Why Am I Getting A Recertification Reminder E-mail?
Feb. 6, 2008 — A common question we receive from designees who have 12 credits entered into their recertification application is, “Why am I getting a reminder? I already have 12 credits.”
To encourage all Society designees to remain current, an automated e-mail reminder goes out 90 days and 32 days prior to your recertification date. This gives designees who have not filled out a recertification application an opportunity to do so. It also allows those who have completed their applications a chance to review their entries one last time if they wish before the application auto-submits 30 days prior to the recertification date.
If you already have 12 credits and are satisfied with your entries, please disregard the reminder e-mails. Your application will be reviewed during the 30 days prior to your recertification date, and we will be in touch if we have any questions. If we have no questions and your application is approved, your new certificate and recertification packet will be mailed to you.
More CBPs and GRPs Than Ever
Feb. 6, 2008 — With the addition of the WLCP designation in 2007, the WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals marked a year of growth and several milestones. The total number of designations granted in the past year was 1,133—an increase of three percent over 2006. This brings the grand total of designations granted by the Society since certification programs began to 17,155.
The fastest-growing designation in 2007 continued to be the Global Remuneration Professional, which debuted in 1998. But the Certified Benefits Professional designation also gained momentum in 2007. More CBP and GRP designations were granted in 2007 than in any other single year in the history of both programs.
New Research and Discussion What’s the Future of Attraction, Motivation and Retention?
Earlier this year, WorldatWork embarked on a literature review. The purpose of this review was to reveal the critical points of current knowledge on two topics:
Critical environmental circumstances that will affect the ability of organizations to attract, motivate and retain workers.
Implications for the practices and professions associated with attracting, motivating and retaining workers.
An exhaustive literature review of futurist books and articles formed the basis of the effort. Several themes surfaced consistently and are captured in a white paper. The Future of Attraction, Motivation and Retention Literature Review white paper offers eight predictions about the future of work and the implications on the total rewards and human resource professions. The authors note that "the future" might already be here for some progressive organizations.
Following are the eight predictions on the future of work:
The successful organization of the future will excel at acquiring, organizing and strategically deploying global resources.
There will be increased global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural and political spheres.
Technology will advance at an even more rapid pace than in previous decades.
There will be continuous, dramatic changes in the labor force.
Human capital will become an even greater source of value.
The way work is organized and performed will evolve and change continuously.
Outsourcing will increase.
Self-paced, self-directed individualized virtual learning will dominate business training.
The full text of this article will be published in the December issue of workspan.
If you would like to participate in an online discussion about the future of attraction, motivation and retention, please visit our microsite at http://www.futureoftotalrewards.org.
Remember to Recertify! Recertification Has Its Advantages
Individuals who maintain the currency of their CCP, CBP, GRP and WLCP designations through the recertification program receive special membership status in the Society.
Society membership, which is separate from paid WorldatWork membership, provides expanded access to the Society Web site and networking tools, subscription to the Society Connections newsletter, additional members-only communications, and participation in the “Certification Event” at the annual WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition.
However, recertification offers additional advantages beyond Society membership. It adds value to your designation by assuring stakeholders that in addition to meeting the initial testing requirements, you have taken steps to remain up-to-date in the profession. It also enhances the credibility of the designations by encouraging ongoing professional development.
Many employers request both certification and recertification status when conducting background checks or verifications, so while the recertification program is voluntary, we encourage all designees to remain current/recertified while actively practicing in the profession. Society designation usage guidelines allow designees to use the designations even if they lapse; however, in such cases, we can only verify for stakeholders that the initial requirements have been met.
Recertification is a breeze with the online recertification application and automatic tracking of credits earned through WorldatWork, so we encourage all designees to review their status and take a few minutes to renew every three years. There is no charge to recertify, and if you have any questions or need help, a Customer Advisor can walk you through the process. For additional information, please contact us at certification@worldatworksociety.org.
Automatic Recertification Credit for Eligible WorldatWork Surveys
Oct. 3, 2007 — The automated recertification application has recently been enhanced to automatically populate your recertification credits for qualifying surveys sponsored by WorldatWork.
