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The hiring process
But It Was Just an Interview!
Treading on trade secrets with job
candidates--even by mistake--can land employers in legal hot water.
Find out why >>>
Also:
Common sense: Can you assess whether a job candidate
has it? >>>
17 behavior-based interview questions
>>>
Bone-chilling interview questions
>>>
200 questions job candidates may ask your company
>>>
10 interview no-nos
>>>
Ideal questions for a “stay” interview
>>>
CEO candidate evaluation
>>>
The big picture
Member Poll: Top Benefits Priority for 2005?
What
is your No. 1 benefits-related goal for this year?
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Provide more flexible schedules or more telecommuting options
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Add/improve wellness programs
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Improve technology/online enrollment/add self-service options
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Reduce number of benefits vendors
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Add
consumer-driven health care plan
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Negotiate better health plan rates
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Improve 401(k) or pension plan
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Better market plan/make employees more aware of value of benefits
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Add
concierge or other perks
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Improve or add long-term care insurance
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Add
other benefits, such as prepaid legal
Take the poll >>>
Economies of scale
The Size of a Human Resources Department
Posted in the General Forum:
As the ratio of employees to human resources professionals grows bigger, is
the human resources department expected to become far more efficient?
Join the discussion
>>>
Peace of mind
Health Care: When the Best Turns Out to Be a Bargain
It's all about getting
patients to the best doctors right off the bat.
Read more >>>
Disability
UnumProvident Settles Probes, But Woes Persist
The insurer’s $127 million
settlement won’t end its problems.
Find out why >>>
Also:
Read the 2003 article “Nasty Business” about lawsuits
against UnumProvident >>>
Health care
Sliding-Scale Plans Seeing a Renaissance
Some companies are asking
higher-paid employees to pay a greater percentage of their health premiums
than lower-paid employees.
Read about this strategy, which had fallen by the
wayside >>>
Best practices
Winners of 2005 Workforce Management Optimas Awards
Announced
Workforce Management is
proud to release the list of winners of the 2005 Optimas Awards. In
each company, some aspect of the way it manages its workforce has helped its
overall business results.
The winners, as follows, will be written up in future issues of this
newsletter, and will be honored March 10 in New York. You are welcome to
attend the awards ceremony; please call Laila Karamally at (949) 255-5349 for
more information.
General Excellence: Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco
Global Outlook: Sun Microsystems, Santa Clara, California
Financial Impact: Convergys, Cincinnati
Competitive Advantage: Herman Miller, Zeeland, Michigan
Managing Change: Bell Canada, Montreal, Quebec
Service: Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles
Partnership: Saint Francis Medical Center, Grand Island, Nebraska
Innovation: United Parcel Service, Atlanta
Vision: Progeon, Bangalore, India
Ethics: Adolph Coors Co., Golden, Colorado
News In Brief
Men’s Days Off: Men who
never take sick days apparently have far higher risks of heart attacks or
other coronary problems than those who do take days off when ill, according to
a study published in the January 2005 American Journal of Public Health.
The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki studied 5,000 British
employees between ages 35 and 55. This first study involved men only and was
controlled so that other risk factors, such as family medical history, did not
skew the results.
Hot Google:
As arguably “the last of the dot-coms when it
comes to workplace culture” and boasting a reputation as the one of the
hottest companies in America,
Google has been able to take some talented employees away from Microsoft,
according to CNET. Google has opened an office down the road from Microsoft,
perhaps partly to help in recruiting. Google does have to cope with the
feeling among some job candidates that the hours are long and the pace is very
intense at the company, according to CNET. The human resources team is also
concerned that some talented Google employees will cash out their stock
jackpots and retire.
China Wants Pros:
With so many of its own farmers and urbanites
unemployed, China doesn’t lack for frontline employees, and is looking to
crack down on illegal immigration, according to the Financial Times.
But, says a Chinese labor official, "We will always roll out the red carpet
for overseas high-tech and management professionals, who are badly needed to
spur
China's economic and social development." In other news out of China, the
South China Morning Post reports that Ernst & Young is struggling to
recruit enough qualified accountants in China. It has had to give up some
business because of the shortage.
Pharmacies:
As part of a large overhaul of its drug-benefit
plan, Toyota will require employees taking prescriptions for chronic
conditions to either use in-house stores that the automaker has opened, or use
mail-order services. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Toyota will
pay all costs for many generic medications. Other companies, including
Caesars Entertainment, have also tried to rein in drug costs with on-site
pharmacies.
Advice for the President:
Yale’s Jeffrey Garten previews President Bush’s next term in the latest issue
of Foreign Affairs. Garten says that Bush “will try to grant legal
status to millions of undocumented Mexican workers, a worthy goal.” Also,
writes Garten, “Bush’s free-trade credentials are strong, and his continued
global leadership in this area will likely continue.” Garten is concerned,
however, that the administration won’t address the cost of
health care, which “has global economic consequences for the United
States; it disadvantages employers whose foreign counterparts operate in
countries where governments foot the health care bill.” He also says that
“Bush will continue to neglect the potential long-term employment crisis
stemming from increased productivity and
outsourcing” to skilled Asian workers paid about 10 percent of Americans.
Lastly, Garten says that “Bush is unlikely to rethink policies that are
keeping some of the world’s great talent from entering or remaining in the
United States. The cost to the United States will be huge.” (Workforce
Management’s look at the
president’s second term is available online.)
More news:
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Health Care Is No. 1 Benefits Concern
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Washington, D.C., Dethroned by Orange County, California, as Job Leader
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News in Brief Archive
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Top Priority for 2005?
What is your top business-related priority for the new year?
7%: Select/implement/ improve technology
6%: Hire a specific number of people
8%: Train or retrain a specific number of people
17%: Make major changes to the performance-management process in
your organization
5%: Look for new solution to rising health care
costs
3%: Make major changes to your compensation or
stock program
22%: Make sure company hits profit goals, sales goal, opens
new office or improves products
21%: A new job
3%: A promotion
4%: Avoid/minimize downsizing
5%: None of the above
Total respondents: 717 |
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The latest news and resources that focus on key
areas.
Compensation, Benefits
& Rewards >>>
HR Management
>>>
Legal Insight
>>>
Recruiting & Staffing
>>>
Software & Technology
>>>
Training & Development
>>> |
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