USA - Stress, Loyalty and the Job Market

A recent survey of American workers found them greatly looking forward to Labor Day weekend at the beginning of September. Nearly one-third said they are working longer hours and suffering more stress than the same time last year.

Stress, Loyalty and the Job Market

UK - Top Ten Excuses For Not Paying Minimum Wage

HM Revenue & Customs has published the top ten excuses used by employers to avoid paying the National Minimum Wage.

USA - State of Indiana Rolls Out New Health Program to Support and Encourage Healthy Lifestyles for Its Employees

In Keeping With Governor's Daniels' INShape Indiana Campaign, The New Health Program From The Haelan Group Aims to Improve State Employee Health Through Proactive Support and Coaching.

State of Indiana Rolls Out New Health Program to Support and Encourage Healthy Lifestyles for Its Employees

USA - EAPs Provide Counseling for Frightened Business Fliers

According to Human Resource executives, the recent foiled terror plot has set off fears among many of their avid business travelers, prompting some companies to seek corporate wide counseling sessions. ACI, one of the nation's Top Ten EAP providers, has started a series of Critical Incident Stress Management sessions to help ease travel fears and concerns.

EAPs Provide Counseling for Frightened Business Fliers

Canada - Cytiva Announces Strategic Partnership with Batrus Hollweg

Cytiva Software Inc., a leading provider of mid-market talent acquisition solutions, and Batrus Hollweg International (BHI), a leading human capital consulting firm specializing in Talent Gauging(TM), announced today the availability of a comprehensive candidate screening solution combining BHI’s proven assessments and SonicRecruit’s automated candidate screening technology.

Cytiva Announces Strategic Partnership with Batrus Hollweg International

Canada - Quadrant HR software will streamline health care provider’s HR, payroll

Brandon RHA has selected QHR's software product, Quadrant HR, to streamline human resources, payroll and staff scheduling and better manage the growing complexity of its workforce.

Quadrant HR software will streamline health care provider’s HR, payroll and scheduling systems

UK - Recruiting School Leavers

A survey of over 1400 UK employers, shows that while literacy and numeracy are key skills looked for when recruiting from the current crop of school leavers, the attributes that top the list are communication skills, work ethic and personality.


CIPD/KPMG Survey Shows Communication Skills, Work Ethic And Personality Are Top Requirements

UK - £22m Share Bonus For BT Staff

More than 90,000 BT employees are benefiting from one of Britain's broadest bonus schemes by each receiving shares in the company worth around £250.

£22m Share Bonus For BT Staff

UK - Young Workers Look For Flexibility

70 per cent of graduate job seekers are actively looking for the chance to work flexibly, almost half consider it the most important benefit an employer could offer.

Young Workers Look For Flexibility

UK - Basic Skills Need Improvement

A CBI report claims that one in three UK employers is forced to send staff for remedial training in basic English and maths skills to make up for the shortcomings of the educational system.

Basic Skills Need Improvement

Australia - Work is a challenge for young Australians

A new study shows that the transition to adult life takes longer and is a more complex process for the current generation of young people in Australia. While they often remain in education for longer, they also face less secure job prospects, according to the latest Brotherhood of St Laurence Youth Transition Social Barometer.

Work is a challenge for young Australians

USA - Making Work Really Work For Families

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) marks ten years since the US ended 'welfare as we know it' and moved to replace welfare dependence with 'the dignity, the power and the ethic of work'. The underlying premise of reform was that work would enable welfare recipients to move out of poverty. The reality is that too many former recipients and other low-income workers are stuck in dead end jobs without a future. Welfare changes during the 1990s helped recipients gain employment and contributed to increases in the real incomes of some working families.


Making Work Really Work For Families

USA - Identifying MBA Talent

Fortune 500 employers are discovering that recruitment of 'perfect fit' MBA talent on the campuses of leading business schools is becoming more difficult than ever, says MBA Scouting Report, a new company specializing in early identification of new MBA students in the United States and abroad.

Identifying MBA Talent

USA - Graduates at Home

Experience, Inc. has announced the findings of its 2006 Life After College online survey of recent American graduates on the growing 'boomerang kids' trend towards returning to live in the family home, career paths and the overall reality of life after college.

Graduates at Home

USA - Chao Urges Labor-Management Leaders to Work Together to Keep American Workers Competitive

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao alerted labor, business and academic leaders attending the 13th National Labor-Management Conference to the need for labor and management to work together to keep America's workforce competitive in the 21st century worldwide economy.


Chao Urges Labor-Management Leaders to Work Together to Keep American Workers Competitive

USA/Australia - Cross-Cultural Perspectives

Cautioning against a 'one size fits all' approach to business and management styles, the authors suggest a cross-cultural perspective can facilitate co-working in an era of globalization.

Cross-Cultural Perspectives

UK - Flexible Working May Hamper Careers

A recent survey identified positive reasons for applying to work flexibly but significant doubts about the likely response of employers.

Flexible Working May Hamper Careers

USA - Skin Tone Affects Job Chances

The first significant study of 'colorism' in the American workplace indicates that dark-skinned African Americans face a distinct disadvantage when applying for jobs, even if they have superior qualifications and experience to lighter-skinned black applicants.

Skin Tone Affects Job Chances

USA - Baby Boomers at 60

Every day in 2006 another 8,000 Baby Boomers turn 60, and the affluent among them are optimistic about themselves and their futures. Yet, the aging "me-generation" may not be matching their financial plans to their vision of an active, generous retirement, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Bell Investment Advisors, a wealth management firm in California.

Boomers at 60 Envision Long Careers and Redefine Retirement, but Can They Afford It?

UK - Employment Situation

Unemployment rate rises again to 5.5% with 92,000 more people out of work.

