DPG Media faced an unexpected challenge when their existing salary increase process, which relied on Google Sheets and custom scripts, was no longer workable. For allocating salary increases and bonuses for 1500 Belgian employees, the media company chose Youbo. The tool proved so convincing that from this year, the reward cycle for more than 3000 employees at the Dutch branch will also be managed through Youbo.
For years, the reward process at DPG Media was managed by a specialist who had developed a system using spreadsheets. These were split by department, distributed, and then recombined after budget allocation. When this person, who was the only one who managed the process and knowledge around it, no longer worked for the company, HR urgently needed a solution.
Where HR employees previously spent easily two weeks setting up the spreadsheets, it now takes at most two days.
Through a webinar on reward management, Mieke Catthoor, compensation and benefits manager BeNe at DPG Media, discovered Youbo. The tool centralizes data in one clear platform and makes it possible to assign salary increases and bonuses in an intuitive way, with real-time visibility of budget distribution and individual compensation.
Fewer errors The centralized storage and automatic processing has drastically reduced the chance of manual errors.
Time savings Youbo can be easily configured per department. Where HR employees previously spent easily two weeks setting up the spreadsheets, it now takes at most two days. For managers too, the user-friendliness of the tool, which automatically suggests proposals based on the compensation policy, means considerable time savings.
More transparency Managers get a better overview of the budget to be allocated and more insight into the compensation of their teams, including compa ratios and historical evolutions. This makes it easier to distribute the budget fairly. DPG Media's compensation policy and framework are clearly established. The system brings historical exceptions to light and helps to eliminate them. Youbo makes differences visible and helps to make more structured decisions.
Better data protection Unlike spreadsheets, Youbo complies with GDPR requirements.
Better reporting The visual representation of data and the ability to analyze historical compensation data provide more insight, both to managers and to the executive team.
The tool was first used for the Belgian branch of DPG Media. Through workshops, experts from Teal Partners translated DPG Media's salary structures and company-specific rules into Youbo. After this customization, the tool was ready for use.
Today, 130 managers use Youbo to assign salary increases and bonuses to their teams. These users find the tool clear and easy to use.
Mieke Catthoor's tip for companies starting with Youbo? "Test with real data as soon as possible. This brings anomalies to light more quickly, so problems can be resolved faster."
Mieke Catthoor: "The collaboration with the Youbo team went smoothly. User feedback was continuously incorporated, ensuring the tool was ready for use in no time, completely tailored to our needs."
Mieke Catthoor: "Youbo saves time, reduces errors, and brings more transparency to the salary process. Managers gain better insight into budgets and salary evolutions, while automatic processing and centralized storage prevent errors. Thanks to the tool, DPG Media complies with GDPR requirements, and both managers and the executive team can make better-informed decisions."
"An important objective of DPG Media is fair compensation, with attention to gender equality in salaries. Currently, the gender pay gap percentage is 1.9%. The ambition is to eliminate this completely within a few years. Youbo helps with this."
Due to the successful implementation and positive feedback, DPG Media will also transition more than 3,000 Dutch employees to Youbo in 2025.