Welcome!

We are excited to announce the launching of the Power Learning Series - Smart Compensation:  Recognizing and Rewarding Employee Contributions!

Thank you for your course registration.  We are so excited you have looked to PSHRA® to help you grow in your career.

Power Learning Series, launching in June 2025, is a new way to grow your skills without the time commitment of a full course. 

These short, high-impact virtual courses are designed specifically for public sector HR professionals like you. These short, high-impact virtual courses are designed specifically for public sector HR professionals like you. Spread across 2–3 weeks and totaling just 3–4 hours, each Power Learning Series offers:

✅ Focused, relevant topics  

✅ Flexible virtual sessions  

✅ Real-world application for the public sector  

✅ Expert PSHRA instructors 

Whether you need a refresher or want to explore a new topic, these sessions are the perfect fit for your busy schedule. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us:

PSHRA – Debbie Tankersely-Snook, Associate Director, Member Programs, Membership - meetings@pshra.org

Making public sector work better®.

Course Syllabus

Course Overview:

Effectively managing performance and rewards is vital for attracting, retaining, and motivating the workforce your agency needs to fulfill its mission. In today’s constrained and unpredictable funding environments, strategic compensation planning is essential. This course examines the foundational principles and strategic approaches to performance management and compensation. Participants will explore practical tools and case studies tailored to the public sector, evaluate their own agency’s practices, and leave with actionable strategies to create equitable, competitive, and fiscally responsible reward systems.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Evaluate their agency’s internal and external context to inform reward strategy
• Design or refine performance management systems aligned with agency goals
• Apply compensation principles to build equitable, transparent, and competitive pay systems
• Implement recognition strategies that enhance engagement without overspending
• Assess their agency’s readiness for pay-for-performance or alternative reward models

Course Format:

• Four Live Virtual Sessions over two weeks
• Pre-Session Readings & Assignments
• Instructor-Led Discussions
• Peer Sharing and Case-Based Application
• Certificate of Completion awarded to participants who attend all sessions and complete evaluations

Course Syllabus & Schedule

Session 1 — July 29, 2025

Topic: Understanding Agency Context & Strategic Alignment

Internal & external drivers shaping your compensation strategy

Workforce planning and constraints in the public sector

Aligning HR, performance, and reward strategies with agency goals

Before Session 2:

  Submit questions or topics needing clarification

  Readings for Session 2

Session 2 — August 1, 2025

Topic: Defining, Measuring & Managing Performance

What constitutes performance in the public sector

Balancing accountability, development, and equity

Tools and techniques for fair and meaningful evaluation

Managing underperformance and developing top performers

Before Session 3:

  Evaluate your agency’s current performance management system

  Submit related insights or questions

  Readings for Sessions 3 & 4

Session 3 — August 5, 2025

Topic: Performance in Practice & Introduction to Rewards

Peer discussion: Lessons from evaluating agency systems

Introduction to total rewards

Non-monetary recognition strategies that work

Equity considerations in recognition

Session 4 — August 7, 2025

Topic: Strategic Compensation and Total Rewards

Building or refining your agency’s compensation philosophy

Pay structures, ranges, and competitive benchmarking

Pay equity and budgeting considerations

Implementing or adapting pay-for-performance

Summary and wrap-up discussion

Recommended Readings

Session 1

Branding Public Sector Organizations

Rewarding Performance in Public Sector Organizations

Diverse, Equitably Treated and Included Employees

Effectively Utilizing Employee Capabilities

Session 2

Principles of Performance Management

Evidence-Based Performance Management

Carson City Article

ICMA Article

Performance Feedback Study

Sessions 3 & 4

Compensation Philosophy

Recognition as Rewards

Base Pay Management

Public Eye Article: Pay Equity

Managing Pay Budgets, Structures, and Rates

Assessing Readiness for Pay-for-Performance

Target Audience:

• Mid-level HR professionals in the public sector
• Compensation and classification specialists
• HR leaders seeking to modernize rewards strategies
• Agency managers responsible for performance management

Course Design:

The course will be delivered over two-weeks with two one-hour sessions per week.  You will receive details about the dates, times, and locations of cohort sessions. 

Time Commitment:

Plan for 1 hours for each online lesson to read, complete activities, and prepare for course meetings. Individuals have varying learning paces, so it might take more or less time for each person. We recommend completing lessons a day or two before the cohort sessions to allow time for reflection on what you've learned and the development of your plans. All course materials are included on your course dashboard (no textbook is required).

Course Meeting Schedule (subject to change):

• Start Date: 7/29/2025
• Completion Date: 8/7/2025
• Course Meeting 1:  7/29/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
• Course Meeting 2:  8/01/2025 - 2:30 - 3:30 PM ET
• Course Meeting 3:  8/05/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
• Course Meeting 4:  8/07/2025 - 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET

Certificate of Attendance:

You will earn a Certificate of Completion upon completion of the course.

Cancellation Policy:

Professional Development Cancelation Policy

Making public sector work better®.

Dr. Robert Greene, Consulting Principal, Pontifex Consulting 

Bob is a Consulting Principal with Pontifex Consulting and faculty for DePaul U. in their MSHR and MBA programs. He has four decades of experience, has published four books and authored over 300 articles. He was a principal designer for the SPHR and PHR certifications for SHRM and the CCP and GRP certifications for World at Work. He was the first recipient of the Keystone Award for attaining the highest level of excellence. He holds the CCP, CBP, GRP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR and GPHR certifications.