Employment Trends Index still rising

Those of you who are regulars at our Webinar series know that since last year we've been talking about the Conference Board's "Employment Trends Index," and its properties as a leading indicator of employment.

The index hit a trough last year, turning upward in August after over two years of decline. Actual employment – that is the total number of people with jobs outside of the farming sector – started rising around the beginning of 2010.

The index is still rising: The Conference Board, an independent business research group, said on July 6 it rose in June, marking the 11th straight month of increase.

Conference Board economists were cautious. The pace of increase is slowing down, and employers might be concerned the recovery losing momentum, they said.

Still, for HR departments, the challenge remains: hiring is on a steady upswing, and that means both additional effort and additional opportunity. An employee's first few days, if they go smoothly, earn trust and increase the chances they will stay on. The first few days also present many compliance challenges, such the challenges associated with I-9 and E-Verify. You have opportunities as well: you can encourage new employees to sign up for electronic paystubs and W-2s. You can – and should – also develop a company-wide process to screen new hires for tax credit and incentive opportunities.

TALX can help. To learn about our onboarding solution, please send an email to moreinfo@talx.com with "onboarding" in the subject line.

Newsletter: July 2010, Volume III