This document consists of four papers presented during a symposium on work force issues moderated by Jan DeJong at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "Rethinking the Ties that Bind: An Exploratory Study of Employee Development in Utilities in Canada and the United States" (Michael Aherne, David Barron) reports results of interviews with employee development specialists that point toward the limiting effect on HRD practice of beliefs in behaviorism and the administrative nature of HRD. "A Study of the Need for Literacy Skills Improvement in a High Technology Company" (Rosemarie J. Park) reports on a 3-year project to upgrade employees' basic skills that found workers needed more help in mathematics than in reading, but basic skills deficiencies were less than those in the population as a whole. "Essential Elements of Work: A Factor Analysis of the Occupational Work Ethic" (Gregory C. Petty, Roger B. Hill) identifies four factors that can be used in training programs for instruction in work ethic components: working well with others, striving for advancement/success, being dependable, and unconditional acceptance of duty. "Towards an Ecology of Soul in Work: Implications for HRD" (John M. Dirkx, Terri A. Deems) explores implications for HRD practitioners of an ecology of soul in work that involves understanding the deep and holistic relationship between the worker and the work environment. Papers contain references. (YLB)