COURSES


Course & Exam Price * Course Only Price *
Non-member $1,810 $1,700
World at Work Member $1,220 $1,130
W@W and GTA Rewards Member $1,100 $1,020

*all prices quoted in US dollars.

2010 GTA Rewards Course Schedule


Certification
Course		 Dates Location Course Title
C4 May 11 & 12 Pal Benefits Base Pay Administration and Pay for Performance
T3 June 15 &16 Manulife Quantitative Methods
C17 July 13 & 14 Xerox Market Pricing—Conducting a Competitive Pay Analysis
T4 Aug. 10 & 11 Staples Strategic Communication in Total Rewards

 

Course Descriptions


C4 - Base Pay Administration and Pay for Performance

This intermediate-level course provides an in-depth discussion of the principles, design, implementation and evaluation of an employee base pay program. Exercises will show how to design a pay program that is fair, competitive and supportive of an organization's compensation strategy.

  • Identify the relationship between an employee total rewards program and an organization's business strategy.
  • Discuss the design of base pay programs and necessary considerations.
  • Discover what it takes to implement and deliver base pay.
  • Study the key elements in costing base pay and other compensation programs.
  • Gain an overview of merit pay systems, including development and utilization.
  • Address the effectiveness and efficiency of pay programs with monitoring and evaluation.

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for emerging compensation practitioners with limited experience in developing pay structures. Knowledge of basic mathematical concepts such as mean, median, weighted average, compa-ratio, percentiles and calculating percents is recommended, as well as an understanding of the concept of regression analysis.

What You Will Learn

The Role of Base Pay in Total Rewards

  • The total rewards model
  • The total rewards design process
  • Compensation philosophy and strategy
  • Introduction to base pay
  • Job evaluation methods
  • Job worth hierarchy

Designing Base Pay Structures

  • Base pay structure
  • Building a base pay structure
  • Pay structure design considerations
  • Pay structure design
  • Broadbands

Practical Applications of Base Pay Structure Design

  • Exercise 1 - Market pricing approach
  • Discussion exercise 2 - Point factor approach
  • Discussion exercise 3 - Integrating market data into point factor

Base Pay Implementation and Delivery

  • Pay approaches
  • Differentials
  • Pay actions
  • Communicating pay actions
  • Setting new hire pay rates

Pay for Performance and Salary Budgeting

  • Principles of a sound pay for performance system
  • Principles of merit pay programs
  • The base pay investment
  • Merit increase guidelines
  • Creating a salary budget recommendation

T3 - Quantitative Methods - Understand HR Statistics

This basic-level course focuses on general quantitative concepts, basic statistical tools, the mathematics of total compensation design and administration, mathematical modeling, and regression analysis. Participants learn to consider data from numerous sources, with an emphasis on problem solving and decision making.

  • Learn basic quantitative concepts and the four levels of measurement
  • Understand how to define and compare percents, market index and compa-ratios
  • Study the time value of money including compound interest & compound salary growth rate
  • Find out how to collect, analyze and accurately display statistical data
  • Learn how to determine central tendency and measures of central location
  • Discuss measures of variability
  • Explore shapes of distribution
  • Gain an understanding of modeling and regression analysis

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for those individuals who are relatively new to the field as well as experienced practitioners who seek a basic treatment for applying statistics in total compensation management. It is assumed that they have had no formal exposure to statistics, but have taken a basic algebra course.