When you complete a WorldatWork survey, credit will be automatically posted to your WorldatWork recertification application. This includes WorldatWork Salary Budget Survey, benefits surveys and many others. Opinion and customer satisfaction surveys that do not provide a continuing education experience in compensation, benefits or total rewards do not earn credit.
A maximum of two WorldatWork and two non-WorldatWork surveys may be used for credit in any three-year recertification cycle. For more information on this change or other questions on recertification, please contact certification@worldatworksociety.org.
Five Tips for Filling out Your Recertification Application
Oct. 3, 2007 — Recertification is a snap with ongoing enhancements to the automated online recertification application. Still, during the approval process, we occasionally contact designees for additional clarification or documentation on activities not conducted through WorldatWork. To maximize your recertification application’s chances of being approved without an audit, please take advantage of the following tips:
Spell out acronyms. Some acronyms, such as SHRM, are readily recognizable as human resources-related, but many acronyms on the membership and education pages do not clearly describe the educational provider or program. When in doubt, please spell out the acronym so we can determine whether it is related to the total rewards and/or human resources fields.
Check your recertification credit limits by activity. To encourage a well-rounded continuing education experience, we limit the credits that may be used in different categories. While the application software usually prevents exceeding limits, we do receive multiple entries that may bypass the software. When this happens, the recertification application review staff removes excess credits and requests that designees re-submit their applications with different credits.
Be specific. Use the description field for each entry to be as specific as possible about your activities and how they relate to total rewards. These description fields have limited character space, so also use the comments section at the end of the recertification application to provide any additional detail on your entries.
Make sure it applies to compensation, benefits, work-life or total rewards. Ask yourself when entering a membership, course or other non-WorldatWork activity, “How did this activity provide me with continuing education in compensation, benefits or total rewards?” If you’re not sure how to answer, we may be contacting you to ask the same question.
Add activities as you complete them. It is sometimes difficult to look back over the past three years and remember all of the things you have done to stay up-to-date in the profession. Your WorldatWork activities will populate automatically to your recertification application but you still need to enter your non-WorldatWork activities online. The recertification application is a real-time document, so there is no need to wait to enter activities. As soon as you are recertified for another three-year cycle, feel free to enter activities as you complete them.
We strongly encourage all designees to participate in the voluntary recertification program if they are still active in the profession. The program is user-friendly, efficient and free, so there is no reason not to remain current as long as you are keeping up-to-date in your field. Background-check companies and certification verifications typically ask for both certification and recertification status, so if it’s important to potential employers, we want to make sure you’re taking advantage of this valuable program.
GRP Celebration in Spain
Oct. 3, 2007 — This summer, WorldatWork welcomed a new band of total rewards professionals to the global arena as the first class of GRP designees from Spain were recognized for their achievement in Madrid.
The inaugural class of eight Spanish GRPs worked through WorldatWork partner PeopleMatters to administer the courses. One designee, Arancha Lara Sanchez, spoke at a certification reception to her fellow professionals about the significance of her certification and the impact it has had on her career.
Spanish GRP Designees (l to r): Luis Hernández, Arancha Lara Sanchez, Javier Patón, Gilda Vargas, Fernando Impuesto, Ana Solana, David Pinto. Not pictured: Iñigo Capell.
WLCP Exam Requirements Announced
Aug. 17, 2007 — WorldatWork Society has announced the requirements for earning the Work-Life Certified Professional (WLCP) designation will be based on passing four exams (W1, W2, W3, W4).
The WLCP designation was introduced in 2006 and designed to meet the growing need for effective strategies and work-life programs to improve an organization’s bottom line and the lives of their employees. WorldatWork WLCP preparation courses associated with the designation include:
William McPeck Earns First WLCP Designation Aug. 17, 2007
— WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals is excited to announce that William McPeck, director of Employee Health & Safety, Maine State Government, in St. Albans, Maine, is the first to earn the new Work-Life Certified Professional (WLCP) designation.
