Mastering Global Compensation Cycles: Best Practices with Canvas Head of Total Rewards

Canva’s Head of Total Rewards met with Pequity’s CEO Kaitlyn Knopp during a fireside to discuss the challenges of scaling compensation programs and processes on a global level. With Canva’s footprint covering 15 markets and over 4,000 employees, Canva’s Head of Total Rewards discussed how thoughtful strategies and the right tools have been key to managing the complexities of international pay.

Scaling Global Compensation: A Balancing Act

When Canva’s Head of Total Rewards, Emily Francis** joined the Canva team, the company’s workforce had been concentrated in Australia and the Philippines. Today, its operations span across the U.S., UK, India, and Japan, each with unique labor laws, cultural norms, and compensation expectations.

Francis mentions that managing compensation across these geographies presented several challenges including

• Ensuring equity across markets while addressing differences in cost of labor and statutory benefits.
• Streamlining processes to reduce the administrative burden on the Total Rewards team.
• Adapting to evolving pay transparency laws and other regulatory requirements.

“Navigating compensation across so many countries requires a balance of global consistency and local nuance,” Francis shared. “You need systems that simplify processes while allowing flexibility for the specifics of each region.”

How Canva Tackled These Challenges

1. Automating Pay Letters Across Geographies

One of the most time-intensive aspects of managing compensation cycles is creating and delivering pay change letters to employees, tailored to different markets, languages, and legal requirements. Pequity played a critical role in solving this for Canva.

“We rolled out pay letters through Pequity for the first time [...] and the feedback was phenomenal,” Francis noted. “It took the complexity out of creating region-specific letters while ensuring compliance and accuracy.”

Pequity’s platform allowed Canva to:

• Consolidate multiple templates for different geographies.
• Automate the delivery process, reducing manual errors and saving time.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations through integrated workflows

2. Managing Pay Ranges with Precision

With thousands of employees in over 15 markets, keeping pay ranges updated and aligned with local market trends is a continuous challenge. Pequity provided Canva with tools to centralize and manage pay ranges effectively.

“Pequity lets us test and update pay ranges seamlessly, ensuring we stay aligned with market changes while maintaining internal equity,” Francis explained.

This functionality helped Canva:

• Update pay ranges in a controlled environment without disrupting active compensation cycles.
• Align new hire offers with updated ranges, avoiding pay discrepancies between new and existing employees.

3. Balancing Local and Global Perspectives

Canva needed a way to enable local decision-making while maintaining alignment with centralized budgets. Pequity’s flexible tools provided the perfect balance.

“Pequity lets us plan in local currencies, which resonates with employees and managers, while budgeting in USD to align with our global financial goals,” Francis said.

This approach allowed Canva to:

• Empower managers to make decisions that reflect local market realities.
• Streamline communication with finance and leadership by maintaining a clear global view.

Outcomes: Streamlined and Equitable Compensation

By leveraging Pequity, Canva’s Total Rewards team achieved:

• Operational Efficiency: Automated processes reduced administrative burden, allowing the team to focus on strategy.
• Improved Equity: Embedded checks and streamlined workflows ensured consistency across regions.
• Stronger Communication: Seamless integration of local and global perspectives enhanced transparency and trust.

“Pequity has transformed how we manage compensation cycles, from pay letters to pay ranges. It’s made a massive difference for our team and employees,” Francis concluded.

Lessons for Compensation Leaders

Canva’s journey in scaling their programs offers practical insights for organizations navigating global compensation:

1. Invest in Automation: Tools like Pequity reduce manual errors, save time, and improve accuracy.
2. Empower Local Decision-Making: Planning in local currencies while maintaining global alignment builds trust and clarity.
3. Prioritize Transparency: Clear communication about pay decisions reinforces equity and fosters employee trust.
4. Plan for Growth: Balance the immediate needs of your workforce with scalable processes that can grow with your organization.

For organizations scaling globally, having the right strategies and systems in place is crucial. Canva’s journey underscores the value of leveraging tools like Pequity to simplify complexity, foster equity, and enhance employee experience.

**Emily is now leading Executive and Equity Compensation at Databricks!