Communicating human resource issues

The Baby Boom is de-booming and soon there will be many more jobs than people available to fill them. The message: Keep your workers happy today. - Harvard Management Update

Employee retention is a new core strategy for companies, according to Harvard Management Update, and a key to building strong employer-employee relationships is open and direct communication on human resource issues. IABC and Towers Perrin announce a new training series designed to help organizations create a positive work environment that promotes loyalty and retention through effective HR communication.

The educational initiative, designed and led by Towers Perrin consultants in major cities around the world, will provide training on communication of health care and pay and brand issues. The initiative includes preparatory online work, a full day workshop and post-session coaching.

Effective HR communication can have a direct effect on employee motivation and commitment, said Julie Freeman, ABC, APR, IABC President. Many employees are unaware of their companyís benefits and policies on issues like pay and health care. This new initiative will help organizations build employee understanding of the issues involved by motivating employees to think about and financially prepare themselves.

IABC and Towers Perrin will offer a course on communicating pay and rewards issues in March, and on addressing health care issues in May. The courses will cover essential steps of explaining these complex issues to employees, and will offer advanced insight into how to manage needed change communication to engage employees in an organizationís brand/reward or health care issues. Current issues, future trends and best practices will be incorporated in these interactive full-day sessions.

As the economy gains momentum, retaining and engaging employees will be critical to achieving companiesí business goals, says Mark Schumann, ABC, global practice leader for communication in Towers Perrinís HR Services business. Communicating effectively about health care and other reward issues is a key ingredient in the effort to engage employees. This collaboration with IABC is designed to help employers enhance their employee communications on these issues and improve their return on investment.

All sessions will be led by Schumann, Brad Breininger, senior Towers Perrin communication consultant in Toronto, or Kevin Chapman, a principal in Towers Perrinís communication practice in the United Kingdom.

About the hr educational series
The series will be offered in seven cities (Dallas, TX; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; Toronto, ON; London, UK) in the months of March and May 2004, focusing on strategies and techniques for communicating with employees about pay and rewards and health care issues.

US $495 member / $595 nonmember (one session)
US $795 member / $895 nonmember (any two courses)
US $1095 member / $1195 nonmember (and three courses)

Registration, session agendas and specific dates are online at