WorldatWork Brings its Members to New Heights

Nearly 18 years ago, WorldatWork (formerly American Compensation Association) provided Rebecca Wood with the information that let her bridge the gap between her marketing training and her new job: handling compensation issues in the human resources department. “The director immediately signed me up for compensation courses through WorldatWork,” she says. And in return, down the road, WorldatWork, a professional association dedicated to knowledge leadership for total rewards professionals, signed her up as an instructor for its statistics classes, making good use of her MBA in operations research.

Ever since then, Wood and WorldatWork have continued to enhance and complement each other. WorldatWork offers the entry-level classes that Wood first took, as well as conferences, advanced classes, and seminars for seasoned executives, which delve deeply into specific subjects. Publications include a wealth of research reports, a journal, a newsletter, and frequent e-mailed updates.

“Rebecca’s success story is one we hear quite often, but also one we never tire of,” said Pat Llantino, CBP, CCP, director of Total Rewards for WorldatWork. “We strive to provide each of our members all of the resources and knowledge they need to be leaders in the profession.”

Wood has been an active member, moving from basic classes to in-depth courses and now is a reviewer for WorldatWork Journal. Simultaneously, she has grown from a basic compensation specialist to a consultant to her current position: director of compensation and benefits at AvalonBay Communities, a large real estate developer in Alexandria, Virginia.

“When I start new hires, I send them to WorldatWork courses and get them the relevant publications and books,” Wood says. That education obviously helps professionals working in the field, but it also enhances Wood’s reputation and helps her support needed projects. For example, “It’s hard for me to convince executives to make changes in compensation or benefits without educating them” about the field.

“We take great pride in providing the most up-to-date and in-depth knowledge in total rewards,” said Anne C. Ruddy, CPCU, executive director of WorldatWork. “Our certifications are the premier recognition
in the profession, and our publications and resources provide in-depth knowledge of all aspects of total rewards so our members are never caught behind the curve.”

Wood also benefits through access to leading experts — people she met either by attending or teaching WorldatWork seminars and classes.

“I learn so much from other people and get kudos for bringing in top consultants, which furthers my career,” Wood says. “The networking has been invaluable.” In fact, many of her career successes since joining World-atWork can be attributed to her direct involvement in the organization. “I couldn’t have grown out of compensation without WorldatWork’s classes and knowledge,” Wood emphasizes. “I can track every career change with getting knowledge from World-atWork.” That’s quite an endorsement.