For the first time ever, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed out an Oscar for Best Casting. Essentially, casting is HR. Casting directors study roles deeply, evaluate talent honestly, and make strategic decisions about who belongs where. When they get it right, everything clicks. When they get it wrong, even the biggest budget can't save the production.

Onboarding new employees can be a smooth, automated process these days, but it comes with a catch: the dreaded “no-show” hire. You’ve sent the offer, watched them complete online forms, even collected Section 1 of the I-9 and then… nothing. They never show up for their first day.

Earlier this month marked six years since the COVID pandemic turned the world of work upside down. Remote and hybrid work didn’t just change where we work; it also changed how we show up. Few workplace debates have lingered quite like this one: Should employees be forced to turn their cameras on?

The United States has crossed a demographic threshold with no precedent in its history. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 104.3 million Americans, roughly one in three adults, are currently not participating in the labor force. The primary driver behind that figure is not discouragement, disability, or school enrollment. It is retirement.

Programs in which college students combine education with work has grown in popularity the past few years.  Degreed apprenticeships are an old yet new approach for developing employees.  A report released by New America’s Center on Education & Labor found that about 350 institutions nationwide offered nearly 600 degreed apprenticeship programs integrated with associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees, preparing students for 91 different occupations.  The...

Federal contractor minimum wage increasing: The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has announced the minimum wage rate for federal contractors performing work on federal contracts covered by Executive Order 13658, Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors (the order).

On February 26, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas issued a letter to the chief executive officers, general counsel, and board chairs of 500 of the largest employers. These companies employ over 30 million workers and exert significant influence over the livelihood of millions of Americans. 

As organizations navigate ongoing talent shortages and shifting workforce expectations, many are facing two challenges at once. Experienced employees are nearing retirement, and mid-career professionals are stepping away due to caregiving demands. Flextirement offers a structured way to address both.

When it comes to attracting the best talent, writing inclusive job descriptions is one of the simplest and most effective changes an organization can make. Yet many job ads unintentionally exclude neurodivergent candidates including people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other neurological differences because they’re written without considering different ways people process information.

Laws around employment background checks are constantly in motion. Employers must stay up to date with the changes, especially when they work in multiple states. What you can do in one state, and sometimes in one county, is not allowed in another state or county.

Paid family leave pays off: A new survey of more than 250 human resources decision-makers reveals that 88% of companies offer standalone employer-sponsored paid family leave (PFL) and/or paid parental leave (PPL), including 46% that offer both. Almost 21% offer one or both to all part-timers, and 62% provide immediate coverage eligibility upon hire.

For the past five years, the "virtual-first" hiring model was hailed as the ultimate efficiency win for HR. However, as generative AI tools have evolved from simple resume builders to real-time interview copilots, the digital veneer of the hiring process is cracking. To outsmart the surge in AI-assisted fraud and "bot-optimized" candidates, companies are increasingly dusting off the physical conference room and returning to the in-person interview.

Loneliness has increasingly become a workplace crisis. Roughly 60% of employees with fewer than five years of work experience report feeling lonely all or most of the time. In a world of remote and hybrid work, that isolation has real consequences for both employees and the organizations they work for.

Every organization has one. The project that started with enthusiasm, buy-in, a great launch meeting, and a well-designed slide deck, but then months go by, and years later, it is still tagging along with no clear purpose. No one remembers why it started, and no one wants to admit it might not be working. Welcome to the world of the zombie project, the initiative that refuses to die.

For many organizations, hiring still happens in reaction to immediate needs. A key employee leaves, a project ramps up, or a new initiative begins, and suddenly HR is racing to fill a position. This reactive approach often leads to rushed decisions, long vacancies, and hires who may not be the best long-term fit.