What's Happening in HR

Compensation Today's News Round-up

By Tripp Ritter, PayScale.com

Welcome to our news round for late May. As you catch up after the long weekend, we wanted to give you the HR and business news you may have missed.

Maternity Leave Poll Results Are Here!

The results of Compensation Today's first poll are in. A few weeks ago, in "Poll: What is Your Company's Maternity Leave Policy," we asked readers to tell about their company's maternity leave policies. A little over 250 of you let us know. The results can be found below. Most provide the statutory requirement of 12 weeks of unpaid leave, but a fifth are now providing paid leave.

A Way Around the Pay Gap?

Should You Tell Your Applicants About Your Pay Ranges?

By Tripp Ritter, PayScale.com

Being interviewed for a documentary on the gender pay gap inspired one woman to construct legislation designed to eliminate it. Blogger Katie Donovan has proposed the Salary Disclosure to Promote Equality Act with the aim of leveling the playing field for employers and employees in the salary negotiation  process. What does that legislation say and how could it affect employers?

Bigger and Better Raises in 2012

2012 Trends in Compensation and the PayScale Compensation Best Practices Report

By Tim Low, PayScale.com

Today we released the PayScale 2012 Compensation Best Practices Report. The report is a result of our end of year study on the compensation practices of small, medium and large companies. We also asked some questions about the changing world of work, the use of social media at work and for work, as well as some additional questions on technology use in HR.

HR Funnies: Compensation Consultant Shares Insights

Need a Laugh? Check Out Our Comp Consultant's Job Review

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

What is it really like to work in compensation consulting? Our very own PayScale compensation consultant, Melissa Quade, decided to share her thoughts about her job through photos.

NYC Salaries at Fashion Week

Gisele Tops Earnings at Fashion Week NYC

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

As if Gisele's recent comments on the New England Patriot's football skills didn't draw her enough media attention, now one of the biggest weeks in her industry has arrived, Fashion Week New York. We may soon enjoy more of her colorful comments and glossy photos in the news when this glitzy gathering begins tomorrow. PayScale decided to look beyond the glamour with our worker-centric infographic, "Salaries on the Scene at Fashion Week."

Career Showdown: New York Fans vs. New England Fans

Career Advantage: New York Battles New England

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

How about an Human Resources showdown on Feb. 5, instead of the gridiron battle? What would happen if you pitted New York versus New England based upon career-enhancing factors like shorter commute time, higher pay and lower work stress? You'd get PayScale's "Fan Face-Off XLVI: Which Team's Fans Have the Career Advantage?"

Canadian Cities Battle for Winning Wages

From Vancouver to Montreal: PayScale Covers Canadian Cities’ Wage Trends

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

The next time a Vancouver Canuck fan jabs a Montreal Hab supporter, the Hab can come back with, “Well, our pay is growing faster than yours!” Is it? Yes, according to PayScale.com. The PayScale Index now includes trends for six Canadian metros and if you look at the ranking, Montreal is ahead of Vancouver by 0.4 percent in the last 12 months. Can you guess which town is number one?

Simplified Compensation Software - PayScale’s 2012 Winter Release

Your Life Is Now Officially Easier

The product team here at PayScale just released its latest version of our compensation planning software, PayScale Insight. We want you to know about the improvements we've made because they were inspired by people like you, the hard working HR professionals and business owners out there who face the task of determining base salaries, raises, bonuses and countless other major compensation-related decisions every day.We hope you'll find that the newest Insight features make sense to you and provide the elusive "helping hand" you've been waiting for.

Wages Trend Up to Finish 2011 Ahead

Rising Wages Signal Shift in Q4 2011

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

PayScale released its results for The PayScale Index for Q4 of 2011 and you may be surprised to find out where workers' wages went in 2011. They are up across the board for the first time in a long time. While certain skills sets were in higher demand and some cities stayed in a slump, in general, earnings grew somewhat for the majority of workers by year-end 2011.

