November 25, 2003

The competency connection
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart at 4:32 PM -

Here's an unabashed plug for one of our own articles. Be sure to check out the new feature story on our new Hiring Hub, NEHRA member Paul Connolly's piece on how personality tests combined with behavioral interviewing can raise the chances of hiring success:

. . .Evolution in the testing industry has created some new connections. Add a personality assessment to a behavioral interview and you can substantially raise your chances of identifying competencies that predict performance. According to some test publishers, the chances can be raised by 20%. Given the cost of hiring and training managerial talent, that 20% improvement can save your firm thousands -- even hundreds of thousands -- of dollars in hiring mistakes. You might say you could have your cake and eat it, too.

While you're at it, you might want to take a look at the archive of other recent NEHRA stories.

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Economy grows at best pace since 1984
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart at 4:24 PM -

Here's some welcome news on the economy:

The economy roared ahead at an astounding 8.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the fastest pace in nearly two decades and a much stronger performance than previously thought. It raises hope that a long spell of lackluster business activity is finally over.

Finally.

And on that note, take a well-deserved break, go join your family, and eat some turkey. A very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

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November 19, 2003

Brain-gain cities attract educated young
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 9:52 AM -

From the Washington Post:

In a Darwinian fight for survival, American cities are scheming to steal each other's young. They want ambitious young people with graduate degrees in such fields as genome science, bio-informatics and entrepreneurial management.

....In addition to Seattle, the largest brain-gain cities include Austin, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, and Raleigh and Durham, N.C.

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November 18, 2003

DBM: leading firms preparing for boomer exit
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart at 2:21 PM -

A new DBM study finds leading firms are already preparing for the coming exodus of baby boomer workers:

As organizations prepare for the predicted mass exodus of baby boomers in the coming years, they see a growing need to prepare the next generation of executives to step into vacated senior leadership roles. DBM found 66 percent of those polled have implemented executive coaching programs in recent years for "high potential grooming" and "performance enhancement."

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Age bias: Does it apply to the young?
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 8:59 AM -

From the Christian Science Monitor:

Wednesday, the US Supreme Court takes up a major employment case examining whether the 1967 statute is intended exclusively to protect older workers, or whether it also authorizes so-called reverse-discrimination claims by younger workers.

The case holds important implications for many retirement benefit plans and early-retirement packages. To the extent that such plans offer increasingly generous benefit levels triggered solely by age, they could become the litigation targets of younger employees complaining about illegal disparate treatment.

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November 17, 2003

Local living
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 10:54 AM -

According to this article in Human Resource Executive Magazine, companies are cutting or reworking their expat programs.

"The nature of the way you are compensated under a traditional expatriate program, you can really build wealth for yourself," says Shumsky. "A lot of companies sat back and said, 'Wait a minute, that's not the way this is supposed to work.' "

In this era of cost-cutting, it should come as no surprise that a growing number of organizations have considered trimming international assignments, as sending an employee overseas has long been recognized as an expensive proposition.

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November 12, 2003

Overworked employees are fed up: a survey finds 8 out of 10 Americans want a new job.
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 3:08 PM -

Dean blogged this story over on the Job Blog and then turned me onto the survey. Apparently, SHRM conducted a survey that found 8 out of 10 want a new job. Clearly, I am not one of the eight, however, I do believe that there are plenty of employees that do feel like quitting as soon as the economy turns. We have been blogging reports on this topic for months now. How do your employees feel? Do you really know?

Many employees are overworked, stressed out, fed up -- and eager to quit their jobs once the economy picks up. In fact, worker angst is so pronounced that it has surprised even the most tuned-in human resource professionals.

Consider, for example, that more than eight in 10 workers plan to look for a new job when the economy heats up, according to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Professionals. While there's a difference between looking for a new gig and actually jumping ship, that kind of number is "very, very high," says SHRP spokesman Frank Scanlon.

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November 11, 2003

In many recruiting efforts, benefits act as lure
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 9:58 AM -

From The New York Times:

With the ranks of uninsured Americans rising sharply - the number of Americans without health insurance increased by 2.4 million last year, according to the Census Bureau - and with health care costs for employers rising at double-digit rates, more job seekers are taking a keen interest in the benefit packages offered by potential employers. It is a striking change from the late 1990's, said Emmett Seaborn, a principal at Towers Perrin, a benefit consulting firm based in Stamford, Conn.

Please note, NYTimes.com requires a log in. Registration is free.

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'Lean manufacturing' helping plants compete, save jobs
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart at 9:11 AM -

A new program called "lean manufacturing" is helping domestic firms remain competitive and keep jobs at home, albeit with some cost:

With 60 years in Waltham, Standard-Thomson is betting on lean manufacturing to help it adapt -- and survive -- in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Still, there are no guarantees. Some specialists say companies are facing a Catch-22: Employers need to be more efficient to compete. But their ability to do more with less contributes to the loss of factory jobs.