Employment Statistics

UK - Older Workers 'On The Scrapheap'

Over one million 50-65 year olds currently unemployed or economically inactive in the UK want a job, according to a new report by the TUC.

A million over-50s 'dumped on the scrapheap' but want work, says TUC

UK - ACAS Report 2005/2006

109,712 applications were made to tribunals - compared to 81,833 last year. Unfair dismissal remains the largest complaint category with 35,944 applications.

ACAS 2005/2006 Report Reveals Big Rise In Tribunal Cases

Australia - Employment Situation

Unemployment falls to 4.8%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also rose by 50,700 to 10,247,500 in July.

USA - Human Capital Management

Corda Technologies today announced the launch of a new Human Capital Management (HCM) solution. Ed Urban, senior HCM principal, and Corda's top strategic dashboard technologists will work with clients to define, design and implement CenterView(TM) dashboards that will help executives drive HCM success.

Corda Technologies Launches New Human Capital Management Solution

USA - California Online Benefits

Nearly four in ten (37%) California employers see workforce diversity - and the wide range of benefits needs associated with it - as a top HR priority, compared with 29% of employers nationwide. One way the state's employers are working to meet this challenge is by providing work/life benefits - an approach adopted by 58% of California employers, compared with 52% of their peers nationwide.

MetLife Study Reveals That California Leads the Nation in Employee Access to Online Benefits Tools

USA - Fall Hazards Training

HR Classroom, a provider of online training services, has released 'Fall Hazards', a new safety training for both staff and supervisors.

Fall Hazards Training Meets Safety Needs

Australia - UQ Business School HR courses win accreditation

The quality of UQ Business School's Human Resources teaching has been recognised by the industry's peak body the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).

UQ Business School HR courses win accreditation

Australia - Cancer in the Workplace

Cancer's impact on Australian workers is an unwritten story. Now two UNSW researchers, both cancer survivors, hope to hear Australian workers' tales of living, surviving and dying of cancer.

Cancer in the workforce: mapping the Australian experience

USA - Strategic Workforce Planning

A study from The Conference Board reports that the aging workforce and an emerging retirement wave among 'baby boomers' are driving more businesses toward 'strategic workforce planning'.

Strategic Workforce Planning

USA - Top Themes in Employee Surveys

An analysis of employee responses to opinion surveys has found a number of recurrent themes.

Top Themes in Employee Surveys

UK - Most Job Ads Don't Mention Benefits

A mere one in four of job advertisements refers to employee benefits and only 16 per cent feature membership of a pension scheme as part of the employment package, according to recent research by Watson Wyatt.

Most Job Ads Don't Mention Benefits

UK - HR Managers Feel Isolated

A survey of HR managers in some of the UK's largest businesses found them craving to be involved but feeling detached from real responsibility for employee motivation.

HR Managers Feel Isolated

UK - IGF launches Payroll Service

Independent Growth Finance, the UK's leading independent commercial finance provider, today announces the launch of its new payroll service, aimed specifically at start-ups and SMEs with a turnover up to £10m.

IGF launches Payroll Service

E-learning Reinforces Staff Loyalty At Hilton

Global hotel group, Hilton, part of Hilton Hotels Corporation, has found a link between employee development and reduced staff turnover for the second year running.

E-learning Reinforces Staff Loyalty At Hilton

UK - TUC website gives most UK employees freedom of their company

A TUC website launched today (Saturday) gives most UK employees the freedom to uncover information about their company including staff pay and pensions compared to directors', profits and losses, shareholder details and arrangements for staff representation.

TUC website gives most UK employees freedom of their company information

UK - CIPD Annual Conference

CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, 24-26 October 2006, Harrogate International Centre

Businesses depend on their people yet 69% say they are struggling to retain staff, according to the latest annual Recruitment, retention and turnover survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) earlier this year. Leading speakers and organisations will discuss the importance of good people management and development, and suggest innovative ways to put people first to improve employee motivation and commitment, at the CIPD's Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Expert speakers and organisations will discuss the need to put people first, at CIPD's annual conference

USA - Employment Situation

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nonfarm payroll employment rose by 113,000 in July but the unemployment rate also rose by 0.2%.

US unemployment rises to 4.8%

Canada - Employment Situation

Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate rose by 0.3% to 6.4% in July, largely due to an increase of 64,200 in the number of people entering the job market.


Unemployment Rises By 0.3% to 6.4%

USA - Business Controls, Inc. Releases MySafeWorkplace 6.0

Business Controls, Inc., an incident reporting and corporate investigations firm, announced today the release of version 6.0 of its MySafeWorkplace(R) incident-reporting system. MySafeWorkplace(R) is a Web- and hotline-based service that allows employees of its client companies to report incidents anonymously.

Business Controls, Inc. Releases MySafeWorkplace 6.0

Canada - Symcor wins multi-million dollar outsourcing contract with Ceridian

Ceridian Canada, a leading human resource and payroll solutions company, and Symcor Inc., one of North America's leaders in business process outsourcing, today announced the signing of a five-year, multi-million dollar agreement which takes effect September 1, 2006. Under the terms of this contract, Symcor will assume the printing and distribution of payroll stubs, cheques and reports for Ceridian's 40,000 customers across Canada.

Symcor wins multi-million dollar outsourcing contract with Ceridian

Canada (Alberta) - Want to know what the year 2006 brings in terms of compensation?

Answer: Radical Salary Increases Within Unexpected Job Types!

McNeil Group Inc., a Calgary Human Resource consulting company, conducts compensation studies each year. The 2006 Oil & Gas - Service Industry report provided startling changes to several unexpected job classes. The most incredible change in the 2006 market is that we are finding it more difficult to recruit and retain junior administrative personnel; it is easier to find a Vice President than it is to find a
qualified receptionist.

