Global HR Leaders Cite Emerging Industry Trends.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2000

Cendant International Assignment Services and HR World conduct

survey of HR leaders

Cendant International Assignment Services, in association with U.K. published HR World and the International Institute of Human Resources today announced the findings of the Global HR Leaders' Agenda survey. The survey interviewed the leading 50 global HR leaders of organizations - such as Microsoft, DaimlerChrysler, Wal-Mart, Shell, Ericsson and Deutsche Bank - on the emerging trends in global HR management.

The survey reveals that according to global HR leaders the top 5 core competencies of their profession are Change Management (the ability to deal with uncertainty and change), Maturity (the stability of performance under stress, Openness (being open to new ideas and different practices), Flexibility/Adaptability and Contextual Thinking (the ability to see the bigger picture and develop cognitive complexity).

The 50 HR leaders surveyed also demonstrate a high level of international professional experience with 43 percent having been an expatriate, while 53 percent speak two languages and 17 percent speak three or more languages.

Global HR leaders are also frequent international business travelers, spending on average 55 days a year travelling, about 20% of their working time. In support of those responsibilities, cultural sensitivity was another key dimension cited.

When asked about the issues facing global HR leaders, the War for Talent came top of the list with the IT sector experiencing the most severe shortages. According to the respondents, being the employer of choice worldwide is key to creating a competitive advantage in today's fierce talent wars.

Another important trend is technology and the huge impact it has made on HR management across all sectors. For example, the Internet has opened up information on comparative salaries and benefits across the world, which means that companies may not be able to get away with the sizeable regional pay differentials to which they may have historically been accustomed.

In addition to IT/Technology and Skills Shortages, other priority issues mentioned by the respondents included Leadership Development, Globalization, Work/Life Balance and Outsourcing.

"This survey offers valuable insight into the global workforce issues that senior HR leaders are managing today," says John Arcario, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cendant International Assignment Services. "Certainly the challenges that have been highlighted, such as skills shortages, globalization, work/life balance and outsourcing, are exactly those that we at Cendant see our clients dealing with."

Surprisingly, the survey revealed that despite the IT revolution, global and regional conferences still remain the most common way for linking colleagues in a world-wide organization with 89 percent surveyed holding regular conferences for colleagues to meet face-to-face. This is closely followed by making use of intranets at 84 percent, 71 percent using video conferencing and 64 percent using the internet.

Finally, the survey also showed that to become a global HR leader you do not necessarily have to come from a HR background, indeed over half the interviewees came from other fields. Two cases in point are Microsoft's Chris Williams who has an IT background, and Pearson's David Bell who began his career in journalism.

Notes to Editors

With twenty years of experience and more than 400 global clients, Cendant International Assignment Services (CIAS) is the world's premiere provider of global mobility services. It offers unparalleled service delivery in nearly 100 countries around the world through a staff that speaks 25 languages. Headquartered in Connecticut, CIAS has service centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia and is a division of Cendant Mobility, the recognized leader in corporate, military, affinity and government relocation. Cendant Mobility has more than 1,700 clients. It assists over 100,000 transferring employees annually, with 18 percent of the volume represented by international activity in nearly 100 countries. Cendant Mobility is a member of the move.com network of relocation, real estate and home-related services companies and is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD).

Research partner for the survey was the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). For more information contact Brian Glade at SHRM, [phone].

The fifty top global leaders were nominated by an international panel of research partners, including Dave Ulrich, Professor of Business and Co-Director of HR Executive and Advanced programs at the University of Michigan; Mike Losey, President & CEO of Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and President of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations; Brian J Glade of the International Institute of Human Resources (IIHR), Godfrey Golzen, Contributing Editor of HR World; and Professor Lisbeth Claus, Associate Professor at Fisher Graduate School of International Business of the Monterey Institute of International Study, California.

For further information and/or copies of the full survey please contact: Kara Fuoto Ketchum [phone] [e-mail]