HR in 2001: the IRS audit - To bring up to date our findings from last year's research into the key issues in HR, and to assess how the function is developing in 2001, we asked a panel of 116 HR and personnel practitioners to air their views about a variety of issues in their work. The most important current issue identified by practitioners is recruitment and retention, although this is closely followed by training and development, and workplace communication. And in the next few years, these concerns are expected to be supplemented by issues such as flexible working e-HR. European legislation and quality of working life. And. with the 7 june election looming. we added a new section to our research for 2001, asking HR practiiioners what they would like to see featuring on the new Government's legislative programme. At the top of the list arr training incentives and. close behind, clarification of the law on the transfer of undertakings, says our panel.