Want to know what the year 2006 brings in terms of compensation?

Canada - CIOs Place Increased Weight on Business Acumen When Evaluating Job Candidates

Those seeking employment in the technology sector should hone their business skills, a new survey suggests.

CIOs Place Increased Weight on Business Acumen When Evaluating Job Candidates

USA - On-demand Interview Coaching

Job Hunter Pro claims to take job interview coaching to a new level. Using its virtual candidate coaching system, independent recruiters and search firms can see dramatic improvements in their placement success rates. A new return-on-investment calculator shows how.

On-Demand Job Interview Coaching Boosts Placement Success

USA - All work, no perks for Hispanic forest labor in the US

Forest management is hard work in the United States, but it is even tougher if you are Hispanic. According to Cassandra Moseley, director of the ecosystem workforce program at the Institute for Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, Hispanics form a disproportionately large part of the forest restoration and maintenance workforce, particularly the labor-intensive workforce. They are also more likely than whites to work seasonally, with less job security, away from home, and with no health insurance. Her findings1 are published in the latest issue of Policy Sciences, a Springer publication.

All work, no perks for Hispanic forest labor in the US

Dubai, UAE - Third Annual Middle East HR Summit to be Held in Dubai in September

IIR Middle East has announced that the third annual Middle East HR Summit will be held from 17 to 20 September, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dubai. The most comprehensive and dedicated event of its kind in the region, The Middle East HR Summit will provide a much-needed platform for HR professionals to challenge, debate and discuss the issues and developments affecting international and regional HR practice, especially in the wake of major initiatives being undertaken in the UAE.

Third Annual Middle East HR Summit to be Held in Dubai in September

UK - Aesthetic Labour: Looking Good, Sounding Right

'Aesthetic labour' is a concept based on the notion that employers in parts of the service industries described as the 'style labour market', such as boutique hotels, designer retailers and style cafes, bars and restaurants, require 'aesthetic skills' in addition to social and technical skills from their workers.

Aesthetic Labour: Looking Good, Sounding Right

USA - Arbita Achieves Oracle Integration Validation with Oracle’s PeopleSoft

Arbita, a leading provider of global employment management solutions, has announced it has received integration validation of the interface between its OnePost job management
platform and Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 8.9 Human Capital Management (HCM) Applications, via the Oracle(R) PartnerNetwork Application Integration Initiative.

Arbita Achieves Oracle Integration Validation with Oracle’s PeopleSoft Enterprise 8.9 Applications

USA/Canada - Empagio Launches Payroll Tax Filing Service

HALO Technology Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: HALO) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Empagio, today announced the creation of the unit's payroll tax compliance division for mid- to large-size companies. Leading this operation will be Gary Stanaford, former Vice President at ProBusiness. Mr. Stanaford brings to Empagio a wealth of leadership in the payroll tax compliance market and a reputation for sales and service excellence. His experience and reputation, combined with the customer-focused culture that he brings from ProBusiness, will offer Empagio's customers the confidence that they are not only receiving an unparalleled payroll tax compliance solution but also the highest quality customer experience.

Empagio Launches Payroll Tax Filing Service

USA - TriNet Expands Executive Team with Addition of Jack Midgley

TriNet, a nationwide provider of human resource (HR) outsourcing services for small and mid-sized companies, today announced that Jack Midgley, Ph.D. has joined the company as vice president of Human Capital Management (HCM) services. In his new role, Dr. Midgley will build and grow TriNet's consulting services, focusing on issues faced by chief executives and their leadership teams as they build high-performing organizations.

TriNet Expands Executive Team with Addition of Jack Midgley

A World Of Work

A report from the International Labour Organization ILO) says today's labour market is characterized by a widening gap between unprecedented opportunity for some and growing uncertainty for many.

A World Of Work

Canada - CNC Global selected to lead Recruitment Process Outsourcing Initiative for the City of Edmonton

CNC Global Limited, Canada's leading provider of IT staffing and Recruitment Process Outsourcing solutions, is pleased to announce that it has been selected by the City of Edmonton (the City) to provide a wide range of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services to help fulfill its ongoing IT staff augmentation requirements.

CNC Global selected to lead Recruitment Process Outsourcing Initiative for the City of Edmonton

USA - HR and Business Intelligence

More than ever before, HR professionals are being asked to show how their company’s workforce policies affect its overall business plan. As a rule, this information is not readily available.

For example, you granted merit raises to your employees this year. Can you measure your ROI on that expenditure? Did it resolve the turnover issue at your underperforming facility? Did it help retain the people and skills required to meet your company’s five-year growth plan?

In order to provide strategically sound answers, the HR staff needs the critical information provided by the right technology processes and analytical tools. They must be able to access and analyze data from all HR functional areas and employ appropriate methodologies to interpret the data, draw meaningful conclusions and make fact-based decisions.

More at:
Business Intelligence -- Transforming HR Data into Business Acumen

USA - Employee Records & Identity Theft

One of the leading causes of identity theft, says a recent TransUnion report, is confidential employer record theft. This avenue surpasses that of mail, credit card and wallet theft. The Federal Trade Commission cites an astounding 90 percent of all business record thefts from employment and payroll data. These compromised records include legal names, birth dates, social security numbers, addresses and telephone numbers, banking and account numbers.

National PEO Recommends Stronger Employee Data Policies

UK - Job Satisfaction

Results from a new survey of over 1000 workers for The Work Foundation reveals strikingly positive attitudes towards work but also confirms that work remains simply a way of making a living for many people.

Job satisfaction in the UK

Canada (Ontario) - Protecting Young Workers

Teens and Youth Who Go Straight Into the Workforce Are Most Likely To Be Injured

The McGuinty government is turning to young people and experts for help in reducing injuries and deaths on the job among youth who go directly into the workforce from school, Labour Minister Steve Peters announced today.

