New York comes in as the lowest risk city globally for recruiting, employing and relocating employees, according to a new study by Aon Hewitt, a human capital consulting firm in Chicago.

This study, People Risk Index, examines employer risks regarding recruitment, employment and relocation in 131 cities worldwide by considering data such as demographics, access to education, talent development, employment practices and government regulations. Besides New York, the other lowest risk cities are Toronto, Singapore, Montreal and London while the highest risk cities are Lagos, Nigeria; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Baghdad, Iraq; Sana'a, Yemen; and Damascus, Syria.

"With increasing labor costs and continued economic volatility around the world, leaders of global organizations understand that talent management is crucial to the success of their business operations," says Rick Payne, regional talent and rewards practice leader for Aon Hewitt in Asia Pacific. "To remain competitive, they are redesigning their talent sourcing strategies and shifting their operations to more advantageous locations. Identifying locations and formulating a successful work force planning strategy involves looking beyond cost. The Aon Hewitt People Risk Index helps companies adopt a systematic and holistic approach that compares and measures talent factors and risks by location."