This book reflects the importance of employees as a key element of strategic compensation programs. In exploring the art of compensation and its role in promoting companies' competitive advantages, the author develops a solid understanding of compensation practices, the context of compensation practice, the criteria used to compensate employees, compensation system design issues, employee benefits, and contemporary challenges that compensation professionals will face well into the 21st century. KEY TOPICS The book's five-part organization covers specific topics under the headings of setting the stage for strategic compensation, bases for pay, designing compensation systems, employee benefits, and contemporary strategic compensation challenges. For compensation specialists and analysts, and human resource and compensation managers.