Create a Compensation and Benefits Framework

Design a compensation and benefits framework for the following company:

Company: [name, industry, stage]
Team size: [current and projected 12 months]
Geographic scope: [single location / remote / multi-country]
Compensation philosophy: [e.g. 75th percentile of market / pay for performance / equity-heavy / cash-competitive]
Budget constraint: [early stage / well-funded / mature]

Framework covering:

1. Compensation philosophy statement: the 1-paragraph statement that guides all pay decisions
2. Job levelling: 4–6 levels with descriptions of scope, autonomy, and impact at each
3. Salary banding: structure for creating and maintaining bands (even if the actual numbers need market data)
4. Variable compensation: bonus and commission structures for relevant roles
5. Equity: if applicable — how to think about grants, vesting, and refreshers by level
6. Benefits overview:
   - Mandatory (legal requirements)
   - Table stakes (what everyone in your market offers)
   - Differentiators (what you offer that others don't)
7. Pay equity approach: how to audit and maintain equity
8. Compensation review cadence: when and how salaries are reviewed