This year’s HRcoreREWARD 2025 in Barcelona delivered more than insights. It sparked a shift. As Europe’s leading HR and Total Rewards leaders gathered for two days of bold dialogue, practical frameworks, and real-world innovation, one idea kept resurfacing: strategy means nothing if managers can’t bring it to life. At Semos Cloud, we were proud to join the conversation. Represented by Filip Misovski, CEO, and Ilija Kiroski, Head of Partnerships, our team brought a practical and forward-thinking view to the agenda: that manager enablement is the critical bridge between vision and impact. Turning Reward Strategy into Daily Action Ilija’s session, “From Reward Strategy to Employee Action: Boosting Manager Impact with the Right Tools,” was a focused deep dive into how organizations can empower their managers to lead more effectively with recognition, development, and fairness. In just ten minutes, the message was clear: “Recognition, pay transparency, and career conversations shouldn’t live in isolated systems. They should live in daily leadership moments.” Ilija walked the audience through how modern tools, embedded into everyday workflows, can help managers: Lead more meaningful conversations around recognition, compensation, and growth Activate Total Rewards programs in everyday interactions Drive performance, engagement, and retention through timely, data-driven action The response was energizing. HR leaders know the challenge. Now they’re looking for real tools to solve it. A Conference That Reframed What Rewards Can Be HRcoreREWARD 2025 was packed with thought leadership that cut across AI, well-being, recognition, pay equity, and manager empowerment. The opening remarks from Diana Fayad and Xavier Baeten grounded the event in strategic intent and human purpose. The sessions that followed delivered: Josephina Smith (British Airways) revealed how her team rebuilt foundational reward structures through digital transformation, proving that when digital comes first, employee experience improves. Peter Newhouse delivered a sharp take on how AI is transforming Total Rewards, not by removing human input but by making it more scalable and precise. Yvonne, who oversees rewards across 16 countries at McDonald’s, reminded us that compassionate leadership must be built into programs by design. Isha Smith redefined what meaningful rewards look like, spotlighting stretch assignments, community impact, and career purpose as the most valued and least budgeted rewards. Oluyomi (Wella Company) shared how financial well-being drives ownership culture, noting, “A value share is the starting point.” Carine (Nokia) explained how closing youth opportunity gaps and eliminating pay deltas are not just about fairness but about shaping future culture. Stela (MOL Group) described what happened when they eliminated annual bonuses. The result? The engagement didn’t decline. It increased. Stella Chaplin closed with a future-looking vision of compensation, one that’s flexible, stage-aware, and aligned with how people live and grow. What We Took Home from Barcelona At Semos Cloud, we walked away from Barcelona more aligned than ever with our purpose: to help organizations move from static strategies to dynamic, people-centered action. Total Rewards must be more than programs. They must be tools for managers to lead, recognize, reward, and engage in real-time. Here’s what we believe must define the future of Total Rewards: Grow with the human, not just the fiscal quarter. Personalization and flexibility must reflect each stage of the employee journey. Equip managers with intelligent tools so strategy is not just documented, but lived. Nudges, data, and automation should guide day-to-day leadership. Make transparency a cultural norm, not a compliance checkbox. Real trust comes from visibility, not policies. This event reaffirmed a shift we’ve been building toward: Managers are not just participants in rewards strategy. They are the drivers. The next generation of tools must reflect that reality. Let’s Keep the Momentum Going If we didn’t get a chance to connect at HRcoreREWARD 2025, we’d love to hear from you. Our platform is helping leading enterprises: Turn recognition into a habit, not a campaign Empower managers with AI-guided insights Embed pay equity and feedback into the flow of work Personalize rewards and experiences at the scale Ready to see how it works? Explore how Semos Cloud brings Total Rewards, recognition, and leadership enablement together and intelligently. Request demo Thank you to HRcoreEVENTS by TENEO and to every speaker who pushed the conversation forward. We’re proud to be part of this community, and even more excited for what comes next. Related posts How to Build a Positive Culture in the Workplace That Lasts – 8 Practical Ways read more What Is Culture in the Workplace and Why It Shapes Everything read more How to Improve Company Culture: Practical Strategies That Work read more