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Total Compensation in a Recession: HR Priorities Shift According to New Survey Analysis 
by Steven E. Gross and Susan Haberman
This new survey analysis of HR policies and practices shows that the current recession is shifting priorities and redefining the list of "hot" HR issues. If the current conditions-an oversupply of labor and scarce resources to spend on total compensation programs-prevail, employers will be even more motivated to spend these resources where they will get the greatest return on their investment.
Special Section on Health Care Cost Management
Affordable Defined Contribution Health Plans Can Help Employers Get Through Challenging Times
by John M. Word III
Defined contribution health plans, modeled on defined contribution retirement plans, seem to be the wave of the future. At a time when employers and employees alike are trying to contain their health care costs, and employers fight to retain their workers, defined contribution health plans can provide solutions for both employers and employees. The health purchasing alliance model has met with success in both the small and midsize market.
Control of Prescription Costs—Is It Possible?
by Patrick N. Renaud
The author considers two choices for controlling the cost of prescription drugs: Return the prescription drug program to the TPA, or implement plan design changes. Making changes to the buying habits of the public is key.
Depression's Surprising Toll on Worker Productivity
by Joseph F. Marlowe
Employers need to adopt a broad set of measures to combat depression, which has a serious impact on health care costs and productivity. They should start by conducting an assessment of the various ways depression surfaces and prepare carefully designed responses, involving HR, the EAP, line managers/supervisors, health plan vendors, managed behavioral firms, disability program managers and PBMs, among others. With such an approach, ultimately employers should realize improved medical plan costs, reduced disability expenditures, lower absence rates and enhanced productivity.
How to Achieve an ROI on Your Health Care Dollars
by Don R. Powell
Offering employees self-care information, which encourages them to decide what to do for themselves with and without provider assistance, can be a low-cost, effective approach to health care cost management. Components of such a program may include a printed self-care guide, workshops, software and a nurse advice line. Self-care is a process, not an event and, to be effective, a self-care program needs to be reinforced by ongoing communication.
General Articles
Setting the Stage—Putting Flex in Perspective
by Richard E. Johnson
In order for a flexible benefit program to play a meaningful and important role for the employer and employees, it must be positioned to support key success criteria, such as recruitment, commitment, retention, cost management and work-life balance. This may involve making the human resources/benefits function an equal partner with other departments and perhaps having an organization's CEO designate a chief people officer (CPO) to manage all human resources functions.
Public Employer Plans: Demographics Are Destiny
by Cathie G. Eitelberg and Leslie L. Thompson
Sponsors of plans that cover retirees need to ensure that they are prepared for the coming waves of baby boomer retirees. The aging of the workforce is beyond anyone's control, but responding to the needs of the aging population is within the control of retirement plan professionals. The earlier plan sponsors begin to prepare their response, the more flexibility they will have in allocating future resources and implementing various courses of action.
Managing Overlapping Federal FMLA and State Leave Regulations
by Lucinda S. Grebowski
The overlap between the Family and Medical Leave Act and state leave laws can create complications. Employers, particularly those with multistate operations, may wish to consider an outsourced absence management system, which can remove the burden of day-to-day administration and the need to stay abreast of changing state regulations. However, employers cannot outsource the responsibility to set broad policy toward absence management.
Hedge Funds: Their Popularity Is Deserved
by Stuart Oltchick
Hedge funds can provide portfolios with needed diversification and superior returns. Strategies include absolute return hedging, event-driven securities and hedge equities.