5 Tips for Crisis Management in the Digital Age

Crisis management is a tool many leaders keep in their toolkit, but secretly hope they never need to use on a grand scale. While minor situations arise regularly in the course of business, larger scale issues can end careers and destroy entire corporate profiles if handled incorrectly. We need only look to Equifax and their epic data breach, which called for the release of their CEO and launched a Department of Justice investigation, to see the sweeping impact of poorly handled crises.

It's Time for Diversity Training to Evolve

I was perusing Fast Company recently when an article caught my eye. The piece challenged the effectiveness of diversity policies and training in many companies. As a matter of fact, it went so far as to say that many of them are backfiring.

10 Ways Leaders Can Unleash Corporate Capacity

In my book, Unleashing Capacity: The Hidden Human Resources, I discuss the concept of capacity: the ability for a company to anticipate and react to market changes, as well as get ahead of these disruptions to become market leaders. To effectively prepare for change, HR teams must become the owners of corporate capacity, for without human capital and the proper allocation of resources—all of which fall under HR's purview—preparedness would not be possible. It also means that company leadership must not only be savvy in proven principles of success, but also put capacity at the core of business decisions.

The Secret to Small Business Growth? Invest in Your Employees

Small businesses are some of the most vital players in the business community, but the rate of failure is staggering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost a quarter of small businesses fail within the first two years, and half are gone by the sixth year.

Why to Be Strategic About Working with Freelancers

The phrase "gig economy" has been bandied about quite a bit in the past five years, and for good reason: according to Upwork's Freelancing in America survey, there are currently 57.3 million freelance workers in the U.S., and that number is predicted to reach 86.5 million by 2027.

5 Recruiting Strategies to Win the War for Talent

The millennial generation is now the largest population on the planet, according to Pew Research. With more than 74.5 million individuals aged 18-35, millennials recently surpassed the Baby Boomers as the predominant generation alive today. This means millennials are quickly becoming the key drivers of productivity in the workforce—and as they flood the market, businesses large and small need to be diligent about recruiting them.

The Millennials Are Right: Continual Performance Feedback Works

As millennials continue to flood the workforce, one of the most obvious differences about the cohort is their constant need for performance feedback and continual reward. Standard annual reviews and rewards are not enough for this group of upstarts—managers cite that millennial employees want to check in at the end of every initiative and get feedback on how they performed.

10 Tips on How to Mentor Emerging HR Talent

One of our greatest assets in the field of human resources is our next generation of thought leaders. As we undergo significant changes in our industry and prepare for a new world of work in the information age, there is no better time to start focusing on how we lead the next generation through these uncertain times.

Why HR Needs a Marketing Strategy

When most of us think of marketing, we think of promoting a business: brand creation, strategic positioning, social media, advertising, pricing, etc. Almost every business makes a strong investment in these practices; and few (if not none) could exist without it. So couldn't these same principles be applied to a line of business?

Embracing a New Business Strategy or Tool? Don't Forget About Culture

If there's one thing for certain in today's business world, it's change. Technological migration, global expansion and shifting business models are commonplace in today's economy, and harnessing these disruptive trends requires big ideas and strategic execution. Yet, one important aspect to consider as your company embraces large-scale overhauls remains widely disregarded (even while it sinks the best of us): company culture.

Why L&D Can Make or Break Your Business

There's no safer bet in the business world than this: As soon as you've planned and refined a strategy, something in the market will change. Constant advances in technology ensure this type of disruption, and the rise of consumerism means that those who are not meeting the needs of clients faster, better and with more focus and attention than their competitors might very well not be around tomorrow.