Trends

NONTRADITIONAL EMPLOYEE REWARDS ON THE RISE Salary increases for white-collar workers this year will average a modest 4.2 percent, according to the 1997/1998 Compensation Planning Survey, conducted by William M. Mercer, Inc., the New York-based human resources consultancy. However, "employers are putting more dollars into incentive programs of all types today, and will continue to do so in the future," says Philadelphia-based Mercer principal Charles M. Cumming.