Compensation System
What you need to know
Sandia’s comprehensive compensation system is designed to further enhance how we attract, retain and motivate employees in alignment with our mission, aspirational culture and compensation philosophy:
- We remain effectively referenced to the external market.
- We pay based on an employee’s experience and contributions to Sandia’s success.
- We pay for performance.
- We work to ensure the integrity of the compensation system.
Our compensation system strives to align rewards with goals and subsequent outcomes to increase employee satisfaction. The four ways in which we reward and recognize our people are:
- Base pay
- Variable pay
- Advancement
- Special recognition
Base Pay
Base pay includes geographic differentials, as appropriate, and annual base increases. Annual base increases are designed to keep base pay competitive with market movement. You can also increase your base pay through promotion and/or intralevel advancement.
Variable Pay
Variable pay is based on performance, rewarding your entire body of work over the performance year and based on your performance against current goals, your impact and outcomes and the extent to which you meet the Dimensions of Performance, including the three behaviors.
Variable pay is awarded as a one-time lump sum.
Advancement
We offer three types of advancement—promotion, special appointment and intralevel advancements.
Level promotions and special appointments, whether through the annual process or through post and bid, are an opportunity for you to advance to a higher career level within your defined job description and title.
Intralevel advancements progress you through your current job and level, providing you with more growth opportunities at a quicker pace. They are also a new way to enable you to increase your base pay within your current job and level outside of Sandia’s annual compensation review and promotion cycles.
Special Recognition
Because continual recognition of achievements and milestones are critical to employee growth and satisfaction, Sandia offers several ways to recognize and reward employees, including:
- Employee Recognition Awards
- Peer-to-peer recognition through the Thunderbird Kudos program
- Service anniversary awards
- Spot bonus awards, which can be awarded via Cash or Gift Cards
Employee Recognition Awards (ERAs) celebrate Sandians’ exceptional team and individual accomplishments in the following categories:
- Innovation
- Technical Excellence
- Leadership
- Operational Excellence
- Collaboration
- Culture Champion(s)
See the ERA site for more information or to nominate someone.
Thunderbird Kudos is a corporate tool for sharing recognition and thanks. Big or small, common or uncommon, complicated or simple, no matter the gesture, Thunderbird Kudos are a quick and simple way to thank and recognize the efforts of your coworkers and let their manager know what a great job their people are doing.
Through our service awards program, Sandia recognizes your dedication to our mission by providing you with a gift on your first, third and fifth service anniversaries with us and every five years thereafter.
Spot awards give managers the flexibility to recognize any employee’s contributions at any time. A spot award is outside the annual performance management and review process. You can receive more than one spot award, as long as you haven’t already received one for the same purpose.
Financial wellness resources support you and your family – at every stage and age.
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Quick Tip
Getting paid for your time
You may be eligible for several additional types of compensation – outside of your base salary – including shift differentials and overtime. Be sure to check out Time & Attendance to learn more.