|
Past Questions |
| Is your organization's medical contribution strategy for 2010 shifting such that the employer will be paying a greater, lesser, or about the same percentage of the total medical premium versus 2009 (e.g. 80% employer/20% employee)? (10/27/2009) |
| In advance of an expected swine flu resurgence this fall, which of the following best describes your organization's HR-related actions to date, if any? (09/22/2009) |
| In the last 12 months, has employee demand in your organization for work-life offerings increased, decreased or stayed the same? In comments, state the reason why you think this movement might be occurring. (08/24/2009) |
| In the last 12 months, has employee utilization of flexibility (e.g. teleworking, compressed workweeks, flex-time, etc.) increased or decreased at your organization? What is the primary reason for the change? (08/11/2009) |
| In a very difficult economy, what is the view of employee furloughs (mandatory unpaid time off) in your organization? To achieve necessary cost savings, furloughs would be (or were)... (06/25/2009) |
| Using your crystal ball, what do you think is the most likely scenario for most companies in 2010? (05/05/2009) |
| What is the cycle of your organization's fiscal year? (04/02/2009) |
| Many organizations are considering or implementing reductions in pay and/or pay freezes in response to the economic slowdown. Which of the following would you recommend if/when your organization considers a pay freeze/pay cut? (03/04/2009) |
| Assuming each of the following could create the same amount of savings, which would you recommend first to your CEO to implement (or have you implemented first) in order to keep your organization viable this year? (02/04/2009) |
| What do you think will be the biggest total rewards issue for your organization in 2009? (01/06/2009) |
| Which of the following best describes your view about compensation and the bail-out of private sector firms? (12/02/2008) |
| Draft legislation was recently proposed that would require employers to disclose health care costs on employee W-2 statements. The main goal is to make health care costs more transparent to employees. The intent is to increase awareness of costs. The congressional theory is that this will ultimately encourage them to become smarter consumers of health care and show employees the impact on their wages. Which of the following communication vehicles -- if it included health care information -- would be best for accomplishing this goal? (11/04/2008) |
| Is your company planning on changing its projected 2009 salary increase budget due to the current economic conditions? (10/01/2008) |
| Which of the following is the primary obstacle to your organization's success with employee telework? (09/04/2008) |
| Which of the following do you think would be the most effective tool for retaining employees that are struggling to keep up with high fuel prices? (08/06/2008) |
| Because of the current economic turmoil and oil prices, some organizations may be considering mid-year salary budget adjustments. Which of the following, if any, is the most significant change your organization is either considering or actually implementing? (07/01/2008) |
| When was the last time your organization's compensation plan was thoroughly reviewed? (06/02/2008) |
| Is there a 'war for talent' occurring today for total rewards professionals? (05/06/2008) |
| There has been a lot of press about the needs of a multigenerational workforce. Which program do you think will have the greatest impact on the successful retention of a multigenerational workforce at your company? (04/01/2008) |
| What is the most challenging business issue faced when an employee takes unscheduled, intermittent FMLA leave in your organization? (03/03/2008) |
| As you look ahead to 2008, which aspect of total rewards will your organization PRIMARILY use to differentiate itself in retaining quality talent? (02/08/2008) |
| What do you think will be the biggest total rewards issue for your organization in 2008? (01/02/2008) |
| How would you rate your organization's level of total rewards integration? (12/03/2007) |
| At your organization, where does the responsibility for sales compensation design reside? (11/02/2007) |
| The idea of comparable worth says that the value of any job can be compared to any other job -- even those with dramatically different content -- and the incumbents in similar worth positions should be paid comparably. Do you believe that Congress should try to legislate this concept? (08/31/2007) |
| How is your organization reacting to the U.S. minimum wage increase that went into effect on July 24th? (08/01/2007) |
| Did your organization either review or make changes to your severance plan or policies in response to the new SEC executive compensation disclosure requirements implemented for 2007? (07/02/2007) |
| At your organization, which pay frequency is most common? Please select the option that most closely matches your organization's practice. (06/05/2007) |
| What valuation model does your company use to value stock options? (04/30/2007) |
