PricewaterhouseCoopers has launched a new Human Resource Services (HRS) consulting practice which combines, in one division, five core services including executive search and selection; strategic HR consulting and communication services and performance measurement and assessment services.

Previously, the group, which has been in existence since 2001, operated as two separate entities with one focusing on consulting and the other more on executive search and recruitment and HR process design.

Alistair McNeish, director of PricewaterhouseCoopers Bermuda, said that the new practice was borne from the fact that since human resources is a key component to the competitive advantage of most Bermuda companies, human resources strategies need to be in sync with what a company is trying to achieve as a corporation.

?We decided to launch our combined HR consulting group primarily to respond proactively to the increased need for companies to adopt a more risk management oriented approach to HR,? Mr. McNeish said.

?Through integrating services, we can offer more value added service to clients and, as part of the integration, we have designed a more rigorous methodology to asses risk and human capital in organisations.?

The PricewaterhouseCoopers? approach, which applies proven risk management principles in identifying and addressing potential business risks relating to managing human resources, focuses on Strategic Risk, Compliance Risk, Operational Risk, Financial Risk and Systems Risk.

The PwC network is one of the world?s largest HR advisory organisations with more than 6,000 experts in over 100 countries.

The Human Resource Services division has been in operation in Bermuda since 2001.