Which characteristic of pay systems might facilitate employee skill development?

Skill-based pay is designed to reward employees for the skills and competencies they acquire rather than just the positions they hold or the time they spend on the job. By linking compensation to the development of skills, this pay system incentivizes employees to learn new abilities or enhance existing ones. As a result, employees are more likely to engage in training programs, pursue further education, or seek diverse experiences that contribute to their skill set. This approach not only enhances individual performance but can also lead to improved productivity and innovation within the organization, as employees apply their newly acquired skills to their work.

In the context of the other options, standard pay typically does not directly incentivize skill acquisition, focusing more on consistency and equity. Hourly pay ties earnings to time worked, which does not inherently promote skill development. Performance pay rewards outcomes based on specific performance metrics but may not emphasize the continuous improvement of skills as effectively as skill-based pay does.