Have the compensation plans of Canadian organizations been affected by the recent downturn in the Canadian economy? To probe the impact of this downturn on Canadian organizations’ compensation plans and strategies, the Conference Board’s Compensation Research Centre conducted an update in December 2008 and January 2009. A questionnaire was sent to the 395 predominantly large- and medium-sized organizations that participated in the Compensation Planning Outlook 2009 survey, conducted last summer.

Compensation Planning Outlook 2009: Winter Update looks at the survey responses as an indicator of how Canadian organizations are adjusting their compensation plans in reaction to the recent uncertainty and volatility in the Canadian and global economies. The results show that Canadian organizations are reacting swiftly to the recent downturn in the Canadian economy by making downward adjustments in their compensation plans. However, workers can still expect to receive increases that will outpace inflation.