| What type of salary structure(s) does your organization utilize? (04/16/2007) |
| Does your organization have separate salary structures for exempt and non-exempt employees? (04/04/2007) |
| Does your organization provide paid time for employees who volunteer in the community? (03/21/2007) |
| At which of the following levels does your organization tax non-monetary spot awards for employees? (03/05/2007) |
| A big insurance company recently announced that it will allow shareholders to make a non-binding vote about the compensation packages of the top five executives. Some members of Congress are also interested in this idea. What do you think would be the impact on executive compensation if this were to be mandated by law? (02/21/2007) |
| With cash spot awards, does your organization increase the amount of the stated award amount in order to offset the tax impact (might also be known as grossing up the award)? (02/05/2007) |
| What do you think will be the biggest total rewards issue for your organization in 2007? (01/19/2007) |
| The U.S. Dept. of Labor has requested information from employers regarding FMLA. Do you allow or require employees to use paid leave (if available) while on FMLA leave? (12/25/2006) |
| Recent news reports indicate that Congress may consider mandating some form of paid sick leave in 2007. Does your organization currently offer paid sick leave? (12/11/2006) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2006? (11/27/2006) |
| Is your organization planning to provide a holiday cash bonus in 2006? (11/13/2006) |
| According to recent data, in 2006 employers saw the lowest percentage increase for healthcare costs in the last 8 years. How much do you expect your healthcare premiums to increase for 2007? (10/31/2006) |
| Will your organization have a holiday shutdown in 2006 beyond the typical 1-2 days of specific holiday pay? If so, how will you code this time off? (10/09/2006) |
| Which of the five total rewards elements do you believe is your biggest differentiator as an employer? (09/21/2006) |
| Which of the following best describes the use of vacation time by employees in your organization during the past year? (08/28/2006) |
| Which of the following best describes your organization's first reaction to the new Pension Protection Act? (08/15/2006) |
| When your organization is calculating salary budget increase recommendations, do health care cost increases enter into the decision or discussion? (07/31/2006) |
| In the two years since the implementation of the new FLSA (FairPay) regulations, what has been the net effect on your overall workforce? (07/19/2006) |
| Given the recent stories in the press about teleworkers having data either stolen or compromised, does your organization have a policy or policies regarding employee telework electronic security? (07/10/2006) |
| This year, July 4 is landing on a Tuesday. How is your organization handling this holiday? (06/26/2006) |
| What kind of employee turnover does your organization track? (06/12/2006) |
| The SEC is investigating alleged back-dating of executive stock options at more than 20 companies. In some circumstances, this practice may not be illegal. What do you think is the size of this potential scandal? (05/29/2006) |
| Do you tie your incentive or variable pay program to company performance, employee performance or both? (05/17/2006) |
| Due to higher gas prices, has your organization adjusted the mileage reimbursement amount and/or car allowance available to employees? (05/01/2006) |
| Does your company have a support program regarding elder care issues? (04/17/2006) |
| Does your organization offer health savings accounts (HSA's)? (04/03/2006) |
| What is your organization's annualized voluntary turnover rate? (03/20/2006) |
| How many days of sick time are accrued or allocated to new employees for their first year of service? (03/06/2006) |
| In the U.S., 529 plans have been created by state governments during the past 10 years to encourage educational savings, but not all employers actively encourage employee participation. Does your company encourage employees to participate in a 529 plan (educational savings) through automatic payroll deductions? (02/20/2006) |
| What does your organization pay as a premium for bilingual language skills? (02/06/2006) |
| From the perspective of your top management, which of the following best describes the primary reason that telework/telecommuting exists in your organization? (01/16/2006) |
| What do you think will be the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2006? (01/02/2006) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2005? (12/19/2005) |
| This year Christmas falls on a Sunday. Will Friday, December 23rd, or Monday, December 26th be a paid day off in your organization? (12/05/2005) |
| Is your organization planning to provide a holiday cash bonus in 2005? (11/21/2005) |
| Thanks to the EGTRRA law signed by President Bush in 2001, organizations will be allowed to offer employees a new type of 401k called a Roth 401k beginning in January. Will your organization be offering a Roth 401k in 2006? (11/07/2005) |
