As a leader, you want to be a straight-talker. No sugarcoating, exaggerating or minimizing. But there’s a fine line between straight talk and a toxic tone. Some seemingly innocent phrases can have a negative impact on everything from morale and…
Leadership & Strategy
Why do we make dumb decisions sometimes -- ones we regret after they've played out? The answer is this reassuringly simple: No one’s perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Great leaders -- from front-line managers to the CEO -- try new things…
Wrapping up end-of-year tasks is no small feat -- so the month of December can feel like a mad rush for HR pros. If you want to get a head start, now's a good time to send employees an initial…
Perhaps the one thing in the universe that travels faster than light ... is bad news. And the only thing worse than hearing bad news is delivering bad news. Every manager has to do it at some point. And doing…
HR budgeting season is coming into the home stretch, making it time to consider: Will your budget for next year be a rock-solid financial roadmap that helps your organization effectively allocate resources and prioritize objectives? Will it provide ample opportunities…
You probably realize how powerful your words can be when you praise someone for a job well done. By recognizing an employee at just the right time with just the right words, you can impact that individual – and your…
Choose your words carefully. And to make an even bigger impact, choose powerful words carefully in the workplace. Whether you lead an HR team of two or 20, you need to get your point across to people every day. You…
Gossiping in the workplace is a cyclical issue that never really goes away. Let’s face it: Whether the topic is as fluffy as a workplace romance or as tense as a looming layoff, people are going to talk. And it’s…
What does it take to become successful changemakers in HR? You might think that it's nearly impossible to actually be successful at it. After all, people are generally resistant to change. But there's hope, assuming you avoid the things that…
It's difficult enough to build and spread culture where employees feel valued, engaged and satisfied -- but it can be even more difficult in industries with a high percentage of customer-facing roles. Think servers in food service, nurses in health…
One of the hardest parts of being in HR is navigating situations where the company's interests conflict with the needs of individual employees. Good employee relations is vital for several reasons, including keeping the company from getting sued. Jackie Plunkett,…
Mark your calendars: Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s theme – and several ways to observe Hispanic Heritage Month at work. What Is Hispanic Heritage Month?…
As we move toward 2025, the world of work isn't getting any simpler. The coming year's HR trends will involve rapid evolution of technology (particularly in AI), thoughtful and strategic succession planning as experienced employees age out of the workforce,…
Workplace culture has evolved from being a mere backdrop to a crucial driver of organizational success. In the past, company culture was frequently overlooked in favor of pressing business needs. However, today’s world is characterized by rapid technological advancements, social…
Don't underestimate the power of your middle managers. Success practically relies on them. In fact, they're pivotal to organizational success. And HR needs more training tips to keep them engaged, productive and at the top of their game. How important…
The hiring trends that defined us a year ago – both widespread layoffs and painful worker shortages, depending on your industry – haven’t gone away in this year. Specifically, in health care and manufacturing, the talent shortage persists, while tech and…
