HRM Function

Human Resources Planning :- Human resource planning or HRP refers to a process by which the company to identify the number of jobs vacant, whether the company has excess staff or shortage of staff and to deal with this excess or shortage.

Job analysis Design :- Another important area of HRM is job analysis. Job analysis gives a detailed explanation about each and every job in the company. Based on this job analysis the company prepares advertisements.

Recruitment and Selection :- Based on information collected from job analysis the company prepares advertisements and publishes them in the news papers. This is recruitment. A number of applications are received after the advertisement is published, interviews are conducted and the right employee is selected thus recruitment and selection are yet another important area of HRM.

Orientation and Induction :- Once the employees have been selected an induction or orientation program is conducted. This is another important area of HRM. The employees are informed about the background of the company, explain about the organizational culture and values and work ethics and introduce to the other employees.

Training and Development :- Every employee goes under training program which helps him to put up a better performance on the job. Training program is also conducted for existing staff that have a lot of experience. This is called refresher training. Training and development is one area were the company spends a huge amount.

Performance Appraisal :- Once the employee has put in around 1 year of service, performance appraisal is conducted that is the HR department checks the performance of the employee. Based on these appraisal future promotions, incentives, increments in salary are decided.

Compensation Planning and Remuneration :- There are various rules regarding compensation and other benefits. It is the job of the HR department to look into remuneration and compensation planning.

Motivation, Welfare, Health and Safety :- Motivation becomes important to sustain the number of employees in the company. It is the job of the HR department to look into the different methods of motivation. Apart from this certain health and safety regulations have to be followed for the benefits of the employees. This is also handled by the HR department.

Industrial Relations :- Another important area of HRM is maintaining co-ordinal relations with the union members. This will help the organization to prevent strikes lockouts and ensure smooth working in the company.

HRM Importance

HRM Importance

Objective of HRM

Objective of HRMObjectives are pre-determined goals to which individual or group activity in an organization is directed. Objectives of personnel management are influenced by organizational objectives and individual and social goals. Institutions are instituted to attain certain specific objectives. The objectives of the economic institutions are mostly to earn profits, and of the educational institutions are mostly to impart education and / or conduct research so on and so forth. However, the fundamental objective of any organization is survival. Organizations are not just satisfied with this goal. Further the goal of most of the organizations is growth and / or profits.

Institutions procure and manage various resources including human to attain the specified objectives. Thus, human resources are managed to divert and utilize their resources towards and for the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Therefore, basically the objectives of HRM are drawn from and to contribute to the accomplishment of the organizational objectives. The other objectives of HRM are to meet the needs, aspirations, values and dignity of individual employees and having due concern for the socio-economic problems of the community and the country.

The objectives of HRM may be as follows:

• To create and utilize an able and motivated workforce, to accomplish the basic organizational goals.

• To establish and maintain sound organizational structure and desirable working relationships among all the members of the organization.

• To secure the integration of individual or groups within the organization by co-ordination of the individual and group goals with those of the organization.

• To create facilities and opportunities for individual or group development so as to match it with the growth of the organization.

• To attain an effective utilization of human resources in the achievement of organizational goals.

• To identify and satisfy individual and group needs by providing adequate and equitable wages, incentives, employee benefits and social security and measures for challenging work, prestige, recognition, security, status.

• To maintain high employees morale and sound human relations by sustaining and improving the various conditions and facilities.

• To strengthen and appreciate the human assets continuously by providing training and development programs.

• To consider and contribute to the minimization of socio-economic evils such as unemployment, under-employment, inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth and to improve the welfare of the society by providing employment opportunities to women and disadvantaged sections of the society.

• To provide an opportunity for expression and voice management.

• To provide fair, acceptable and efficient leadership.

• To provide facilities and conditions of work and creation of favorable atmosphere for maintaining stability of employment.

Personal Management & HRM

Some experts assert that there is no difference between Human Resourses and Personal Management. They state that the two terms can be used interchangeably, with no difference in meaning. In fact, the terms are often used interchangeably in help-wanted ads and job descriptions.

