HR Community at a SITA Event: Pay Transparency, Total Rewards, and the Future of Employee Rewards
The Serbian IT Association (SITA) organized an event dedicated to the HR community, where experts in human resources management and employee rewards discussed key trends shaping the future of work, from the concept of total rewards and challenges related to reporting and salary benchmarking, to the impact of new regulations such as the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
The event brought together around 20 HR professionals and was organized as a smaller, focused gathering that enabled more open discussion and exchange of experiences. In addition to large conferences and events that gather up to 150 participants, we regularly organize smaller workshops and discussions for 15–30 people, depending on the topic and the needs of the community. The thematic focus of our events most often arises from the ideas and initiatives of our member companies, as well as from continuously listening to the needs of the market and the professional community.
Key HR topics were presented by Tijana Jevtić, CEO of the rewardly platform, Stefan Vukajlović, Partner at House of Benefits, and Tamara Vitas Mikić, COO of Flow Ninja, a member company of the Serbian IT Association.
During his presentation, Stefan Vukajlović addressed the structure of salaries and the difference between the terms compensation & benefits and the broader concept of total rewards. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, total rewards actually encompass much more than salary and benefits alone. It also includes career development, work flexibility, recognition, and other elements that shape the overall employee experience within a company. Speaking about salary structures, he emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between the fixed part of compensation, variable components, and additional benefits, as well as the challenges that arise when it comes to pay inequality and the need for clearer industry standards.
Tamara Vitas Mikić shared insights from Flow Ninja, where transparency is one of the company’s core organizational values. As she highlighted, an open approach to information does not apply only to salaries but also to the broader way the company operates, from conflict resolution to everyday communication and decision-making. Transparency around pay can be a powerful tool for building trust within teams, but it requires clearly defined processes and a culture of open dialogue.
Tijana Jevtić spoke about the challenges and importance of market benchmarking, explaining how companies can use data to better understand the relationship between their own salary levels and market standards. Real-time benchmarking, enabled by modern platforms, is becoming increasingly important as it provides companies with a more up-to-date view of labor market trends. She also pointed out the limitations of traditional reports and slow data updates, emphasizing that in today’s HR environment, data is becoming a key tool for informed decision-making or, as she noted, data is power.
The event once again highlighted the importance of knowledge-sharing within the HR community for the development of modern HR practices. As the labor market becomes increasingly dynamic and employee expectations continue to grow, companies will need to find new ways to align business goals with transparent and fair reward systems.
