From Data to Influence: How Compensation Pros Are Future-Proofing Their Roles

Yesterday’s WorldatWork Seattle Summit brought together People and Finance leaders across the region for a fast-paced afternoon of networking and knowledge-sharing. In one of the most well-attended sessions of the day, CandorIQ’s own Chad Atwell joined Justin Sun (Expedia Group) and Casper Yu (TRPDX) to talk about the future of compensation—and what it really takes to stay ahead in an evolving, increasingly data-driven world.

The session, titled “Justin Time: Advice for Comp Excellence and Influence,” (I love a good pun!) didn’t just look at trends—it tackled a critical, often overlooked truth: being a compensation expert isn’t just about having the right data. It’s about having the influence to drive change.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the session—including practical advice from Chad—on how compensation professionals can step into their strategic power, earn trust, and use new tools like AI and manager self-service the right way.

Compensation Is (Still) About People—But the Data Is Getting Deeper

The panel opened with a discussion on the changing definition of “comp data.” As Justin noted, comp teams today are expected to consider more than just salary survey results. Offer acceptance rates, internal mobility trends, turnover data, and even employee engagement scores are all part of the equation.

That makes context more important than ever. Chad emphasized that as AI tools become more prevalent in compensation planning, the role of the compensation pro isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving.

“The more data and automation we introduce, the more important it is that comp pros understand why numbers are the way they are,” Chad said. “Where the data came from. How it’s stitched together. And what decisions it should inform.”

AI may help surface insights faster, but it’s up to compensation leaders to interpret them correctly—and communicate them in a way that resonates with stakeholders across the business.

Storytelling Is a Skillset, Not a Soft Skill

With so much data on hand, one of the most valuable capabilities for a compensation leader is the ability to tell a clear, credible story.

“Your job is not to be the mouthpiece for compensation,” Chad reminded the room. “It’s to help others—executives, managers—be confident telling the story with you.”

That means simplifying the message, aligning to business strategy, and delivering information that builds trust. One tip from Chad? Use a problem, solution, options framework to present recommendations clearly and concisely. No one wants to wade through 100 pages of data tables. Your job is to highlight what matters—and why it matters now.

Justin agreed, adding that one of the biggest blockers to credibility is being too academic about pay decisions.

Influence Means Empowering Others—Not Controlling Everything

Another key theme of the session: manager empowerment. Compensation professionals often find themselves caught between trying to scale decision-making and maintaining control over sensitive processes.

Chad offered a nuanced take on this balancing act.

“There’s a growing need to give managers more visibility and more autonomy,” he explained. “But you can’t just hand them the keys without a roadmap.”

Instead of full self-service or rigid central control, Chad advocated for guided empowerment—a model where tools like CandorIQ give managers access to the data they need, guardrails to stay within budget or pay bands, and workflows that loop in HR or Finance when needed.

The key is clarity. When managers understand how pay decisions are made—and are trusted to participate in them—they’re more likely to communicate effectively with their teams and make choices that align with company values.

AI Is Here. Are You Ready?

One of the most eye-opening moments of the session came when Justin cited a recent survey showing that 70% of business leaders are at least somewhat interested in AI—but adoption remains low unless the CEO or CHRO is actively pushing it.

AI isn’t a future conversation. It’s a right now one.

From modeling headcount plans to generating initial comp recommendations, AI tools are already transforming how comp work gets done. But as Chad noted, these tools are only as good as the data that feeds them—and the people who interpret the results.

Compensation teams that want to future-proof their roles need to:

• Strengthen their data literacy
  
  
• Stay curious about new tools and technologies
  
  
• Learn to pressure test AI-driven outputs before rolling them out
  
  
• Advocate for responsible AI adoption company-wide
  
  

At CandorIQ, we believe in using AI to augment, not replace, the expertise of comp professionals. That means giving teams the ability to move faster while keeping humans firmly in the decision-making loop.

Takeaways for Compensation Leaders

If you couldn’t make it to the Seattle Summit, here are a few things to take back to your own work:

Master your data. 

Go beyond surveys and understand the full picture: offers, turnover, promotions, internal equity, and more.

Tell a tight story. 

Focus on the problem, the solution, and the options—not just the numbers.

Build influence through others. 

Use your tools and knowledge to empower execs and managers to speak confidently about comp decisions.

Embrace AI—carefully. 

Understand what it’s good at, what it’s not, and where your judgment is still required.

Keep learning. 

The best compensation pros are never done refining their skills. They’re constantly evolving—just like the profession itself.

CandorIQ is proud to support the next generation of compensation leaders—whether it’s through smarter compensation cycles, scalable manager workflows, or AI-powered insights designed for humans.

Thanks to WorldatWork and everyone who joined us (and our friends at Lockton) for a great conversation and happy hour. See you at the next one!