For those who recognize a difference between personnel management and human resources, the difference can be described as philosophical. Personnel management is more administrative in nature, dealing with Payroll, complying with Employement Law, and handling related tasks. Human resources, on the other hand, is responsible for managing a workforce as one of the primary resources that contributes to the success of an organization.

When a difference between personnel management and human resources is recognized, human resources is described as much broader in scope than personnel management. Human resources is said to incorporate and develop personnel management tasks, while seeking to create and develop teams of workers for the benefit of the organization. A primary goal of human resources is to enable employees to work to a maximum level of efficiency.

Personnel management can include administrative tasks that are both traditional and routine. It can be described as reactive, providing a response to demands and concerns as they are presented. By contrast, human resources involves ongoing strategies to manage and develop an organization's workforce. It is proactive, as it involves the continuous development of functions and policies for the purposes of improving a company’s workforce.

Personnel management is often considered an independent function of an organization. Human resource management, on the other hand, tends to be an integral part of overall company function. Personnel management is typically the sole responsibility of an organization’s personnel department. With human resources, all of an organization’s managers are often involved in some manner, and a chief goal may be to have managers of various departments develop the skills necessary to handle personnel-related tasks.

As far as motivators are concerned, personnel management typically seeks to motivate employees with such things as compensation, bonuses, rewards, and the simplification of work responsibilities. From the personnel management point of view, employee satisfaction provides the motivation necessary to improve job performance. The opposite is true of human resources. Human resource management holds that improved performance leads to employee satisfaction. With human resources, work groups, effective strategies for meeting challenges, and job creativity are seen as the primary motivators.

When looking for a job in personnel management or human resources, it is important to realize that many companies use the terms interchangeably. If you are offered a job as a personnel manager, you may be required to perform the same duties as a human resource manager, and vice versa. In some companies, a distinction is made, but the difference is very subtle.

"Human resources refers to all humans who work for a company, including those who worked for the company in the past and those who might work for the company in the future...Personnel Management is a management discipline of dealing with workers, administering salaries, raises, testing, training, evaluating, and so on. Personnel Management is usually a department within the Human Resources division, or a set of tasks in an HR department, which may also include recuitment, payroll, training, and related functions."

HRM Model & HRM Chart

Diffrence Between “HRD” & “HRM”

Some people distinguish a difference between HRM (a major management activity) and HRD (a profession) . These people might include HRM & HRD, explaining that HRD includes the broader range of activities to develop personnel inside of the organizations including e.g. Career Development, Training, Organizational Development (OD), etc.

There is a long standing argument about where HR-related functions should be organized into large organizations e.g. “Should HR be in the OD department or the other way around ? “

The HRM function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits, compensation, employee records, and personnel policies. Usually small businesses ( for profit or non-profit) have to carry out these activities themselves because they can not afford part or full time help. However, they should always ensure that employes have … and are aware of personnel policies which conform to current regulations. These policies are often in the form of employee manuals, which all employees have.

The HRM (Function) and HRD (Profession) have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the “Personnel Department”, mostly manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the “ HR Deptt.” As playing a major role in staffing, training, and helping to manage people so that

people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.

In recent years there has been a sudden spurt in the no. of organizations deciding to appoint HRD managers. However, many people are not clear as to what is the difference between personnel & HRD functions.As a result we find instances of personnel managers being redesignated HRD Manages or Human Resource Managers. Basically , HR consist of the value of productive capacity of a firm’s human organization. HRD efforts aim at providing conditions in which the employees can improve their skill, knowledge, energy and talent,which in turn may lead to improved productivity. Basically, the main areas which have to be managed by HRD people are:

• Managing succession politics,
• Managing appraisal politics,
• Managing the reward system,
• Distribution of power across groups,
• Balancing power across groups,
• Influencing the key people.

It will be primary responsibility of the HRD people to develop the right kind of values and norms to be followed by an organization.

