When leaders think about building successful organizations, conversations typically focus on engagement, productivity, retention, and performance. These goals are essential, but they are often supported by something less frequently discussed. Employees who experience joy at work are more likely to be connected, committed, and motivated to contribute their best.

As organizations continue to evaluate workplace flexibility, new research suggests that remote work may offer significant benefits for employee well-being without the drawbacks many employers fear. A recent University of Colorado study published in Frontiers in Psychology, "Rethinking Return-to-Office: The Positive Impact of Remote Work on Well-Being, Connection, and Employee Retention," examined survey data from more than 7,700 employees at a large healthcare organization and...

On August 30, the California legislature passed AB-1883 which prohibits employers from using workplace surveillance tools that rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize, infer, or predict an employee’s emotional state, or to collect “neural data.”  Illinois, a leader in biometric data, has bills that would amend the biometric law to include “neural data.”  Other states including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, and Vermont are...

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' July Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed relatively little movement in the labor market. Job openings totaled 7.3 million, up approximately 89,000 from a downwardly revised 7.2 million in June. The job openings rate remained at 4.4%.

When we think about workplace safety, it is easy to focus on minor injuries cuts, bruises, strains or sprains. But MIOSHA fatality reports remind us that some workplace hazards can have much more serious consequences. Four categories that repeatedly appear in Michigan workplace fatalities are electrical shock, caught-in or between, falls from elevation, and struck-by incidents.

 

New survey shows 3.3% increase in salary budgets for 2027: Despite the current economic turbulence, most employees in a majority of companies will be getting a base salary increase for 2027, according to a large survey by Korn Ferry.

As organizations continue to adopt AI, new risks are emerging. In a recent security test, OpenAI reported that one of its advanced AI agents identified vulnerabilities in a controlled environment, escaped its containment measures, accessed the internet, and ultimately infiltrated systems at Hugging Face, a major platform for sharing AI models. Similarly, Anthropic disclosed that its Claude AI models gained unauthorized access to the live systems of three organizations after breaking out of...

For years, financial stress was viewed as a personal issue that employees managed outside of work. Today, rising living costs, economic uncertainty, housing expenses, debt, and caregiving responsibilities are creating financial pressure that follows employees into the workplace, affecting productivity, engagement, and retention.

For generations, the path into a professional career has been relatively predictable – graduate high school, attend college, earn a degree, and enter the workforce. But that path is beginning to look less certain. Rising tuition costs, concerns about student debt, and questions about the return on investment of a four-year degree are prompting more students to consider alternative educational and career paths. While this shift is primarily a conversation about higher education,...

Many employers are familiar with ban-the-box laws that limit when criminal history can be considered in the hiring process. What may be less well known is that some states are expanding these laws beyond criminal background inquiries to address other job requirements, including driver's license requirements.

Employers may occasionally hire an employee who is authorized to work but has not yet received a Social Security number (SSN). While this situation can create questions about onboarding, payroll, reporting, and benefits, the absence of an SSN does not necessarily mean the hiring process must be delayed.

Are you using TikTok for recruiting? Businesses have been swift to harness the messaging powers of social media platforms, often either partnering with influencers to do so or recruiting their own employees to act as company ambassadors.

Over the years, I've had conversations with many business leaders about workplace culture. Most of those conversations center on the common goal of creating an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and supported. But a recent Harvard Business Review article made me pause to think: Can a workplace become too nice?

Organizations spend considerable resources attracting talent, but many still stumble when it comes to onboarding. After the recruitment process, onboarding is the first impression a new hire receives and is critical to formulating the way they view the organization. New research from a 2026 Adobe Acrobat study suggests that common onboarding frustrations continue to undermine the employee experience at a point when engagement should be building.

As employers prepare for open enrollment and the upcoming benefits season, now is a good time to revisit the basics of Section 125 plans. Section 125 plans are named for the IRS code that authorizes them. Section 125 authorizes employers to offer certain benefits on a tax-favored basis through a written benefit plan. Most commonly known as Cafeteria Plans, they are also known as Premium Only Plan, Premium Conversion Plan, or Flexible Benefits Plan.

As students return to school and families settle into new routines, many working parents find that the end of summer doesn’t mean the end of childcare challenges. In many cases, it simply means trading one set of logistical hurdles for another.

On August 6, 2026, Sen. Bernie Sanders reintroduced the Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act, legislation that would establish a federal right to paid annual vacation for workers. Rep. Seth Magaziner introduced companion legislation in the House with support from 86 House members.

New $103,265 fee for H-1B applicants proposed: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new $103,265 fee for every H-1B application subject to the annual “cap” lottery. If finalized, the fee would be payable when the petition is filed and would apply in addition to all existing H-1B filing fees and other required payments. This is only a proposal, and the new fee is not yet required.

What if candidates could publicly call out your company for ghosting them? Well, now that is the reality. A newly launched website called Did They Ghost You? gives job seekers a place to report employers who stop communicating with them after an interview. And apparently, there is no shortage of stories to tell. Within weeks of launching, the site had more than 2,000 companies listed, including some of the biggest names in technology, finance, and media. The website may have started partly...

Two recent reports, considered together, describe a workforce development challenge that goes beyond how artificial intelligence will change any single job. A recent report from ETS found that U.S. workers understand the need to continually adapt. In fact, 78% said job security now requires continuous adaptation, and 85% said upskilling or reskilling is a necessity. Yet only 71% reported proactively developing new skills, a lower share than in other high-growth countries such as India...

For the past several years, artificial intelligence has been promoted as a workplace productivity game changer. Employees report that AI tools help them complete tasks faster, automate routine work, and reclaim valuable time during the workweek. In fact, a recent study by Glean’s Work AI Institute found that employees estimate AI saves them approximately 11 hours each week.

Managers are often the first to notice when something isn't quite right. An employee who was once highly engaged becomes withdrawn. A top performer begins missing deadlines. Team members express concerns about a colleague who appears overwhelmed, anxious, or unusually emotional. While managers are not expected to serve as counselors or clinicians, they are increasingly expected to recognize when employees may need support and know how to respond appropriately. That is why more...

Affirmative action requirements for federal contractors were not fully established until 1978, when the U.S. Department of Labor created the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and issued the regulations contained in Executive Order 11246’s 41 CFR Part 60 and related provisions.

Supreme Court decision on same sex sports may lead to the employment arena: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Title IX permits schools to limit participation in girls' and women's sports to students assigned female at birth and that state laws restricting such participation do not violate the Equal Protection Clause. This landmark decision provides critical guidance for educational institutions and state policymakers on athletic eligibility rules.

How many of you have had a strategic plan significantly disrupted in the last two to three years? I have, and this isn't a failure of leadership, it's a signal that the environment has changed and our leadership has to evolve. Organizations spend significant time developing strategies, setting goals, and creating implementation plans. Yet many well-designed initiatives fail to deliver the expected results because a strategy's success ultimately depends on the organization's...