| At your organization, which pay frequency
is most common? Please select the option that most closely matches your organization's practice. (10/25/2005) |
| At your organization, where is the sales incentive design function placed? (10/10/2005) |
| Employees with long commutes are feeling the pain of soaring gas prices. Which of the following best represents the level of worry about this issue in your organization? Please indicate some of the things you're doing in Share Comments after you vote. (09/26/2005) |
| What level of impact has your organization experienced as a result of Hurricane Katrina? (09/14/2005) |
| Hurricane Katrina has devastated both lives and businesses in the Southeastern U.S. Where does your organization stand with regard to paying employees after a disaster such as Katrina? Please share the details of any recent decisions or actions by clicking on Share Comments after you vote. (09/06/2005) |
| Due to higher gas prices, has your organization adjusted the mileage reimbursement amount available to employees? Please share the details of your decision or actions by clicking ¿Share Comments¿ after you vote. (08/22/2005) |
| How often does your organization conduct employee satisfaction surveys? (08/09/2005) |
| With the increased level of terrorism and security concerns in recent months, has there been any change to the number of international assignments of employees within your organization? (08/01/2005) |
| How many benefits staff employees does your organization have per 100 employees? (Please divide the total number of benefits full-time equivalent (FTE) employees by the total number of employees within your organization, then multiply by 100.) (07/18/2005) |
| If you age salary survey data, which source do you rely on for the aging factor? (07/06/2005) |
| Of the following non-traditional work arrangements, which is most common in your company? (06/06/2005) |
| How many compensation staff employees does your organization have per 100 employees? (Please divide the total number of compensation full-time equivalent (FTE) employees by the total number of employees within your organization, then multiply by 100.) (05/02/2005) |
| Where does responsibility for telecommuting or telework programs reside in your organization? (04/18/2005) |
| What valuation model will your company be using to value stock options come June 2005? (04/04/2005) |
| What is your organization's annualized turnover rate? (03/21/2005) |
| How many performance rating categories/levels does your organization use (not including levels such as 'Too New to Rate', 'New Hire', etc.)? (03/08/2005) |
| How closely are you going to follow the activity in Washington this year regarding pension reform? (02/22/2005) |
| How involved have the total rewards functions been in ensuring that internal controls relating to total rewards meet the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley? (02/07/2005) |
| What department in your organization is most responsible for developing policies and procedures related to workplace security and safety? (01/24/2005) |
| What do you think will be the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2005? (01/10/2005) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2004? (12/27/2004) |
| Which of the following is the dominant job evaluation method used in your company? (12/13/2004) |
| How frequently do your employees seek help from your HR or benefits department in choosing a doctor? (11/29/2004) |
| How often does your organization adjust its compensation structure using market data? (11/15/2004) |
| Does your organization currently use a traditional paid time off system in which each employee is allocated a certain number of paid days in categories such as vacation, personal, sick, etc., or does it use a PTO bank in which paid sick, holiday, vacation and/or personal leave time is combined into one category of available time off? (11/01/2004) |
| If an employee in your organization is asked to relocate, do you: (10/15/2004) |
| Do your employees receive disaster pay in the event of a hurricane or similar disaster? (09/27/2004) |
| During benefits open enrollment in your organization, when are materials sent to employees? (09/13/2004) |
| Does your organization award merit increases on an anniversary date or focal date schedule? (08/16/2004) |
| Should the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) maintain an accounting exemption for employee stock purchase plans? (08/02/2004) |
| With the deadline to implement the new U.S. white-collar overtime regulations approaching (August 23), what would you like to see Congress do? (07/19/2004) |
| In light of the Wal-Mart pay equity class action lawsuit, is your organization either studying or thinking about studying its own internal gender pay equity? (07/05/2004) |
| Do you believe that all top management compensation plans should be put to a shareholder vote? (06/21/2004) |
| What type of job evaluation system do you use? (06/07/2004) |
| How often does your organization conduct employee satisfaction surveys? (05/17/2004) |