“ HRM is that part of management concerned with people at work and with their relationship within an enterprise . Its aim is to bring together and develop into effective organization the men and women who make up an enterprise and having regard for the well being of an individual and of working groups, to enable them to make their best contribution to its success.”

BASIC OVERVIEWS OF “HRM” (Human Resource Management) .

(1) Getting the Best Employees.

a) Staffing – Workforce Planning.

b) Staffing – Specifying Jobs & Roles.

c) Staffing – Recruiting.

d) Staffing – Outsourcing (having services and functions performed by non-employees).

• Staffing – Screening Applicants.

• Staffing – Selecting (Hiring) New Employees.

(2) Employee’s due Benefits & Compensation.

(3) Training Employees .

a) Career Development.

b) Employee Orientation.

c) Leadership development.

d) Management Development.

e) Personal Development.

f) Supervisional Development.

g) Training & Development.

(4) Ensuring Compliance to Regulations .

a) Personnel Policies & Records.

b) Employee Laws, Topics & Issues.

c) Ethics – Practical Toolkit.

d) To comply all Statutory Requirements under Labour Laws.

(5) Ensuring Safe Work Environments.

a) Diversity Management.

b) Dealing with Drugs at the Work Place.

c) Employee Assistance Programs

d) Ergonomics : Safe facilities at the Work Place.

e) Dealing with HIV/AIDS at the Work Place.

f) Personal Wellness.

g) Preventing Violence at the Work Place.

h) Ensuring Safety at the Work Place.

i) Supporting Spirituality at the Work Place.

(6) Sustaining High-Performing Employees .

a) Employee Performance Management.

b) Group Performance Management.

c) Interpersonal Skills.

d) Personal Productivity.

e) Retaining Employees.

(7) General Resources .

a) Additional information for Non-Profits.

b) Capterra’s listing of HR Software.

c) Implementation of ERP Package.

In India, some of the major factors which are responsible for the slow progress of HRM are: unfavourable attitude of employee unions towards the personnel man, predominance of litigation in labour disputes, lack of professional training facilities, insecurity of job & lack of job satisfaction.

Lastly, it is concluded that, HR Cell in any organization plays a vital role to maintain a due vibration between the employer & employees. Also HR personnel is/are the eye & ear of the organ

HRM systems diagnostic checklists

HRM systems diagnostic checklists

The following check-lists present some questions which may prove helpful for you to think about when planning your development programs for human resources (your people) in your organization.

Use them to provoke thought and to stimulate discussion. Consult with others in your organization. They will help you to identify the critical human resource issues facing your organization.

The aim is to begin to explore how a considered and planned approach to people management can improve business performance, to the benefit of all.

Use this checklist in conjunction with our diagnostic Team Building instrument. It will, via your team members responses identify critical issues they perceive as important. These issues may be at odds with your own perceptions and analysis and therefore any such discrepancy will need to be addressed.

Warning Indicators

Your organization is more than likely in trouble if any of the following holds true:

• chronic industrial relations problems
• no means of resolving employee grievances
• increasing / erratic employee turnover
• increasing number of customer complaints
• no pride in the organization
• inter-group conflicts
• no career paths for ambitious talented employees
• dissatisfaction with pay and conditions
• unclear job roles
• no clear performance measures
• quality is unimportant
• bad product service / delivery records
• poor recruitment standards / practices
• no management development programs
• no induction training for new employees
• critical skill shortages
• inter-departmental conflict
• you do not know if any of the above are applicable
• you ignore any of the above

Culture, organization, people, systems (COPS) Checklist

Culture

• Do your staff identify with the organization and 'the success of the organization' as being of direct benefit to themselves?
• Do your staff see themselves as having common interests with their work colleagues and group? Is there a strong team spirit?
• Is work allocated on the basis of individual expertise rather than position in the organization?
• Are there sufficient skills / power bases in the organization?
• Are there appropriate leadership skills within the organization?
• Are your staff encouraged to say what they think about the organization?
• Does your organization encourage innovation and creativity amongst staff?
• Do your staff feel a sense of personal responsibility for their work?
• Is quality emphasized in all aspects of the organization?

