Of all the risks facing your company, which could most seriously threaten its ability to execute a global business strategy? When The Economist asked that question of risk management executives, human capital risk ranked highest. But when asked to rate how effectively their company manages each of these same risks, human capital dropped to near the bottom. The only risks they were doing a worse job managing? Climate change and terrorism.

The Business Issue: For most companies, human capital not only accounts for a large percentage of operating costs, it is also a huge risk factor. Yet very few companies have attempted to assess, measure, and manage human capital risk in a systematic way. Drawing upon research from The Conference Board in two areas—risk management and strategic workforce planning—this series will explore how companies are bringing these disciplines together to more effectively manage human capital risk and mitigate its potential impact.

The Knowledge Series is targeted at a cross-functional audience: Corporate Planning, Risk Management, Strategic Workforce Planning, HR, Finance and Procurement.

Series Host

	Mary B. Young, D.B.A. Principal Researcher, Human Capital The Conference Board Dr. Mary Young leads The Conference Board’s program of research on Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) and has been a major contributor to The Board’s mature workforce research.  Trained in organizational behavior and organizationa... Full Bio
	David Learmond Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow, Human Capital The Conference Board David Learmond is a senior advisor and senior fellow in human capital at The Conference Board. In these roles, he supports the human capital practice, which includes Human Capital Exchange™, research, conferences, w... Full Bio

Managing Human Capital Risk: Applying Risk Management Tools to Strategic Workforce Planning (Part 1)

PART 1: Managing Human Capital Risk

15 September, 2009 | (01 hr)

What can Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) learn from applying Risk Management processes and tools and how can Risk Management gain by using SWP to manage human capital risks? The two functions use many of the same tools and face similar obstacles to implementation. ERM offers many practical lessons companies can apply to make workforce planning more strategic.

Key Points to be covered:

• Human capital and the corporate risk-management process.
• Tools and their cross-application

Speakers

Ellen Hexter Senior Advisor, Enterprise Risk Management The Conference Board Ellen Hexter is senior advisor, enterprise risk management at The Conference Board. She has served on the faculty of The Conference Board Directors’ Institute and worked with boards to provide director training in risk management practices a... Full Bio

Managing Human Capital Risk: Applying Risk Management Tools to Strategic Workforce Planning (Part 2)

PART 2: Tracking the Shadow Workforce

29 September, 2009 | (01 hr)

Many companies have little information about their contractors (Who are they? Who do they work for? What are our legal obligations?) or the potential risks they pose in terms of intellectual privacy, data security, depletion of critical workforce segments or knowledge loss. The session will focus on why companies need to get a better handle on how managers use contractors, and how companies go about doing so using SWP and ERM.

Key Points to be covered:

• Getting your arms around your company’s use of contractors
• Assessing the risks, costs and benefits of using contractors in specific roles or projects
• Giving managers decision-support tools to make better decisions
• Optimizing the use of contractors as a staffing option company-wide

Speakers

	Stuart S Larson Director, Global Strategic Workforce Planning Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri Stu Larson has overall responsibility for short and long term talent forecasting for Monsanto, as well as for identifying the most significant talent management issues facing the company and addressing them in partnership with the global Talent Ma... Full Bio
	Traci H. Ramsey Global Contingent Labor Lead Monsanto Company Traci Ramsey has responsibility for leading the contingent labor operations and strategy as well as the corporate alumni program which services contingent labor needs with retirees and former Monsanto employees. Her team is focused on nationalizin... Full Bio