So is the Great Recession soon to become a distant memory? Consider these statistics:

• The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators was expected to rise 0.9% in March, following a 0.1% increase in February.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen past the magical 10,000 mark to settle above 11,000 for the first time in 18 months.
• More CEOs at leading U.S. companies say they plan to hire than fire over the next six months, the irst time hiring would outpace layoffs since the first quarter of 2008.
• U.S. unemployment is holding steady at 9.7% for the third straight month, which one may file under the “well, it could be worse” category.
• Barclays economists expect a 3.8% jump in U.S. growth in 2009, up from an earlier prediction of 3.5% growth.

Regardless of when the inevitable recovery comes, we’re certain companies that have prepared for the upswing will be the ones to bene it the most. So it’s fitting that the feature stories you’ll find inside all center on the theme of finding, motivating, and rewarding employees.

The cover story by Mary Mosquda of Lockton Companies focuses on the role that a Total Rewards strategy plays in a changing economy. A successful Total Rewards program involves understanding your industry and developing the correct combination of compensation, benefits, and work experience. The key is to balance the mix appropriately and not view any one aspect in a silo.

As employers look to add workers, the most successful companies will be those that leverage technology to optimize their human resources departments and the recruiting process, writes NuView Systems’ CEO Shafiq Lokhandwala. These recruiting tools can help sort through the tsunami of resumes, rank top applicants, and manage critical data for EEO and diversity documentation. That story appears only online.

And employers and workers both have recognized the increased importance of controlling risk in defined contribution retirement plans. Stewart D. Lawrence and Robert McAree from Sibson Consulting examine both 401(k) and defined benefit plans in light of the recent economic meltdown in an online exclusive.

You’ll also find these features, along with a wealth of actionable information, news, and thought leadership, on EmployersWeb.com. Successful companies plan for the upturn and during this time of continued uncertainty amid the renewed excitement, actionable information is at a premium. Our website is updated daily to give you the latest news to help you transform your business function.

 Doug Field
 Publisher




Matt Bolch
Editor