McGuinty Government Takes Action To Reduce Young Worker Injuries

Canada (Ontario) - Hazardous Substances

The Ontario government is strengthening protection for workers by proposing new or updated occupational exposure limits for 27 hazardous substances, Labour Minister Steve Peters announced today.


Ontario To Better Protect Workers Against Hazardous Substances

Canada - Cytiva Announces New SonicRecruit Enterprise Recruiting Solution

Cytiva Software Inc. (CRX: TSX:V), a leading provider of mid-market talent acquisition solutions, today announced the availability of SonicRecruit Enterprise, a multi-division, multi-site talent acquisition system.

Cytiva Announces New SonicRecruit Enterprise Recruiting Solution

USA - EAP Promotions

ACI, one of the nation’s Top Ten Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) by Business Insurance Magazine, today announced the appointment of Mike La Voy to the new position of Vice President of Operations and Tandice Tinney to Sales Manager.

Leading EAP Provider Announces Two Executive Promotions

USA - First Advantage Sponsors HCI

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a global professional association and educator in talent management strategies, and First Advantage Corporation, which offers a single-source solution for managing domestic and international hiring needs, announced today that First Advantage will sponsor HCI's Effective Hiring learning and research track. The track is one of several topics addressed in HCI's Talent Acquisition community of interest, a community HCI considers critical to organizations working to leverage human capital.

First Advantage to Sponsor Human Capital Institute's Effective Hiring Initiatives

USA - MySpace Is Public Space When It Comes To Job Search

In a recent survey, CollegeGrad.com found that 47% of college grad job seekers who use social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have either already changed or plan to change the content of their pages as a result of their job search.

MySpace Is Public Space When It Comes To Job Search

UK - Recruitment Industry Welcomes CRB Progress

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the representative body for UK recruiters who have to process thousands of CRB checks every year, commends the CRB for progress made as revealed in its Annual Report published this week.

Recruitment Industry Welcomes CRB Progress

USA - InteliStaf Healthcare and ShiftWise Form Licensing and Co-Marketing Relationship

Web-based Supplemental Staffing Management System Reduces Administrative Costs

InteliStaf Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the U.S., and ShiftWise, the nation's leading provider of online healthcare staffing management services, have formed a new licensing and co-marketing relationship. As a ShiftWise Affiliate Vendor, InteliStaf Healthcare will now have the ability to implement the ShiftWise Web-based staffing management service as part of an overall vendor management solution for its premier customers.

InteliStaf Healthcare and ShiftWise Form Licensing and Co-Marketing Relationship

USA - Unicru Launches Frontline Long-Term Care Assessment

Evaluation Helps Facility Managers Screen in Quality Staff While Screening out Potentially Bad Hires

Unicru(R) Inc. introduced today an addition to the Unicru Solution for Healthcare: the Frontline Long-Term Care Assessment. The tool is designed to predict the performance factors critical for success in care-giving and facility support positions.

Unicru Launches Frontline Long-Term Care Assessment

USA - Unused Vacation

Americans currently neglect an average of 4 vacation days per year (compared with 1.8 in 2002) and wish they could take more of their available paid vacation days.


Overworked Americans Can't Use Up Their Vacation

Canada - Canadian Students Rank their Top IDEAL Employers(TM) in Universum's first Survey in Canada

Ernst&Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte in the top 4. Followed by Microsoft, L'Oreal Google, Air Canada and BMW.

These are some of the key findings of the Undergraduate IDEAL Employer(TM) Survey Canada Edition conducted by Universum, global employer branding leader, where 3,465 students from 27 undergraduate institutions in Canada ranked their IDEAL Employers(TM) and answered questions about salary, career goals, IDEAL Employer(TM)characteristics, decision drivers, preferred cities and websites.

Canadian Students Rank their Top IDEAL Employers(TM) in Universum's first Survey in Canada

USA - Recruitment Survey

A new survey finds that recruiting costs have risen and efficiency has decreased despite a growth in organizations applying New Quality measurement from 2% of participating organizations to 40%. Moreover, it appears that applicants are increasingly unhappy with the recruitment and retention practices they encounter.

Applicants Unhappy With Recruiting Practices

UK - Agency nurse wins employment rights case

Nottingham agency nurse, Sheila Ncube represented by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has won a landmark employment rights case, which has far-reaching implications for anybody who is temporary worker for an agency.

Agency nurse wins employment rights case

UK - Hot Workers' Dress Code

The TUC is today (Tuesday) launching its 'cool work' campaign as it urges employers in the UK to follow the lead of Japanese businesses and relax dress codes as the temperature rises.

Last year, in an attempt to reduce energy use, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took off his tie and urged his country's workforce to leave their jackets and ties at home so that their employers could turn down the air conditioning or do away with it all together during their hot, humid summer.

The TUC believes that the best way for staff to keep cool inside when it's hot outside is for employees to be able to sport more casual attire in the office, perhaps coming in jacket and tie-less, or wearing shorts.

Hot workers urged to adopt cool Japanese summer dress code

Australia - Employment Situation

Unemployment stays at 4.9%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also rose by 52,000 to 10,194,200 in June.

UK - Employment Situation

Unemployment rate rises again to 5.4% with increasing signs of employment slowdown.

Employment Statistics

South Africa/USA - Edcon deploys Human Capital Management platform

Softscape, the industry pioneer in people management technology, today announced that Edgars Consolidated Stores Ltd (Edcon), the leading clothing, footwear and textiles retailing group in South Africa, has deployed Softscape's Human Capital Management (HCM) platform, Softscape Apex(TM), to enable its strategic people management initiatives. Edcon can now more effectively manage their hiring activities, processing thousands of candidates each year.


