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Last updated: 13 March 2008
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Mercer holds regular live web briefings on a wide range of HR topics. You can also view and listen to recorded versions of all of these sessions. A complete list of 2007 recorded briefings is included below. See the right-hand column for links to web briefings for the current and prior years.
There is no cost to view the web briefings, but you will need to register. You will need an Internet-connected computer equipped for sound.
Employee benefits in China - developments, opportunities and trendsThe growth of the Chinese economy continues to result in opportunities for local and multinational organisations. This growth has also driven some far reaching developments in the HR field. Now more than ever it is essential for multinational organisations operating in China to be ahead of the competition in a rapidly developing HR environment. Please join Mercer's Jeffry Fran and Allen Wu for this recorded briefing.
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San Francisco health care security ordinance: What employers need to know nowThe San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance requires covered employers to make minimum health care expenditures for certain employees or make payments to the city to help fund a new community health care program. Employers with 50 or more employees must comply by January 1, 2008; those with 20 to 49 employees have until April 1, 2008. Join speakers Dard Hunter and Kathleen Murray who will provide highlights of the ordinance.
Preparing executive pay disclosure for 2008: Top 10 lessons learned in 2007With one year of the SEC’s new compensation disclosure rules under their belts, companies are beginning to prepare their 2008 disclosures by examining the recent SEC staff report and comment letters, their own experience with the new requirements, and feedback from investors and regulators. In this web briefing, speakers Diane Doubleday, Bruce Greenblatt and Amy Knieriem will get you well on your way with the process.
State health reformOver the past several years, the state legislatures in Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont have produced landmark health care legislation addressing uninsured residents. Many other state legislatures have attempted to tackle the issue as well. The 2008 state legislative sessions hold the promise of further developments, as many states established commissions in 2007 to study the issue and report to their Governors and legislatures for the 2008 sessions. Join speakers Amy Bergner, Blain Bos and Linda Havlin to better understand the implications of state health reform for your employer-sponsored health plans.
Looking under the hood – Evaluating & managing vendor performanceIn today's complex health care environment, it is difficult to get a handle on just how your health plan is performing from both clinical and administrative perspectives. Nevertheless evaluating these areas is critical to managing your vendors' performance and getting the most from your financial investment. To better understand performance measurement, you need to take a look under the hood, to both understand how programs are operating and how they compare to best practices. Please join Mercer experts Paula Barnes, RN, Susan Connolly, Dan Priga and Russell Robbins, MD, for a discussion of both new and proven methods of assessing vendor performance.
Engaging employees to drive global business successIn today’s demanding global business environment, employers want not just satisfied or committed employees, but ones who are truly engaged in the work and mission of the organization. Why? Because engaged employees feel a vested interest in their company’s success and are willing and motivated to perform at levels that exceed the stated job requirements. Mercer understands what drives employee engagement – not just in one country or location, but around the world. We have conducted extensive research to capture and track employee perceptions in more than 20 countries. These findings are included in Mercer’s new Point of View paper, Engaging employees to drive global business success: Insights from Mercer’s What’s Working™ research. During this web briefing, Paul Sanchez and David Tong will discuss the research findings.
The growing challenge of global leadership development
Paving the way for cultural integration success: Accelerating deal valueIncreasingly cultural integration is being recognized as one of the "last frontiers" in M&A success. It is often cited that 50-70 percent of transactions don't realize their hoped-for results, with culture serving as either an enabler of - or more likely, a detractor from – effective integration. In our experience and research with firms globally, we have found that companies that anticipate and deal effectively with cultural issues in transactions accelerate deal value. Find out what your company can do better to prepare for effective cultural integration in current and future deals, from speakers, Jeri Darling (BAE SYSTEMS Inc.), Rick Hardin and Elisa Hukins.
What's new in Canadian pensions: Update for international parent companies with Canadian subsidiariesThe health of Canadian pension plans continues to recover despite recent market turbulence. For companies with subsidiaries in Canada, or those planning to acquire a Canadian organization, this web-briefing will cover the current financial position of defined benefit pension plans, recent trends in pension plan investments and plan design, and will review recent precedent setting court cases that impact the on-going administration of pension plans in Canada. Join Alison Bartlett and Manuel Monteiro to learn more.
The final 403(b) regulationsThe IRS has issued final regulations on 403(b) plans, the first major overhaul for tax-sheltered annuities in over 40 years. Generally, the regulations aim to make 403(b) plans more like 401(k) plans, although key differences remain. Tax-exempt entities, public schools, and churches will face some significant challenges as they work to bring their plans into compliance by the effective date – generally, January 1, 2009. Please join Tim Carey, Beverly Orth andGlenn Poehler to learn more about these new rules and the steps you can take to bring your 403(b) program into compliance.
