The top three pressures facing HR executives today are attracting, retaining and growing talent (67 per cent), being able to better support the business by focusing HR on core capabilities (47 per cent) and supporting business changes (41 per cent), according to a Hewitt Associates survey of nearly 100 large US companies representing 2 million employees
The top three pressures facing HR executives today are attracting, retaining and growing talent (67 per cent), being able to better support the business by focusing HR on core capabilities (47 per cent) and supporting business changes (41 per cent), according to a Hewitt Associates survey of nearly 100 large US companies representing 2 million employees. It also found that talent issues and a focus on strategic capabilities continue to be priorities for the next two years, while 91 per cent of companies surveyed have undertaken steps within the last two years to improve the internal HR function.
Closing the trust deficit
Employers in the UK need to make tackling the “trust deficit” between managers and the managed an urgent priority for 2007, according to a recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) report. It revealed high levels of dissatisfaction with managers, and a depressing failure on the part of bosses to listen to the views and opinions of their employees. Successful organisations can translate their HR policy goals into practice with HR practitioners working in partnership with senior management and line managers so that employees experience the benefits and voluntarily commit to go the extra mile and raise their performance, according to the CIPD.
Outsourcers turn to outsourcing
The next wave of outsourcing looks to be far bigger than it is now with some accounting, finance and human resources functions catching up with the levels of IT outsourcing, according to a KPMG report. It found that while 22 per cent of companies outsourced HR-related functions, this would increase to 31 per cent over the next two years. The report, which involved 305 senior executives from Asia-Pacific companies including Australia, also found 65 per cent of HR management functions are outsourced to India, with 47 per cent going to the rest of Asia.
More paid parental leave needed
Nearly half of working parents believe better parental leave provisions would assist them, and paid leave in particular is most helpful following the birth of a child, according to a survey of 3,500 families. It found that, while around one-third of mothers employed prior to the birth of their child accessed some paid maternity leave, only 4 per cent of leave-takers used paid maternity leave only. The most prevalent arrangements used by mothers were combinations of paid and unpaid leave, typically including ‘non-maternity’forms of leave such as paid annual leave.
Corporate responsibility’s link to human capital management
An inaugural conference set for Melbourne in March will explore an emerging link between corporate social responsibility and HR management. The two-day event, Sustainable Human Capital Management, presented by Ethical Investor and supported by ANZ and Hewitt Associates, will take place at Melbourne’s Park Hyatt on 19-20 March. The agenda features best practice case studies on socially responsible human capital management, and how it impacts on corporate performance and shareholder returns. The event will fall between the Melbourne Grand Prix and the World Swimming Championships and limited accommodation packages are available.
