The Moment to Rethink Rewards Is Now
Total Rewards 2025 is happening in Orlando this May. It brings together HR, compensation, and people-ops leaders to share ideas on recognizing, rewarding, and keeping employees.
This event covers new pay ideas and simple steps for building a complete rewards program. HR, compensation, and people-ops leaders come together to look ahead. From refining comp plans to seeing how rewards boost employee experience, there’s useful information for everyone.
Event Essentials
• Location: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
• Dates: May 19–21, 2025
• Registration Fee: Starts at $2,095 (members) | $2,495 (non-members)
• Sign Up: Here
Travel Tip: The venue is approximately 20 minutes by car from Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Book your stay early through the official hotel block to get the best rates and walkable convenience:
- Hyatt Regency Orlando – [Directions]
- Rosen Centre Hotel – [Directions]
- Rosen Plaza Hotel – [Directions]
- DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld – [Directions]
- Hilton Orlando – [Directions]
Key Themes to Keep on Your Radar
Compensation & Executive Pay
From base pay to long-term incentives, expect fresh thinking on how compensation models are evolving, especially as AI and fairness frameworks enter the conversation. Executive pay will also be in the spotlight, with strategies for aligning leadership retention and shareholder expectations.
Sales Compensation
This track focuses on incentive plans that keep pace with today’s sales realities. Sessions will explore how organisations refine compensation across hybrid teams, adjust targets in fast-shifting markets, and design comp plans that truly motivate.
Strategic Total Rewards
Dive into how organisations are aligning rewards with business impact. You'll hear what’s working when it comes to measuring ROI, enhancing employee experience, and building total rewards strategies that create real value for talent and the business.
Sessions You’ll Want to Catch
Sales Compensation Formula Demystified
Date: May 19, 2025
Speaker: David Cichelli, CSCP – Revenue Growth Advisor, advisors2sales
Time: 10:45 am – 11:25 am
Breaks down the classic sales-to-pay formulas, provides a simple checklist to spot pitfalls, and ensures your plan drives results - Here
Designing Incentives That Motivate the Right Behaviour
Date: May 19, 2025
Speaker: Gregory Milano – CEO, Fortuna Advisors
Time: 11:45 am – 12:15 pm
Offers a step-by-step framework for aligning incentive metrics with the behaviors you value most, such as teamwork, growth, long-term focus, so every reward points the right way. - Here
Conducting Compensation Risk Assessments
Date: May 19, 2025
Speakers: Bob Lemke, CCP & Carver Draughn – Grant Thornton Advisors LLC
Time: 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Hands-on session to identify hidden risks in your incentive programs and learn practical tactics to mitigate compliance and performance pitfalls. - Here
Unlocking the Future of Compensation with Skills-Based Market Data
Date: May 19, 2025
Speakers: Charlie Franklin – Co-founder & CEO, Compa; Steve King – Head of Compensation, Stripe
Time: 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Shows how skills-centric insights can sharpen your benchmarking, reveal emerging roles early, and help build more agile, future-proof pay structures. - Here
The AI “Big Shift” in Jobs and Compensation
Date: May 19, 2025
Speaker: David Foote – Chief Analyst & Research Officer, Foote Partners LLC
Time: 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
Examines five seismic AI-driven changes coming to job roles, hiring, and pay, and walks through concrete steps to keep your rewards programs ready. - Here
Harnessing AI for Total Rewards: Success Stories and Strategies One Year Later
Date: May 19, 2025
Panelists: Paul Smithivas (WTW), Hem Patel (Moderna), Tiffany Jones CCP (Accenture), Kristen Roby Dimlow (Microsoft), Joan Gliboff (BMS), Laurie Bienstock (WTW)
Time: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
A deep dive into real-world AI implementations, from small pilots to enterprise rollouts, highlighting success stories, lessons learned, and practical strategies for weaving AI into your Total Rewards roadmap. - Here
Using Predictive Analytics to Forecast Compensation
Date: May 20, 2025
Speaker: Luke Corby, CCP – Director, Professional Services, Salary.com
Time: 11:30 am – 11:55 am
Demonstrates how algorithmic models and AI-driven data can turn compensation planning from guesswork into a strategic advantage, predicting trends, optimizing budgets, and hiring at the ideal moment. - Here
How AI Made Us Love Job Leveling Again
Date: May 20, 2025
Speakers: Melissa Liguori – Head of Broad-Based Compensation & Global Programs, Merck; Vidisha Mehta – Global Advisory Digital Solutions Leader, WTW
Time: 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
See how AI-driven tools can automate and standardize job leveling for consistency, fairness, and compliance,with a behind-the-scenes look at Merck’s rollout and change-management tactics that made it stick. - Here
Get Recertified While You’re There
Total Rewards 2025 lets you earn credits toward your professional certifications simply by attending the main conference sessions:
- 11.75 HRCI credits (for aPHR™, PHR®, SPHR®, GPHR®, etc.)
- 11.75 SHRM PDCs (for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®)
- 3.0 WorldatWork credits (for CCP, CEPP, CBP, etc.)
Who is eligible?
- HRCI credits require an active HRCI credential.
- SHRM PDCs require SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® status.
- WorldatWork credits require a current WorldatWork designation.
How to claim your credits:
No additional exams or coursework are needed; just participate in the sessions, collect your certificate, and file it with your certification body to receive your recertification hours.
The Everstage Experience at Booth #629
Everstage brings Total Rewards and Sales Compensation together in one platform, designed for high-growth teams that need speed, accuracy, and transparency.
Stop by Booth #629 to see how we help you:
Everstage After-Hours at SeaWorld Orlando
Come for the conference, stay for the vibes.
See You in Orlando?
Whether you’re there to level up your strategy, reconnect with industry peers, or just get inspired, Total Rewards 2025 has something for every people-first leader.
We’ll be right there with you, learning, listening, and celebrating what’s possible.
→ Meet us at Booth #629
→ Follow Everstage on LinkedIn for updates
→ Want to say hi early? Drop us a note or book a time here
FAQ’s
What’s Included
Your registration grants full access to the Connection Zone, all main-stage sessions, breakout talks, networking events, and daily breakfast, lunch, and snacks. (Pre-conference courses and special social events carry an additional fee.)
Cancellations & Transfers
Need to change plans? Email customerexperience@worldatwork.org by April 18, 2025 for a full refund. After that date, registrations become non-refundable.
Workshop Reservations
No advance sign-up is required for main-stage talks or breakout sessions. To attend limited-seat workshops, reserve your spot via the TR’25 mobile app once it’s live.
Virtual Access
Total Rewards 2025 is an in-person event, but every registrant will receive on-demand recordings of the top sessions through the mobile app after the conference.