| Which section of the Department of Labor's new FairPay overtime rules is the biggest improvement over the old rules? (04/28/2004) |
| During the next 12 months, do you see your organization adjusting headcount budgets upward? (04/19/2004) |
| Does your organization offer health savings accounts (HSA's)? (04/05/2004) |
| In your organization, is the employee rewards function considered to be more tactical or more strategic? (03/22/2004) |
| Is your organization planning to hire an outside vendor to help with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance? (03/08/2004) |
| Which if the following best describes your organization¿s view of the minimum wage issue? (02/23/2004) |
| At your organization, what is the average employee contribution for health benefits in 2004? (02/16/2004) |
| By what percentage did your employee¿s health care premiums increase in 2004? (02/09/2004) |
| What do you think will be the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2004? (01/26/2004) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2003? (01/19/2004) |
| Does your organization monitor employees¿ e-mails? (01/05/2004) |
| How have your organization¿s offerings of work/life benefits changed in the past 3 years? (12/22/2003) |
| Does your organization offer domestic partner benefits? (12/08/2003) |
| Does your company offer on-site fitness programs or discounts to gyms? (11/24/2003) |
| How much do you expect your health care premiums to increase for 2004? (11/10/2003) |
| What is your company's annualized turnover rate? (10/27/2003) |
| What technology are you using for open enrollment this year? (10/13/2003) |
| Will your company change its 2004 salary increase budget increases projected by salary increase survey reports published this summer? (09/29/2003) |
| Has the Microsoft decision to switch to restricted shares instead of employee stock options changed your company¿s view about restricted shares? (09/15/2003) |
| What is your organization¿s policy, if any, when an employee presents the financial details (salary, etc.) of a job offer he/she has received from another organization? (09/08/2003) |
| In observance of 401(k) Day, please indicate the participation rate trend of 401(k) participants in your organization during the past 12 months. (09/02/2003) |
| Of the following non-traditional work arrangements, which is most common in your company? (08/18/2003) |
| To what extent will your organization use stock options as part of the overall compensation plan in 2003? (08/04/2003) |
| Does your organization offer adoption benefits? (07/21/2003) |
| In the last year, where does your organization stand on the re-issuance of stock options? (07/07/2003) |
| Did your company have any shareholder-initiated proposals related to executive compensation and/or stock options during this proxy season? (06/23/2003) |
| Is your organization considering converting to a cash-balance pension plan? (06/09/2003) |
| There¿s been news lately that some companies are cutting or eliminating the employer match for employee 401(k) accounts. Where does your organization stand on this issue? (05/26/2003) |
| What has been your best tool in retaining key employees through tough economic times? (05/11/2003) |
| Which of the following is the #1 non-cash item your organization has used in 2003 to reward key talent? (04/29/2003) |
| Where does your organization stand with regard to the April 14, 2003 deadline for HIPAA compliance? (04/15/2003) |
| What effect would raising the minimum wage by $1 have on your organization? (04/01/2003) |
| Which of the following best describes your organization¿s current posture toward retiree healthcare benefits? (03/17/2003) |
| Some are predicting that the practice of broad-based stock options will decline. If this happens, what do you think will replace this important reward tool? (03/03/2003) |
| Which of the following best describes your thinking about the current economic environment? (02/24/2003) |
| With the rise in health care premium costs, and predicted further increases, what is your company doing to offset these costs? (02/10/2003) |
| What employee group do you believe has been hardest hit (in terms of economic impact of salary, bonuses, benefits, stock options, etc.) in the past 12 months? (01/27/2003) |
| What do you think will be the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2003? (01/13/2003) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue for total rewards professionals in 2002? (12/30/2002) |
| This year Christmas falls on a Wednesday. Will either the 24th or the 26th be a paid day off in your organization? (12/16/2002) |
| On average, what dollar amount can the majority of employees in your organization expect to receive as a bonus for 2002? (12/05/2002) |
| What is your expected health care premium cost increase for the coming year? (11/18/2002) |
| Do you benchmark or compare your organization's work/life programs and benefits against the organizations you compete with for talent? (11/04/2002) |
| Is your company planning to provide a traditional holiday cash bonus to all employees in 2002? (10/21/2002) |
