HR by the numbers

If you’ve ever wondered just how you stack up against your competitors — and partners — in Northeast Ohio, the State of HR white paper survey, conducted by the Employer’s Resource Council for SBN, may shed a little light on how you’re doing.

Not surprisingly, the top challenge facing Northeast Ohio business owners is finding and retaining qualified employees. To do that, business owners not only stay on the cutting edge when it comes to taking care of the people within their companies, but also employ a bit of creativity.

Here are some of the survey’s results … by the numbers:

77 – Percent of companies that have a nonsmoking policy

72 – Percent that offer 401(k) or 403(b) plans

71 – Percent that use a time clock system

51 – Percent that provide some sort of long-term service awards to employees

44 – Percent of companies that use pre-employment drug screening

18 – Percent of business owners who provide ownership opportunities to nonmanagement employees

13 – Percent of businesses that randomly test for drug abuse

$8.02 – Average hourly wage in Northeast Ohio

4.2 – Average percentage base wage increase projected for salaried workers in the year 2000

4 – Average percentage base wage increase projected for hourly workers in the year 2000

Dustin S. Klein