Employee retention

From preparing Generations X and Y to replace baby boomers in leadership positions and enticing more demanding millennials to finding compliance talent and integrating divergent staffs post-merger, HR executives cited a variety of issues they expect to be tackling this year.

The embattled company's new incentive pay plan appears to resemble those used by other banks, which suggests that regulators are unlikely to demand big changes throughout the sector.

Some might question the payoff for lavish parties, fitness centers and even career-development programs. But a growing body of academic evidence suggests that there is a link between employee happiness and bottom-line results.