Evidence-based designA growing body of medical evidence shows that appropriate use of certain interventions results in significant member health improvement and reduced total medical plan cost. In some cases, the return on these interventions is 4:1 (or more). However, traditional plan structures typically treat high-value interventions no differently than those with minimal to no impact on member health. Join Mercer experts David Dross, David Gregg, MD and Linda Havlin to learn more.
China update: New labor laws and Enterprise Annuity legislationFor multinational organizations doing business in China, it’s essential that they understand the implications of new laws and legislative changes that occur. These changes affect business procedures, policies and decision making, and ultimately have an effect on business success. Two legislative changes affecting multinationals in China are the new labor laws and the Enterprise Annuity legislation. This web briefing, presented by Jill Malilaand Allen Wu, has been designed to provide an overview of the Enterprise Annuity legislation and new labor laws, and will address the implications of these changes for multinationals in China.
Best practices from the Fortune 1000: How to build a strategic HR-Sales partnershipLeading companies know the advantages of a strategic HR and Sales partnership. It allows Sales to focus on winning and retaining customers, and HR to demonstrate measurable value within the organization. But for most companies, a strategic relationship between these two functions is easier said than done. Backed by research within Fortune 1000 companies and a client case study, we’ll show how HR and Sales executives can strengthen this important partnership. Attend this web briefing, where Steve Grossman,Jason Jordan and Cindy Lyness (Lafarge) will discuss the key barriers to forming a strategic HR and Sales partnership by examining results of a Mercer study and discover what successful companies do differently from other companies to overcome these barriers.
Open enrollment issuesEmployers increasingly use the open enrollment process as a means not only to communicate new benefit plan offerings and changes, but also to satisfy myriad benefit communication mandates (e.g., Medicare Part D, HIPAA, COBRA and ERISA notices). This is the right time to communicate 2008 planned initiatives and actions that will be required by participants related to their enrollment (such as, consumer-directed health plans options and verification of dependent eligibility). Join speakers Trish Farrell, Mike Sinkeldam and Linda Havlin for this one-hour discussion on how to maximize the open enrollment process.
HR PMO - Capturing the value of the deal sooner rather than laterIn the wake of a pattern of failed deals – deals that never realized their potential for value creation – there is greater emphasis than ever on capturing value sooner rather than later. Research consistently shows that the value from a strategic combination is directly related to the effectiveness of integration – that quickly aligning people and the programs that support them to the underlying deal rationale is critical to achieving anticipated results. Join Moira Donoghue, Eric Walcher, Stephanie Altman and Elisha Mayer for our web briefing to understand how HR can use the PMO concept to accelerate integration and improve results.
HR transformation v2.0: It's all about the businessThe HR function continues to evolve and transform around the world. With varying degrees of success, HR leaders are striving to have their functions contribute strategically and add value to the business. At the same time, they must continue to enhance the vital administrative aspects of HR. Mercer has just completed its second global study of the state of HR transformation, and we invite you to join us for a free web briefing where we will share the results of this study. Please join Angela Horton, Linda Marcot, Karen Piercy and Javier Tabakman to hear the latest empirical evidence of how HR is transforming and to see how your organization’s progress compares with that of our respondent companies.
UK pension updateIn 2006, the UK enacted legislation intended to accelerate funding of pension deficits. The environment in the UK for pension schemes has continued to be dynamic as employers react to those legislative changes and prepare for yet more legislation. Even with 70% of UK defined benefit schemes frozen, pensions continue to be an important consideration in all mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings. Please join speaker Adrian Hartshorn for an update on pension schemes in the UK and learn about the implications for employers sponsoring such plans.
Retirement trends – Will the transformation of employer-sponsored retirement plans continue?The results of the EBRI /Mercer survey about retirement programs conducted just last month provide some interesting insights into the retirement design changes employers have recently made, or are considering, and the drivers for those changes. The survey findings also shed light on other retirement financial management policy changes that plan sponsors are implementing, or are considering, including changes to investment and contribution policies. In this web briefing, Mercer experts Bob Aglira, Barb Marder, Richard McEvoy, Bill McClain and Bob Moreen will share the results of the survey and discuss our perspective on what these results – as well as our client experiences both here and abroad – tell us about retirement trends post-Pension Protection Act and in light of changes in accounting rules.
Domestic partner benefits 2007Domestic partner benefits, offered by approximately one-third of US employers with 500 or more employees, are regulated by an ever-growing body of state and local law. In some cases, these benefits are now mandated. Already in 2007, Oregon, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Washington have enacted new domestic partner statutes, and governmental agencies are stepping up enforcement of equal benefits laws, requiring contractors to provide them to their employees. Please join Ilse de Veer, Kathleen Murray and Mark Major to learn about the latest developments.
