Benefits November 26, 2002

Companies Failing In Strategic Communication

November 26, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Seventy-three percent of HR professionals believe their company has clearly stated its strategic direction, but only 44% feel the strategic direction was communicated well to employees.
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Fifty-three percent of those surveyed believed senior HR management was involved in developing the strategic direction. A smaller group (47%) felt it participated in the review of the strategic plan, according to The Society of Human Resources Management’s (SHRM) “2002 Aligning HR With Organization Strategy Survey.”

SHRM says the results show HR professionals need to be more involved in developing and implementing a company’s strategic direction.

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The survey, an examination of how HR aligns with the organizational strategy, had 1,310 responses from HR professionals and asked questions regarding strategic direction, strategic planning, evaluation of strategy, budgeting and the linkage of goals and incentive compensation.  

Not surprisingly, 89% of HR professionals feel overall senior executive management best understands a company’s strategic direction, with 66% believing middle management also understood.

Deals and People November 25, 2002

Lazard Brings On Global Fixed-Income Head

November 25, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Lazard Asset Management has hired Steven Blitz, former chief strategist at Offitbank, as its head of global fixed-income operations, according to a Reuters news report.
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Also, J. William Charlton, an Offitbank high-yield manager, was hired as head of US high-yield fixed-income, Lazard said in a media release.

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Blitz had worked at Offitbank since 1989 as strategist and economist, and before that at Salomon Brothers as a derivative products strategist and technical bond analyst, Reuters said.

Charlton managed high-yield assets for Offitbank, where he worked since 1990, Reuters reported.

New York-based Lazard Asset Management oversees about $9 billion in fixed-income assets.

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