Certified Total Rewards Fellow™ (CTRF) Roundtable Series
The CTRF designation is granted to those whose mastery of total rewards competencies is evidenced by real experience in a top role, knowledge and insights displayed through peer discussion, and attested by ATRI Industry Panel members, recognized among Asia’s total reward authorities.
Course Introduction
The CTRF designation is granted to those whose mastery of total rewards competencies is evidenced by real experience in a top role, knowledge and insights displayed through peer discussion, and attested by ATRI Industry Panel members, recognized among Asia’s total reward authorities. They are deemed total rewards champions, and competent to lead the rewards function in a large, complex organisation, in Asia.
CTRF Roundtable Series Format
Top HR and Reward leaders like you must be accessible to the CEO. Normal course formats such as ATRI’s CTRS or CTRP 3-day certification workshops are not practical for you. ATRI has designed the CTRF Roundtable Series to occur in a series of 5 half-day sessions (see below) spaced at least three weeks apart. There is no exam. No PowerPoint slides, and participants are expected to join the conversation from the start, with their peers from other industries and Asian locations, along with two master co-facilitators.
Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Session 4 | Session 5 |
Drive Total Reward Strategy (TRS) | Design and Manage Executive Compensation (EC) | Manage and Develop Regional or Global Rewards (RGR) | Rewards for Gig, Remote, Agile and Mobile Work (GRAM) | Total Rewards Hackathon (HACK) |
Certification Requirements
- Minimum of eight (8) years of practical total rewards experience, or HR experience that includes significant involvement with rewards;
- Must be currently or recently (generally within the last 3 years) in a top or senior HR or rewards/C&B position with a large organization. Consultants, vendors or academics are welcome but must personally have equivalent practical experience and stories to share, and may not promote their firms, etc.;
- Successfully complete the CTRF Roundtable series (minimum of 4 sessions), with active participation, during which the facilitators agree the person possesses competence in most of the CTRF competencies listed above. This criterion may be fulfilled through some other evidence of championing total rewards, such as speaking at the ATRI Total Rewards Congress, promoting ATRI certification or other evidence;
- Consensus of three (3) ATRI panel members. Certificates will therefore be signed by three panel members.
Competency Requirement for Developmental CTRF
Topic A: Drive Total Reward Strategy (TRS)
Total reward strategy exists when practices are rational and intentional, rather than based on history, prevalence or fad. This module involves presentation of key competencies, sharing of experience, insights and tips from facilitators, with active discussion and sharing from participants.
- Understand the business model, life cycle and priorities, and their people implications
- Determine how rewards can best support business and people objectives
- Articulate and communicate a total rewards philosophy and strategy
- Assess current and future desired state, and build the case for change
- Develop alternatives, and make compelling reward recommendations
- Make better decisions and support change with analytics
- Use benchmarking and stories to support decisions
Topic B: Manage and Develop Regional or Global Rewards (RGR)
An effective regional or global rewards function ensures philosophical consistency, regulatory compliance, internal governance, alignment to culture and values, efficiency, internal equity and mobility. This module involves presentation of key competencies, sharing of experience, insights and tips from facilitators, with active discussion and sharing from participants.
- Define the rewards function value proposition and goals
- Develop a rewards service delivery model with clear roles and tech enablement
- Determine internal and external resource requirements for the reward function
- Select and manage vendors and effectively
- Deliver effective rewards partnering to the business
- Establish regional policies and governance for rewards
- Facilitate rewards planning, harmonization and alignment
Topic C: Design and Manage Executive Compensation (EC)
Executive compensation enables the organization to attract, retain and focus key management, in turn enabling effective overall management of the organization. This module involves presentation of key competencies, sharing of experience, insights and tips from facilitators, with active discussion and sharing from participants.
- Work effectively with the Remuneration Committee, CEO and CHRO
- Establish executive compensation objectives
- Assess existing executive compensation practices
- Design and implement short- and long-term incentives
- Establish performance measures, targets and metrics
- Manage a share-based long-term incentive plan
- Establish appropriate allowances, benefits and perquisites
- Negotiate and write executive employment contracts
Topic D: Reward Gig, Remote, Agile and Mobile Work (GRAM)
The future of work we’ve talked so much about arrived faster than expected. Our reward strategies must change to address non-traditional work arrangements in terms of contract type, location factors, agile work and mobility. This module involves presentation of key competencies, sharing of experience, insights and tips from facilitators, with active discussion and sharing from participants.
- Segment your workforce by the nature of engagement, time/place
- Incorporate future of work into your people strategy
- Design rewards and transition policies for each time/place situation
- Rethink job design for agile or non-traditional work situations
- Rethink compensation for new time/place situations and skill/competency
- Rethink benefits for new time/place situations
- Rethink benchmarking, and who you “hire from, lose to”
- Rethink contracting and pay delivery for gig workers
Total Rewards Hackathon
To reinforce learning and retention, a the CTRF Roundtable series will end with a Hackathon. While not required for certification, it provides participants an opportunity to apply what is learned to solving a real problem that is shared by a participant with other participants. Ground rules on confidentiality are agreed, then one or two participants will volunteer to present their own work challenge/project/KPI to the group, inviting inputs. Email us enquiry@hrd-future.com for more information.
Learning and Assessment Methodology
As noted in the topic descriptions above, learning will occur through facilitated presentation and illustration of key competencies, with active discussion, Socratic questioning and story-telling. Each participant must demonstrate practical knowledge, skill and attitudes in the above areas. Assessment is based on facilitators’ consensus following the series. No exam. Pre-read will include the competencies and relevant articles or blogs selected by the facilitators; participants will prepare to share their own experiences and learnings. Anonymous case studies will be used for most topics.
A final hackathon will require at least one participant to volunteer their own situation (such as broken merit process or incentive, an LTI design, a policy for remote work, etc.,) and seek the inputs and recommendations of their peers.
Ground rules will be focused on confidentiality, openness and active participation.
About ASEAN Total Rewards Institute™
The ASEAN Total Rewards Institute™, or ATRI, is a collaboration of leading human resources and total rewards practitioners to provide professionals the opportunity to be trained and certified in the field of compensation and benefits in the ASEAN regional context.
ATRI is owned by Freelance Total Rewards Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based total rewards management consulting and training firm, led by Thomas A. Farmer, CCP, SPHR, ACTA. The firm has advised dozens of clients in Southeast Asia and beyond, and was established in 2013. Tom is a former Principal with Mercer and a former Vice President, Compensation & Benefits for InterContinental Hotels Group. He has trained over 2,000 HR professionals and over 600 line managers on pay-related topics. You can find more information from ATRI official website about the certification.
