Information and Resources for Applicants
Successful events are built on the foundation of strong education sessions. We want to help you craft an excellent proposal so you can make your voice heard, and deliver impactful, inspiring solutions, stories, and ideas to the Total Rewards community. This is your opportunity to highlight your expertise and offer real solutions to the most urgent problems Total Rewards and compensation professionals face today.
We are offering the following resources to support you, our applicants:
- Read the information on this page to learn about selection criteria, topics, available session formats, and speaker types.
- Download the Submission Planning Worksheet to help you think through your submission before heading to the digital form. We highly recommend completing your submission in the PDF and then copy and pasting that information into the online form.
- Attend an Office Hour session. During this time WorldatWork staff will be available to review and provide feedback on submissions, help solve any technical problems, or answer general questions about the event or Call. We can also assist in creating your video for the required speaking sample during this time as well. Staff will be waiting to help in a Zoom room during the following times. You should feel free to attend for as short or long of a time as you need, and we take questions on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- Friday, October 4, 1:00-2:00pm ET (Add to Calendar)
- Monday, October 7, 12:00-1:00pm ET (Add to Calendar)
- Thursday, October 17, 3:00-4:00pm ET (Add to Calendar)
All submissions must be completed through the online form and are due by October 23 at 5:00pm PT. If you need an accommodation or have questions, please email us at speakers@worldatwork.org.
What are the Key Dates?
Wednesday, September 25 |
Call for Content Opens |
Friday, October 4, 1:00-2:00 pm ET |
Office Hour (Add to Calendar) |
Monday, October 7, 12:00-1:00pm ET |
Office Hour (Add to Calendar) |
Thursday, October 17, 3:00-4:00pm ET |
Office Hour (Add to Calendar) |
Wednesday, October 23, 5:00pm PT |
Call for Content Closes |
By Monday, December 9* |
Notifications Sent |
What is the selection criteria?
Our selection advisory committee will be looking for ideas that will intentionally engage participants and will make selections based on the following criteria:
- Session Outcomes: Are they actionable and participant-centered?
- Topic: Is it a unique or progressive take on the evolving trends or emerging challenges faced in the Total Rewards and compensation landscape? See below for a list of key topic areas.
- Alignment of Level: Does the information provided align with the stated learning level?
- Speaker Profile: Does the applicant demonstrate a unique point of view, expertise, and enthusiasm for the topic for all speakers included in the submission?
- Speaking Skills: Does the applicant provide evidence of ability to engage participants? Examples of evidence include prior speaking experience in your bio, quotes from past participants, or speaking sample video.
Want your submission to stand out? Follow these tips:
- Get specific: The more details you provide in your description, the more likely you are to be selected.
- Be creative with your session format: How can you present your ideas in a new or different way? How can you ensure participant engagement?
- Include practitioners: If you will have multiple speakers in your session, be sure to include at least one who has executed the strategies “from the inside.” The in-house perspective, combined with consultant expertise, is highly valued by attendees, as there is no substitute for sharing lessons learned from an internal viewpoint.
- Be timely: The event will occur in May. What will be top of mind for Total Rewards professionals during that time? How can you connect your content to a larger trend in the macro environment?
What Key Topic Areas can sessions address?
Total Rewards '25 sessions are organized by the areas of the Total Rewards model. Within the topics below, we hope to see submissions that help participants steer through unpredictability, innovate rewards to enable new work models, harness AI solutions to revolutionize work and total rewards, boost productivity and workforce results, enhance holistic well-being, advance equity in the workplace, and ultimately maximize impact.
Strategic Total Rewards Highlight the impact of Total Rewards on organizational results and employee experiences, focusing on emerging practices in strategy design, alignment, and measurement. Share techniques for managing ROI across a comprehensive Total Rewards portfolio and explore the connection between Employee Experience and Total Rewards as a key driver of engagement. |
Compensation Share innovative strategies in base pay, variable compensation, equity-based compensation, communication, and recognition. Feature solutions for addressing and solving unintended pay gaps, and demonstrate how to leverage AI and analytics to tackle challenges in market evaluation, performance measurement, and compensation predictions. Help attendees elevate employee trust and the perceived value of comp programs through clear, personalized, and engaging communications. |
Executive Compensation Examine complex and nuanced executive compensation design strategies, including approaches to executive retention and succession planning, LTIPs and equity compensation trends, goal/target setting for LTI and STI plans, evolving compliance and disclosure requirements, and compensation committee governance. |
Sales Compensation Explore design/measurement and collaboration strategies for compensation practitioners to effectively partner in sales compensation, examine how AI is transforming sales roles and impacting the measurement of compensation plan success, and discuss proven strategies for attracting and retaining top talent in today’s evolving environment. |
Benefits Discuss emerging strategies in healthcare, retirement, time off, and holistic benefits that enhance employee well-being and productivity. Guide attendees through challenges like budget constraints, complexity, globalization, and evolving regulations, while introducing effective techniques for engagement, communication, personalization, and measurement. |
Well-Being Demonstrate holistic well-being strategies that deliver measurable impact on both people and organizations. Highlight culture shifts, programs, and mindset changes that boost workforce productivity, with a focus on physical, mental, family, financial, and purpose-driven well-being. Share program success and strategies to enhance the well-being journey. |
What types of session formats will be at Total Rewards '25?
We all have different learning preferences. To meet as many individual preferences as possible, Total Rewards '25 will offer a variety of session formats. The submission form will ask you to suggest which of the following formats you believe will best help participants engage with your ideas. If your submission is accepted, you will work with the WorldatWork team to finalize your session format.
Case Study (45 or 60 Minutes) |
Big Idea (45 or 60 Minutes) |
Discussion (45 or 60 Minutes) |
Pearls of Wisdom (40 Minutes) |
TR Talk (25 minutes) |
Fast Skills (30 Minutes) |
What types of speakers present?
Academic: Full or part-time professor with no other source of employment.
Consultant: A professional hired to provide expert advice to multiple clients or organizations. Does not include internal consultants. See practitioner definition.
- Examples: Partner, Managing Director, Principal, Practice Leader, Attorney
Non-Profit Organization Representative: Advocate from a relevant non-profit, offering industry-specific insights and expertise, aligning with our event's cause and mission.
Practitioner: “Internal” professionals accountable to influence or deliver rewards for that one specific organization. Excludes those working in professional services supporting external customers.
- Examples: SVP Total Rewards, Manager, Compensation Manager, Director Employee Benefits, CHRO, Financial Analyst, HR Business Partner, Benefits Specialist, Compensation Committee Chair, Chief Legal Officer, Recruiter
Service Partner: A supplier or someone who works for a company that provides organizations with services other than management consulting. See consultant definition.