Charles Schwab Announces New Performance Management Tools to Help Independent Investment Advisors Extend Staff Efficiency and Productivity

New Tools Expand Schwab`s Human Capital Offer for Advisors
SAN FRANCISCO--(Business Wire)--
To help independent investment advisory firms maximize employee efficiency and
productivity, Charles Schwab today announced a series of new performance
management tools for advisors available through its Human Capital offer. The
expanded resources for advisors include best practices and ready-to-use tools
and templates across five key areas of human resources management including
setting employee goals and objectives, employee performance management, employee
career path development, staff motivation and leadership, and firm work
environment.

The new performance management tools are also designed to enable advisory firms
to align their employees` responsibilities and objectives to the firm`s
compensation structure and overall goals for growth.

The newly-added tools, resources, and content for advisors can be accessed
through a variety of channels including personalized one-on-one consultations
with Schwab business consultants and relationship managers, a series of events
throughout 2009, and a comprehensive set of tools and resources available on
Schwab`s website.

"We have heard loud and clear that it is critical right now for advisors to
realize efficiencies in every aspect of their business, and employee performance
management can be a powerful contributor," said Kelli Cruz, director of advisor
business consulting for Schwab Advisor Services. "The resources we have added
will help firms create clearer roles, responsibilities, and objectives for their
employees, enabling higher levels of staff efficiency and productivity, and
ultimately helping firms to be in a good position to grow."

According to a 2007 Schwab report, Best-Managed Firms: Time Management and
Organizational Effectiveness, the cost of staff time is typically the most
significant expenditure for an advisory firm, averaging about 70 percent of all
expenditures. By managing personnel time effectively, firms can increase their
efficiency, free up time for more strategic activities, and improve quality of
work life for their employees.

The five newly added performance management areas in Schwab`s Human Capital
offer consist of 15 new guides and templates including:

* Resources on creating staff performance objectives
* A guide to addressing employee performance issues
* Talking points on discussing compensation with staff members
* Employee self-assessment guide templates
* Sample performance evaluations
* Tips for writing effective performance evaluations
* Guidance on developing career paths

Schwab Human Capital offer also provides advisors with an interactive
compensation benchmarking tool, sample job descriptions specifically designed
for advisory firms, and on-demand access to webcasts from Schwab`s SOLUTIONS
Operations and Technology workshops series.

In addition to the new resources made available to advisors, Schwab will also be
holding multiple educational sessions across the country throughout 2009
regarding retention and performance management best practices, including
sessions at IMPACT 2009 and Schwab`s CONNECT and SOLUTIONS series of advisor
practice management and technology events.

Charles Schwab is a leading provider of custodial, operational and trading
support for more than 5,700 independent investment advisory firms.

About Charles Schwab

The Charles Schwab Corporation (Nasdaq:SCHW) is a leading provider of financial
services, with more than 300 offices and 7.5 million client brokerage accounts,
1.5 million corporate retirement plan participants, 544,000 banking accounts,
and $1.2 trillion in client assets. Through its operating subsidiaries, the
company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management
and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent
investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
(member SIPC, www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment
services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds;
financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity
compensation plan services; referrals to independent fee-based investment
advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent,
fee-based investment advisors through its Advisor Services division. The Charles
Schwab Bank (member FDIC) provides banking and mortgage services and products.
More information is available at www.schwab.com. (0509-9041)

Charles Schwab
Michael S. Cianfrocca, 415-667-3252
michael.cianfrocca@schwab.com
or
Makovsky + Co.
Jon Pappas, 212-508-9637
jpappas@makovsky.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009