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Improving Performance with Variable Pay
Qualification Information

Move your business forward with results-driven pay plans

Dates: 15-16 June 2026; 12-13 October 2026.
Location: Your PC via Zoom, live-streamed.
Duration: 2 days, 9am-1.30pm (Time zone UK).
Format: Virtual classroom course.
Download brochure: Click here [coming soon].

INTRODUCTION

A smart approach to variable pay ensures increased employee motivation and higher workforce engagement that delivers extraordinary organisational performance and results.

In this course, you will learn how to design and manage effective programmes for recognition, bonuses and incentives that meet your organisation’s goals by motivating employees to perform their best.

FORMAT

  • Delivered by an experienced instructor.
  • Live-streamed course (Zoom) with a small number of participants in a virtual classroom style.
  • This is an interactive programme so that you will be able to consider the issues discussed in the context of your organisation and your experience.
  • Slides, discussion and very short exercises will be used.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • Common business strategies and how to align them with variable pay programmes.
  • The different types of variable pay plans – including incentive plans, bonus plans, and recognition plans – and how they work.
  • Internal and external factors affecting variable pay.
  • A systematic process for designing a variable pay plan that includes three phases: pre-design; design; and funding and distribution.
  • How to implement, communicate, and evaluate variable pay for programme effectiveness.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

  • This course is ideal for professionals who are responsible for designing, assessing, and maintaining variable pay plans, including HR and finance teams.
  • Entry- to mid-level HR and reward professionals interested in understanding compensation programmes.
  • If you have several years of experience in reward, you will find this course gives you a valuable review of standard practice and theory, along with an update on current trends in compensation.

ENTRY CRITERIA

We recommend taking Improving Performance with Variable Pay as the fourth course toward your CCP and GRP certification.

To get the most out of the course, you will need to have working knowledge of the WorldatWork total rewards model, the total rewards regulatory landscape and base pay systems.

LENGTH OF STUDY

You should plan to spend approximately nine hours in a virtual class and six hours on self-guided work. Prework may be required in preparation for the first day of class.

DR DUNCAN BROWN
Independent Reward Researcher & Adviser

Duncan is an independent reward researcher and adviser, Senior Associate at the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Visiting Professor at University of Greenwich. He is a former employee reward practice leader at Willis Towers Watson, PwC and Aon Hewitt, who spent five years as the Deputy CEO at the CIPD.

Duncan is a highly regarded adviser and writer on reward management, including jointly authoring with Michael Armstrong the best-selling Handbook of Reward Management Practice and Reward Strategy. His doctorate was in reward strategy.

Your PC via Zoom, live streamed.

Final course admin details and a Zoom invite will be emailed to delegates at least three weeks before the event.

We will email you instructions detailing how to download your PDF course book (and schedule your exam) from the WorldatWork learner dashboard.

Online exams must be taken within 120 days of receipt of final admin details email.

Virtual classroom 19/05/2025 - 01/11/2024
Virtual classroom 15/06/2026 - 16/06/2026
Virtual classroom 12/10/2026 - 13/10/2026

Please read our terms and conditions carefully as they contain important information.

  • Delegates who advise E-reward.co.uk Ltd of their cancellation in writing via email (to paul@e-reward.co.uk) 30 calendar days before the start of the course will have their fees refunded – less an administration charge of 20% of the course fees.
  • No refunds will be made for cancellations received less than 30 calendar days before the start of the course.
  • Failure to attend the course will be subject to the same terms.
  • We are unable to accept any transfer requests received less than 30 calendar days before the start of the course and no refunds will be made.