“I think it’s kind of exciting to be the first, and neat to be recognized. I was very surprised to get the call,” McPeck said. “I’m the first of hopefully many to come.”
McPeck, who earned his WLCP on Feb. 21, 2007, didn’t know that more would come in close succession, as Leonard Comberiate, CCP, CBP, GRP, senior director Benefits & Collectively Bargained Funds, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, in New Jersey, and Shalini Maharaj, human resources officer, Guardian Holdings Limited, in Trinidad, earned their WLCP June 1 and June 12, 2007, respectively.
With three decades of service to the state of Maine, McPeck became interested in work-life when WorldatWork developed the W3 course on wellness programs. But he didn’t plan on obtaining any certification in work-life until he started to think more and more of his own changing relationship with his employer. “I think the whole issue of work-life and total rewards is going to become increasingly important with this changing relationship. I’m looking forward to becoming a part of that process,” he said.
“I took a local week-long course that addressed the issue of the organization of the future,” McPeck recalls. “One of the things that stuck with me was the whole issue of the changing paradigm between employer and employee. It made me take a deeper look at work-life. I made the decision then to do the certification program because it fits into this whole employee-employer changing relationship.”
Comberiate, a WorldatWork member since 1982 and first to earn the CBP designation in 1993, said, “Years ago, you could get away with compensation and benefits to get the right employees. Now it’s not enough. You need work-life, recognition and career opportunities to attract the best,” said Comberiate. “The whole work-life curriculum was an eye-opener. Even though I’ve been in this business 33 years, I learned a lot, with respect to the important value to employees.”
Comberiate said that like his company, many organizations have a flexible workplace and a wellness program. “A lot of times if you’re with one company, you get the one-company approach. Getting to know the entire body of knowledge with respect to work-life gives you the opportunity to re-think what you’re already doing.”
When the opportunity became available for Shalini Maharaj, she jumped at it, even if it meant doing it on her own. “I have been waiting for classes like this to come along as I have always been interested in gender, diversity and work-life. When I learned about the designation, I could not sign up fast enough,” said Maharaj, who joined WorldatWork about a year ago and completed the four “W” courses through self-study.
Work-life programs and initiatives take on a very different form in different regions and cultures, and perhaps no one knows that better than Maharaj, a practitioner working in Trinidad who always had questions surrounding work-life effectiveness.
“All [employees] of all nationalities face the dilemma of balancing work and family commitments, however the support systems that exist and the way society views the choices will differ,” said Maharaj, whose four years in the workforce has come after studying psychology, human resources, and gender and development in university.
A limited flexible work arrangement exists at Maharaj’s company, but the young practitioner who is currently pursuing a master’s in human resource management hopes to expand and enhance work-life. Her priorities include developing a directory of elder care, child care and other service providers, as well as an on-boarding program for mothers returning to the workplace.
“My organization fully supported me in my pursuit of my designation, so I take that as a sign as well that they are committed to doing some serious work in this area. I am hoping that I can share this knowledge with others within my organization and add a work-life component to HR and company initiatives,” she said. “For me, the fact that the qualification exists shows a commitment to funding, research and education in this area that is hopefully linked to changes in the way we do business on a global scale.”
Thank You to Practice Analysis Focus Groups July 30, 2007 — WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Society members who graciously volunteered their time and effort to assist us with the Practice Analysis Project. The results of this project will be used to update the bodies of knowledge for the CCP, CBP, GRP and WLCP designations.
Focus group participants provided an invaluable service in helping us evaluate data collected from the large-scale surveys of the professions and break down the job task data collected into testable competencies. As the certification programs are updated, this information will help to maximize the relevancy and validity of the certification examinations as they relate to the current bodies of knowledge. The Practice Analysis Project is now nearing completion, although final data collection and analysis are continuing with some of the focus groups.
