First HR Day in S'pore
MINISTER for Manpower Gan Kim Yong kicked off Singapore's first Human Resources Day (HR) on Tuesday morning, which saw more than 700 HR professionals taking a walk at the War Memorial Park to commemorate the event.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_363449.html

New HR education and training centre launched
SINGAPORE: A new Human Resource (HR) Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centre has been launched by Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/422262/1/.html

Coffee Bean grows brand in Singapore
Singapore - The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is adding six new stores in Singapore as the brand continues to enjoy steady growth despite the prevailing economic climate.

For more, see http://www.marketing-interactive.com/news/11980

Surfing net for leisure at work can boost productivity
INTERNET-surfing workers relax: employees who regularly sneak a peek at Facebook or shop online could be boosting their productivity.

For more, see http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25278242-661,00.html

Survey shows Singaporeans least optimistic about future
SINGAPORE: Affluent Singaporeans are the most pessimistic in Asia when it comes to their future, according to a survey by life insurer AXA.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/419658/1/.html

Human resource cost-cutting highest in S'pore compared to rest of Asia
SINGAPORE: A majority of executives in Singapore said their companies have cut HR-related costs in the last six months, according to a recent survey by human resource group Hudson.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/419697/1/.html

Video: Why it's important to be compliant!

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Step by step guide to a retrenchment exercise
It is important to maintain good industrial relations when carrying out a retrenchment exercise. The organisation must be seen as fair in its treatment of the retrenched employees. This sense of fairness will at least help maintain the trust between existing employees and the organisation. The following are five steps that you may take:
1. At the first sign of a need to retrench, seek alternatives to avoid retrenchment or minimise the number of employees who will be retrenched.

2. If retrenchment is unavoidable, set up a committee to decide on the criteria for selecting which employees to retrench.

3. Decide on the number of employees to retrench.

4. Select employees to be retrenched. A specific deadline should be given to department managers to submit the names.

5. Develop an implementation guide for department managers on how to answer questions from the employees.

For the full article, see CCH's The Hands On Guide HR Manager Singapore: http://www.cch.com.sg/SG/TopicCategory.aspx?TopicID=9

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How to prosper through a downturn
In the famous Monty Python skit, a pet shop owner is confronted by an angry customer returning a dead parrot that had been nailed to its perch to make it look alive.

For more, see http://smallbusiness.theage.com.au/growing/finance/how-to-prosper-through-a-downturn-620108994.html

100,000 employers to receive $920 million in first payment of Jobs Credit
100,000 employers employing some 1.3 million local workers will receive $920 million in the first payment of Jobs Credit on 31 March 2009.

For more, see http://www.news.gov.sg/public/sgpc/en/media_releases/agencies/mof/press_release/P-20090324-1.html

More workers getting trained
The number of workers getting trained this year looks set to surge.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_357181.html