WorldatWork announced they updated their CCP and GRP designations this week. The number of exams went from ten to eight. The price is less. A couple of the courses were consolidated.
I have both designations, but when people ask me if they are necessary to be good at doing compensation work, my response is always, “No.”
What makes you good at compensation is having the experience of doing the work. That means you need to work with a manager and peers who will teach you not only how to do the analysis work and research, but will also teach you the other essential skills like:
· Building and sustaining healthy relationships at work
· Effective communication with front line employees, middle management, the C suite, and board
· Stakeholder management
· Project management
· Change management
· Business acumen
· Storytelling with data
· Emotional intelligence
No, this isn’t a complete list. But you get the idea. There are differentiators that will help you succeed in this profession.
Yes, a CCP and GRP will teach you the basics and are good if you are new to the compensation profession. But the content hasn’t been fully updated in decades. And don’t think the WorldatWork way is the only way to do comp and get good outcomes. You must be flexible and adapt your strategies to the organization and leaders you are supporting.
Being excellent at compensation means you are a business consultant first. You understand how money is made by the employer. Or if you work for a non-profit, you understand how the impact is made in the community you serve and how you raise money to fund it.
As an internal compensation consultant, you need to understand the customer experience so you can ensure that you are encouraging the right employee behaviors and priorities with pay.
And perhaps most important you need to understand the full employee experience including the psychology of money and how employees respond to different pay programs. Empathy is critical. So are sales and influencing skills.
As you plan your career in HR/Compensation, consider working for different size employers, employers in different industries, and those with employees in different locations (global vs. U.S. only).
If you are thinking of investing in yourself this year and want to develop your skills – technical and relational – let’s talk. I offer “Compensation Professional Development Coaching” to a few people at a time. Think of it as “done with you” mentorship as you work on pay related deliverables for your employer.
There is no set curriculum. It is customized to your needs. Tap into me, my thought leadership, and experience as you need it.
#compensation #compensationconsultant #professionaldevelopment #ccp #grp #worldatwork #hr #humanresources