Organization

• Does the structure of your organization encourage effective performance?
• Is the organization structure flexible in the face of changing demands?
• Is the structure too complex? If so in what areas?
• Do your staff have clear roles and responsibilities?
• Does your organization structure tend to push problems up rather than resolve them at the point where they occur?
• Do your procedures and management practices facilitate the accomplishment of tasks?
• Do you constantly seek to challenge your organization structure?

People

• Do your staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs in the most effective manner?
• Do your staff understand their jobs and how they contribute to overall business performance i.e. have clear goals and objectives?
• Do your staff have a customer service orientation?
• Are people with potential spotted and developed for the future?
• Are your staff encouraged to perform well through the giving of recognition, feedback, etc.?
• Do your people know what their expected performance standards are?

Systems

• Do your organization's systems (e.g. Employee selection and Recruitment, promotion, planning, management, information and control) encourage effective performance among your staff?
• Are these systems consistent across the organization?
• Are there clear rewards for effective performance within your work group?
• Does the organization review its systems frequently and ensure they mutually support each other?

You may now wish to consider and write down:

• What are the three critical people issues facing your business?
• What plans /actions can you take to address these issues?

Needs Assessment

Needs Assessments

Human resource management, irrespective of public or private sector, is need of any modern day organisation to effectively use the manpower towards attainment of organisation's objective. It requires particular skill set in recruiting, retaining right man power, resolving internal conflicts, training man power etc.

Case Study questions:

What are the key questions you would ask?

1. How do you determine needs
2. What is the Strategic Plan
3. Ask employees, what are your skill levels
4. Have you considered other methods besides format training
5. How much time are you will to spend mentoring
6. How are you going to set priorities for training attendance
7. Has a gap analysis been performed
8. Is this training issue
9. Training record for individuals
10. Employee's perspective on timeline for meeting needs
11. Budget options
12. Identify top 3 players for supervisor..and why
13. Why they want to supervise
14. "Personal Style" issue and if correctable

HRM Articles

Human Resource Management Articles

FMLA Implementation
August 10 2007 - A recent report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has found that nearly 40 per cent of human resource (HR) professionals have experienced problems with implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Act 1993 (FMLA).

US Unemployment at 4.5%
August 3 2007 - Payroll employment rose by 92,000 in July, and the unemployment rate rose marginally to 4.6 percent.

Management Consultants - What Do They Do?
August 1 2007 - Research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) challenges the notion that management consultants play a vital role as expert outsiders in disseminating new approaches within organizations.

Offshoring
August 1 2007 - A study by Katerina Rüdiger for The Work Foundation suggests that perceived threats to UK employment from offshoring to developing countries such as India have been exaggerated.

Working Life Under Labour
August 1 2007 - A recent report from The Work Foundation suggests that the Labour government merits "7 out of 10" for its impact on working life during the last 10 years.

Global - International Call Centre Study
July 25 2007 - A recent international study of nearly 2500 call centres has challenged many assumptions about management and employment practices in this sector.

Gender Stereotyping A Key Barrier
July 25 2007 - A new survey has found that gender stereotyping continues to be a key barrier to the advancement of women in corporate leadership and leaves women leaders with limited and conflicting options.

Employment Statistics
July 18 2007 - Unemployment fell to 5.4% and a record 29.08 million people were in work in the period March to May according to the labour force survey (LFS).

Online Recruitment
July 16 2007 - Online recruitment has the virtue of being available to candidates and employers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 52 weeks a year. It is always on and easily adjustable to meet changing requirements.

Unemployment at 4.2%
July 12 2007 - Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also rose by 2,500 to 10,459,800 in June.

Unemployment Remains at 6.1%
July 6 2007 - Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate remained at the 31-year low of 6.1% in June for the fifth consecutive month.

Employee Benefit Survey
June 29 2007 - The Society for Human Resources Management's annual benefit survey found little difference between the employee benefits on offer in 2007 and the previous year with only a slight reduction in the percentage of organizations offering some financial and compensation benefits.

