WorldatWork
Total Rewards
Model
T O T A L
Strategy
Culture
Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
Compensation
HR STRATEGY
PRODUCTIVE
Social Norms
Regulatory
AI & Technology
Product Market
Labor Market
ATE
Well-Being
Benefits
Development
WORKFORCE
EXPERIENCES
INSPIRED
INFLUENCES
E W A R D S ST R
M O D E L
GY
T
AL R
T
O
R E W A R D S
ORGANIZATION
PERFORMANCE
Recognition
COMMITTED
Total Rewards encompasses the elements
– compensation, well-being, benefits, recognition
and development — that, in concert, lead to optimal
organizational performance. When designed strategically and executed
in alignment with business goals, Total Rewards programs fuel motivated
and productive workforces that feel appreciated and rewarded for their
contributions, driving the organization to ever greater success.
Initially introduced in 2000, the WorldatWork Total Rewards Model
continually evolves to reflect changes in organizations’ needs, workforce
expectations, workforce demographics and the Total Rewards profession.
The practice of Total Rewards requires in-depth knowledge, specialized
skills, and up-to-the-minute insight into the most critical issues facing
today’s workforce. The model captures the broad influence that Total
Rewards practices and its practitioners have on organizational strategy
and workforce outcomes.
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T O T A L
R E W A R D S
M O D E L
The Total Rewards Model
The Total Rewards Model encompasses five components, each of which includes
programs, practices, and nuanced dimensions that collectively define an
organization’s strategy to build a productive, inspired and committed workforce.
Compensation
Well-Being
Benefits
Development
Recognition
Compensation
Pay provided by an
employer to workers in
exchange for services such
as time, effort and talent.
This includes both fixed
and variable pay tied to
overall contributions.
Well-Being
The state of a workforce
that is productive,
comfortable, happy, and
healthy, considering
physical, emotional/
mental, financial and
environmental factors.
Total Rewards professionals
influence this state through
organizational strategic
influence and building
programs that support
workforce success inside
and outside of work.
Benefits
Development
Recognition
Programs focused on
health and welfare, income
protection, financial
preparedness, retirement
and time off including
leaves of absence,
aimed to provide holistic
well-being and security
for the workforce and
their families.
Encompasses the rewards
and opportunities that
employers offer their
workers to advance their
skills, competencies,
responsibilities and
contributions — in
both their short- and
long-term careers.
Formal or informal
programs that thank,
validate, recognize and
celebrate workforce
contributions while
aligning and strengthening
organizational culture.
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T O T A L
R E W A R D S
M O D E L
Influences
Following are the many external and internal influences that inform Total Rewards initiatives.
Internal Influences
There are also internal influences that inform the design and implementation of Total Rewards
programs. These encompass business strategy, culture, workforce, inclusion, and leadership:
Strategy
Culture
Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
INFLUENCES
HR STRATEGY
Social Norms
Regulatory
AI & Technology
Product Market
Labor Market
Strategy
Culture
The Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
Total Rewards strategies
are a mechanism to make
a strong business strategy
come to life. Whether
the goal is operational
excellence, product/
service leadership, or
customer engagement –
rewards programs help
communicate expectations,
align efforts, and motivate
the behaviors required to
deliver results.
Simply stated,
organizational culture
refers to a set of shared
values and beliefs
that form over time as
people interact and work
together. It encompasses
an organization’s vision,
values, norms, and
ultimately influences
workforce experiences
and outcomes. Total
Rewards offerings can help
transform and re-enforce
desired cultural norms,
and significantly influence
how work is performed
and recognized in
the organization.
Rewards must be tailored
to meet the needs of
an increasingly diverse
pool of employees that is
defined by geopolitical
trends, tech advances
and talent demographics,
including today’s up-tofive-generation workforce.
Savvy Total Rewards pros
see this as an opportunity
to attract the highest
performers and “best”
the competition.
