ERC Research Studies - Research Studies from Local Survey Data

Research Studies

As a service to Northeast Ohio organizations, ERC frequently conducts research studies of the region's employers. The results of the following studies are available to be downloaded and accessed free of charge.

2012 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

2011 ERC/CareWorks FMLA Practices Survey
(January 2012)
Reports Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) practices among 134 participating Northeast Ohio organizations related to FMLA administration, certification, and notice of leave; reports metrics pertaining to FMLA usage and challenges employers experience in administering FMLA.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2011 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

2012 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2011)
Reports holidays that 242 participating employers in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2012.

2011 ERC Holiday Practices Survey
(November 2011)
Reports trends in holiday party practices and other holiday-related workplace issues including gift-giving, bonuses, and community service among 152 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2011 ERC Pay Differential Survey
(September 2011)
This survey reports data on common pay differentials provided by Northeast Ohio employers for hourly employees, including shift differentials, lead premiums, overtime, and on-call pay practices.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2011-2012 ERC Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey
(August 2011)
Reports actual wage and salary increases and formal pay range adjustments from 2010-2011 as well as projected wage and salary increases and formal pay range adjustments for 2011-2012 among 129 Northeast Ohio employers.

ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey
(August 2011)
Reports data on local trends for 108 organizations in Northeast Ohio in regards to general workforces as well as benefits, compensation, recruiting, hiring, communication, training, development, and safety practices.

Intern & Recent Grad Pay Rates & Practices Survey
(May 2011)
Reports trends in intern and recent grad employment and compensation practices among 102 Northeast Ohio employers.

Hiring & Selection Practices
(March 2011)
Reports trends in hiring and selection practices among 117 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Health Care & Wellness Practices Survey
(January 2011)
Reports trends in health care and wellness practices among 90 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2010 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

Inclement & Adverse Weather Practices Survey
(December 2010)
Reports trends in inclement and adverse weather policies and practices among 109 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Holiday Practices Survey
(November 2010)
Reports trends in holiday party practices and other holiday-related workplace issues including gift-giving, bonuses, and community service among 136 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2011 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2010)
Reports holidays that 229 participating employers in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2011.

Sustainability & Social Responsibility Practices Survey
(October 2010)
Reports trends in sustainability and social responsibility practices among 42 Northeast Ohio employers on green/environmentally-friendly and community involvement activities.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Job Description & Titling Practices Survey
(September 2010)
Reports trends in job description and job titling practices among 78 Northeast Ohio employers on practices related to how organizations create and manage job descriptions, and determine and use job titles.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

2010-2011 ERC Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey
(September 2010)
Reports actual wage and salary increases and formal pay range adjustments from 2009-2010 as well as projected wage and salary increases and formal pay range adjustments for 2010-2011 among 121 Northeast Ohio employers.

Recent Graduate Compensation & Practices Survey
(August 2010)
Reports trends in recent graduate employment and compensation practices among 60 Northeast Ohio employers on practices related to the hiring and compensation of new college graduates including recruitment, hiring, training, development, and compensation.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Employee Relations Survey
(August 2010)
Reports trends in employee relations practices among 105 Northeast Ohio employers on practices related to employee handbooks and policies; feedback, suggestions, and communication; and retention.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Health Care Reform Issues Survey
(August 2010)
Reports trends in how organizations are dealing with the most current health care reform issues among 50 Northeast Ohio employers.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey
(August 2010)
 Reports data on local trends for 125 organizations in Northeast Ohio in regards to general workforces as well as benefits, compensation, recruiting, hiring, communication, training, development, and safety practices.

Review of Performance Appraisal Form Practices
(July 2010)
Reviews performance appraisal forms of Northeast Ohio employers provides a summary of performance appraisal form trends as well as detailed summaries of the forms used by organizations.

Performance Management Practices Survey
(July 2010)
Reports trends in performance management practices among 96 Northeast Ohio employers on performance reviews, performance criteria, role of the supervisor in managing performance, and other performance management issues.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Absence Management Practices Survey
(June 2010)
Reports trends in absence management practices among 99 Northeast Ohio employers on attendance policies and scheduled/unscheduled absence issues.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Internship Pay Rates & Practices Survey
(May 2010)
Reports trends in internship employment and compensation practices among 118 Northeast Ohio employers on intern hourly pay rates, types of projects and assignments, hiring practices, training and development, performance management, mentorship, supervision, and engagement both during and after the internship.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Staffing Practices Survey
(May 2010)
Reports trends in staffing practices among 71 Northeast Ohio employers on their current staffing priorities, recruiting and selection methods, and staffing metrics (time to fill, cost per hire, and quality of hire).
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

