While say-on-pay votes are non-binding in the United States, they are prodding some companies to make significant improvements to their executive pay practices. Beazer Homes USA, which had a failed advisory vote in 2011, won more than 95 percent approval at its shareholder meeting on Tuesday after the company made numerous changes to its compensation policies to attract investor support. 

Since last year, the Russell 3000 company has eliminated time-vesting restricted stock and adopted a new performance share plan that will require the achievement of absolute (compound annual stock price growth) and relative (total share return relative to publicly listed homebuilders) performance goals. Additionally, Beazer made its severance programs more shareholder friendly by removing excise tax gross-ups, adding double-triggered cash severance, reducing the value of contractual pay multiples, and eliminating auto-renew employment contracts, according to the ISS report on the company.

Another issuer that adopted significant improvements after a failed 2011 compensation vote is Jacobs Engineering Group. On Jan. 26, Jacobs earned more than 96 percent approval during its say-on-pay vote.