Pay Insights

08/27/2026

The 2026 projections are in: employers are averaging about 3.5% for wage increases (Payscale, WTW). So what's one of the worst things you can do as a leader? Give everyone 3.5%.

An across-the-board raise feels fair. It isn't. It ignores performance, where someone sits in their range, and how they compare to others in similar roles. Your top people notice, and so do the ones being carried.

Strong compensation decisions start with a plan: solid role benchmarks, a clear pay range, performance, and internal comparisons. Decide the strategy before you decide the numbers.

Do it right, and you build trust and loyalty. Do it wrong, and hello voluntary turnover.

Work happier. Hire happier.

08/24/2026

HR consultants, this one's for you.

Your clients ask about pay all the time. What if you could answer with real market data, without signing up for another expensive annual subscription?

This Thursday, Pay Insights is teaming up with the HR Consultants Mastermind for a free live session: Grow Your Business With Comp Surveys.

Our founder, Garrett Wilson, will show you how to add compensation surveys to your consulting services on a pay-for-what-you-use model, so comp data becomes something you can offer clients without the overhead of a big annual contract.

📅 Thursday, August 27
🕕 6:00 to 6:45 PM CT
💻 Online, free to join

Join HR Consultants Mastermind today and save a spot!

Work happier. Hire happier.

08/07/2026

Good news for independent dental practices: Pay Insights is now a vendor partner of the American Independent Dental Alliance (AIDA).

AIDA helps independent practices reduce overhead and save time. We help them get compensation right, so they can pay their hygienists, assistants, and front-desk teams fairly and competitively without an enterprise budget or a dedicated HR person.

For AIDA members, that means real market pay data, pay ranges you can stand behind, and offers that close and keep good people on your team.
Independent practices shouldn't have to choose between doing pay right and doing it affordably. We're glad to share that belief with AIDA.

A special thanks to Goetze Dental for helping make this partnership happen.

Learn more about AIDA at: https://aidagroup.org/

07/31/2026

Introducing Pay Insights Plus, a new compensation platform for growing companies that need real pay decisions, not enterprise overhead.

Benchmark any role against employer-reported market data. Build pay ranges. Generate offers that close. Show your people the full value of what they earn with Total Rewards statements. And when someone brings a competing offer to the table, walk them through a true apples-to-apples comparison.

The same quality data the big platforms use, priced for a company your size. Pay for what you use, credits roll over, cancel anytime.

Want to see it on your own roles? Book a 30-minute demo at https://payinsights.com/book-a-demo/

Work happier. Hire happier.

07/17/2026

At Pay Insights, we believe the best work never happens inside a comfort zone. Entering a new chapter brings a mix of emotions: excitement, motivation, and plenty of anticipation. We're embracing all of it as we step into what's next.

We can't wait to share what's coming next, and more is on the way soon. In the meantime, explore our newly redesigned website to see how we help businesses tackle their toughest compensation challenges. A huge thank you to Salt & Serif for bringing our new look to life.

One platform.Every compensation decision, covered. Three live databases. Real-time benchmarks. Competitor job posting intelligence. Built for teams that need to move fast and pay right. *Data for illustrative purposes only. What sets us apart Built different. Priced fairly. No bloated enterprise con...

05/03/2026

It was a strong turnout at IDEAS with the Iowa Dental Association. Garrett Wilson, Founder of Pay Insights, attended as a vendor to share how we help solve compensation challenges in the dental industry.

Compensation continues to be one of the most persistent challenges in the dental industry. Practices are competing for talent without clear, reliable data to guide decisions. That gap creates friction in hiring, retention, and internal equity.

At Pay Insights, the focus is simple. Collect accurate, local data. Simplify it. Help employers make informed pay decisions with confidence.

Conversations at IDEAS reinforced three realities:
1️⃣ Practices want market clarity, not guesses
2️⃣ Pay challenges are increasing whether employers are ready or not
3️⃣ Better compensation strategy directly impacts growth and stability

Work happier. Hire happier.

01/20/2026

Same issues, different day.

When the same problems show up month after month in a dental practice, they are no longer external challenges. They are internal signals.

Staffing issues, production swings, rising labor costs, and burnout are usually symptoms of an operating model that is not designed to support the outcomes a practice wants. Dentistry has not suddenly become harder. Reimbursements have been tight and labor costs have been rising for years, yet some practices continue to grow and stabilize their teams. The difference is not the hand they were dealt, but how intentionally their systems, roles, and leadership decisions are designed.

In many practices, team members do not clearly understand how their work connects to revenue, efficiency, or patient experience. Accountability becomes subjective. Performance conversations feel personal instead of objective.

Compensation decisions often compound the problem when pay is adjusted reactively instead of strategically. Wage inflation, compression, and frustration among high performers follow. Growth without redesigning workflows, staffing models, and leadership capacity only increases strain.

Practices that break this cycle rely on clear systems, disciplined compensation strategies, and trusted partners to pressure-test decisions and address issues early. Leaders may not choose the conditions they operate in, but they do choose the strategy that shapes the outcome.

01/14/2026

Compensation is About Trust

The issue is not simply the level of compensation. It is whether compensation is fair and clearly understood.

After surveying more than 700 dental hygienists and assistants, one theme is consistent. Employees do not know whether they are paid fairly, and many do not understand how their bonus, when offered, is calculated.

In the absence of clarity, employees turn to job postings or low-quality online data to justify pay increases. This puts employers at a disadvantage when they are not prepared with credible data or a defined compensation approach.

Employers can reduce frustration and increase engagement by doing three things well:
1️⃣ Establish a clear compensation plan
2️⃣ Use trusted market data
3️⃣ Clearly communicate how pay decisions are made

Trust erodes when employees believe their financial security is an afterthought. Trust grows when compensation is intentional, explainable, and aligned with the value employees bring to the organization.

01/06/2026

Salary Expectations are Changing!

Career changers are heading into 2026 with more leverage than many employers realize, and a lot of organizations are still underestimating how much the market has shifted.

A recent article from Investopedia breaks down what salary expectations looked like in 2025, especially for people making career moves. The message is straightforward. Wage pressure is real, and it is not slowing down.

Here are a few takeaways:
➡ Career changers are seeing wage increases of roughly 7 to 10 percent, depending on role and industry.
➡ Employers are paying more for transferable skills, not just direct experience.
➡ Healthcare, technology, and specialized service roles are driving many of the higher offers.
➡ Candidates are more informed and more willing to walk away when compensation does not align with the market.

For employers, higher wages are not the core issue. Unstructured compensation decisions are.

Strong practices in this environment remain consistent:
✔ Maintain a clear compensation plan tied to business goals instead of reacting role by role.
✔ Review compensation regularly using trusted, current market data.
✔ Clearly articulate value beyond base pay, including growth opportunities, benefits, flexibility, and development.

Employers who understand the market and communicate total value compete more effectively, even as wages continue to rise.