Tools & Software
BLS Data vs. Paid Survey Data: Which Is Defensible for Compliance?
Paid survey data is richer — but BLS OEWS is free, public, and legally defensible for compliance documentation. Here's the trade-off.
Jun 3, 2026
Blog
HR Compensation & Pay Transparency Guides
Practical, BLS-data-backed guidance on building defensible salary ranges, navigating pay transparency laws state-by-state, and running pay equity audits — written for HR teams at 10–200 person companies.
Tools & SoftwareBest Compensation Software for Small Business in 2026
A clear-eyed look at the compensation tooling landscape for SMBs, from free DIY to enterprise platforms, and the gap each leaves open.
Jun 2, 2026
Tools & SoftwareAn OpenComp Alternative for Non-VC SMBs and Professional Services Firms
OpenComp is built for VC-backed equity workflows behind a sales call. For a non-VC professional-services firm, here's the self-serve alternative.
Jun 1, 2026
Tools & SoftwareA Payscale Alternative for SMB HR Teams Facing a Compliance Deadline
Enterprise comp platforms assume a comp analyst and a multi-week rollout. Here's the self-serve, SMB-accessible alternative for compliance-first ranges.
May 31, 2026
Tools & SoftwareGoogle Sheets vs. Salary Range Software: When to Stop DIY
The data is free; the 8–20 hours per cycle and the audit trail are not. Here's when a spreadsheet stops being the right tool.
May 30, 2026
HR Operations & Pay EquityJob Leveling for Small Companies: A Practical L1–L8 Framework
You don't need a Fortune 500 leveling system. Here's a practical L1–L8 framework sized for a growing company.
May 29, 2026
Salary Range MethodologySalary Bands vs. Salary Grades: Building a Structure That Scales
Bands and grades sound interchangeable but solve different problems. Here's how to choose a pay structure that scales with growth.
May 28, 2026