Final Paper
Attracting and retaining the most talented employees is essential for long-term organizational success. An important component to attracting and retaining such employees is the design and implementation of an effective compensation and benefit system.

Assume the role of a highly regarded human resource consultant hired to review, analyze, and revise the compensation and benefit system utilized by your city’s largest employer, Holland Enterprises. The firm employs 3,500 employees, but since 2007 has lost 25% of its staff. Exit interviews indicate the primary reason a majority of these employees have resigned is because of a compensation and benefit system that is perceived to be unfair and uncompetitive in the marketplace.
Present to the management a revised compensation and benefit strategy. Your proposal should include a discussion of:

• How an effective compensation and benefit system contributes to organizational effectiveness.
• The principle components of your revised compensation and benefit system for a large-scale organization as well as a recommendation for each component.
• A convincing argument to the already skeptical top managers of this organization to increase their compensation and benefit expenses.
At a minimum, your compensation and benefit system would include the following components:

• Compensation and benefit philosophy
• Pay structure architecture (pay grades, pay ranges, and pay width)
• Ratio of base pay to incentive (bonus) pay
• Emphases on external equity or internal equity
• Principle type of benefits to include (example: deferred compensation match, health insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc.)
Guidelines for Writing the Final Paper

• Paper must be six to eight double-spaced pages in length, exclusive of Title Page, References Page, Appendix, References, Exhibits, etc.
• Formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide (including title page and reference list).
• Must aIDress the topic of the paper with critical thought.
• Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
• Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
• Must utilize a minimum of four scholarly references.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Description:

Total Possible Score: 25.00
How Does an Effective Compensation and Benefit System Contribute to Organizational Effectiveness?
Total: 5.00
Distinguished – Fully describes how an effective compensation system contributes to organizational effectiveness. Description is completely accurate and shows an expert understanding of the principles of compensation and benefits.
Proficient – Describes how an effective compensation system contributes to organizational effectiveness. Description is mostly accurate and shows a sufficient understanding of the principles of compensation and benefits.
Basic – Describes how an effective compensation system contributes to organizational effectiveness. Description is somewhat accurate and shows a rudimentary understanding of the principles of compensation and benefits.
Below Expectations – Attempts to describe how an effective compensation system contributes to organizational effectiveness; however, the description contains major inaccuracies and shows a lack of understanding of the principles of compensation and benefits.
Non-Performance – The paper is either nonexistent or fails to describe how an effective compensation and benefit system contributes to organizational effectiveness.

Describe the Components of your Compensation and Benefit System
Total: 6.00
Distinguished – Provides a fully accurate description of all the components of a compensation and benefit system.
Proficient – Provides a mostly accurate description of all components of a compensation and benefit system. Description may lack details or contain slight inaccuracies.
Basic – Provides a partially accurate description of all or most of the components of a compensation and benefit system. Description may contain some inaccuracies.
Below Expectations – Attempts to describe the components of a compensation and benefit system but may be missing several components; however, the descriptions are either incomplete or inaccurate.
Non-Performance – The paper is either nonexistent or fails to describe the components of a compensation.

Give a Recommendation for each Component of a Compensation and Benefit System
Total: 6.00
Distinguished – Provides a completely relevant recommendation for each component that displays an expert understanding of the concepts of compensation and benefit systems.
Proficient – Provides a mostly relevant recommendation for each component that displays a sufficient understanding of the concepts of compensation and benefit systems.
Basic – Provides a somewhat relevant recommendation for each component that displays an rudimentary understanding of the concepts of compensation and benefit systems.
Below Expectations – Provides a recommendation that may be irrelevant or displays a lack of understanding of the concepts of compensation and benefit systems.
Non-Performance – The paper is either nonexistent or fails to provide a recommendation for each component.

Make a Convincing Argument to the Managers to Increase their Compensation and Benefit Expenses
Total: 5.00
Distinguished – Expertly crafts an argument to convince the managers to increase their compensation and benefit expenses using specific concepts covered in the course.
Proficient – Crafts a sufficient argument to convince the managers to increase their compensation and benefit expenses using general concepts covered in the course.
Basic – Crafts a rudimentary argument to convince the managers to increase their compensation and benefit expenses. Argument does not use specific concepts from the course but generally follows the principles covered.
Below Expectations – Attempts to craft an argument to convince the managers to increase their compensation and benefit expenses; however, argument does not show understanding of the concepts covered in the course.
Non-Performance – The paper is either nonexistent or fails to craft an argument to convince managers to increase their compensation and benefit expenses.

Critical Thinking: Explanation of Issues
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Clearly and comprehensively explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for full understanding.
Proficient – Clearly explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.
Basic – Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.
Below Expectations – Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, but may not deliver aIDitional information necessary for a basic understanding.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Content Development
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Uses appropriate, pertinent, and persuasive content to discover and develop sophisticated ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.
Proficient – Uses appropriate and pertinent content to discover ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.
Basic – Uses appropriate and pertinent content, but does not apply it toward discovering or developing ideas. Overall, content assists in shaping the written work.
Below Expectations – Uses content, though it may be unrelated or inappropriate to the topic. Content does not contribute toward the development of the written work, and may distract the reader from its purpose.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors, and is very easy to understand.
Proficient – Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors, and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic – Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors, which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations – Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors, which distract the reader.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

APA Formatting
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient – Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic – Exhibits basic knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations – Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Page Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – The paper meets the specific page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Proficient – The paper closely meets the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Basic – The paper meets over half of the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Below Expectations – A fraction of the page requirement is completed.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Source Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient – Uses required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic – Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations – Uses inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.