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HUMAN RESOURCES
Annual wage increases signal strong demand for services

Human resource professionals experienced strong wage growth this fiscal year, suggesting that their services are still very much in demand.

A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management and Mercer Human Resource Consulting found that the annual wages of corporate benefits executives rose 10.3 percent to $143,800 in 2002. The survey also found that human resource specialists saw wages increase 12.3 percent to $45,000.

Meanwhile, the incomes of human resource professionals with expertise in organizational development or training management experienced a 10.9 percent increase. They earned $102,800 last year, the survey said.

The HR professional with the largest wage increase: corporate security managers. Their median total cash compensation increased 15 percent to $110,000.

''This is a direct result of the increased emphasis on corporate security over the past two years and the urgent demand for these types of skills,'' said the report.

The survey also found that level of pay is tied to the type of function the professional performs and demand for those services. For example, labor relations managers earn, on average, $107,900 per year. Compensation managers, equal employment opportunity diversity managers, and human resources managers earn $90,000 to $100,000. By contrast, employment and recruiting managers, benefits managers, senior human resource generalists, payroll managers and senior compensation analysts earn between approximately $69,000 to $87,000 per year, depending on the position held.

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LABOR RELATIONS
Guild honors four for work on union-management issues

Four individuals active in the field of labor relations were honored by the Labor Guild of Boston for their work on union-management issues at a dinner Friday at the Sheraton Boston Hotel.

The guild's annual Cushing-Gavin Awards ''honors men and women whose work encourages labor and management to move beyond their immediate partisan interests to that common ground which strengthens the long-term vitality of collective bargaining relationships,'' said the Rev. Edward F. Boyle, S.J., chaplain of the guild.

This year's recipients were:

Robert Banks of Scituate, director of the Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee for the New England region, and a past president and business agent for Iron Workers Local No. 7.

David Grafton of Norwell, special assistant to the regional director of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

John O'Reilly, corporate secretary and counsel for the labor relations division of the Construction Industries of Massachusetts.

Virginia Tisei, director of labor relations for the Boston public schools.

EXECUTIVE PERKS
Lucrative benefits become increasingly rare in job offers

Executive perks like country club memberships, fitness club memberships, stock options, and company cars are less likely to show up in job offers these days, according to Robert Half Management Resources, the accounting and finance staffing firm.

It reports that 29 percent of 1,400 chief financial officers plan to discontinue lucrative perks for executives. The respondents were asked, ''In the current economic climate, which perk are you least likely to offer executive-level job candidates?''

Of those polled, 17 percent said they are not offering stock options, 13 percent said they are less likely to offer signing bonuses, 11 percent pointed to performance bonuses and 7 percent said they were most likely to discontinue extra vacation days. Five percent said they no longer offer corporate perks with job offers. Eighteen percent said they did not know.

''Making unrealistic demands of prospective employers can backfire,'' said Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. ''In today's era of cost-cutting, it's difficult to justify luxury items as part of a new hire's employment package. Salary negotiations today are more likely to focus on results-driven incentives such as bonuses for meeting agreed-upon performance objectives.''

McDonald advises that job candidates have a clear idea of what benefits or perks they must have such as minimum salary base as well as what they are willing to sacrifice in return for it.

For example, if a relocation package for yourself and your wife are absolute necessities, say so. But keep in mind that you might have to give up something else in return, he said.

''Applicants should go into the negotiation process having thoroughly researched the market, including salary and benefits for similar positions,'' McDonald said. ''Many organizations, from recruiting firms to professional and trade associations, publish compensation data annually. The information is also available online.''

Recruitment specialists say candidates should also avoid being inflexible during negotiations with a prospective employer or issuing ultimatums. Those tactics can make an interviewer defensive and also cost you the job.

''Before turning down an offer, evaluate the long-term rewards of the positions such as career advancement or the company's growth potential,'' said McDonald. ''Once you've proven yourself in the role, you'll have greater leverage in future negotiations.''

DIANE E. LEWIS

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