In last week’s article on HR strategies that drive organizational success, the focus was on aligning HR priorities with business goals and defining the talent, performance, rewards, and technology strategies that shape outcomes. This week shifts to execution. HR processes are the repeatable ways work gets done across managers, locations, and employee groups. They act as the operating system for the employee lifecycle – turning strategy into consistent action. Every effective...

The sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines after 34 years has quickly become more than a financial story. For HR and business leaders, it is a case study in how culture, leadership decisions, and workforce planning can converge with consequences that unfold rapidly.

During our most recent This Month in Charts webinar, we highlighted two separate reports that each point to a significant shift in the U.S. labor market. Released in early 2026, one from the Federal Reserve Board and the other from the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility, both paint a challenging picture for the future of the U.S. economy and HR functions.

Regulating AI and determining who should oversee it has become a major focus of the current administration. On July 23, 2025, President Trump issued three significant Executive Orders related to AI alongside the release of Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan. Together, these initiatives outline four primary policy objectives:

Smaller employers are gaining access to pooled 401(K) style retirement benefits: Finance companies are expanding their offerings of pooled employer plans, a relatively new 401(k)-style retirement arrangement that allows multiple small businesses and nonprofits to participate in a single, jointly administered system.

As wearable technology becomes more common in the workplace, employers and employees are increasingly leveraging devices like smartwatches, biometric trackers, and sensor-enabled safety gear to improve productivity, enhance safety, and support employee wellness. But the same tools that generate value also create complex compliance challenges.

May is Mental Health Month, and this year Mental Health America is encouraging people to focus on creating “more good days, together.” A good day does not have to mean perfect, productive, or stress-free. Sometimes a good day simply means feeling calm, supported, hopeful, or able to manage what is in front of you.

Although political fighting is at an all-time high in Washington DC, both parties are in agreement with tackling the joint employer conundrum.  The Department of Labor promulgated its proposed rule for joint employment. The regulation, titled Joint Employer Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, contains guidance for when "horizontal" joint employment exists and four factors for...

Companies strive to do things better, cheaper, and faster but sometimes it is better for business to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Take the time to consider what unintended consequences could come up when putting policies and practices into place. Many employment decisions become legal decisions, yet how many employers look at their decisions that way when enacting or updating their policies and procedures?

HR strategy plays a central role in shaping how organizations grow, compete, and sustain performance over time. Rather than focusing solely on administrative responsibilities, modern HR functions are expected to align closely with business priorities and contribute directly to organizational outcomes. This begins with a clear understanding of company goals and translating them into a workforce strategy that ensures the right people, skills, and structures are in place to support long-term...

With AI recruiting, is diversity in trouble? AI is already deeply embedded in hiring. It screens résumés, helps match candidates to roles, drafts outreach, and increasingly shapes how employers and applicants connect.

Michigan has enacted significant updates to the Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA) that affects how employers hire, schedule, and manage employees under the age of 18. These changes were enacted through Public Act 196 of 2024 (House Bill 5594). HR professionals should focus on phased compliance following current rules now while preparing for substantial system and scheduling changes in 2026.

A memorandum dated April 17, 2026, directed to the Chief Acquisition Officers, et. al., by the Executive Order 14398 (EO 14398 or EO) of March 26, 2026, titled “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors” clarifies EO requirements that required a clause to be included in all federal contracts and subcontracts starting on April 25, 2026. EO 14398 specifically establishes that agencies should not do business with contractors that engage in any racially discriminatory...

For many U.S. employers, the H‑1B visa program has long helped fill hard‑to‑hire roles in specialized fields like engineering and information technology. These positions often require skills that are in short supply in the U.S. labor market. Throughout my career in technical recruitment, there were many times when hiring a candidate who required visa sponsorship appeared the only option to get the role filled with a qualified hire, despite reservations about the cost and potentially...

A recent survey from MyPerfectResume highlights a shift many HR leaders are already sensing: employees are still feeling pressure to progress in their careers, but their definition of success is changing.