Best Stories of the Year

A Look Back: Top Stories of 2011

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

As we head into 2012, HR leaders and business owners can take heart in the more positive unemployment news and the (spoiler alert) optimistic, soon-to-be-released Q4 2011 results for The PayScale Index. The economy made forward progress in 2011. What was on our readers' minds and what were the favorite stories and topics here on Compensation Today? The following list highlights the hottest, not-to-be-missed posts of 2011.

Do Attractive People Get More Jobs and Money?

Good Looks Ensure More Jobs and Better Pay

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Nervous job interviewees may review their answers to common questions, shine their shoes and reapply their lipstick, but there are certain job interview success factors they cannot control, like their height and facial symmetry.

Record Black Friday Sales Signal a Shift

Hot Holiday Spending Begs Review of Comp Practices

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

You’ve likely heard the news that Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending topped all previous records - ever. “Where did they get that money to spend in a down economy?” you may wonder. “Is it still that far down?” would maybe be a better question. Considering the news, if you’re an employer, it may be time for you to review your current pay strategy and get up to date with the latest hustle and bustle.

Why We're Thankful for HR

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at PayScale, and especially the Compensation Today team. When asked why everyone should be thankful for HR, PayScale's Director of Professional Services and Education, Stacey Carroll, said,

"You are the heart and soul of your organization, you keep everyone in line and you always do it with a smile on your face."

HR Job Salaries Up in Q3 2011

HR Salaries Ahead of the Averages

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

PayScale released its Q3 2011 results for The PayScale Index and added some helpful new features, like easy-to-read charts, category rankings pages and job family trends. Which addition do we here at Compensation Today love the most? The one that is all about our readers, the new human resources job category page. We can now tell you how compensation for hard-working HR pros has changed since 2006 and get a sense for where it is going next. Hint: It’s trending up.

Latest News on Hiring Veterans

Obama Wants You to Help Vets Find Jobs

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Logistics manager, physician assistant, network administrator, cook, project manager, software developer, pilot, medical equipment repairer, accountant, interpreter, inventory specialist, facilities manager, maintenance person, medical technician, lab researcher, truck driver – these are just a handful of the many careers that military veterans are primed to excel in thanks to their training as service members. And, as an employer or HR manager, you not only get their skills, you may soon be financially incentivized to hire veterans.

Sneak Peek: Q3 2011 Compensation Trends

Coming Soon: Q3 2011 Results for The PayScale Index

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Compensation trends, you need to know them. Most revenue doesn't go to utility bills and advertising, it pays labor costs. Streamlining and updating your pay strategy to stay competitive in your market helps you survive. How well are you keeping up with the trends? PayScale is here to help. We release our Q3 2011 results for The PayScale Index in one week, on October 7.

HR Matters to Company Success

Time to Shine: HR Matters and This Is Why

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale

What is happening in the world of human resources and compensation? We continue our conversation with PayScale’s Chief New Business Officer Dave Smith about trends he sees among PayScale’s customers.

Canadian Pay Trends

Welcome, Canada, to The PayScale Index!

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Last week, PayScale released the most recent results for The PayScale Index, covering Q2 of 2011. And, for the first time ever, The PayScale Index included information about Canadian national pay trends. Guess what? Wages in Canada are growing overall, unlike the US where wages are flat, nationally. Canadian employers, you’d better be have a plan to benchmark positions against current data and work to retain your top performers. Your labor market is heating up.

SHRM Conference 2011 Las Vegas – Tweets

SHRM Conference 2011 – Tweets from Vegas

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Did you make it to the 2011 National SHRM Conference in Las Vegas and see Arianna Huffington and Michael J. Fox present? If not, no worries. We were there, and we sent our director of professional services and education, Stacey Carroll, CCP, SPHR, to tweet about what she heard from the keynote speakers.

Walmart Lawsuit Sends Employers a Warning

Watch Out for Trouble: Walmart’s Legal Battle Over Pay

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Walmart is in hot legal water. Though a nationwide sexual discrimination lawsuit was just settled in their favor by the Supreme Court, it looks like they have similar, though smaller, suits on the way – possibly a lot of them. What do we know about Walmart and what can we learn from this cautionary tale for employers?