401K Plans Survey
(March 2010)
Reports current issues and trends in 401(K) plan administration among 93 Northeast Ohio employers and provides a review of current practices noted in other research on a national level as a comparison and supplemental reference.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Training & Development Practices Survey
(March 2010)
Reports trends in training and development practices among 54 Northeast Ohio employers on administering training, identifying and prioritizing training needs, annual training activities, evaluating training, and employee development practices.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here

Payroll Practices Survey
(February 2010)
Reports trends in payroll practices among 126 Northeast Ohio employers on payroll administration, departments responsible for payroll processing, types of paycheck stubs used, payroll systems, pay practices for exempt and non-exempt employees, frequency of pay, and issues involving direct deposit.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here.

Department Sizes & Organizational Structure Survey
(February 2010)
Reports trends in department size and organizational structure among 44 Northeast Ohio employers in regards to average department size across 14 business functions, general organizational structure, levels of direct reporting, and span of control.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here.

Economy & HR Survey
(January 2010)
Reports how 101 Northeast Ohio organizations have responded to the economic challenges of the past year and their expectations for staffing, compensation, rewards, and other HR programs in 2010; details practices surrounding business performance, adjustments to compensation and rewards practices, specific changes to HR programs, staffing expectations, and reduction in force practices including steps taken prior to layoffs, severance pay, outplacement assistance, continuation of benefits, and early retirement incentives.
Download a short summary of the survey's results here.

2009 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

Holiday Parties & Festivities
(December 2009)
Reports how 89 participating Northeast Ohio organizations have modified their holiday parties, festivities, traditions, and other typical activities this holiday season.

Identifying & Developing High Potential Employees
(December 2009)
Reports trends in how 26 participating Northeast Ohio organizations identify and develop high potential employees in their organizations.

2010 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2009)
Reports holidays that 340 participating organizations in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2010.

Sustainability in the Workplace
(October 2009)
Reports how 45 participating Northeast Ohio organizations are engaging in "green" workplace and business practices that are environmentally-friendly and encourage sustainability.

Impact of the Recession & Beyond
(October 2009)
Reports how 62 participating Northeast Ohio organizations have been impacted by the recession and their perceptions of what the recovery period will entail for their organizations. 

Social Media in the Workplace
(September 2009)
Reports the social media practices of 52 participating Northeast Ohio organizations including types of social media applications used, purposes of their use, and the individuals charged with social media responsibilities.

2009-2010 ERC Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey
(September 2009)
The annual Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey is an invaluable tool for organizations' use in budget planning and making compensation adjustments. 125 Northeast Ohio organizations participated in this survey that reports actual and projected wage and salary adjustments.

Implications of a Pandemic
(August 2009)
Reports how 54 Northeast Ohio employers would respond and handle a pandemic situation’s impact on the workplace, given the current H1N1 virus.

ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey
(August 2009)
Reports local workplace trends for 145 participating Northeast Ohio organizations on benefits, compensation, recruiting, hiring, communication, training, development, and safety practices.

Low-Cost Reward & Recognition
(July 2009)
Reports trends in low-cost reward and recognition practices used by 46 participating Northeast Ohio organizations during a challenging economic year.

Controlling Compensation Costs
(May 2009)
Reports trends in methods of controlling compensation costs used by 79 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Trends in Employee Benefits
(April 2009)
Reports trends in employee benefits practices among 70 participating Northeast Ohio organizations. 

Managing Change & Communication
(March 2009)
Reports trends in practices related to change management and communication among 48 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Economy & HR Survey
(January 2009)
Reports trends in how local organizations’ HR practices are being affected by the current economic situation, specifically whether local organizations are changing their 2009 compensation adjustment, incentive, and bonus projections, whether staffing levels will remain steady, and which HR programs will be most affected by the challenges faced in our local and national economies.

2008 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

Inclement & Adverse Weather Policies & Practices Survey
(November 2008)
Reports trends in how employers handle employee attendance and pay issues when inclement and adverse weather comes into play among 118 participating Northeast Ohio organizations; provides sample policies given by respondents.

2009 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2008)
Reports holidays that 381 organizations in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2009.

Retirement Plans
(October 2008)
Reports trends in retirement plans and benefits provided by 50 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Absence Management
(September 2008)
Reports trends in absence management practices among 43 participating Northeast Ohio organizations; provides sample absence policies provided by respondents.  