Vacation Entitlement Survey
June 29 2007 - The summer vacation season is here and a new survey shows that there has been little change in the number of vacation days offered to exempt employees since 2005.

Migrants Boost Labour Market
June 19 2007 - A newly published TUC study concludes that the massive inflow of migrants to the UK is a significant benefit to the UK economy citing Treasury estimates that migrant workers are responsible for around 10% of economic growth.

Annual Leave Extended to Bank Holidays
June 14 2007 - The Government has announced that companies will no longer be able to deduct public (bank) holidays from their workers' annual leave entitlements.

June 11 2007 Enews
* Without prejudice, but with limits
* Disability discrimination - using expert evidence to disprove a physical impairment
* Agency Workers held to be employees of the agency

May 29 2007 Enews
* Adjustments were not enough
* Returning from maternity leave - what is the "same job"?
* New consultation on additional paternity leave

Surveying Employee Opinions
May 19 2007 - A recent survey found that only 51% of American businesses formally ask employees about their perception of the workplace.

May 14 2007 Enews
* Equal pay and victimisation
* Extending probationary periods
* Age discrimination during recruitment

Recruitment Practices
April 21 2007 - A recent survey finds that 75 per cent of 180 organizations responding either use or plan to use psychological assessment for executive selection and development. Over half (58.3 per cent) currently use such methods, a further 16.7 per cent are considering their implementation.

Geoff Armstrong to stand down as Director General of the CIPD in June 2008
April 16 2007 - Geoff Armstrong will have held the post for 16 years, having seen membership more than double to almost 130,000 members including 47,000 fully chartered members.

April 2 2007 Enews
* DTI consults over disputes in the workplace
* Inventions made in the course of employment
* Legislative changes taking effect in April 2007

Do you have a mentally and physically healthy workplace?
April 2 2007 - The Workplace Health Promotion Network's next meeting, 25th May 2007, focuses on promoting health in the workplace.

Ontario Minimum Wage Increases
March 31 2007 - Labour Minister Steve Peters has announced that Ontario's general minimum wage will increase by 75 cents per hour annually to reach $10.25 on March 31, 2010.

March 19 2007 Enews
* Whistleblowers gain greater protection
* Agency workers and implied contracts of employment
* National minimum wage rates announced

UK Facing Skills Crisis
March 14 2007 - 55% of employers in a new survey are finding it more difficult to recruit skilled workers now compared to five years ago.

March 5 2007 Enews
* Disability Discrimination - duty to make reasonable adjustments
* Compromise Agreements
* Grievance letters - under the Modified Grievance Procedures

Hiring and Orientation Programs Neglected
February 25 2007 - A study of human resources practices at 50 large US companies by Watson Wyatt Worldwide has found that the importance of hiring and orientation programs is often neglected in the achievement of corporate goals and employee motivation.

More UK Jobs Created Than Destroyed
February 25 2007 - New research from the Globalisation and Economic Policy Centre at The University of Nottingham has found that 1 in 7 private sector jobs are lost in the UK each year but more are created than destroyed.

'Bad Apples' at Work
February 25 2007 - How negative behaviour by one person in an organization can impact on teams and groups.

February 19 2007 Enews
* Stress claims and counselling services
* Sick pay for disabled employees
* Cancer in the workplace: new guidance
* Breakfast Briefing: Dealing with Personal Disasters at Work - 8 March 2007

HR Systems Still Disappointing
February 14 2007 - A survey by PMP Research commissioned by the Evaluation Centre found that one-third of companies feel that their HR and payroll IT systems either do not meet their requirements adequately or fail to do so completely.

Intranet Policy Management Could Lead to Litigation
February 14 2007 - Research by NETconsent has found that nearly 50 per cent of UK organizations could be vulnerable to litigation by primarily using the intranet to manage corporate policies.

Alarming Performance Gap at Middle Management Level
February 14 2007 - A survey by management consultancy Hay Group has concluded that underperforming middle managers are costing British business £220 billion a year in lost productivity.

