Personnel layoffs, in both private and public system, are one of the most common topics in the mass-media our days.

Regarding this issue, for most of us 2009 meant fear. It seems that even the new state regulations have formed premises to personnel reduction.

But, we come to ask now if dismissal is really the only alternative to reducing the personnel cost?
The answer is far to be a simple yes or no. Many factors are involved in this decision such as:

• the business of the company;
• suppliers and customers;
• number of competitors in the market;
• substitution rate of products and services
• the future strategy of the company

Taking into account all these factors, when the management concludes that a company needs to reduce costs, a careful analyze regarding the following issues is request: read more»

What is more important? The position you have in a company or the salary?
The fact that on our business card is written manager or director, or the hundreds of euros with which we can get the car or the house of your dreams?

Normally a good salary comes with an important position. But this assumption is not generally valid. It may happened to have a satisfactory salary and a less pleasant position. So, how many of us put into balance the importance of the money and of the position? And, if so, what is the result? read more»

When the leitmotif of the current economic context has become "cost reduction / cost optimization”, an important solution for any company that wants to survive on the market is to outsource certain services that are not related to its core activity, such as: IT services, finance & accounting services, legal and human resources: recruitment, personnel leasing, training, payroll services and personnel administration.

Why is outsourcing an important solution to reduce and optimize costs?

I tried to illustrate below some of the main arguments: read more»

When an investor decides to start a business in our region, he usually can choose between a few countries: if they want to choose a country from the European Union, then they will most likely choose between Romania and Bulgaria, the last countries who joined the EU and also the countries with the lowest labour cost among the EU countries. In case they want to choose a country that is not an EU member, then Serbia and the Republic of Moldova seam to be the 2 best options.

However it is pretty difficult to make a choice in the end, given that each of these countries have advantages and disadvantages. So I proposed to make an overview of the main elements that take into account when an investor decides to start a business in one of these countries.

First, I tried to group in a comparative table the main types of fees and taxes, and the costs that an investor must bear in each of the 4 analyzed countries. Please see them below: read more»

article published in Tonica magazine

How many times dind't you want to escape, even for one single day, from the crowded roadway from your job office and back, anyhow you were traveling: with your own car, subway, bus? How many times you dreamed to escape, at least for one single day, from the morning strict schedule of your office that you can not violate but extremely flexible in the evening?

And how many times you have wanted to be able to transform the perfectly ironing clothes, the dress perfectly matching with the makeup, the elegant hair or the heavy atmosphere from the office with a light toilet - pajamas or robe and with a nice music loud enough for a perfect relax ?

Seems like a dream, but today's technology allows us to enjoy and to forget, whenever we want, the never ending timetable from the job, the crowd and the enforced dress code, if we decide to work from home. read more»

Under “normal” economic conditions and moreover in economic and financial crisis context, outplacement, as a way to support future ex- employees fully proves its usefulness.

Defined as a consultancy service dedicated both to employees and employers, meant to ensure a smooth transition to a new job, respectively a new organizational structure, outplacement very well points out an ethical approach that companies must prove in difficult times.

On the development route of a company, critical moments can sometimes arise, when in order to remain competitive on the market the company must downsize its personnel or part (from different reasons) with some members of its team, including members of the managerial team. In these situations benefiting from external, specialized consultancy services is ideal. I would name only a few reasons: objectiveness, confidentiality and expertise. read more»

The moment when a new member of the team is being recruited within the company, the employer assumes, beside the salary, some other expenses as, for example, the assurance of a safe and well organized working place, expenses related to the materials he-she will consume and obviously the mandatory taxes for the state budget.

We will analyse further on the situation of the Republic of Moldova regarding the taxes which the employer has to support for his own employees.

Thus, in agreement with the legislation from the Republic of Moldova, each employer is obliged to calculate and retain each month different taxes regarding his own employees taking into account the exemptions claimed by the employee, the contributions or the bonuses calculated in accordance to the decisions made by the Major Fiscal State Inspectorate, The Medical Insurance National House and The National Social Insurances House of the Republic of Moldova. read more»

If I could ask anybody on Earth, no matter religion or nationality, I think few people could give me a definition of what means to be a good colleague at work.

In fact, there is not a standard definition to explain what means to be a good colleague at work, but we could guide ourselves to some unwritten rules. This comes from the inside of each person and depends on its character, on the honour and respect we generally grant to human beings.

Anyway, in my opinion, attitude towards our colleagues is connected with our communication skills and the importance we grant to interpersonal relationships.

We should have a positive attitude at work, should try to avoid criticism for our colleagues or in case we have something to object we should treat the situation with diplomacy and decency. read more»

One of most important obligations of the employer towards its employees is to pay them. Fulfilling the duties assumed, means for most employers one of the biggest expenses related to their activity. Salaries and their related costs (contributions to health, unemployment, pensions, etc.) usually add up to approximately 60% of total operating costs of a large-scale enterprise. read more»

Every recruitment process, whether handled internally or through a recruitment agency, starts with a good definition of the ideal candidate profile. If we are talking about a middle or top management position, inevitably the ideal profile will contain the following expressions: “leadership abilities”, “vision” and “business understanding”, “thinking out-of-the-box”, “inspiring people”, “reflects the values and the culture of the company”, etc.

The expectations that the new manager has to fulfill are also clearly stated: team development, process optimization, meeting sales targets or other business objectives. read more»