In these hyper-accelerated
times, diversity and
inclusion strategies
provide organizations
with a competitive
advantage in talent
attraction and workforce
productivity. Total Rewards
professionals leaders
can help organizations
achieve greater diversity
while building an inclusive
culture by developing clear
approaches for pay equity
and transparency, career
development, inclusive
benefits and more.
Total Rewards programs
are only effective when
leaders play an active role
to promote understanding
and appreciation of the
rewards programs. Total
Rewards practitioners must
work with organizational
leaders to ensure that
Total Rewards initiatives
align with business
goals and that they are
well-understood, used and
appreciated by workers for
maximum impact.
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T O T A L
R E W A R D S
M O D E L
External Influences
An organization’s Total Rewards program must be created in consideration of
external influences including social/cultural norms, the regulatory environment,
advancements in AI and technology, and the competitive (product and labor)
markets. A deep understanding of these factors provides the context required to
build effective programs that attract and retain high-performing employees and
drive business outcomes.
Strategy
Culture
Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
INFLUENCES
HR STRATEGY
Social Norms
Regulatory
AI & Technology
Product Market
Labor Market
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T O T A L
R E W A R D S
M O D E L
HR Strategy
The Power of Total Rewards
While Total Rewards plays a leading role in the
employee experience, it does not exist in a vacuum.
Initiatives must be completely woven into the
enterprise’s HR strategy, considering the human
capital and societal influences that affect program
design and strategy. Upskilling, the gig economy,
regulatory changes, AI’s impact, data analytics, pay
equity, and other HR factors all influence the Total
Rewards Strategy.
When business strategy, culture and Total Rewards
programs are aligned, the result is productive,
committed, and inspired employees who contribute
their time, talent and efforts at their highest levels.
In turn, this elevates performance of individuals and
teams, and enhances the bottom line. The gap between
what happens and what is possible is best impacted
by thoughtfully designed Total Rewards programs.
It is the most direct path to achieving organizational
outcomes and ultimately delivering the highest value
to your workforce.
Strategy
Culture
Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
Compensation
HR STRATEGY
PRODUCTIVE
Social Norms
Regulatory
AI & Technology
Product Market
Labor Market
ATE
Well-Being
Benefits
Development
Recognition
WORKFORCE
EXPERIENCES
INSPIRED
INFLUENCES
E W A R D S ST R
GY
T
AL R
T
O
ORGANIZATION
PERFORMANCE
COMMITTED
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W
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65 WorldatWork
Total Rewards Association
1955-2020
YEARS
TOTAL REWARDS MODEL
The Total Rewards Model
The Total Rewards Model encompasses five components, each of which includes
programs, practices, and nuanced dimensions that collectively define an
organization’s strategy to build a productive, inspired and committed workforce.
WORKFORCE
EXPERIENCES
Strategy
Culture
Workforce
Inclusion
Leadership
INFLUENCES
HR STRATEGY
Social Norms
Regulatory
Al & Technology
Product Market
Labor Market
TOTAL REWARDS STRATEGY
Compensation
Well-Being
Benefits
Development
Recognition
PRODUCTIVE
INSPIRED
ORGANIZATION
PERFORMANCE
COMMITTED
Compensation
Benefits
Development
Recognition
Pay provided by an
employer to workers in
exchange for services such
as time, effort and talent.
This includes both fixed
and variable pay tied to
overall contributions.
Well-Being
The state of a workforce
that is productive,
comfortable, happy, and
healthy, considering
physical, emotional/
mental, financial and
environmental factors.
Total Rewards professionals
influence this state through
organizational strategic
influence and building
programs that support
workforce success inside
and outside of work.
Programs focused on
health and welfare, income
protection, financial
preparedness, retirement
and time off including
leaves of absence,
aimed to provide holistic
well-being and security
for the workforce and
their families.
Encompasses the rewards
and opportunities that
employers offer their
workers to advance their
skills, competencies,
responsibilities and
contributions – in
both their short-and
long-term careers.
Formal or informal
programs that thank,
validate, recognize and
celebrate workforce
contributions while
aligning and strengthening
organizational culture.
W
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3
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