Paid Leave Comparisons
February 12 2007 - A comparison of public policies for working families in 173 countries shows that while the US performs well in protecting individual employees from workplace discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, and disability it is less effective in supporting family life.

Affirmative Action
February 12 2007 - New research finds that affirmative action is still a highly contentious issue in American society with people typically opposing it either because they regard it as inherently unfair or simply because they are racist.

Outsourcing About More Than Cost
February 12 2007 - A report from IT services company Unisys predicts that the predominant trend in outsourcing for 2007 will be the expectation that service providers can deliver more than improved processes and cost limitation.

More Women Studying Engineering - But Not For Career
February 9 2007 - Although the number of women studying engineering has increased, many use it as a route to other careers.

Asia-Pacific Talent Retention Crisis
February 9 2007 - A survey by ISR, a global employee research and consultancy firm, has found that organizations across Asia-Pacific risk losing their most talented people.

Manage Workers Individually
February 9 2007 - A recent study from The Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA) argues against categorizing employees by age stereotypes while acknowledging the need for different HR approaches to managing Boomers and Gen Xers in some areas.

Leadership and Assertiveness
February 7 2007 - Being perceived as having too much or too little assertiveness may be the most common weakness in aspiring business leaders, resulting in them appearing less effective than those with an optimal mid-range level.

Managing Time Off
February 7 2007 - US companies are potentially losing millions of dollars in payroll expenses and productivity because they fail to effectively manage employees' time off.

New Zealand Leads on Incentive-Based Pay
February 6 2007 - A survey by global recruitment firm Robert Half International has found that New Zealand employers are leading the way in incentive-based pay for finance professionals.

Women Missing From Top Jobs
February 6 2007 - Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain? 2007 is the last annual survey of senior women in the public and private sectors before the EOC is disbanded in autumn 2007 after 30 years.

Recruitment in 2007
February 6 2007 - A report from specialist recruiter Hays anticipates that the 2007 New Zealand recruitment market will be characterized by tighter conditions, customization of careers to suit individual employees and a more positive attitude towards mature candidates.

Skilled Migrant Policy 'Isn't Working'
February 6 2007 - A report from the New Zealand Association for Migration & Investment (NZAMI) argues that increasing skill shortages reinforce the need to revise work-to-residence rules applied to some skilled migrants. NZAMI has about 170 legal, financial and business members across New Zealand and is calling for an increase in the amount of time given to prospective migrants to find jobs and an easing of restrictions on the types of approved employment.

Equal Pay Case
February 6 2007 - Bridget Bodman, a former accountant at manufacturing company API Group received £25 000 compensation in November 2006 in an equal pay case supported by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

E-mail: Way to Gossip and Waste Time
February 5 2007 - A survey by MessageGate, Inc. has found that e-mail continues to be the most popular corporate workflow tool but that employees exercise poor judgment in its use, increasing costs and business or legal risks.

February 5 2007 Enews
* The best of both worlds
* Procedural defects in redundancy selections
* Increased statutory payments
* Top 10 Employment Law Developments of 2006 Briefing

'Provocation Paper' Argues Against More Employment Legislation
January 31 2007 - Effective enforcement of employment legislation is less important than encouraging employers to see the organizational benefits of promoting a just workplace.

Management Resistance a Major Barrier for Teleworkers
January 31 2007 - A survey of 214 Federal managers found that only 35 per cent of managers felt their agencies supported telework.

EOC Advocates More Flexibility
January 30 2007 - A recent report from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has found that half the working population would like more flexibility at work.

ADA Does Not Protect Employees With Psychiatric Disabilities
January 27 2007 - A new study finds that sixteen years after enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with psychiatric disabilities have less favourable outcomes in claims of employment discrimination than those with physical disabilities.

The Carrot Principle
January 25 2007 - In 'The Carrot Principle - How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance' management consultants Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton explain how organizations and managers can use praise and recognition to motivate their workforces.

