Q: What causes staff turnover and how to manage it?

A: Staff turnover can be a result of staff dissatisfaction in one or more than one aspects such as salary, reward & recognition, work environment, corporate policy & culture, career development, etc.  Organizations may consider conducting an opinion survey to find out staff satisfaction on different hygiene factors and thereafter initiate corresponding actions (e.g. salary adjustment, development of a career ladder, etc) to enhance staff morale. 

Presentation is the formal format of both internal and external communications. No matter it is a sales presentation, a proposal presentation to the higher management, or a project briefing to subordinates, effective presentation skills can make a lot of difference in achieving your objectives. How to use your body language to strengthen your message? What are the strategies to talk to different people? And how to handle difficult questions? This workshop will equip participants with the knowledge and techniques of how to deliver good presentations to achieve your ultimate goals.

Workshop Content:

Organizing a Presentation
• Definition and Types of Presentation
• Developing the Presentation Strategy
• Different Presentation Styles
• Organizing Your Presentation Structure
• Designing the Presentation Format
• Venue Design and Logistics Arrangement
Delivering a Presentation
• The 4P’s for Opening Your Presentation
• Stress Management and Confidence Build-up
• 10 Effective Communication Media
• The Power of Body Language
• Making Use of Your Voice
• The Use of Visual Aids
• Listening and Questioning Techniques
• Handling Simple and Difficult Questions
• Closing Your Presentation
• Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Presentation

Date:  June 15, 2010 (Tuesday)

To learn more on how HMI Consulting can help your company's management team to enhance corporate and departmental performance, please call (852) 3627 3673 or email to info@hmi.hk.

Economic Overview 

China's economy is expected to grow 10.7 per cent annually in the second quarter, slowing from the surge of 11.9 per cent in the first three months of this year, a government report said. Thanks to robust domestic demand, China's economy will still expand rapidly in the April-June quarter. But the pace will slow from the peak growth in the first quarter due to a smaller rise in investment, according to the latest report by the State Information Centre, a unit under the National Development and Reform Commission. China has recovered solidly from the global financial crisis. The first-quarter gross domestic product climbed to a record 11.9 per cent but it is mainly due to a low comparative base last year. Retail sales will continue to be stimulated by the "old for new" program which encourages consumers to trade in their used appliances, people's growing income and the World Expo 2010 Shanghai. The retail sales may rise 19 per cent in the second quarter, up from the 17.9 per cent increase in the first quarter.  [Source: ShanghaiDaily.com, 8 May 2010] 

Meanwhile, China's manufacturing continued to grow in April thanks to a strengthened world economic recovery and robust domestic demand, a survey showed. But the slower pace of expansion suggested limited space for more growth against the backdrop of escalating trade disputes and stronger inflationary pressure. The official Purchasing Managers Index, a comprehensive gauge of manufacturing activities across the nation, settled at 55.7 per cent in April, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said. The index was up from 55.1 per cent in March and 52 per cent in February. A reading above 50 per cent indicates expansion, and it was the 14th straight month it had gone beyond that threshold.  A federation analyst said looking ahead, the PMI growth pace may slow down because of the uncertainties in the global trade when anti-dumping and anti-subsidy rows between countries are escalating, and domestic costs of production materials are increasing quickly. [Source: Shanghai Daily Online, 2 May 2010] 

Furthermore, the employment market in 100 Chinese cities continued to improve in the first quarter, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said. Employers filled 5.52 million job vacancies via the public employment service agency during the January-March period, up 7 per cent from the previous quarter. Compared with the same period last year, job vacancies in the first three months rose 18 per cent. Job-hunters entering the job markets in the cities totaled 5.3 million in the first quarter, less than the 5.52 million vacancies. The manufacturing industry accounted for the most job vacancies in the first quarter, with demand manufacturing workers accounting for one third of the 5.52 million job vacancies. Vacancies in wholesale and retail trade, hotels and catering, household services, leasing and commercial services, together with the construction industry jobs, took up 47.9 per cent of total labour demand in the first quarter. [Source: Xinhuanet.com, 4 May 2010]

In Hong Kong, the total value of local retail sales fell slightly in March to HK$24.7 billion, from HK$26.9 billion in February. But sales were still up 19 per cent from the same month last year - the seventh straight month of increase. Sales in February were boosted by the Lunar New Year celebrations. Total retail sales for the first quarter of this year increased by 18.8 per cent in value, and nearly 16 per cent in volume, over the first three months of 2009. A government spokesman said the robust growth was supported by an improving job market and better consumer sentiment, as well as improving tourism arrivals. The spokesman said the on-going recovery is expected to continue to benefit retailers. [Source: RTHK News Online, 4 May 2010] 

IRegarding the job market in Hong Kong, 73% of employers will hire staff in the coming three months, 16% points higher than the results in the last quarter of 2009, according to a survey conducted by JobsDB.com. The figure is also double the percentage of employers who will hire in the same period last year. Only 15 per cent said they will freeze head count and no respondent will cut head count. 74 per cent of employers will hire entry-level staff while 55 per cent will hire middle management staff and 15 per cent will hire senior staff. Among those who will hire in the coming three months, 41 per cent reported they will hire fresh graduates but 38 per cent have no interest. The survey covers 115 companies and conducted in April. [Source: Mingpao (A8)/ Jobsdb.com, 18 May 2010] 

Furthermore, consumer prices rose 2% last month from a year earlier, 0.1 point more than the average inflation rate in the first two months of the year. The underlying inflation rate was 0.8% last month, the same as the average in January and February, Census and Statistics Department figures released yesterday show. Prices for electricity, gas and water surged the most last month. [Source: SCMP (A2) / China Daily (M3), 23 April 2010] 


Disclaimer: Should there be any different views in the interpretation, please always refer to the original media source as reference. HMI Consulting accepts no liability in respect of the accuracy and truthfulness of the materials included in this newsletter.