The Challenge
Omaha Steaks ran its merit cycle through a web of Excel workbooks—director roll‑ups for some groups, custom manager sheets for others. HR spent significant time building and locking spreadsheets, and leaders lacked a single, clear view of how merit dollars were allocated across their orgs. At the same time, many leaders were still building their compensation fluency. Omaha Steaks needed a system that could start at the VP level with all employees in one place, cascade cleanly to directors and managers, and double as a learning tool—helping leaders see ranges, understand their decisions in context, and build confidence over time, recognizing that many were starting from the basics.
The Solution
With SimplyMerit, Omaha Steaks replaced a tangle of director and manager Excel sheets with a single VP‑down view of the organization. HR no longer has to rebuild complex workbooks for every cycle, and leaders can see how merit dollars are being allocated across teams in one place. VPs now have clear, dashboard‑level visibility into each leader’s budget decisions, along with the ability to comment and course‑correct in real time—bringing the transparency and accountability they were looking for in a new system.
“Leaders found the tool easy to use, but even more impactful was the opportunity to learn more about their employees’ pay. They saw so much value—especially in the comp ratio and range data—that they requested year-round access. It sparked curiosity and a desire to learn more, allowing us to fast-track our compensation training and build their confidence in making informed pay decisions and having better conversations.” Alma Sosa - Compensation Business Partner
The Results
For Omaha Steaks, SimplyMerit is helping leaders move from “just learning the basics” toward a clearer, shared understanding of pay. Managers who initially weren’t familiar with compa‑ratios or ranges are beginning to use the tool to see where employees sit in the structure and how their recommendations affect budgets. The visibility has sparked questions and healthy curiosity—enough that leaders asked to keep the system open year‑round so they can continue checking information about their teams. For Katie and Alma, this early engagement is a strong signal that both the tool and their managers are heading in the right direction, building comfort with compensation one cycle at a time.