Edcon, South Africa's Largest Credit Retailer, Improves HR Operations with Softscape's Human Capital Management Platform

UK/USA - Hewitt Outsources HR for Centrica

Under a seven-and-a-half-year contract (including a six-month transition period), Hewitt will provide a full range of HR BPO services, including workforce administration, payroll, customer service, reward management, performance management and succession planning to 30,000 Centrica employees in the UK.

Hewitt Associates to Provide HR BPO Services to UK's Centrica

USA - Employment Situation

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nonfarm payroll employment rose by 121,000 in June, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.6%.

US unemployment stays at 4.6%

Australia - Individual Contracts

There is more evidence today of employees copping substantial pay cuts and losing basic conditions like award sick leave entitlements under the Howard Government's new AWA individual contracts, according to ACTU.

More Evidence Of Pay Cuts And Lost Conditions For Workers on AWAs

China - Employee Pension Program

Lenovo Group announced the establishment of a supplemental retirement plan for its employees in China. Lenovo is the first Chinese company to register its corporate pension program with China's Ministry of Labor & Social Security and one of the first in China's IT industry to establish a corporate pension program for its employees.

Lenovo Establishes Supplemental Retirement Plan for China Employees

Australia - Australians More Ambitious Than Most

Results from a Robert Half Finance & Accounting International Workplace Survey show that thirty-eight per cent of Australian finance managers aspire to lead their company.


Australians More Ambitious Than Most

USA - Blended Learning, Zoologic Custom Courseware

Zoologic worked with NYLIM to create a custom curriculum of online courses to provide core training on investment types and fundamental investment principles. Upon completion of the curriculum, the goal was to blend Zoologic online courses seamlessly with a series of classroom training days, which was part of an overall in-house Investment Literacy Program designed by NYLIM.

New York Life Investment Management Increases Employee Skills Using Zoologic Courseware

Mergers and Acquisitions 2006

According to global M&A tracker FactSet Mergerstat, M&A spending worldwide reached over US$1.3 trillion through June 28 as a surge in mega-deals pushed the market ahead of last year's total of US$839.7 billion for the same period.

FactSet Mergerstat Release: Global M&A Wrap Up for the First Half of 2006

USA - Wellness

ValueOptions announced today the launch of an integrated cardiovascular/behavioral health initiative for its corporate customers. Titled "Heart and Mind Connections," the new training guide provides information, support and tools for applying a behavioral approach to preventing and managing heart disease, the number one killer of Americans and a leading cause of disability.

ValueOptions Links a Healthy Heart to Sound Mental Health

UK - Route to the top favours male, 50-something accountants

Finance is still the best route to the top, at least for internally-promoted FTSE CEOs, but international experience is increasingly important.

Route To The Top Favours Male, 50-something, Oxbridge-educated Accountants

Canada -Employee Engagement Check

Companies today don’t want just any energy from their employees - they want intelligent energy marked by focus, flow, passion and purpose. Think about your own personal energy level. Now put it together with the energy levels of those you work with and it begins to produce organizational energy.

Juice Check Engagement Tool Helps Avoid Employee Energy Crisis at Work

UK (Wales) - Discrimination at Work

Stonewall Cymru and the Wales TUC are launching an updated version of 'Discrimination at work - it's so over', an employee guide to the 2003 employment regulations relating to sexual orientation in the workplace.

Stonewall Cymru and the Wales TUC work together to protect lesbian, gay and bisexual employees

Governments Should Be More Dynamic

New reports from the OECD say that if countries want to improve living standards and keep welfare systems functioning they urgently need to get more people into paid employment.

Governments Should Be More Dynamic

USA - Negativity and Blogging

One of the easiest ways for disgruntled employees to turn negativity into a dangerous weapon is to create a weblog or 'blog'.

Managing Workplace Negativity - Negativity and Blogging

Australia - WA & NSW Pay Awards

Award wage workers in NSW and WA have today won a $20 a week pay rise from their State Industrial Relations Commissions despite the Federal Government arguing that no increase at all should be awarded to low-paid workers in NSW and WA. (ACTU)

$20 Pay Increase for NSW & WA Workers Sets Benchmark for 'Low Pay'Commission

New Zealand - Holiday Entitlement

Minimum annual leave entitlements will rise to four weeks in 2007. What is the likelihood of an increase to five weeks for people already entitled to four weeks?

Five Weeks Holidays Still A Dream

HR And Training Not Delivering Skilled Workforces

Recent international research conducted for Accenture shows that most senior executives surveyed consider that their workforces lack the skills needed by their companies to achieve market leadership, and even critical functions are not performing as well as they should. Moreover, only 11% of respondents said they were very satisfied with the performance of their human resource (HR) function with marginally fewer (10%) rating their training function very highly.


HR And Training Not Delivering Skilled Workforces

Mergers And Acquisitions Failing To Achieve Value

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) continue apace but many deals fail to create expected value, according to a recent survey by Accenture and the Economist Intelligence Unit. More ...

Mergers And Acquisitions Failing To Achieve Value

New Zealand - Temporary Pacific Island Workers

The Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF) has welcomed comments by Phil Goff, NZ Trade and Defence Minister, that New Zealand is now committed to looking at potential temporary labour schemes for Pacific Islanders.

Pacific Island Temporary Labour Schemes

UK - HR and IT

Results from a study by talent management solutions company Taleo, show a significant disconnect between HR's strategic functions, including talent acquisition and workforce planning, and IT ability to support these business initiatives.

HR Poorly Supported By IT Systems

UK - Outsourcing Threatens Lives

Thousands of lives are being threatened because of the 'dangerous practice' of sending medical notes overseas for typing, according to speakers at the UNISON annual conference.

