In HR, what is compensation?

Compensation refers to the entirety of cash and non-cash rewards that employees receive in exchange for their work. This encompasses not only wages or salaries but also includes bonuses, commissions, benefits, and various forms of recognition or non-monetary rewards. Understanding compensation in this broad sense is essential for HR professionals as it enables them to design comprehensive compensation packages that can attract, retain, and motivate employees.

While health and wellness benefits are a vital aspect of employee rewards, they represent just one component of the overall compensation package. Performance bonuses are also an important feature but are typically considered part of the total rewards strategy rather than the complete definition of compensation. Lastly, a fixed salary without additional benefits fails to account for the fuller picture of what compensation entails, which is variable and can include a diverse set of rewards. Thus, the correct definition of compensation encompasses all these elements, making the first option the most accurate description.