Metrics

Outsourcing, recession make HR-to-staff ratios less precise

10/11/2010

While there is no “correct” HR-to-staff ratio, one HR professional per 100 employees is a generally accepted starting point. But HR-to-staff ratios have become less precise—and harder to interpret—due to the economic downturn, layoffs and the continued growth of outsourcing. Still worth measuring?

4 tips for getting max ROI from salary surveys

08/05/2010

When reviewing salary surveys to determine fair pay rates for your employees, follow these tips from Beverly Dance, founder of Dance Consultancy, who spoke at the recent SHRM annual conference in San Diego:

6 talking points to get management buy-in for your HR budget

06/15/2010

When it’s time to present next year’s HR budget, get the C-Suite’s attention with these six talking points. They’ll show you mean business.

9 simple ways to improve your wellness program

05/13/2010

One side effect of the recession: Cash-strapped employees are eating more fast food, exercising less and ignoring their health, studies show. All the more reason to refocus your wellness efforts. Nine lessons from recent studies:

Ask the experts: How to be a true HR leader

08/31/2009

What does it take to jump the fence from your administrative role and be seen as a true leader in the company? The HR Specialist posed the following question to three of the leading HR thought leaders in America today: “What are the actions that a true HR leader takes to demonstrate leadership within an organization?” Their answers pointed to the following six actions:

9 keys: Convince top brass to support next year’s HR budget

08/31/2009

Ever had the C-Suite rubber-stamp your HR budget with nary a question or challenge? Neither has Valerie Grubb, a trainer, business coach and operations consultant. When budget time rolls around, she says, your most important job is explaining how HR contributes to the organization’s larger goals.

New CDC web site helps employers combat obesity

07/24/2009

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last month unveiled LeanWorks, a web site designed to help U.S. employers address employee obesity and its related costs.

10 keys to negotiating your HR budget

07/07/2009

Ever had the C-Suite rubber-stamp your HR budget with nary a question or challenge? Neither has Valerie Grubb, who spent most of her career building and justifying budgets in large manufacturing and entertainment companies, most recently NBC Universal. Here are her 10 tips for negotiating with those who make the final budget decisions.

Measure productivity loss when tallying up health costs

07/06/2009

Pull out your attendance records and a calculator to determine just how much productivity is suffering because of employee illness and poor health. Then find out what kinds of medical conditions are keeping employees from working at full capacity.

Problem Solved: Real People … Real Comp & Benefits Solutions, July ’09

06/05/2009

This month’s collection of real-world quick tips from American business leaders, brought to you by members of The Alternative Board.