2008-2009 ERC Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey
(September 2008)
The annual Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey is an invaluable tool for organizations' use in budget planning and making compensation adjustments. 149 Northeast Ohio organizations participated in this survey that reports actual and projected wage and salary adjustments. 

ERC/Smart Business Workplace Practices Survey
(August 2008)
This annual survey compiled data on local trends for 138 organizations in Northeast Ohio in regards to general workforces as well as benefits, compensation, recruiting, hiring, communication, training, development, and safety practices. This survey is a great tool to benchmark your organization’s workplace practices. 

Health Care Costs & Solutions
 (July 2008)
Reports how 66 participating Northeast Ohio organizations are coping with rising health care costs and what factors are most important to them when selecting a health care plan.

Employment Value Proposition
(June 2008)
Report trends in how 79 participating Northeast Ohio organizations are branding the value of employment at their organizations in order to attract and retain talent.

Intern Pay Rates
(March 2008)
Reports intern pay rate practices of 50 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Succession Plans
(April 2008)
Reports succession planning practices of 32 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Variable Pay Plans
(April 2008)
Reports variable pay plan trends in design and administration among 23 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Performance Management Trends
(February 2008)
Reports trends in performance management processes and systems among 73 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

HR Service Delivery Strategy
(February 2008)
Reports trends in how HR services are being delivered by 34 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

2008 HR Hot Topics
(January 2008)
Reports HR Hot Topics reported by 38 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

2007 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

2007 ERC Online Career Center Study
(December 2007)
The third Online Career Center Study conducted by ERC surveyed 3,440 websites to examine how effectively Northeast Ohio organizations use the Internet to promote their organizations as great places to work and the region as a great place to live.

2008 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2007)
Reports holidays that 321 organizations in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2008.

Union Contract Negotiations
(August 2007)
Reports trends in union contract negotiations among 20 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Defined Benefit Plans
(August 2007)
Reports trends in defined benefit plans among 41 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Car Allowances
(August 2007)
Reports trends in monthly car allowances for sales, executive, and professional personnel among 32 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Elder Care Responsibilities
(July 2007)
Reports trends in how 61 Northeast Ohio employers deal with employees handling elder care responsibilities.

Non-Profit Practices
(March 2007)
Reports trends in non-profit benefits and practices among 29 participating non-profit organizations in Northeast Ohio.

The Role of HR
(January 2007)
Reports trends about the role of HR among 94 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

2007 HR Hot Topics
(January 2007)
Reports HR Hot Topics by 168 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

2006 Research Study Reports
Return to Top

2007 ERC Paid Holiday Survey
(November 2006)
Reports holidays that 208 organizations in Northeast Ohio plan to observe as full day and half day paid holidays in 2007.

2006 ERC Brain Gain Survey
(September 2006)
A groundbreaking study conducted by ERC in the spring of 2006 that asked juniors and seniors at Northeast Ohio (NEO) colleges and universities how they are conducting their job search, what their expectations are, and what they like and dislike most about NEO. The goal of the study was to help local employers understand graduates’ expectations when entering the workforce to better enable them to attract and keep talented young people in NEO.

Department Sizes
(September 2006)
 Reports the size of various departments among 151 participating organizations in Northeast Ohio.

Early Retirement Incentives
(August 2006)
Reports early retirement incentives and limitations placed on incentives that are offered to employees among 106 participating organizations in Northeast Ohio.

2006-2007 ERC Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey
(July 2006)
The annual Wage & Salary Adjustment Survey is an invaluable tool for organizations' use in budget planning and making compensation adjustments.

Compensating Sales People
(June 2006)
Reports the average mix of compensation methods used to reward sales people among 13 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Recent College Graduates Survey
(May 2006)
Reports recent college graduate starting salaries and how pay is determined among 34 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

New-Hire Turnover & Recruiting Outsourcing
(April 2006)
Reports annual turnover rates of new-hires after their first 90 days of employment among 81 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Tuition Reimbursement for Online Courses
(April 2006)
Reports tuition reimbursement practices for online courses among 124 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Hybrid Vehicle Incentives
(March 2006)
Reports practices used to encourage employees to purchase more environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles among 114 Northeast Ohio organizations.

Intern Pay Rates Survey
(March 2006)
Reports average pay rates for interns among 74 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.

Preventing the Flu
(January 2006)
Reports practices used to prevent the spread of flu in the workplace among 154 participating Northeast Ohio organizations.