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Strategic Planning

A ‘Perfect storm’ for organized labor is forming over Texas

08/01/2006

For Texas employers, the long-range forecast shows an unstable union atmosphere over the next several years, with pressure building from health care costs, outsourcing and immigration reform. As the united front of the AFL-CIO and the new Change to Win union blow through the state, damage may be significant …

Thinking about settling a lawsuit? Do it early

08/01/2006

When it comes to employment-law cases, if you think your organization will settle the case (rather than go to trial), do it as early in the discussions as possible. It could end up saving you big bucks …

Pay & perks drive satisfaction, but HR perceives differently

08/01/2006

What’s the most important factor in an employee’s job satisfaction? A new study says HR professionals and employees have completely divergent answers to that question …

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Does your organization need a ‘Chief Mobility Officer’?

08/01/2006

Your organization’s investment in its mobile work force—from flight costs to technology to relocation fees—can far exceed the cost of an employee’s benefits package. Still, many employers manage mobile workers in a fragmented and inconsistent way, which hurts efficiency and expenses …

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Do you really need to offer that employee benefit?

08/01/2006

Employee benefits are, in many cases, a lot like other pieces of an organization’s culture: They’re there because, well, they’ve always been there. But in these days of constantly rising health insurance costs, employers can’t afford to keep providing benefits just because that’s the way they’ve done things in the past, said Gary Kushner, president of Kushner & Co. benefits consulting firm …

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Break free of schedule to think strategically

08/01/2006

Former IBM Corp. chairman Lou Gerstner urged HR professionals to carve out time in their busy schedules to think about (and plan for) big-picture changes at their organizations …

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Invest more time and money in succession planning

08/01/2006

Employers used to train their workers to prepare for upcoming promotions. Nowadays, more companies invest time and resources in full-scale succession planning for their high-potential employees …

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Cut hourly staff turnover by giving more frequent raises

08/01/2006

For nonexempt employees making below $15 an hour, it’s wise to set merit raise potential at twice each year, not just annually, said Sharon Koss, a compensation consultant in Seattle. Why? Hourly workers need a goal to shoot for and a reason to work hard. Waiting a year for a raise is too long.

Lessons from the 2006 SHRM conference: Metrics: Track each employee’s ‘Baseball card’ statistics

08/01/2006

On the back of each baseball card are the vital statistics that immediately tell you the player’s proficiency in various skills: hitting, fielding, etc. It would be great to have such cards on each of your employees. And, in a sense, you can, says Gary Giles, president of analytics provider ClarityMatters, which was recently acquired by Kronos …

Help trim health costs by reviewing claims error data

07/01/2006

Health insurers make a surprising number of errors on claims, which can drive up your organization’s premiums and claims costs. Act now to identify money-wasting holes in your health plan with a full audit or a simpler checkup …