The Society would like to thank the following individuals who volunteered for this project:
Iwan Asmady, GRP, Head, Human Capital & Organizational Development Division, TIME dotCom Berhad, Malaysia
Agnès Blust, GRP, Director Global Rewards EMEA, Switzerland
Scott Busch, CCP, CHRP, Manager, HR Systems, The TDL Group Corp. (Tim Hortons)
Linda M. Daley, CCP, CBP, Benefits Consultant, The Ayco Company L.P., A Goldman Sachs Company
Susan Klein, CCP, GRP, Independent Contractor/Consultant, Human Resources
Peet Kruger, GRP, Senior Manager, Reward Partnership, South Africa
Elizabeth Kunesh, CCP, HR Consultant - Compensation, Port of Portland
Francelia R. Luis, CCP, Director Management Compensation, AT&T Inc.
Susana Marcos, GRP, Partner, peoplematters, Spain
Theresa Martin, CCP, PHR, Senior Compensation and HRIS Analyst, California Casualty Management Company
Lorin Olson, CCP, VP, Compensation Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Penny Opalka, CCP, CBP, SPHR, Manager Benefits and Compensation, Snyder's of Hanover
Robert Weiss, CCP, CBP, Compensation Consultant
Chris Winchester, CCP, Human Resources - Compensation, Regions Financial Corp.
Kenny Yeung, GRP, Vice President Human Resources, Belden, Asia-Pacific
Judy Zhu, CCP, GRP, PHR, Senior Compensation Analyst, Andrew Corporations
HRCI Strategic Management Recertification Credit Available for Select WorldatWork Courses
July 30, 2007 — If you hold the SPHR designation granted by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), you may know that to recertify the SPHR, designees now need 15 recertification hours in the "Strategic Management" category. While the majority of WorldatWork courses approved for HRCI recertification credit earn credit in the "General" category, a number of courses have been approved by HRCI for recertification credit hours in strategic management. These courses are T2: Accounting and Finance for the Human Resources Professional, C11/GR5: Performance Management, C15: Global Compensation, C6A: Advanced Concepts in Executive Compensation and the Certification Institute. For further information, please contact Customer Relationship Services or certification@worldatworksociety.org.
Optimize Executive Compensation Design WorldatWork Executive Rewards Questionary
July 30, 2007 — For all those tasked with designing an executive compensation plan for their organization, the WorldatWork Executive Rewards Questionary will help you deliberate your decisions in specific areas, such as internal and external environments, stakeholders, disclosure and transparency. Using the multitude of questions in this free tool to consider will help you improve the design process, raise design quality, and increase opportunity for successful implementation.
Contribute to workspan magazine July 30, 2007 — WorldatWork is always on the look out for great articles that are timely, informative and will resonate with our readers. Please take a look at the 2008 workspan editorial calendar and consider submitting articles. E-mail Managing Editor Jean Christofferson at jchristofferson@worldatwork.org or go to www.worldatwork.org/author for more information.
Additional WorldatWork Courses Approved for CE Credit
Dec. 7, 2006 — Individuals who hold the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) may now use attendance at WorldatWork courses C12 (Variable Pay), C15 (Global Compensation) and T6 (Mergers & Acquisitions) for continuing education (CE) credit towards maintenance of their CFP designations.
This is in addition to courses B1, B2, B3, B3A, B5, C6, C6A and T11, which had previously been registered with the CFP Board. If you wish to use one of these courses for CE credit toward your CFP designation, please notify the Society at certification@worldatworksociety.org with your CFP registration number after attending the course so that we can report your credits to the CFP Board.
What Can You Do to Recertify?
