In today’s uncertain economic environment, planning salary budgets for 2026 presents unique challenges and critical opportunities for Total Rewards professionals. Rise to the challenge with essential strategies to make data-informed, forward-thinking recommendations that optimize salary increase budgets while supporting organizational goals.
Join our expert panel representing a range of perspectives from practitioner, economist and research viewpoints for a dynamic discussion on navigating financial constraints, economic volatility and talent pressures. You’ll also glean key insights from the WorldatWork 2025-2026 Salary Budget Survey, a source trusted by compensation and Total Rewards professionals for decades. Whether you’re refining your current approach, embracing new methods or preparing for continued change, get the knowledge and confidence to excel in the upcoming budget planning season.
Register today to learn to:
- Identify and assess economic indicators and workforce trends that influence pay and budget planning.
- Leverage insights from the WorldatWork 2025-2026 Salary Budget Survey to inform your strategies.
- Develop salary increase budget recommendations that align with organizational priorities, balancing fiscal discipline and competitive pay.
Elizabeth Crofoot is a Senior Economist and Principal Researcher at Lightcast, a leading labor market analytics and consulting firm specializing in labor market trends and workforce development.
With over 20 years of experience in assessing US and global labor market and compensation data, Elizabeth is an expert in researching businesses' responses to labor and talent shortages. She works closely with global enterprises to address these challenges by identifying rising skills and occupations in their markets, assessing labor costs, and developing skill-based hiring and training plans. She also possesses extensive experience in evaluating global labor market competitiveness, assisting business leaders with strategic geolocation decisions based on labor market dynamics. Her insights have guided numerous organizations through the evolving landscape of the modern workforce.
Prior to her current role, Elizabeth held positions as a Senior Economist at The Conference Board and as a Supervisory Economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. She has shared her expertise on labor market trends in various media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and NPR’s Marketplace. Elizabeth is also an author of numerous reports and blogs on labor shortages and workforce development. She earned an MA in Economics from American University and a BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Washington.
Ajay Madiah is the Head of Global Compensation & People Analytics at Broadcom. His human resources career has primarily focused on building total rewards organizations and working on M&A in the technology sector, but his ~25 years of experience has spanned a diverse set of industries at large global companies including Apple, McDonald’s, Sony, and Interpublic Group.
Ajay serves on the WorldatWork Compensation Advisory Board and he has earned the organization’s certified designations related to compensation (ACCP, CECP, CSCP, CCP), benefits (CBP), and multinational remuneration (GRP). He completed his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, holds an MS in Business Analytics from New York University – Stern School of Business, and an MBA from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.
With more than 15 years in global compensation, Tammi Markovich designs programs that align Total Rewards with business strategy and workforce needs. She currently serves as Director of Global Compensation at Masco Corporation, overseeing compensation strategy, equity programs, and pay governance across a global employee base.
Previously, Tammi held a series of compensation leadership roles at MillerKnoll (formerly Herman Miller), including Senior Director of Global Compensation. There, she and her global team developed pay programs that reflect company values, support business priorities, and advance global HR strategy. She also directed executive compensation and equity programs, earning recognition for her strategic leadership and operational discipline.
Tammy holds a BS in Mathematics and MBA from Indiana University South Bend. Joining the faculty in 2025, Tammi shares her expertise in building programs that attract and retain talent while driving business performance.
