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Is There a Crisis?
Survey of CFOs on Pension Plan Perspectives, Strategies and Reactions
The existence of a pension plan crisis is being vigorously debated in the media. Some describe it as the dark cloud over the corporate horizon, with the corporate world awash in red ink. Others think of it as an overreaction to what is basically a normal (albeit severe) cyclical downturn in pension plan returns. Indeed, effective pension plan strategies should be able to handle such a downturn. Which is it? What, if anything, should be done about it?
Reducing Pension Risk Through Plan Design
Pension plan sponsors are seeking ways to better manage pension risk. They are also re-evaluating whether the risks and long term costs of their pension arrangements outweigh the value of retirement arrangements to their business. This was confirmed in a recent survey of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) (the Survey) conducted by Watson Wyatt, the Conference Board of Canada and the Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada).
Managing HR Risk: Getting Base Pay Right
One of the biggest risks organizations face is not being able to attract and retain the key employees they need to be successful. According to Statistics Canada figures, as of the end of May 2004, the country's unemployment rate slipped to 7.2 per cent - its lowest level since September, 2001. As a result, already fierce competition for top talent is escalating further in many sectors.
Immunizing Your Post-retirement Benefit Plan
Canada’s aging workforce has made post-retirement group and health care plans much more costly for plan sponsors, particularly in mature organizations. This has been further exacerbated by section 3461 of the Handbook of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, which established requirements for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of retiree future benefits in financial statements for fiscal years beginning after January 1, 2000.
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