Incentive plan design health check.
Find out whether your incentive plan still fits your company's stage, strategy, and direction. Score 24 statements in six areas, then read your total out of 120.
- 11
- Pages
- 6
- Areas
- 24
- Statements
- 120
- Top score
From the global equity experts at Allshares, working with 1,500+ companies in 110+ countries.
11 pages, PDFGet the toolkit
What's inside
Six areas, one score.
Each area sets out what strong looks like, then asks you to score four statements from 1, not in place, to 5, fully in place and working well. The scoring summary adds them up and shows where your plan stands.
Score each area
The six-area assessment
Strategy alignment, plan structure and design, governance, employee experience, market competitiveness, and operations and readiness. Each area shows what strong looks like, such as vesting that's easy to communicate or grant sizing that follows clear guidelines, then gives you four statements to score.
- Areas
- 6
- Statements to score
- 24
- Score for each statement
- 1 to 5
Pages 3 to 8
Then read the result
Your score and next steps
Total each area out of 20 and the plan out of 120, then match it to one of four bands, from significant gaps to strong plan design. Check ten common warning signs, and write down your top three gaps and top three priorities.
- Top total score
- 120
- Score bands
- 4
- Warning signs to check
- 10
Pages 9 and 10
Who it's for
Written for the people who own the plan.
It's for the HR, finance, and leadership teams behind an incentive plan, at startups, growth companies, PE-backed and pre-IPO companies, and public companies. The toolkit asks for input from all three for a more accurate view.
Use it when the plan was built for an earlier stage, when stakeholders describe it differently, or when you're preparing for an IPO, M&A, or expansion.
Ready for a more structured review? See our plan design services
Get the toolkit
Common questions
Incentive plan design questions.
What does an incentive plan design health check cover?
Six areas: strategy alignment, plan structure and design, governance, employee experience, market competitiveness, and operations and readiness. Each has four statements you score from 1 to 5, so the total runs from 24 to 120.
How do I read my score?
The toolkit sorts totals into four bands. A score of 24 to 48 shows significant gaps and a plan that likely needs redesign. 49 to 72 shows some foundation, but with inconsistencies. 73 to 96 is healthy with room for improvement, and 97 to 120 is strong plan design.
Does it work for long-term incentive plans?
It's written for incentive plans in general, and its structure questions fit equity and long-term incentive plans: award types, vesting structures, eligibility rules, and grant sizing. For why plans go wrong before design starts, read our article. Why Incentive Plans Fail Before They're Designed
Is the toolkit legal or tax advice?
No. It's a directional self-assessment for your HR, finance, and leadership teams. For legal or tax questions about your plan, talk to your counsel or tax adviser.
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