Spectrum Compensation & Benefits

How do you ensure pay and bonus plans are competitive?

We benchmark base pay, incentives and total rewards against relevant peer companies and roles, and exchange best practices with partners in the telecommunications and media industry through professional associations, including the Content & Connectivity Human Resources Association. We’re always looking for ways to improve and build upon the plans we offer our employees. In 2022, we increased our minimum wage from $15 to $18 an hour — and in 2024, increased it again to $20 an hour, nearly three times the federal minimum wage. We provide employees with the opportunity to continue to increase their earnings with structured career progression programs that provide clear pathways for professional development and career growth.

Which benefit delivers the most value — and how do you know?

Our benefit plans are comprehensive and affordable to ensure that we’re supporting the well-being of our employees at every stage of life. We offer high-quality and affordable medical, dental and vision insurance options, health care accounts, life insurance and disability coverage. By absorbing the cost increase for these programs for the last 13 years, we’re helping our employees keep more money in their pockets.

Beyond these plan options, our Live Well program provides employees and their families with access to 24/7 confidential, no-cost counseling services and mental health resources. We also provide fertility benefits to employees and their dependents to support family planning, including adoption and surrogacy. Members of our team have access to free and discounted Spectrum products, including high-speed internet, video, residential voice services, streaming apps and Spectrum Mobile™. 

Our market-leading retirement plan provides support for employees’ futures. For every $1 an employee contributes to their 401(k), we match $1 — up to 6 percent of their pay — and we automatically put an additional 3 percent of pay into the retirement accumulation plan for eligible employees. That’s up to 9 percent of an employee’s pay invested for their future.

Our education benefit continues to help our employees grow their skills and earn promotions. In 2023, we launched our tuition-free degree program in partnership with Guild, which offers employees the ability to continue or complete their education at no cost. Since launch, 13 percent of our workforce has enrolled in or completed a course, and those participating are being promoted at a 20 percent higher rate and are 19 percent more likely to stay working at Spectrum. In addition to tuition-free degrees, our education benefit also covers up to $10,000 per year for degrees outside of the Guild learning catalog.

Does the company offer stock/equity, and is it considered competitive?

We have an equity incentive plan that provides leaders with an ownership stake in our company and shared success. Employees who are not eligible for our equity incentive plan have the opportunity to participate in our employee stock purchase plan. Through the ESPP, employees can buy charter stock via payroll deductions, and we provide matching restricted stock units that grow with tenure. While many stock purchase plans offer a discount on stock, our ESPP is designed to do something more meaningful: Reward employees’ commitment to our company. By becoming owners in the company, employees share in our success, motivating them to be their best for our customers. It’s one more way we invest in our employees as they build long, successful careers here. In addition to our equity incentive plan and ESPP, nearly 85 percent of our employees are eligible for additional variable compensation based on their performance, including annual bonus plans, sales commissions and more.