With every passing year, human resource professionals and their departments face new and growing challenges.  To be sure, those challenges are welcome because they represent widespread recognition of HR's vital role in organizational success, as the HR discipline has grown into a vibrant, essential part of virtually every enterprise.  HR departments are far more likely to take on new duties than to relinquish them, and while HR staffing levels have increased over the past decade, the visibility, scrutiny, and accountability HR professionals face have grown apace.  Now more than ever, the human resource function must be able to accurately measure itself against prevailing industry standards.

For nearly 30 years, Bloomberg BNA has published its annual benchmarks report on the state of the human resources discipline.  This report is a widely-referenced, authoritative source of research and analysis on HR department responsibilities, staffing, budgets and expenditures.  Throughout the survey's history, the questionnaire and resulting report have been modified and updated to reflect industry trends, emerging research, and technological developments.

This year, Bloomberg BNA is offering a webinar designed to present the key findings of the report. Join Matt Sottong, Director of Surveys and Research Reports, for the HR and Payroll Division, Bloomberg BNA as he discusses:

• HR department staffing;
• Expenditures and budgets;
• HR measurement, strategic planning,  and priorities;
• HR department activities, programs, and functions;  and
• Outsourcing in human resources.

This webinar will present the report's top-line figures and help attendees orient their thinking so as to better examine their own departments' resources, influence, duties, and performance by asking questions such as:

• What are "typical" or "normal" levels of funding and staffing, and how do mine compare?
• What levels of growth-in duties, staffing, and budgets-have HR departments seen over the past several years?  Has my department's experiences been similar?
• What are the typical duties of an HR department?  Is my department shouldering more or less than the average load, or is it within the bounds of what is considered customary?
• What HR activities or programs are most likely to be outsourced, and why?  Is outsourcing usually effective?  How frequently are outsourced duties brought back in-house?  How do my outsourcing initiatives compare?
• To whom does the head of HR usually report?  How involved is human resources in strategic planning and corporate decisions?  Does my HR department have a seat at the table?

Register quickly and easily online to secure your space now. Or, please call 1-800-372-1033 option 6, then sub-menu option 1, and refer to date and title of conference. Lines are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, excluding most federal holidays.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear a lively, dynamic presentation. Not only are Webinars an excellent way for you to stay current; with Bloomberg BNA you also get:

• Quality. Count on it. Nothing is canned.
• Objectivity. Bloomberg BNA provides you with the best and most objective information. Unlike other companies, we don't use our Webinars as a forum to sell outside solutions.
• Affordability. Bloomberg BNA Webinars are inexpensive compared to the cost of travel to attend a conference. Plus, you may use a speakerphone and invite as many of your colleagues as you want to listen in-all for the price of a single registration.
• Convenience. No airlines. No travel. No time out of the office.

In addition, you'll receive:

• Personal attention. Once you've registered, send your questions in advance to rbronson@bna.com and they'll be included in the program. You'll also have a chance to ask your questions during the Webinar.
• Follow-up materials. You need no materials upfront to follow along to our live conference. But Bloomberg BNA always issues a follow up e-mail with contact information for our speakers, as well as other materials related to the topic.
• 1.5 HRCI credits by attending this Webinar. Find out how.
  

Matt Sottong, Director of Surveys and Research Reports for the HR and Payroll Division, Bloomberg BNA

Matt Sottong is the Director of Surveys and Research Reports for Bloomberg BNA’s Human Resources and Payroll Division.

Matt Sottong has more than a decade of professional experience in survey research, statistical methods, data analysis, and survey reporting. His unit tracks and summarizes policies, practices, trends, and developments in the field of human resources and payroll.

Current Topics:
• Human Resources policies and practices
• Job absence rates
• Employee turnover statistics
• Human Resource department budgets and staffing levels
• Business expense reimbursement policies
• Employers’ year-end holiday policies and practices
• Employment outlook, quarterly
• Employers’ Martin Luther King Day holiday practices

Sottong also publishes BNA’s EHS Benchmark Report. This survey tracks the latest corporate trends and policies in the area of environment, health and safety regulatory compliance.

Publications:
• Bulletin to Management
• Human Resources Report
• Human Resources Library on the Web
• BNA’s Wage Trend Indicator™

Degrees, Honors, and Other Distinctions:
• B.A., History, University of Maryland, College Park, MD