What You Will Learn

Statistics-Data, Information and Levels of Measurement

  • Why HR professionals collect and use data
  • Five key questions to ask about the variable of interest
  • Levels of measurement

Percents and Related Issues

  • Percents
  • Individual compa-ratio
  • Department compa-ratio
  • Market index
  • Percent difference
  • Developing salary ranges
  • Percents in benefits management

Time Value of Money

  • Compound interest and compound salary growth rate
  • Constant midpoint progression
  • Annuity payments

Statistics-Collecting, Organizing, Grouping and Displaying Data

  • Populations and samples
  • Frequency distributions
  • Organize, group and display data

Statistics-Lying with Statistics, Graphs and Displays

  • Recognizing distorted data
  • Mistakes that distort data

Statistics- Measures of Central Tendency and/or Location

  • Measures of central tendency
  • Measures of location
  • Percentile bars

C17 - Market Pricing: Conducting a Competitive Pay Analysis

This course will provide a consistent and effective methodology for market-pricing benchmark jobs within an organization. Participants will have an opportunity to develop their data utilization skills through classroom practicum exercises.

  • Review common compensation strategies, base pay design, & use of a job worth hierarchy.
  • Discuss how market pricing can support an organization's business strategy.
  • Discover data sources, data collection options, salary survey formats and use of job matching.
  • Learn how the data from surveys can help you develop the market rate for benchmark jobs.
  • Discuss the use of statistical analysis tools and aging, blending, weighting and slotting data.
  • Learn how to handle exceptions or special situations.
  • Find out how to communicate market pricing to upper management and your organization.

Who Should Attend

Compensation and HR professionals with an interest in or responsibility for identifying competitive rates of pay, job evaluation and compensation.

What You Will Learn

Total Rewards and the Compensation Function

  • The total rewards model
  • Compensation philosophy and strategy
  • Base pay structure design
  • Job worth hierarchy

Market Pricing and Business Strategy

  • Market pricing
  • Terminology
  • Market pricing steps
  • Market pricing - advantages and disadvantages

Survey Data

  • Data sources
  • Data collection
  • Salary formats
  • Job matching

Collecting Survey Data

  • Survey selection
  • Data integrity
  • Multiple survey sources
  • Statistical data points
  • Documentation

Utilizing Survey Data

  • Utilizing Survey Data
  • Aging data
  • Blending and weighting
  • Regression
  • Internal versus external equity

Exceptions and Special Situations

  • Total compensation
  • Incentives

Communication

  • Communication with employees and upper management
  • Organization-wide communication
  • Communication and survey sources

T4 - Strategic Communication in Total Rewards

This course provides an introduction to strategic communication, focusing on total rewards communication. It begins by establishing the purpose and value of strategic communication along with discussing how behaviors can be influenced by communications. In addition, an eight-step process is detailed providing guidance for creating an effective and efficient communication campaign. Case studies provide participants an opportunity to apply the eight step process. Furthermore, specific communications related to each of the total rewards elements are highlighted, as are suggestions for communicating special situations, such as a merger or acquisition.

  • Learn the rationale for strategically planning a communication campaign.
  • Discuss the characteristics of effective communication.
  • Obtain an understanding of the eight steps of the communication process.
  • Identify the appropriate communication channel to deliver the message.
  • Review specific total rewards communications considerations and special situations.
  • Find out how to effectively and efficiently manage your communication campaign.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for those experienced in the employee compensation and benefits fields or for those who would like to broaden their total rewards perspective. This course is strategic in nature and is designed for participants who need to focus primarily on the design and direction of communication.

What You Will Learn

Communication Strategy and Total Rewards

  • Total rewards concepts and components
  • Value and purpose of strategic total rewards communication
  • Effective communication
  • Management's role in communication

Communication Fundamentals

  • Fundamentals of communication
  • Characteristics of effective communication
  • The strategic communication process

The Strategic Communication Process: Steps 1-4

  • Step 1 - Analyze the situation
  • Step 2 - Define the objectives
  • Step 3 - Conduct audience research
  • Step 4 - Determine key messages
  • Case study

The Strategic Communication Process: Steps 5-6

  • Step 5 - Select the communication channel
  • Step 6 - Develop the communications campaign

The Strategic Communication Process: Steps 7-8

  • Step 7 - Implementation
  • Step 8 - Evaluation
  • Case study
  • Managing the communication campaign