Salary vs commission: Which boosts your bottom line? Registered Dental Hygienists

A salaried employee is paid a regular fixed rate regardless of the number of hours worked for each pay period. An hourly employee is paid a rate for each hour they worked for the period and is entitled to overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a week. If you mainly see an overflow of patients, there may not be enough patients to fill your book. Remember, dentistry is a business, https://accounting-services.net/fixed-cost/ so in this scenario, the owner may offer a commission package as your books may not be consistent. I would get a guaranteed base pay amount to secure yourself a minimum wage or agree on an hourly rate and renegotiate at your performance review. Federal law requires that nonexempt employees, which includes most dental hygienists, to be paid at least minimum wage for hours worked.

For example, instead of making an hourly wage or annual salary, you are paid a percentage of what you sell. If you are on a 15 percent commission and you sell ​$500,000​ worth of goods or services, you earn ​$75,000​ in commissions. For a bonus structure, quota and sales rep The Advantages of Paying Commission vs. Salary performance will be major factors in earning compensation. However, unlike commissions, bonuses are typically a set amount and rely on both corporate and individual goals. In commission plans, the total compensation amount will vary based on individual sales rep performance.

Tired of playing it safe? Learn how to take risks that pay off

Fulfillment in dental hygiene requires a plan that offers job security, as well as flexibility to adapt to life changes, personal goals, and interests. Many leave the profession because of burnout and stress, family responsibilities, or to pursue new interests. Challenging yourself by finding ways to advance your professional development and compensation packages has the potential to lead to great career satisfaction. The cool thing about some commission-only jobs is that they might not have an earnings ceiling. This means that you can, theoretically, make as much as you want without a limit. Now that you understand what commission pay is, you’ll see why this pay structure isn’t for everyone.

• Since you’re responsible for hitting your numbers monthly or quarterly, your success is literally in your own hands.
• For job seekers looking for work-life balance, a commission-only job can be a great fit.
• For a business, turnover could be high as many employees will seek out more stable and consistent employment.
• Employers are also required to withhold payroll and federal income taxes on commissions.
• The advantage for the employee is that they can rely on their base salary during leaner sales periods.
• Professionals who are into sales and marketing deal with tough competition.
• Ironically the incentive structure of commission pay is a negative as well as a plus.

If they earn a big commission, they can take a break with no loss of income. Commission pay based on sales revenue is more cost-effective for you than straight hourly pay. However the lure of big bucks can tempt salespeople to cut ethical corners.

Tiered Commission Structure

With salary, you pay them by the week or the month regardless of how many hours they put in. Either way, it’s the hours they put in that count, not whether they’re making your company money. If the floor staff in a retail store can’t move any merchandise, they still collect their paycheck at the end of the week. What variables should you ask about when considering a commission or salary wage in dental hygiene? Here are six questions to ask employers so that you can negotiate fairly and competitively.

To motivate employees to sell more, some businesses increase commission percentages as employees reach certain milestones. For example, you might receive a 15 percent commission for all sales up to ​$500,000​, and then receive 17 percent of any sales you make above ​$500,000​. Similar to a base pay plus commission compensation package, a draw against commission pays you a set monthly amount to help you pay your bills while waiting for your commissions. The difference with a draw is that the amount you receive is considered part of your commission and is deducted from your commission payment. If a salesperson works an eight-hour day but makes no sales, they get nothing.

How to Calculate Wages Based on Sales Per Week

There are different types of commissions that you can include in your pay structure. Successfully working in a commission position takes a unique set of abilities. While FlexJobs doesn’t post these positions, there are some reputable options. Working with colleagues who earn way more than you do can trigger negative emotions such as envy and resentment.

When you are offered a job with commission pay, make sure that you understand fully all the variables that will affect your take-home income. Employers often use sales commissions as an incentive to increase worker productivity. Amber combines her yearly salary of $110,000 with a 20% commission off these hires, giving her an annual salary of $216,000. When accepting a job with commission-based pay, make sure to understand the process involved in calculating the amount. Keep in mind that several factors may affect your income, so take time to fully understand your employment contract.

The kind of workers you should employ depends on your business and how you plan to schedule your employees; flexibility is a big consideration. Service industries—such as retail and food—usually have hourly workers as the work schedule is rarely consistent. Commission-based employees’ pay can fluctuate as it depends on the rate at which they’re able to sell a product or service. Highly motivated salespeople will earn generous commissions, while their less ambitious counterparts will not. Employees may like that their pay isn’t based on just being on the clock.

• For a business, a straight commission-style payment system is a strong motivator for employees to work hard and bring in revenue.
• You may feel more comfortable making many small sales or going after a few big commission payments.
• If you want payroll software that can manage paying salary, hourly, and commission-based workers, consider Gusto.
• In a nutshell, hourly employees must be paid at least the federal minimum wage for each hour worked.
• For instance, many professional and consulting service employees don’t have standard hours at all and receive a salary regardless of the work hours put in.
• Whether you should pay your employees hourly vs salary vs a commission depends on the flow and structure of your business.