Outsourcing Medical Records Threatens Lives

UK - Offshoring

A fifth of employees in the UK worry about their jobs because of the risk of 'offshoring' to low-cost countries such as India or China, according to new research from consultants Watson Wyatt.

Offshoring Worries But Does Not Demotivate Employees

Canada - New Brunswick Call Centres

New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord announced this week that Illinois-based Virtual-Agent Services (VAS) has established a customer-contact centre in the Town of Nackawic, its 15th centre in the province. It is expected that the new centre will create up to 50 jobs within its first year of operation.

Boost For New Brunswick Contact-Centre Industry

New Zealand - UK Poaching Social Workers

Commenting on reports that British organizations are offering up to NZ$110,000 to attract social workers from New Zealand, National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins says she fears many frontline social workers will be tempted by the offers of big pay cheques in the UK and also Australia when the profession here is facing a staffing crisis.

UK Poaching Kiwi Social Workers

USA - Overachieving Execs

Business executives are showing a dramatic boost in their achievement drives, according to a new study by Hay Group's McClelland Center for Research and Innovation. In fact, they are overachieving to the point of harming not only their own careers, but also the organizations they lead.

Overachieving Execs

Canada - Labour Shortage

A survey by Hewitt Associates, a global HR services company, has found that big and small organizations in all industries throughout Canada are finding it challenging to attract and retain workers.

Employers Struggling To Find And Keep Employees

UK - World Cup 'Sickies'

Amicus has attracted the wrath of business owners following widely-cited reports in the media that it has encouraged World Cup 'sickies'. Meanwhile employees are spending more time on World Cup websites.

World Cup 'Sickies'

USA - Performance Management

Information Builders, the enterprise business intelligence (BI) standard of choice for organizations around the world, announced that the company has been named a leader in the Ventana Research 2006 Performance Management Vendor and Product Scorecard report. Ventana Research, the leading performance management research and advisory services firm, evaluated more than 20 vendors over a three-month period to offer enterprises the tools necessary to evaluate when selecting a partner for enabling performance management. Information Builders was cited for empowering executives with the understanding required to make strategic business decisions based on their organization's business performance.

Ventana Research Names Information Builders a Leader in Enabling Performance Management

USA - 'Fatherpreneurs'

Entrepreneurs with families are not the absent fathers they're often thought to be, according to Business.com's recent survey conducted in time for Father's Day, June 18. The survey is a snapshot of today's business owners with children that Business.com is calling "fatherpreneurs."

A Happy Father's Day Surprise: Business.com Survey Reveals New Generation of 'Fatherpreneurs' Who Seek to Balance Family and Work

USA - MBA Careers

Many young MBAs who go into investment banking might just owe their career to happenstance as much as their die-hard allegiance to Wall Street, according to research released in Stanford Knowledgebase.

Stanford Business School Research: Are Wall Street Careers Just the Luck of the Draw?

UK - Employment Situation

Unemployment rate rises again to 5.3% but the number of people in work is the highest figure on record.

Employment Statistics

UK - Performance Management Systems

Most organizations have lost sight of the fact that performance management systems should aim to enhance performance by motivating staff.


Performance Management Systems Fail To Motivate

UK - Sexual Harassment

New guidelines released by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) are designed to help employers combat the ongoing problem of sexual harassment in the workplace. On the eve of the twentieth anniversary of Jean Porcelli's landmark case that established sexual harassment as a form of harassment under the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) it remains all too common, says the EOC.

Sexual harassment is no joke

USA - Pilot Age Restrictions

Thousands of pilot jobs in this country will soon be outsourced to foreign airlines with the apparent consent of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the nation’s largest pilot union. Industry observers say that these job transfers will occur due to the union’s support for an FAA regulation that prohibits American pilots from flying for American companies past the age of 60 (the "Age 60 rule"). In contrast to ALPA’s stated position, a significant number of ALPA’s own members along with pilots at Southwest, JetBlue, Air Tran, and the British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA) are actively lobbying to change the age limit. In March, the International Civil Aviation Organization voted to establish age 65 as the new international standard.

America’s Most Experienced Pilots...The Next Wave of Outsourcing

Global - Learning Management

HRsmart, Inc, a leading global talent management solution provider, announces its launch of the latest in learning management technology.

HRsmart Launches Latest Version Of Its Learning Management Solution

USA - Staffing Software Partnership

TempWorks Software, an innovative developer of leading software solutions designed for the staffing industry, today announced its recently formed partnership with Metro Software Consultants, Inc., the developer of the staffing software solution, TempPak. The arrangement enables Metro Software to offer the TempWorks fully integrated software solution and its additional web service applications to its customers as an alternative solution or upgrade to current TempPak offerings.

TempWorks Software and Metro Software Consultants, Inc. Form Strategic Partnership

Australia - Employment Situation

Unemployment falls to 4.9%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also rose by 56,000 to 10,142,200 in May.

Global - Union Rights Report

115 trade unionists were murdered for defending workers' rights in 2005, while more than 1,600 were subjected to violent assaults and some 9,000 arrested, according to the ICFTU's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights violations, published today.

Brutal Suppression of Workers' Rights Detailed in Worldwide Report

Australia - Wage Freeze

"Today marks twelve months since workers on federal awards last won a pay increase ($17 a week) and under the Howard Government's new IR laws they will now have to wait indefinitely for their next wage rise," ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said today.

A Federal Government 'wage freeze' for more than 1.6 million low paid workers starts today, 7 June 2006, says the ACTU.