| Which of the following do you believe is the most appropriate first step for employers to take (if they have not already) in the process of educating employees on investing and saving for retirement? (10/07/2002) |
| In light of current economic conditions and the stock market's recent volatility, will your company reduce its salary increase budget below budget increases projected by salary increase survey reports published this summer? (09/23/2002) |
| Two corporate executives were indicted recently for having received large cash loans from their company and then having them ¿forgiven.¿ What is your view of this practice? (09/17/2002) |
| In your opinion, how much did the events of Sept. 11, 2001 permanently change the practice of the compensation, benefits and total rewards profession? (Please click on comment section to provide specifics to your answer) (09/02/2002) |
| Is your organization currently reviewing it's accounting practices? (08/20/2002) |
| Which of the following statements best describes your future plans for contract negotiations of your health care plan(s)? (08/12/2002) |
| NASDAQ and the NYSE have recently been considering proposals that would require shareholder approval of a company's broad-based stock option plans. What is your view of these proposals? (07/29/2002) |
| Executive compensation has been in the media spotlight in recent months like never before. Given all of the talk and activity, what is your prediction by the end of 2002? (07/15/2002) |
| Since January 1, which of the following best describes the financial conditions for your organization? (07/08/2002) |
| This year, Independence Day is on a Thursday. Will July 5th be a paid day off in your organization? (07/01/2002) |
| What has happened to your average employee's 401(k) balance the past 24 months? (06/17/2002) |
| What are your vacation plans for this summer? (06/03/2002) |
| With the rise in employee health care costs, and predicted further increases, what is your company doing to offset these costs? (05/20/2002) |
| How many compensation professionals are in your organization? (05/15/2002) |
| Are you expecting your 2003 promotional budget to be: (05/14/2002) |
| Are you expecting your 2003 merit program to be: (05/13/2002) |
| Proposed legislation would require employers to take a charge on the balance sheet against the estimated cost of employee stock options. What effect would this legislation have on your company? (05/06/2002) |
| The spouse of a deceased employee of a large retail company is suing the company to recover funds from a corporate-owned life insurance policy (or COLI) the company took out on its employees. Should funds from these ¿peasant plans¿ be shared with the employee¿s estate? (04/22/2002) |
| In light of economic conditions, has your company changed the amount of information being communicated to employees in recent months regarding the 'state of the company?' (04/08/2002) |
| What are your company's prospective new hires clamoring most for right now? (03/25/2002) |
| Has the amount of business travel returned to pre-9/11 levels at your company? (03/11/2002) |
| Which of the following is most popular/most used among your employees? (02/25/2002) |
| How has your 2002 merit distribution changed from 2001? (02/11/2002) |
| What has been your best tool in retaining key employees through tough economic times? (01/28/2002) |
| What do you think the biggest issue in 2002 will be? (01/14/2002) |
| What do you think was the biggest issue of 2001 for the total rewards profession? (12/31/2001) |
| Has the downturn in the economy caused your company to make changes in the work/life and flexible benefits you are offering to employees? (12/17/2001) |
| Heath care inflation is hitting employers hard for 2002. One new alternative to employer-sponsored health care is 'defined contribution' health care, in which employers provide a contribution to employees instead of a defined health care benefit, and employees have responsibility for selecting and paying for their own health care, sometimes outside of the workplace. Where is your company on this issue? (12/03/2001) |
| Reports are showing that some companies are cutting executive bonuses. On average, what will your company's executives see in their bonus this year? (11/19/2001) |
| As we approach the time of year when many employers bolster their ranks for the holiday season, the economy and world events are on the minds of many business owners. Is your company planning any changes to its temporary holiday staffing? (11/12/2001) |
| Are you finding IT positions still difficult to fill with the softening of the labor market? (10/29/2001) |
| How often do you see unethical practices at work? (10/15/2001) |
| What is the number one attractor in recruiting today's sales professional? (10/01/2001) |
| FLSA currently prohibits private employers from offering compensatory time off to non-exempt employees - instead, overtime must be paid. Congress is considering legislation that would make it possible to offer this compensatory time off. If this change was enacted, how important would it be to your company's work/life balance initiatives? (09/18/2001) |