Hiring News: Jobs for College Grads

Trends in Hiring College Students and Recent Graduates

Today’s talent pool of college students and recent grads is more resourceful, strategic, and determined than ever to find the best fit in launching their career. They are sophisticated in their job search, utilizing technology and information to target companies like yours. These findings are reported in AfterCollege.com’s annual student insight survey, 2011 Entry-Level Job Search Report: Insights on Recruiting the Next Generation of Talent.

Google’s HR Practices Explained

What Would Google Do?

I was able to attend the World@Work conference in San Diego recently. This event is always a wonderful opportunity to get away from the daily grind and spend some time on my professional development. I enjoyed great sessions, met some nice people and even managed to fit in some work at our booth in the exhibit hall. Like my experience at most conferences, there are usually one or two sessions that really stick with me, and this time it was a presentation by the compensation team at Google.

Beware Employer: References Online Tell All

Your Secrets Are Out: Employees Share Online

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

More and more, these days, employees are spilling the beans about their employers online. While Facebook isn’t the most intelligent place to comment on an employer, career websites, blogs, job listing sites and more are seeking the inside scoop from current and former employees of organizations. PayScale has covered one angle of this trend for many years, salary data. But, now we’re branching out and making more of an effort to reveal employees’ answers to the question, “What’s it like to work there?”

Hiring? Funny Quotes for Your Friday

Hiring New Talent? Funny Quotes for Your Friday

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

What can you say to attract the talent you need? Well, you can always use the classic combination of a job description and your list of needed skills and experience. Or, you could step outside the box and find a way to get to the point quicker.

Hotspots for Healthcare Industry Employers

Top Healthcare Industry Towns: Who’s Paying and Hiring Most

By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com

Healthcare industry has one of the hottest job markets. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a total of 3.2 million new jobs in this industry between 2008 and 2018. But, are healthcare employers seeking healthcare workers by the hundreds in every town? Likely not. Some locations have greater demand than others.

Microsoft Bounty Boosts for Top Talent

Tech Talent Wars: Boost to Microsoft Bounty for Top Workers

By Staff Writer

It’s time to play compensation hardball in the IT industry. Last year, Google announced a 10 percent raise for all of its employees. Amazon is aggressively seeking out and snapping up the best technical talent. And, now, Microsoft is bringing out it’s A-game and offering top pay to top talent.

Employer Trends for 2011

Outlook for Employers in 2011: PayScale's Compensation Practices Survey

By Staff Writer

As you look ahead to 2011, what do you expect for your company in terms of hiring and profit growth compared to last year? Are you feeling optimistic? If you are, you’re in the majority according to PayScale’s recent research. PayScale completed its annual survey of HR leaders and business owners and discovered that most of them are looking forward to success in 2011.

Trends for Wages: PayScale’s 2010 Results

The PayScale Index: Who Is Paying Their Employees More?

By Staff Writer

How did wages change in 2010 across most industries, metros and company sizes? PayScale recently released the results of The PayScale Index for Q4 of 2010 and the basic story is that, while 2010 wasn’t as terrible as 2009 for wages, it wasn’t great. Job wages and salaries are no better and no worse.

HR Work Resolutions for 2011

HR Resolutions for the New Year

It’s time to make resolutions for the New Year. I’m sure a lot of us will make personal resolutions about losing weight, spending more in nature or being more organized. But, it’s also a great time of year to think about how you will approach work differently in 2011.

The Role of HR in a Company, According to CEOs

What the CEO Wants from HR

I had the opportunity to speak to a group of 15 CEO’s last month. The topic was “Developing a High-Performance Culture” and our tag line was “It’s not all about money.” If you’ve worked in HR for any number of years, you’re probably familiar with the content I covered. I has to do with creating a culture where employees feel respected. HR has a big role to play in that.

Top 10 HR Thank Yous

10 Things For Which HR Professionals Are Thankful

By Staff Writer

November is the month when appreciation and thankfulness make the news. So, we decided to join in and ask our director of customer service and education, Stacey Carroll, what makes HR professionals feel most grateful on the job. Here is her list. See if you agree with it, or want to add more ideas with a comment below.