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November 10, 2003

Market drives workers to self-employment
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 9:08 AM -

From the Tallahassee Democrat:

The rising cost of supporting a full-time work force, diminishing worker-employer loyalty and the proliferation of technology are contributing to what may be a permanent shift from the traditional employment model.

While most workers will continue to hold conventional jobs, data show that more are becoming self-employed as contractors, free-lancers, consultants or owners of microbusinesses.

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November 7, 2003

Unemployment continued to fall in October
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 10:44 AM -

Hot off the wire from the NYTimes:

The nation's unemployment rate dropped to 6 percent in October as companies added thousands of new jobs for the third straight month, new evidence of an improving labor market.

The Labor Department reported Friday that payrolls grew by 126,000 last month, significantly more than the 50,000 new jobs that economists had predicted. That followed a revised 125,000 new jobs in September, which initially was reported at 57,000.

Please note, NYTimes.com requires a log in. Registration is free.

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November 5, 2003

Are you ready for the coming turnover boom?
Posted by deisenhart@bostonworks.com">Douglas Eisenhart at 1:13 PM -

From our friends at ERE, a piece on the impending exodus of employees and what you can do about it:

The bottom line is that many, if not most, employers are in deep trouble -- even if they think they are not. Even organizations that have not suffered financially through the recession have overworked, stressed, and unhappy employees. Many employees are simply frustrated because they have not been able to escape their boss, make a career move, or get promoted because of the recession.

Many are looking for jobs now. Use of job boards has never been higher, and I suspect that much of the activity is from those who are employed and who are looking for their "next great job." I think it's safe to say that virtually every employer is at the highest risk in a decade for record employee turnover.

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People are our most important asset
Posted by pegasus@jpbutler.com">Jason Butler at 12:40 PM -

The ultimate corporate lie.

Item A. Doohickies, Inc. offers to increase Boudreaux's salary by 20% if he'll leave Widget Hut and go to work for them (doing the same work). Item B. Widget Hut notices an increase in the use of office supplies around the beginning of the school year.

Which of these items will prompt Widget Hut to take action?

In my experience, they'll bid Boudreaux "bon voyage" and start locking up the office supplies. Which is why we used to joke (behind the boss' back of course),

"Carbon paper is our most important asset."

The author explores some interesting scenarios. Are you walking the walk?

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Economy takes off but will it last?
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 9:42 AM -

From San Antonio's Express-News:

But while the Bush administration championed the biggest growth spurt in 19 years — more than double the growth of the previous quarter, in which defense spending moved the GDP upward — Thursday's good news is unlikely to be sustained for long.

The consumer spending increase is mostly attributable to one-time tax rebates and wave of home refinancing that has probably reached its crest, economists said.

"This is a tax-cut spike. Everything piled up in the right direction," said John Rutledge, chairman of private equity investment firm Rutledge Capital and an independent White House economic adviser. "The question mark is sustainability."

Still worrisome, too, is the continued lack of new jobs and stagnating income for those who have them.

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November 4, 2003

HR, recruiting, and the sales function: 6 thoughts worth considering
Posted by tzannos@bostonworks.com">Svetlana Husseini at 3:38 PM -

From ERE:

The reason for this is simple: sales is the function that generates the revenue that pays the bills as well as the paychecks. If that's not a good reason for support, I am at a loss for finding a better one. Furthermore, the results will confirm what is clearly one of your CEO's primary objectives: to create an organization that has greater value today than it did yesterday (if your CEO doesn't share this value, he or she needs to find another job).

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Christmas bonuses
Posted by pegasus@jpbutler.com">Jason Butler at 1:28 PM -

Here's an interesting discussion on Slashdot around how a small company should give Christmas bonuses.

I run a small startup company who was able to turn a buck during this past year. To say 'Thank you' to the employees who put in so much time and effort to get us financially stable I would like to give them a Christmas bonus. However, I've never received one before, so what is appropriate? I have 5 employees and I want to give them all the same bonus, but while I can afford about $1500 a person, is that too much? Would gifts be more appropriate then money? What are some bonuses the Slashdot crowd has received in the past?

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November 3, 2003

HR Blog Live! at the NEHRA convention
Posted by pegasus@jpbutler.com">Jason Butler at 9:16 AM -

All your friendly neighborhood HR bloggers are visiting the NEHRA convention this week. So, if you are spending some quality time in Providence, make sure you stop by our booth -- we're pretty hard to miss in our black pants, our blue shirts and our pretty green Hiring Hub buttons.

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