| Has your HR staff been reduced in relation to overall layoffs in your company? (09/03/2001) |
| Of the following work/life benefits, which would you most like your employer to implement? (08/13/2001) |
| In today's struggle to attract and retain key talent, many companies are requiring employees to sign noncompete agreements. What is your company's policy regarding noncompetes? (08/06/2001) |
| According to a recent poll by VacationCoach, more Americans are reporting not taking vacation because of too much work or fear of not having a job upon their return. Many employers are concerned this will result in increased employee burnout. Has your company made any changes to its paid vacation policy in the past year in response to changing market conditions? (07/23/2001) |
| What in your opinion is one of your most effective non-monetary reward programs your company offers? (07/09/2001) |
| One of the trends coming out of the new U.S. Census data is the large increase in the Hispanic population in all parts of the country, which will have an impact on virtually all employers in the future. Has your company been impacted by the increase in the Hispanic population? (07/02/2001) |
| A number of employers are offering financial planning services as a benefit to employees. Does your company offer this service as a benefit? (06/18/2001) |
| Many companies have previously implemented reduced or early work hours during the summer months to conserve energy or boost employee morale. Does your company have such a policy? (06/11/2001) |
| How closely have you followed the passage of the recently-passed tax package in Congress, which contains numerous provisions related to pensions and 401(k)s? (06/05/2001) |
| Given the change in the stock market, what changes has your company made in its employee stock option plan? (05/28/2001) |
| Many companies have changed their business strategies in light of the changes in the economy. If your business strategies have changed, have you changed your compensation strategies as well? (05/21/2001) |
| The preliminary 2001-2002 Total Salary Increase Budget Survey results indicate that exempt employees will receive a higher percentage raise than officers/executives for the first time since 1982. Which of the following best describes what is happening with this data? (05/08/2001) |
| With the change in the market, and tightening financial situations at many companies, many expenditures, like business travel, are being scaled back. How, if at all, has your company changed its travel policies to cut back on business expenses? (05/07/2001) |
| Outsourcing has become a common practice for companies today, whether to save money or make better use of internal resources. What is the most critical consideration for your company in choosing to do business with an outside vendor/consultant? (05/06/2001) |
| A recent study indicates that automatically enrolling employees in retirement plans increases both long- and short- term participation. Does your organization conduct automatic enrolling of eligible employees? (04/30/2001) |
| The new federal health privacy regulations for HIPAA went into effect on April 14th and companies now have two years to comply with the rules. Based on what you know or have heard about the regulations, what impact do you believe they will have on the cost of the health plans you administer? (04/23/2001) |
| Does your company offer benefits information online for your employees? (04/16/2001) |
| With attraction and retention of employees more important than ever, what is the predominant way your company determines the salary range for key talent positions? (04/09/2001) |
| Of the following programs, which is the most prevalent form of equity for which your non-exempt employees are eligible? (04/02/2001) |
| Does your company offer flexible spending accounts for medical or dependent care? (03/26/2001) |
| If your company has recently been involved in a merger or acquisition, did your HR department play a strategic role in making key decisions? (03/19/2001) |
| What is your company doing to counter rising health care and prescription drug costs? (03/12/2001) |
| Considering changing workforce conditions, what is your top tool in attracting and retaining key talent? (03/05/2001) |
| Does your company offer Domestic Partner benefits? (02/26/2001) |
| Of the following non-traditional work arrangements, which is most common in your company? (02/19/2001) |
| What is your company's top strategy in preparing for the potential 'brain drain' as baby boomers near retirement age? (02/12/2001) |
| Does your company use a third-party administrator for your stock option program? (02/05/2001) |
| How long must an employee in your company be employed before they can participate in your 401(k) program? (01/29/2001) |
| Which do you consider first when looking for a job? (01/22/2001) |
| With the downturn in the stock market and the seating of a new administration in the White House grabbing headlines, what do you think is the top human resources issue for the coming year? (01/15/2001) |