CHENNAI: Planning to seek a pay rise? It's advisable that you take a closer look at your performance and value to the company as world-over, more and more employers are moving away from seniority-based remuneration to performance-oriented wages.

This is more the case at the upper end of the job spectrum in the private sector.

Though the basic pay of such executives may still not vary much, there could be a huge difference in terms of performance-based incentives.

"If this sounds alarming for those cherishing their seniority, it could be a mere tip of the iceberg as many companies are exploring ways to convert the present pay into performance-based incentives. They are also looking at how many such incentives can be made long-term," said N. Sundar, head of performance and reward, British Gas Group.

An unmistakable trend that has emerged is the linking up of a large portion of the remuneration to the company results. Even countries that were anti-incentives such as Japan, Germany and Sweden are "globalised" now, he told a meeting organised here by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In India, which figures among countries where salary levels are low, particularly among the lower cadre of employees, globalisation of the economy had resulted in a boom for top quality talent. The pay for such professionals was nearing international levels.

There is, however, nothing like a global pay. Though there had been some congruence in pay levels, large differences still exist across countries.

Contrary to popular perceptions, the U.S. is not the highest paying country. Sweden tops the list and US is at the 18th place, Mr. Sundar said citing survey figures.

He, however, disputed the survey findings about the top management in India getting comparatively thinner pay packets.

"I don't believe that top management honchos in India are poorly paid," he asserted. But at junior levels, the western base pay was 700 to 900 per cent higher than that in India.

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