Data Services
Towers Watson Data Services is a leading provider of compensation, benefits and employment practices information to the global employer community. Our databases are recognized worldwide as the most reliable source of current data for compensation planning.

About Towers Watson
Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW) is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. The company offers solutions in the areas of employee benefits, talent management, rewards, and risk and capital management. Towers Watson has 14,000 associates around the world and is located on the web at towerswatson.com.

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Towers Watson Data Services
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Darcy Clark
Towers Watson Data Services
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