Aug. 10, 2006 — WorldatWork classroom and online courses and Webinars are an excellent way to keep current, stay engaged with others in the field and also earn recertification credit. There are plenty of activities that you can count toward recertification. Here are some real-life examples of what your peers are doing to earn credits toward recertification:
Membership (0.5-1 credit per year)
WorldatWork
National Association of Stock Plan Professionals
Chicago Compensation Association
Mid South Compensation Association
Society for Human Resource Management
International Personnel Management Association
Conferences (0.5 -2.5 credits per event)
WorldatWork Annual Conference and Exhibition
Society for Human Resources Management Conference
Teaching/Speaking Activities (0.5-1 credit per event or "credit hour")
Compensation and benefits class for Ottawa University
Human resource management class for Regis College
Writing (2-4 credits per work)
workspan
WorldatWork Journal
Journal of Nursing Administrators
On-the-Job Projects (1 credit per project, up to 2 credits per year)
Develop and implement HIPAA training program
Implement global broadbanding
Develop company compensation and ranking process
Health and dental union contract
Leadership within the Profession (.5-1 credit per year)
Mid South Compensation Association board member
Education (0.5-5 credits per event)
Webinars offered by various consulting firms
Certificate in Professional HR Management from Villanova University
Get the Certificate You’ve Earned
Aug. 10, 2006 — It’s possible that in the process of earning your CCP, CBP or GRP designation(s), you may have earned three-exam certificates along the way in:
• Salary Administration
• Executive Compensation
• Benefits Administration
• Global Remuneration
• Total Rewards
• Health and Welfare Programs Design and Administration
• Retirement Programs Design and Administration
• Global Remuneration
• Global Remuneration Administration
The certificate program rewards certification candidates for incremental progress toward certification and recognizes accomplishment in specialized fields of study. Because certificates are only issued upon request, it is possible that you may have already earned one or more certificates if you have earned a Society designation.
July 13, 2006 — Society members may now earn credits toward recertification by contributing sample job descriptions, human resources policies, plan documents, etc… to be shared with other members through the WorldatWork Community Job Tools section of the Library. When filling out your Recertification Application, use #3 in the “Leadership” category to describe your submission and record credits. You can earn ½ credit per submission, up to a maximum of one credit per recertification cycle.
New Certificate in Total Rewards
May 4, 2006 — WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals recently made changes to the three-exam certificate program. The Certificate Program has been in place for several years as a way to recognize incremental progress toward certification. Individuals pursing the CCP, CBP or GRP can earn eight different "certificates" by passing three exams required for each certificate. The certificate names and corresponding exam requirements are posted on the Society Web site.
A new "Certificate in Total Rewards" is now available. Individuals can earn this certificate by passing exams T1: Total Rewards Management, B1: Fundamentals of Employee Benefits Programs and W1: Introduction to Work-Life Effectiveness.
Many individuals who possess Society designations may have already met the requirements for one or more of the certificates. If you would like to request a specific certificate, please send your request to certification@worldatworksociety.org.
Send Us Your Topic Ideas
May 4, 2006 — Although there are a variety of classroom and online seminars and courses available, the Society is always interested in what designees need in terms of education beyond the existing certification courses and other educational products available. If you have a specific recommendation for a topic area that you would like to see covered in our educational offerings, please send your comments to certification@worldatworksociety.org.
Designation Verification Form Available How Can I Get the Society to Verify My Designation?
March 9, 2006 -- A major part of the value of certification is using your designation to further your career at a current employer or to help make you more marketable to prospective employers. To verify your designation(s) and/or your currency status, while protecting your privacy, the Society requires written authorization from you on an official Society Release of Information form in order to respond to specific inquiries about your certification status. You can request these forms at certification@worldatworksociety.org or by calling toll-free, 877/951-9191.
The signed form, indicating the party to whom you wish us to provide your information, can be faxed to WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals, Attn: Business Information and Support Services, 480/483-8352.
This process allows you the peace of mind of knowing that your information is not being distributed without your consent and allows us to contact you prior to fulfilling any verification requests if there are any questions about the information that you have asked us to provide. If you have any questions or comments regarding certification verification, please contact us.
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Aug. 17, 2007
— WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals is excited to announce that William McPeck, director of Employee Health & Safety, Maine State Government, in St. Albans, Maine, is the first to earn the new Work-Life Certified Professional (WLCP) designation.
Comberiate, a WorldatWork member since 1982 and first to earn the CBP designation in 1993, said, “Years ago, you could get away with compensation and benefits to get the right employees. Now it’s not enough. You need work-life, recognition and career opportunities to attract the best,” said Comberiate. “The whole work-life curriculum was an eye-opener. Even though I’ve been in this business 33 years, I learned a lot, with respect to the important value to employees.”