UK - Strike Activity

Today's figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing a sharp rise in the proportion of total working days lost to labour disputes in the public sector during this decade indicates that there is more to good employment relations than improvements in job prospects and pay conditions alone, comments Dr John Philpott, Chief Economist at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Increase in strike activity highlights public sector paradox, as unrest coincides with jobs and pay boom

UK - Working Time Opt-out

The UK Government is right to stand firm over the UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Stand firm on Working Time Directive opt-out, CIPD urges government

Australia/NZ - TMS Asia-Pacific acquires Travel Personnel Limited New Zealand

Australia-based International travel and hospitality management specialist TMS Asia-Pacific (TMS) has acquired Auckland-based Travel Personnel Limited New Zealand.

TMS Asia-Pacific acquires Travel Personnel Limited New Zealand

USA - Rebuiding HR's Image

Some HR departments are lucky enough to have a good reputation within the organization. However, there are the unfortunate circumstances where the previous HR Leader or the entire HR department has a bad reputation within the organization. What is an HR Leader supposed to do to rebuild the department's image?

Rebuilding The HR Department Image

USA - Call Center Training Program

Signature Worldwide, a leading provider of training outsourcing and business-building solutions to the hospitality industry, was contracted by The Grand America Hotel to develop a call center training program for The Grand America and Little America Hotels, two of the group’s AAA award-winning properties.

Lessons from Signature Worldwide Employee Training Program Translate to Additional Customers

Australia - Industrial Relations

Australian workers will continue to be exposed to Cowra-style dismissals (where workers are sacked and moved onto lower wages or replaced with cheaper contract, casual or foreign 'guest' workers) unless the Federal Government repeals the controversial 'Cowra clauses' from its new industrial relations laws the ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said today.

ACTU Calls on IR Minister to Protect Workers and Repeal 'Cowra Clauses'

Australia - Quarter Work Some Time At Home

24% (2.2 million) of employees worked some of their main job hours at home in November 2005, according to a report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Quarter Of Employees Work Some Time At Home

UK - Pensions Reactions

Ministers can be proud of a document that looks like it can be the foundation of a new pensions settlement, say TUC.

Welcome for progressive pensions White Paper

Today's pensions White Paper represents a sensible compromise that should help to address the timebomb created by a pension system that was not keeping pace with changing demographics, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)

Sensible compromise will tackle pensions timebomb

USA - Alumni Network

Experience, Inc. today announced the national rollout of its alumni recruiting service, directly connecting corporate recruiters with more than 400,000 graduates of the world's top colleges and universities. The first company to offer the breadth of a nationwide alumni network, Experience links recruiters with a college-educated pool of active and passive candidates. Unlike active job seekers, passive candidates would consider a career move if the right opportunity came along, but aren't likely to post their resumes to online job boards. Until now, this made recruiting passive candidates a challenge.

Recruiters Reach the Best Passive Candidates through Nationwide Alumni Network

UK - Sexual Harassment

A new action plan to prevent and deal with sexual harassment in the Armed Forces was today agreed by the Ministry of Defence and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) following research to clarify its extent. Extensive research carried out by independent consultants into the nature and extent of sexual harassment in the Armed Forces, including a survey of all Service women and a series of focus groups, was completed by the MOD as part of the first phase of its Agreement with the EOC.

MOD And EOC Sign New Action Plan To Address Sexual Harassment In The Armed Forces

UK - Pensions Settlement

"A bold new pensions settlement designed to enable people to plan ahead and save more for their retirement was set out today in the Government's White Paper on pensions reform."

Full DWP press release:
Historic Settlement For Pensions Challenge

New Zealand - New Research Centre

Gainful employment is central to most people's lives. A new AUT University-based research centre will investigate exactly what our working culture means for New Zealand.

New national research centre to study work

UK - Time Wasting at Work

Bad habits at work lengthen the working day - and men waste the most time at work.

Employees waste two hours a day on IT misuse

New Zealand - Kiwisaver

Suggestions that the long-awaited KiwiSaver workplace superannuation scheme should be delayed because it could lead to industrial problems are nonsense, says the country's largest union.

Workers won't tolerate delaying KiwiSaver

New Zealand - Minimum Wage

Maori would be most adversely affected by a rise in the minimum wage, says an AUT senior economics lecturer.

Rise In Minimum Wage Could Hurt Maori

UK - World Cup Matches and Discrimination

Employers who let employees watch the World Cup during work time could be laying themselves open to discrimination claims, according to some specialist lawyers.

World Cup Matches, Employees and Discrimination

Women's Careers Determined By Culture Not Biology

The diversity of today's workforce is a challenge to information-technology organizations with "one-size-fits-all" policies, especially when it comes to women employees, according to recent research.

Women's Careers Determined By Culture Not Biology

Canada - Health and Safety Fine

Lear Corporation Canada Ltd., a Kitchener, Ont.-based supplier of automotive interior systems, was fined $125,000 today for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious injuries to an employee at the company's plant in Windsor.

Lear Corporation Canada Ltd. fined $125,000 for health and safety violation

UK -Landmark Ruling Against HSE

The Court of Appeal has made a landmark ruling against the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which attempted to argue that employers should still be required to take reasonable steps against unforeseeable risks and that negligent actions by employees are irrelevant to an employer's guilt.

Appeal Court Rules Against Health and Safety Executive

New Zealand - Job Growth

Job growth in the year to March 2005 was fastest in Waikato (up 4.4 percent) and Bay of Plenty (up 4.3 percent), Statistics New Zealand said today.

Job Growth Fastest in Waikato and Bay of Plenty

New Zealand - Business Regulations

"The Labour-led government is committed to a regulatory environment that promotes economic growth, business confidence, globally competitive firms and social well-being."


Charting a dynamic course for quality regulation

The Government's review of business regulation is doomed from the start thanks to the refusal to do anything about the Holidays Act, says National's Associate Labour & Industrial Relations spokeswoman, Paula Bennett.