Poor Leadership Affecting Business Performance
January 25 2007 - A new survey indicates that UK bosses' lack of leadership skills in setting objectives, motivating employees and dealing with poor performers is having an adverse effect on business performance.

Work-life Balance and the Public Sector
January 25 2007 - Public sector employers may 'talk the talk' on work-life balance, but in practice have limited commitment to changing standard working patterns.

Performance Management - Key Practices
January 25 2007 - Survey indicates that there is significant scope for improvement in the performance management systems of many companies.

Directors' Average Pay Nearly CDN$120,000
January 24 2007 - Survey finds average Canadian director compensation was CDN$118 026 in 2006 - an increase of 15 per cent. Equity accounted for 87 per cent of that growth.

Boardroom Pay and the Risk Myth
January 24 2007 - FTSE 100 CEOs have little more risk of being fired or made redundant than the average employee. However, they tend to live longer and have the advantage of large pensions and sizeable pay offs.

Pensions: Widening Gap Between Public and Private
January 23 2007 - New research by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) shows a widening gap between the public and private sector in terms of retirement trends and pension plans.

Utility Salaries Standing Still
January 23 2007 - The Compensation Data 2006 survey of more than 5300 employers reveals that salaries within utilities have largely stood still over the last three years.

January 22 2007 Enews
* The dangers of mixing business with pleasure
* Frustration of contract or dismissal?
* DTI confirms timetable for additional statutory holiday
* Top 10 Employment Law Developments of 2006 Briefing

Finding Talent Increasingly Difficult
January 21 2007 - The 2007 Talent Outlook Survey of over 100 HR and recruiting professionals with US-based corporations conducted by Cytiva Software Inc. suggests they found it harder to recruit good candidates in 2006 and expect the situation to get worse in 2007. Over 50 per cent of respondents were from companies with 500-10 000 employees.

Age and City Law Firms
January 21 2007 - Recent research considers the impact on senior and managing partners in leading UK law firms of the Age Discrimination Act which came into force on October 1, 2006.

Growing Poverty Casts Shadow
January 21 2007 - A recent report by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) shows that a growing number of Canadians are trapped in jobs that don't earn enough to cover the cost of rent and food. More Canadians are employed and some are paid a little more than last year, but the number working for poverty wages has also increased.

The Changing Pattern of Benefits
January 21 2007 - Watson Wyatt's Benefit Provider Research Report 2006 looks at changing patterns of benefits offered by 142 UK employers.

Hong Kong Lacking Fundamental Employee Rights
January 21 2007 - A recent report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is critical of Hong Kong's continuing failure to ensure fundamental employment rights. It highlights lack of legal recognition for trade unions, absence of collective bargaining, and insufficient protection against various forms of discrimination.

HR Ripe for Outsourcing
January 19 2007 - A recent survey has found that organizations are ripe for HR outsourcing as they increasingly seek standardization as part of a re-emphasis on strategic business initiatives.

Trainers Conflict With Senior Management
January 17 2007 - A recent survey survey of in-house training professionals by The Ken Blanchard Companies finds that senior managers are undermining the training programmes they have asked for

Managers Prefer Long Weekends Over Vacations
January 12 2007 - A recent survey found that workers below management grade are more likely to make full use of their holiday entitlement compared to executive and middle-level employees, who tend to take long weekend vacations. While employees value time away many feel obliged to work and stay in touch with their organizations on their days off.

January 8 2007 Enews
* When is the duty to make reasonable adjustments triggered?
* Agency workers and implied contracts of employment
* Flexible working for carers
* Top 10 Employment Law Developments of 2006 Briefing

50 Best Employers in Canada
January 7 2007 - The 2007 survey by Hewitt Associates of the 50 Best Employers in Canada found that the Best Employers have lower turnover, receive more applications and experience better business results.

Sick Day Entitlement Survey
January 3 2006 - Focusing on sick day entitlement, the latest annual Compensation Data survey found that exempt employees had an average of 8.4 sick days a year and non-exempt had 7.6 days.