Focus on human resources.

Inside this issue of UNITS magazine is the 2003 annual report, Landmarks. Under the leadership of Tom Shelton, CAPS, CPM, and with your dedication to NAA, the voice of the multifamily housing industry is growing stronger.

This year UNITS is launching a monthly publication cycle, so readers can enjoy more informative articles, educational pieces and coverage of hot topics in the multifamily housing industry. We start with a focus on human resources.

But first, in Ready for 2004, on page 24, B. Kreisler shares how multifamily housing companies approach 2004 with skepticism and their plans for stability and growth. New strategies have developed following a year of intense competition will low interest rates, rising rates of homeowner ship and a contracting employment market.

Employers have begun a gradual but powerful shift from managed health care programs toward those that demand awareness, involvement and savvy consumerism by employees. Read about emerging options and trends in Health Care Crisis on page 30.

In addition to changes in health care, trends are developing in consolidating defined benefit services and total retirement outsourcing solutions. Learn more in Employers Shift to Consolidate Benefits; Employees Allowed to Seek 401(k) Investment Advice on page 35.

Albert Mensah shares Five Secrets to Apartment Staff Motivation. Please see page 36 for details.

Other workplace developments of this day and age are multiple generations mid diverse people working together. Managers in the 21st century have become pioneers in workplace leadership, managing four generations of employees. The article titled Generation Gap, Communication Gap: Dealing With Workplace Challenges, contains profiles of the four generations of the workforce, tips on how to train them, motivate them and communicate with them. See page 40.

Workplace managers are also facing a more diverse workforce than ever before. Diversity: Respect in the Workplace, page 46, shares highlights of the forum hosted by Grace Hill, where Donna Olson discussed the need to be aware of and understand workplace diversity and its affect on our market.

Vicki Sharp, NALP, CAPS, writes about the value of continuing education and training sessions to an employee's personal growth in If You Think Education is Expensive, Try Ignorance, page 50.

Also, NAA is proud to release the results of its first-ever Harvey Readership Survey Ad-Q study, conducted this fall, based on responses from a sample of readers who reviewed the October 2003 issue of UNITS.

The survey determined that UNITS' readers comprise many of the key leaders, decision makers and product purchasers in the multifamily housing industry.

Readers holding the title of Owner, President, Principal, Partner, CEO, CFO, COO, Vice President or Management Executive comprise 44 percent. Property managers comprise 37 percent of the readership.

More than three times as many participants said that they read UNITS magazine regularly (67 percent) compared to competing publications Multi-Housing News (20 percent); Apartment Professional (17 percent); and Multifamily Executive (15 percent).

Thirty-nine percent of UNITS readers buy products or services that are advertised; with 58 percent either purchasing or recommending the purchase of the products. More details appear on page 29.

Happy New Year!