How are human resources considered in the world? What are companies’ priorities? How are North American employers positioned? The HR 2013 international barometer conducted by Michael Page among 4,348 HR managers, including 135 in Canada, reveals a common HR strategy consisting of distinct regional priorities. Overview of the survey.
90% of North American employers plan to hire in 2013. The figures are similar in Asia (90%), Latin America (90%), Australia and New Zealand (91%). However, European companies are considering less hiring (76%). Consequently, attracting qualified profiles is a priority for companies in all the countries surveyed.
Multiplication of sourcing methods: a global solution
The greatest challenge for employers is identifying and recruiting the right candidates. Half of the companies reported that the search for qualified profiles is “difficult” to “very difficult”. To find the best talents, multiplying sourcing methods is the unanimous solution worldwide. In North America, 96% of employers publish job offers on line, 88% use their company’s website and 75% call on recruitment consultancies (the figures for all countries are respectively 91%, 84% and 83%).
According to Richard Vickers, Regional Director of Michael Page North America, hiring intentions reveal growing optimism among North American companies. The acquisition of talents is therefore more important than ever. Companies must therefore attract quality HR managers who can bring the best candidates to manage the other departments.
Retaining talents: methods that differ from one region to another
Retaining talents is also a major concern among HR managers. 81% of companies worldwide offer solutions to find a better balance between professional and private life. Companies located in Australia and New Zealand are positioning themselves as those that make the greatest efforts in this field for their employees, with remote working and parental leave in the lead. In the rest of the world, these options are much less common.
The most widespread initiative in North America is access to wellness programs followed by recovery of overtime.
As part of work, the most popular means to retain the best employees is training and professional development, used by more than half of companies in the world (52% in North America). The only downside is that the programs often concern specialized skills rather than those related to staff management and supervision.
According to Richard Vickers, acquisition of new talents is one thing, keeping them is another. The balance between work and personal life has become an integral part of the strategy for most companies in the world, although flexible working conditions, such as telecommuting and parental leave, are not as widespread as they should be.
More or less attractive remuneration for HR managers
Remuneration often varies from one region to another. In Europe and Asia, more than one third of HR managers receive less than $77,000 dollars per year. Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands recorded the highest revenues in Europe. The level of remuneration, pulled downward on this continent, may be explained by the poor results in Portugal, Russia, Poland, Turkey and France as well as by a relatively young demographic structure.
26% of HR managers in Australia and New Zealand, and 23% in Latin America reach more than $189,000 dollars per year, compared to only 9% in Europe. The highest salaries are recorded in Australia and New Zealand, with average annual remuneration of $164,000 dollars. This is followed by Latin America with $149,000 and North America with $145,000 dollars. The sectors that pay the best are finance, energy and consumer goods.