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Design Elements are a core mechanism to enable pay-for-performance.

When designed effectively, they inspire desired behaviors, encourage innovation, sharpen focus on results, and ensure both success and setbacks are shared. We create new design approaches or review existing plans with regard to company context, governance, and market standards covering all forms of performance awards, from short- and long-term incentives to sales commissions.

Design Elements
Experts
Design Elements

Our Services

  • Compensation philosophy and strategy

    Developing the guiding principles of compensation aligned with culture and strategy. Setting objectives and shaping desired behaviors, while ensuring compliance with regulation and market best practices.

  • Short- and long-term incentive plans

    Designing, calibrating, and implementing STI and LTI plans for all management levels aligned with corporate strategy, regulatory frameworks, and market standards.

    Defining key design features (eligibility, grant policy, instruments, vesting, clawback, etc.), determining ambition levels through our outside-in methodology, and supporting disclosure and stakeholder engagement (e.g., compensation reports, AGM communication).

  • Employee participation programs

    Creating and implementing participation programs such as equity-based schemes, phantom shares, SARs, RSUs, ESOPs, and more.

    Defining program objectives, selecting participants, analyzing costs and tax implications, ensuring internal communication, and supporting partner selection for program administration.

  • Success participation

    We define success collectively by setting relevant KPIs and conditions. We help determine value-sharing for bonus pools, balancing dividends, retained earnings, and taxes. We establish allocation mechanisms that reflect individual contributions and design payout structures linking short- and long-term performance. Performance management becomes a leadership tool to foster continuous dialogue.

  • Incentive plans for start-ups

    Supporting start-ups throughout their life cycle from foundation to exit by designing equity-based and virtual participation programs, managing communication, and assessing tax implications to ensure employee appeal.

  • IPO and M&A related incentive plans

    Managing executive change-of-control arrangements, retention issues, and award conversions in IPO, M&A, or spin-off scenarios while shaping the future compensation landscape.

    Addressing pre- and post-IPO issues from governance and compensation to communication. This includes reviewing charters, designing post-IPO LTIs, and preparing compensation-related prospectus sections.

HCM Insights

Publications

Insights

Aktienbasierte Vergütung für Start-ups

Viewpoint

Die Symbiose von Unternehmenserfolg und Mitarbeiterengagement.

READ MORE
Insights

3 Schlüsselfragen bei langfristiger Vergütung  

Media

Langfristige Vergütungspläne sollten unternehmensspezifisch entlang der Kultur und Strategie ausgerichtet werden.

READ MORE
Insights

Five Cornerstones for Successfully Embedding "Skin in the Game" in Executive Pay Strategy

Media

What are effective measures to implement «Skin in the Game»?

READ MORE
Insights

Aktienbasierte Vergütung für Start-ups

Viewpoint

Die Symbiose von Unternehmenserfolg und Mitarbeiterengagement.

READ MORE
Insights

3 Schlüsselfragen bei langfristiger Vergütung  

Media

Langfristige Vergütungspläne sollten unternehmensspezifisch entlang der Kultur und Strategie ausgerichtet werden.

READ MORE
Insights

Five Cornerstones for Successfully Embedding "Skin in the Game" in Executive Pay Strategy

Media

What are effective measures to implement «Skin in the Game»?

READ MORE

The review of our compensation model anchored our ‘ONE COMPANY’ strategy in daily business. It fostered global collaboration while safeguarding local accountability.

CEO of an international company in the mechanical engineering sector

Step-by-step introduction of profit participation, starting with management and later extending to employees, ensured sustainable anchoring of owner strategy within the compensation framework.

Chairman of the Board of a non-listed company of the automotive sector

Our post-IPO plan, designed by HCM, combines strong risk awareness with effective communication strengthening our appeal to investors and stakeholders.

CFO of a newly listed company in the MedTech sector
Contact

Connect with us

Olga Beregova | Partner

Olga Beregova

Partner
Stephan Hostettler | Managing Partner

Stephan Hostettler

Managing Partner

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