Salary budgets are tightening — but strategy doesn’t have to. 

Payscale’s 10th Annual Salary Budget Survey reveals that planned pay increases for 2026 are dipping slightly from 2025, with economic uncertainty replacing competition for talent as the top driver of budget changes. But even in a cooling pay environment, HR and comp pros have a window to realign strategy before Q4 — if they have the right data in hand. 

In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas sits down with Amy Stewart, Payscale’s Principal of Research & Insights, and Kathryn Gombos, HR & Total Rewards Leader and Founder of Gombos Group. Together, they unpack the latest salary budget trends, explore what’s behind the shifts, and share how organizations can use these insights to plan smarter, communicate with confidence, and navigate survey season without burning out. 

2025–2026 Payscale Salary Budget Survey - https://www.payscale.com/featured-content/salary-budget-survey-sbs

Email: [email protected] for listener questions and suggestions 

Fair pay means nothing if no one believes it. That’s the wake-up call from Payscale’s latest Fair Pay Impact Report. Despite rising wages, transparency laws, and improved market conditions, employees don’t believe they’re being paid fairly—and it’s costing businesses their best people.

In this episode of Comp and Coffee, host Ruth Thomas is joined by Lexi Clarke and Kate Peter—three women in the C-suite who are putting fair pay back at the top of the agenda. They unpack what the data tells us, what it feels like as leaders, and what needs to happen next.

Episode Resources:

Connect with us

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.payscale.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/payscale

X: https://twitter.com/payscale

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/payscale

Chapters

(00:00) Commitment to Fair Pay and Leadership Introductions

(02:52) The Importance of Staying Loud About Pay Equity

(05:06) Challenges and Realities of Fair Pay Perception

(13:14) Economic Pressure and Trends Impacting Compensation Trust

(17:06) Defining and Practicing Real Transparency

(24:02) Personal Experiences Shaping Pay Advocacy

(31:01) Rebuilding Trust Through Honest Conversation

When the CFO asks why… will you panic or present your case with confidence? 

In this episode of Comp and Coffee, we go behind the scenes with Lexi Clarke and Philip Watson to uncover how HR and Finance can stop speaking past each other—and start building stronger pay strategies together. Whether you're preparing for budget season or defending comp decisions in the boardroom, this episode gives you the language, data, and mindset you need to show that compensation isn’t just a line item—it’s a lever for business success. 

Compensation isn’t just an HR function—it’s a core business strategy. In this episode of Comp and Coffee, we look into the pay crystal ball with Rebecca Toman of Pearl Meyer, Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist at Payscale, and Sara Hillenmeyer, Payscale’s Director of Data Science. Together, they explore how trusted data, AI, and a forward-thinking approach to comp strategy can help organizations not just keep up—but lead. If you care about performance, retention, equity, or executive pay, this episode is your blueprint for aligning comp strategy with long-term business success. 

What happens when your pay strategy sparks more questions than confidence—and your best people start walking? In this episode, we bring in the experts to tackle the hard truths behind tough pay conversations and how to rebuild trust before it’s too late.

Compensation has come a long way—from handwritten ledgers and dusty binders to AI-powered insights and real-time salary data. But what does the past teach us about where we’re headed? Join us for a nostalgia-packed, future-forward journey through the history of comp, featuring expert reflections from WorldatWork, and predictions from the people shaping the next era of pay. 

Compensation isn’t just an HR function—it’s a core business strategy. In this episode of Comp and Coffee, we look into the pay crystal ball with Rebecca Toman of Pearl Meyer, Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist at Payscale, and Sara Hillenmeyer, Payscale’s Director of Data Science. Together, they explore how trusted data, AI, and a forward-thinking approach to comp strategy can help organizations not just keep up—but lead. If you care about performance, retention, equity, or executive pay, this episode is your blueprint for aligning comp strategy with long-term business success. 

What happens when your pay strategy sparks more questions than confidence—and your best people start walking? In this episode, we bring in the experts to tackle the hard truths behind tough pay conversations and how to rebuild trust before it’s too late.

Episode resources:

https://www.payscale.com/featured-content/cbpr

Email [email protected] for listener questions and suggestions

Compensation has come a long way—from handwritten ledgers and dusty binders to AI-powered insights and real-time salary data. But what does the past teach us about where we’re headed? Join us for a nostalgia-packed, future-forward journey through the history of comp, featuring expert reflections from WorldatWork, and predictions from the people shaping the next era of pay. 

What's the state of the gender pay gap in 2025? 

In this episode Ruth Thomas discusses Payscale's 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report with Amy Stewart, Payscale's principal content strategist and author of the report. 

Together, they explore the controlled and uncontrolled pay gaps, the impact of pay transparency, and the various systemic factors contributing to the gender pay gap. 

Gain insights into why pay disparities persist and what organizations can do to address these inequalities.

Key Highlights

Quotes

Resources

• 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report: https://www.payscale.com/research-and-insights/gender-pay-gap/