Addressing Compensation
We know how challenging it can be when an employee asks about compensation and benefits, especially when it's paired with the question, "Where is all the money going?" This can feel particularly tough after a rate increase in your group practice or when overhead is stretching, and you already feel like you’re giving everything you’ve got.
Their question might catch you off guard, and it may stir up feelings of vulnerability, frustration, or even hurt. You know how much you carry such as the financial risks, the unseen labor, and the relentless care you pour into your team.
We know how often your own compensation comes last. And still, this is a moment for trust-building. This is not just a numbers conversation. Think of it as a work culture conversation.
When Questions About Pay Are Really Questions About Trust
In a climate of widespread financial insecurity, your team naturally wants to feel safe, seen, and valued in concrete ways, including how compensation is discussed and structured. The mental health field has long been under-resourced and under-compensated, especially for women, BIPOC therapists, and other marginalized practitioners who carry collective trauma around being undervalued by systems that preach care but practice extraction.
So when an employee asks about pay, they might really be asking, "Are we replicating the same harms here or doing something different?"
When this kind of question arises, it's an invitation to pause and get curious, not just about your employee, but about yourself too. What's being stirred up in you? What assumptions or fears arise? Can you offer yourself grace before responding?
This isn't about defending your leadership; it's about leading with transparency, care, and healthy boundaries. Being transparent isn't about offering a line-by-line report or "proving" your decisions. It's about narrating how you care for your business, your team, and your values together.
This is not just a numbers conversation. Think of it as a work culture conversation.
What's Really Being Asked?
First, let's consider what's really being asked? What might really be at the heart of these conversations:
Your employee might be asking:
Do I matter here, and is my work valued?
Is this sustainable for me professionally and financially?
Can I trust that we're creating a different system than those that have harmed our profession?
And they might be comparing to:
What influencers claim is "standard" compensation in our field
What colleagues in different markets or practice models are sharing online
Idealized images of practice ownership that don't show the full financial picture
And you might be silently wondering:
How do I talk about money without triggering shame or defensiveness?
How do I honor their needs while respecting the business realities?
How do I lead authentically without depleting myself?
Values-Aligned Transparency
Offering honest, accessible, and relational context can be a deeply empowering act. It invites shared understanding versus a blind agreement.
You might transition the conversation by saying: "I really value you asking this. It tells me you're invested. Let's sit down, and I'll walk you through how we think about compensation and sustainability in our group practice. I want you to feel secure and informed."
You might share:
The actual structure of costs or percentages of a group practice (tech, clinical support, admin, PTO, taxes, insurance, benefits, marketing etc.)
How compensation is determined and how it's reviewed over time
Ways the business is adapting to sociopolitical and economic realities (inflation, wage shifts, increased client need, etc.)
The practice's approach to balancing collective care with financial sustainability
Your responses to these questions build the essence of how your team experiences your work culture. You're not just offering a justification spreadsheet; you're modeling your work culture norms and values.
Embracing Vulnerability
When you don't know the answer? That's okay. Say so. Transparency also means acknowledging where you're learning, where your values are evolving, and how you're working toward alignment.
If you're struggling with these conversations, you're not alone. Many leaders feel isolated navigating money talk in a field where money has been taboo, triggering, or weaponized. You don't need to do it perfectly. You just need to do it with presence.
We're curious: How do you handle situations where employees' compensation expectations are shaped by social media influencers rather than local market realities? How do you bridge the gap between what they see online and what's sustainable in your specific practice model?
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