Health care at the turning point: Total Health Management – An integrated service modelTotal Health Management (THM) is Mercer's best practice
approach to achieving optimal workforce health and productivity. It is an
integrated service model aimed to reduce total costs and improve productivity
above and beyond siloed interventions.
Central and Eastern Europe: A new era of employer-sponsored retirementAlmost 20 years after the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, it is still tempting to view the former Communist Bloc states as a monolith. Employers who don’t recognize that each country has its own economic and workforce challenges operate at a disadvantage. For instance, while retirement benefits have emerged as a prime differentiator among employers in the post-communist era in the region, the solutions vary from country to country. Please join Mercer expertsSimon Brimblecombe, Marketa Vylitova and Istvan Horvath for a discussion about the tremendous changes in retirement programs in the fast-growing economies in Central and Eastern Europe.
Australian superannuation update & salary packaging trendsAustralia has been at the forefront of the global shift from defined benefit to defined contributions. This trend, together with a complex regulatory regime has reduced the number of corporate funds in Australia from over 4,000 just a decade ago to less than 200 currently. Our speakers Russell Mason andKen Gilbert will discuss the current environment for retirement plans in Australia including the latest trends, legislative changes for plans, salary packaging and the potential financial impact on employers.
What to do now: CSA proposes changes to executive compensation disclosure in CanadaOn March 29, 2007, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) proposed changes to the rules concerning disclosure of executive compensation. If adopted, these rules will rank as the most notable revision to the CSA's executive compensation disclosure system in the last 13 years.
What to do now? Take some time to understand the proposed changes and consider reviewing and possibly revising your pay programs and related processes in the context of these new rules. You'll be glad you did when the 2008 proxy season arrives.
Massachusetts health care reformIn 2006, Massachusetts enacted a ground-breaking, broad health care reform law mandating affordable health coverage for all state residents. Most employers with employees working in Massachusetts – regardless of the employer's home state or whether health benefits are insured or self-funded – are grappling with provisions of the law that affect them. Please join speakers Amy Bergner, Susan Connolly and Trish Farrell as they discuss employer requirements and responsibilities under the law, the status of regulatory guidance, how employers are reacting, and steps employers may want to take now.
TFR reform in Italy – Will you be ready?TFR reform presents profound challenges to both employers and employees with respect to planning for their future pension ... but it also offers a number of opportunities. Please join our speakers, Massimo Magni, Stefano Busatto and Carl de Montigny of Mercer’s Milan, Italy office for a timely discussion of the steps that employers must take prior to the June 30 deadline with respect to TFR plans.
2007 executive compensation: The current state and future directionMercer Human Resource Consulting will release its US study of CEO pay in 350 major industrial and service companies (the “Mercer 350”) on April 9 to The Wall Street Journal for its annual special section on CEO pay. Listen to this special web briefing with speakers Diane Doubleday, Mike Halloran, Peter Oppermann and Joann Lublin ( The Wall Street Journal), when we'll sift through all the newly available data for insight on future pay trends and discuss the issues weighing on the minds of board members and the compensation committees.
Accounting for employee future benefits: Changes to CICA 3461After the introduction of FAS 158 by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, Canada’s Accounting Standards Board announced that it would be amending the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants Handbook (CICA 3461) to require balance sheet recognition of the funded status of pension, retiree medical, and other post-retirement benefit plans. Now, it is anticipated that those amendments will be issued, in the form of an exposure draft, by the end of March. There are no amendments expected to be made to public sector accounting standards covering employee future benefits.
Overcoming pension & benefit issues in M&A transactionsJoin speakers John Hall, Adam Rosenberg, Duncan Smithson and Eric Warner for a web briefing exploring the pension and benefit issues that need to be considered in M&A transactions. During this web briefing, experienced members of the global Mercer team will address common pitfalls and offer guidance in overcoming these issues. In recent years organisations have learned that their transactions are most successful when HR is involved early as part of the deal team, beginning in the pre-target phase and following through due diligence to integration. This way, the critical people issues, such as pension and benefit liabilities, can be spotted early and dealt with to influence the success of the transaction.
Innovations in pharmacy managementPlease join two leaders of Mercer's managed pharmacy practice, David Dross and Eric Michael for a one-hour discussion on three innovations in pharmacy management. The speakers will present successful approaches to occupational (worker's compensation) and non-occupational pharmacy management. These approaches have resulted in savings of 7% or more for non-occupational plans and over 20% for occupational plans. Additionally, they will present exciting developments on Mercer's proprietary approach to evidence-based pharmacy plan design.
