Lost in translation: How HR, finance, legal, and leadership can finally speak the same language about pay

Everyone agrees that pay matters. What they do not agree on is what it means.
HR talks about fairness and equity.
Finance talks about cost and ROI.
Legal talks about compliance and defensibility.
Leaders talk about performance and business outcomes.

These perspectives are all correct, yet they often conflict. When they collide, compensation decisions lose clarity, employees feel confused, and managers deliver mixed messages—leaving HR as the translator.

In this episode, Ruth Thomas is joined by Hannah Beaver, Director of Compensation at Trilogy Health Services, and Kim O’Grady, Compensation Supervisor at Designer Brands. Together, they break down how organizations can turn pay into a shared language that builds trust, alignment, and credibility from the C-suite to the front line.

Episode resources:

• Email: coffee@payscale.com for listener questions and suggestions.  

• Compensation translator: https://www.payscale.com/research-and-insights/your-compensation-translator?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=cnt_awr_comptranslator-asset_wv&utm_content=compensation-translator-asset