Halloween HR Blunders

More Spooky HR Tales

By Staff Writer

We promised to share any HR horror stories that we collected. Well, hang on tight and try not to scream. Here are some of the worst HR blunders, just in time for Halloween.

Tracking the Current Trends in Compensation

The PayScale Index: Watching Wages Go Up and Down

By Staff Writer

As an HR practitioner, you’ve been on a roller coaster in the past few years trying to keep up with failing markets, rampant unemployment and, now, signs that things may be improving. Whether you laid-off employees, eliminated bonuses or paid certain workers a premium to keep them around, wouldn’t it be nice to know what actually happened with wages during this time?

HR Horror Stories

Creepy, Terrible, Awful HR Nightmares

What’s your worst HR nightmare? Layoff lists getting shared too early? Compensation budget arguments turning ugly? Well, they have all happened and we’ve collected some frightful ones for you to read below.

HR’s Perspective on the Jet Blue Flight Attendant

A Look at Employee Behavior: The Case of the Jet Blue Flight Attendant

By now we’ve all heard about the tirade of Jet Blue flight attendant Steve Slater, although the ground swell of support and assignment of cult hero status seems to have shifted some since the story first broke. As an HR professional, it was disconcerting to see the acceptance and praise of his actions. While most people can relate to a time when they’ve been fed up at work, it’s irresponsible and potentially dangerous to reward and encourage the expression of that anger in destructive ways at the workplace.

SHRM San Diego Conference – Al Gore’s Keynote

Lessons from SHRM: Al Gore’s Sustainable Business Framework

I was excited to learn that Al Gore was going to be one of the keynotes for the national SHRM conference in San Diego. No matter what your political beliefs are, I do think it’s interesting to hear from those that work for a cause and display a lot of passion.

Lessons from SHRM San Diego 2010

Lessons from SHRM San Diego: Do You Know Your Employee Strengths and Weaknesses?

The annual SHRM national conference was held in San Diego, CA this year from June 27 through 30. The national SHRM conference is a great way to network with other HR professionals from all over the world, and also learn from industry leaders and experts. SHRM announced its new theme which is “HR knows next.” In a future post, I’ll share some of the ideas about how HR can live up to this brand. Today, I’d like to focus on the conference by starting at the end.

Honoring HR Leader Sharon Koss

Honoring the Memory of HR Leader Sharon Koss

By Staff Writer

Last week, the staff at PayScale learned of the passing of a friend and long-time contributor to its education efforts, Sharon Koss, SPHR, CCP. Sharon had helped build up PayScale’s offering of webcasts on topics around strategic compensation, and had just begun contributing to a regular, bi-monthly column here on Compensation Today titled “Strategic Compensation with Sharon Koss.”

HR Articles on Healthcare Reform

HR Articles and Online Resources for Healthcare Reform

By Staff Writer

How much do you know about the new health care legislation? As the owner or HR professional at your company, it’s important that you become a reliable resource. There is a lot to learn and few people understand all of the changes coming. Fortunately, while government workers in D.C and around the nation sort out how to implement the new health care legislation, experts and analysts are writing HR articles on what it includes and how the changes might impact your business.

Compensation Policy: Respond Now to the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

You Must Review Your Employee Compensation Policy: The Effects of Obama’s Signature on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

By Stacey Carroll

The equal pay bill President Obama recently signed into law directly affects the American workplace, especially your employee compensation policy. In an effort to combat racial and gender inequality in the workplace, President Obama changed the day-to-day reality for HR and compensation managers - possibly forever. In a nutshell: You better be ready to explain yourself.

About Compensation Today

Staying the Course with Compensation Today

Today’s volatile economy can make it hard for human resources and compensation managers to plan ahead. In fact, all the downsizing can feel like riding a roller coaster with a blindfold on – unexpected drops, turns, climbs and upside down loops leave you struggling to keep your balance.