October Chapter Meeting: Developing Equitable and Transparent Compensation Programs

Event: October Chapter Meeting

Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Time: 11:50 AM - 1:00 PM

Location: Hybrid meeting

• In-Person: State Farm B'Link / 2702 Ireland Grove Rd, Bloomington, IL 61709 
• Virtual: Microsoft Teams

Meeting Topic: Developing Equitable and Transparent Compensation Programs

Speaker: Tom Wardrip, Managing Director, Human Resources & Compensation Consulting Practice

Meeting Agenda: 

• 11:30 AM - In-person attendees arrive for networking and lunch (pre-ordered boxed lunches to be provided for in-person attendees)
• 11:50 AM - Virtual attendees login to webinar (a Microsoft Teams link will be sent a day prior to the event; join on a device with or without a camera; there will be a call-in feature)
• 11:55 AM - Announcements + speaker introductions (speaker will be in person)
• 12:00 - 1:00 PM - Presentation by speaker followed by Q&A

About the presentation: 

This presentation, led by Tom Wardrip of Gallagher HR & Compensation Consulting, is a comprehensive guide to developing equitable and transparent compensation programs. It blends strategic insights, benchmarking data, and practical methodologies to help organizations align compensation with market realities, legal compliance, and internal equity.

Key themes include:

• Organizational Wellbeing: Integrating financial, talent, and benefits strategies to support employee engagement and retention.
• Compensation Planning Trends: Data-driven insights into how organizations structure compensation cycles and total rewards.
• Pay Equity & Transparency: Legislative updates, especially for states like Illinois, and best practices for compliance and communication.
• Benchmarking & Market Data: Use of salary surveys and compensation assessments to inform pay structures.
• Implementation Strategy: Step-by-step guidance on conducting internal compensation studies, including budgeting, communication, and job placement.
• Audit & Analysis: Deep dives into payroll audits, pay compression, and equity modeling using statistical tools like standard deviation and Z-scores.

Re-certification Credits: 1-hour general HRCI and 1 SHRM professional development credit (PDC) will be shared with attendees after the meeting. 

Boxed lunch options (for in-person attendees): 

• Turkey Deluxe – Roasted turkey breast, leafy lettuce, tomato, on an Ancient Grain bun and assorted cheeses. Includes chips, pickle, and chocolate chip cookie.
• Ham Deluxe - Ham, leafy lettuce, tomato, on an All-butter Croissant and assorted cheeses. Includes chips, pickle, and chocolate chip cookie.
• Nutty-Mixed Up Salad - Grilled, 100% antibiotic-free chicken breast, grapes, strawberries, cranberry-walnut mix, organic field greens, and feta with balsamic vinaigrette and chocolate chip cookie.
• Veggie Sandwich – Organic spinach, guacamole, hummus, Roma tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, on an Ancient Grain bun with Fresh fruit and chocolate chip cookie.