Business regulation review doomed from start

"The Council of Trade Unions is not opposed to improving the quality of our regulatory environment, but New Zealand is already judged the easiest country in the world to do business, with a comparably light regulatory framework," CTU president Ross Wilson said.

Regulations Review Risks Diversion from Real Challenge

The urgency of the review of business regulations proposed by Commerce Minister Lianne Dalziel is a welcome sign that Government recognizes that compliance costs are holding back business and the economy, said Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett.

Easing Business Compliance Burden Will Help Economy

UK - Public Service Employee Involvement

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Hilary Armstrong and TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber shared their vision for better public services as they launched Drive for Change, a web-based toolkit aimed at getting employees more involved in improving the public services they deliver.

Employee involvement key to public services reform

Canada - Occupational Lung Problems

Exposure to lung irritants early in a young employee's career may result in increased lung problems in later years.

Early Exposure To Lung Irritants May Cause Later Problems

Childhood Cancer Survivors Face Higher Unemployment Risk

A new review shows that adults with a history of childhood cancer are more likely to be unemployed than the general population.

Childhood Cancer Survivors Face Higher Unemployment Risk

Canada (Ontario) - Workers In Confined Spaces

The McGuinty government has updated and strengthened protection for workers in potentially dangerous confined spaces, Minister of Labour Steve Peters announced today.

(Ontario) Government Enhancing Protection For Workers In Confined Spaces

UK - Safety Inspections

Safety inspections in the UK have plummeted to a new low, increasing the chances of workers being killed, made ill or injured by their jobs, according to new figures published today (Friday) by the TUC.

UK workplace safety inspections now at a new low

USA - Human Capital Institute and SkillSurvey Announce Agreement

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a global professional association and educator in talent management strategies, and SkillSurvey, a leading provider of online reference checks, announced today that SkillSurvey will support HCI initiatives as a global underwriter, helping bring the latest human capital education, metrics, and tools to leading corporations.

Human Capital Institute and SkillSurvey Announce Agreement

UK - Employment Situation

Unemployment rate rises again to 5.2% but the number of people in work is the highest figure on record.

Employment Statistics

Australia - Employment Statistics

Unemployment increases to 5.1%

Seasonally adjusted, the number of people in employment also fell by 3,200 to 10,078,900 in April.

USA - Employment Situation

Unemployment remains at 4.7%

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 138,000 in April, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.7%.

Effective Cover Letter Techniques

Applying for a new job, or a new career, can be a major task if you are not prepared with knowledge about yourself and techniques for revealing the best information about yourself when you are applying through the mail for a new position. Sending your resume off through the mail can often seem like you are blindly putting yourself "out there" for everyone to look at and review. But if you use the information in this article, you can create a cover letter to accompany your resume, one that will get you in the door for an interview. Taking that step from mailing your resume to actually getting an interview is one that many people find difficult, but it does not have to be.

Effective Cover Letter Techniques

UK - Work Wise Week

Just as Britain led the way with industrialisation in the 19th century, we are looking to lead the world in changing the work culture in the 21st. An initiative which aims to make the UK the most progressive economy in the world was today (3 May) launched at the QEII Conference Centre in London.

Work Wise UK Launched: DTI, CBI And TUC Support Campaign

Australia - Slashing Pay

Major employers Spotless Services Australia and the Coles-Myer company have moved to take advantage of the Howard Government's new industrial relations laws by slashing workers' take-home pay by up to $160 a week, according to the ACTU.

New Move By Major Employers To Slash Take-Home Pay Of Workers

Australia - Industrial Relations Laws

The ACTU is asking the Howard Government to repeal sections of the new industrial relations laws banning workplace agreements from giving employees leave to attend health and safety training or meetings provided by unions.


New IR Laws Will Hurt Workplace Health And Safety, say ACTU

USA - Background Screening

HireRight Inc. hasannounced the Extended Workforce Screening Solution, the industry's first robust software solution for managing the background screening of vendor and partner employees, temporary employees and independent contractors who have access to a company's facilities, data, personnel and information systems. Most large enterprises today screen full-time employees, but these other categories of the workforce generally do not undergo the same security procedures, representing a major security gap.

HireRight Introduces Industry's First Extended Workforce Screening Solution

USA - Social Style

A new research study shows the workplace benefits of interpersonal skills training as seen by actual training participants. This study of 500 recent training participants looks at the impact of Social Style on common workplace problems such as communication breakdowns, low morale, conflict and negative performance. Social Style is TRACOM’s model for effective interpersonal behavior.

New Research Study: Participants See Benefits of Interpersonal Skills Training

Canada - Smoke-Free Ontario

Today marks the start of the one-month countdown to May 31, the day the Smoke-Free Ontario Act becomes law.

Countdown to a Smoke-Free Ontario

Canada - Hoarding Knowledge

Has a colleague ever ignored you when you asked for information? Did you have the feeling that they were deliberately avoiding you or were only pretending to be ignorant? Recent research suggests that you may have been right.

Hoarding Knowledge

USA - Interactive Media

NAS Recruitment Communications has been awarded five top honors by The Horizon Interactive Awards, a prestigious international competition that rewards the most talented developers of interactive media and recognizes outstanding achievement among interactive media producers.


NAS Recruitment Communications Walks Away With Multiple Horizon Interactive Awards

UK - TUC May Day Speech

May Day is the day when the labour movement across the world celebrates the core values that we stand for and the dignity and justice at work to which all workers should be entitled.

Brendan Barber speaks at May Day march and rally

Canada (Ontario) - Workplace Safety

The McGuinty government's workplace health and safety strategy is producing dramatic results by preventing the human cost of workplace injuries and avoiding costs for businesses, Labour Minister Steve Peters announced today.

McGuinty Government On The Side Of Working Families And Businesses