University of California, Santa Barbara

Employee Benefits and Total Rewards Management

University of California, Santa Barbara

Employee Benefits and Total Rewards Management

Christina Chung

Instructor: Christina Chung

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

5 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

5 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Explain how health insurance, retirement plans, paid leave, and other employee benefits work.

  • Evaluate an organization’s benefits and rewards and recommend improvements that support employees and organizational goals.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Recently updated!

October 2026

Assessments

4 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Managing Employee Compensation and Benefits Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Employee benefits shape employee well-being, financial security, and an organization’s ability to attract and retain talent. In this module, you’ll examine major benefit categories, the federal and state laws that guide administration, and key distinctions among health insurance and retirement plan options. By the end, you’ll be able to compare programs, weigh employer and employee considerations, and support informed, compliant benefits decisions.

What's included

5 videos4 readings1 assignment

Benefits and total rewards create the greatest value when they reflect employee needs and support organizational priorities. In this module, you’ll examine how workforce characteristics, employee preferences, budgets, and business goals shape plan decisions; how metrics and feedback reveal effectiveness; and how reward components combine in an employee value proposition. By the end, you’ll be able to align, evaluate, and improve benefits and total rewards strategies.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 assignment

A total rewards strategy creates value only when it supports employee needs, advances organizational goals, and evolves with evidence. In this module, you’ll examine how to select and integrate rewards, prioritize sustainable recommendations, build a business case, communicate rewards clearly, and evaluate results using workforce and market information. By the end, you’ll be able to recommend, communicate, assess, and improve an aligned total rewards strategy.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 assignment

In this final module, you’ll bring together benefits design, legal requirements, workforce needs, organizational priorities, and the total rewards framework. You’ll apply course concepts to recommend an integrated, sustainable strategy, communicate its value to employees and organizational leaders, and evaluate results using data, feedback, and market information. By weighing competing priorities, you’ll practice the professional judgment required to guide ongoing improvements.

What's included

1 video3 readings1 assignment

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Instructor

Christina Chung
University of California, Santa Barbara
5 Courses582 learners

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