HR Transformation in Europe – Overview of the European results of Mercer's recent HR Transformation surveyThe web briefing offers an overview of the European results of Mercer's recent HR Transformation survey. In this presentation, Mercer's HR Effectiveness experts – Philip Vernon andMike Theaker – interpret the survey findings and highlight a number of challenges and barriers to effective HR transformation. They explore in particular three very clear contradictions suggested by this research in relation to some aspects of HR which apparently are not changing despite the enormous progress made in the area of HR Transformation by many organisations in Europe.
Toward meaningful intervention – Retirement programs in JapanIn the wake of sweeping pension reform in Japan, we have seen a flurry of activity in pension management. Companies that have introduced new arrangements, such as DC and cash balance plans are now exploring ways to manage those programs more effectively. As a 2012 deadline for change looms, those in the preparatory phase are eager to learn from the experience of the "first movers" that have executed pension reform. Please join our speaker Fergal McGuinness for a discussion that will update multinational HQs with operations in Japan on the Japanese market and the state of retirement plans there.
"First 100 days" – Make the most of your first 100 days as a new HR leaderThis web briefing will address the opportunities that present themselves just once – during the first 100 days – and present a structured approach for overcoming challenges and capitalizing on these opportunities.Bob Schuetz, worldwide partner and HR effectiveness consulting leader with Mercer, will lead this interactive session. Two seasoned HR executives – Rob Reindl of Edwards Lifesciencesand Kathleen Asser Weslock of SunGard – also will share their experiences and advice.
The DC shift and legislative change – Retirement plans in AustraliaAustralia has been at the forefront of the global shift from defined benefit to defined contributions. This trend, together with a complex regulatory regime has reduced the number of corporate funds in Australia from over 4,000 just a decade ago to less than 200 currently. Our speakers Russell Mason and Ken Gilbert will discuss the current environment for retirement plans in Australia including the latest trends, proposed and up-coming legislative changes for plans and the potential financial impact on employers.
San Francisco paid sick leave ordinance demystified: Practical strategies for complianceEffective 5 February 2007, employers with one or more San Francisco employees are required to provide a minimum level of paid sick leave and maintain records documenting compliance. The ordinance covers full-time, part-time, and temporary employees as well as certain participants in "welfare-to-work" programs. The ordinance was passed by San Francisco voters on 7 November 2006, giving employers very little time to develop mechanisms to comply. During this one-hour session, speakers Ophelia Galindo, Kathleen Murray and Chris Renz will provide highlights of the ordinance, address potential pitfalls for employers, and outline a roadmap for employers to achieve compliance while minimizing disruption to current programs and processes.
Effective benefit plans – Rewards for a changing workforceAs Canada's baby boom generation starts to retire and fertility rates remain low, Canada's labour pool will decline significantly. Although attracting new employees will require more focus, employers' attention will also turn to retaining skilled, productive employees who are willing and able to work beyond their current retirement age. It is time to take a second look at benefit plans in their entirety and design total reward programs for the future. The challenge is realizing that each employee needs and values different things at certain points in life and adopting an approach to employee benefits that reflects those needs and values.
Gaining institutional shareholder approval and legislative/regulatory updateRecent regulatory and governance changes coupled with increased scrutiny on total executive compensation levels, severance programs and the proper role of stock-based compensation have further complicated the shareholder-approval process for new stock plans and share authorizations. Speakers Kelly Crean, Bruce Greenblatt and Geoff Manville will shed some light on proxy advisory firm and institutional investors’ perspectives, discuss specific shareholder and legislative proposals, and help you get to "yes" if your company is planning to submit a proposal for shareholder action in the 2007 proxy season.
Toward meaningful intervention – Retirement programs in JapanIn the wake of sweeping pension reform in Japan, the last five years have seen a flurry of activity in pension management. Companies that have introduced new arrangements, such as 401(k) and cash balance plans are now exploring ways to manage those programs more effectively. As a 2012 deadline for change looms, those in the preparatory phase are eager to learn from the experience of the “first movers” that have executed pension reform. Please join us for a free, one-hour discussion that will update multinational HQs with operations in Japan on the Japanese market and the state of retirement plans there, as well as on the effect increased shareholder advocacy may have on the structuring of executive benefit systems. Our featured speaker Fergal McGuinness is a senior Mercer retirement consultant from Tokyo, Japan.
SEC executive compensation disclosure rules: Final thoughts and a look aheadAt this point, most companies have a process in place for how they intend to respond to the new SEC executive compensation disclosure rules. As companies dig in and start preparing the new Compensation Discussion & Analysis and the tables with descriptive narrative, they will inevitably wrestle with a few outstanding issues and wonder, in the end, how shareholders will respond. Mercer’s executive compensation experts can help. During this web briefing, Mark Borges, Diane Doubleday andMike Halloran will provide some pointers to help companies as they finalize their 2007 proxies and respond to this new environment going forward.
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