About Us
Our emphasis is on organizing education and networking events and services that:
- Creating a vibrant community for total rewards and related professional in the GTA.
- Providing meaningful networking, education and best practice sharing opportunities.
- Advancing the professional practice of compensation, benefits and total rewards.
- Help members succeed in their current roles and future careers.
The GTA Rewards Association is a member of the WorldatWork Local Network. The WorldatWork Local Network is an alliance of independent compensation, benefits and human resources organizations.
Our History
The GTA Rewards Association originated in June 2005 when a group of 50 GTA WorldatWork
members gathered at Manulife Financial's offices in Toronto to discuss a shortage
of networking and educational opportunities for total rewards professionals in the
GTA. At that meeting two groups were formed:
- A Breakfast Seminar Committee
- A GTA Rewards Steering Committee
The purpose of the Breakfast Seminar Committee was to organize a series of breakfast
seminars with interesting speakers on topics relating to Total Rewards. These seminars
were set up to facilitate networking and the sharing of ideas and experiences by
members in the GTA rewards community. The first seminar was held in October 2005.
The Steering Committee's goal was to determine how best to encourage the creation
of a vibrant and connected rewards community in the GTA. The Steering Committee
considered many ways of achieving this long-term goal. After benchmarking the practices
of other rewards associations across North America, it became clear that creating
a not-for-profit association affiliated with WorldatWork through the Local Partnership
Network was the best way of accomplishing this. Becoming a WorldatWork Local Partner
offered many benefits including providing support in the set up of the Association,
further benchmarking the practices of other WorldatWork Local Partners, and allowing
the GTA Rewards Association to offer WorldatWork courses.
On July 1, 2006 the Steering Committee dissovled, having achieved its goal by creating
the GTA Rewards Association. The Association became the 83rd Local Partner with
WorldatWork. Many of the Steering Committee members continued their involvement
by becoming members of the Association's Board.
Our Goals
One of our goals is to provide education and networking opportunities to members
for the purpose of deepening Total Rewards knowledge and expertise across the GTA.
To this end, the Steering Committee identified the following first year goals:
- Host a series of 5 first-rate rewards seminar/networking events
- Launch a website to promote the GTA rewards community and keep members informed
of events
- Facilitate the sharing of rewards information by establishing data sharing groups
- Reach out to senior rewards practitioners by hosting round table discussions
- Raise awareness of the GTA Rewards Association and WorldatWork activities by connecting
with universities and colleges, and partnering with other HR associations
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