The HR Research Institute has formed HR.com's Future of Compensation and Total Rewards Advisory Board, comprising industry experts who will guide HR professionals through the rapidly changing compensation landscape. This panel will oversee an upcoming research study and virtual event focused on helping organizations optimize their total rewards strategies to better attract, retain, and engage talent.
Total rewards—encompassing pay, benefits, and other employee rewards—has become increasingly critical as competition for skilled workers intensifies. Leading employers are moving beyond traditional compensation models, instead personalizing offerings and more closely linking pay to performance outcomes. The advisory board includes prominent thought leaders such as Supriya Bahri of Roblox, Wally Brown of UC Health, and Chris Fusco of Salary.com, bringing diverse expertise from major organizations across various industries.
Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com, emphasized that compensation strategies now extend beyond market rate considerations to fundamentally shape employee experience, performance, loyalty, and engagement. The board's guidance will help HR professionals understand current effective practices while preparing for future changes in compensation approaches. This initiative builds on HRRI's ongoing research efforts, including their recent HR.com's Future of Compensation and Total Rewards 2024-25 report, which provides foundational insights into industry trends.
The advisory board's work will culminate in the Future of Compensation and Total Rewards 2025 Virtual Event scheduled for November 19, 2025, where findings and recommendations will be presented to the HR community. This continued research and expert guidance comes at a crucial time when organizations worldwide are reevaluating their compensation structures in response to shifting workforce expectations, economic pressures, and the need for more strategic talent management approaches that drive organizational success through effective reward systems.
For HR vendors, this development signals a significant shift in how organizations approach compensation. The move toward personalized, performance-linked total rewards creates opportunities for vendors offering flexible compensation platforms, analytics tools, and benefits administration solutions. As companies seek to differentiate themselves in competitive talent markets, vendors that can help implement sophisticated total rewards strategies will find growing demand.
The advisory board's focus on future trends suggests compensation will continue evolving beyond traditional models. Vendors should monitor the board's research findings and the November 2025 virtual event for insights into emerging practices. The emphasis on total rewards rather than just compensation indicates organizations are taking more holistic approaches to employee value propositions, creating opportunities for integrated solutions that address multiple aspects of the employee experience.
This initiative reflects broader industry recognition that compensation strategy has become a critical component of organizational success. As workforce expectations continue shifting and economic conditions remain volatile, organizations will increasingly rely on expert guidance to develop effective reward systems. The advisory board's work will likely influence industry standards and best practices, making its findings essential knowledge for vendors serving the HR market.
