SHRM Blog

A year ago, I would have said no to writing this. But last year, I was inspired to talk about my mental health with a stranger after they told me about their struggles, and it was the most liberating life-changing experience.

You see, if you talk openly about your story, you never know who you might inspire and, as a result, change their life. What if that means the difference between someone giving up or deciding to keep going? I’ve had the thought many times…what if that person didn’t share their story with me? Would I be brave enough to...

Being a communications consultant working with C-level executives has given me a courtside seat to view talent development from a different perspective. Both in running a boutique firm and while working as a managing director at a publicly-traded conglomerate, I’ve hired many hundreds of people and made my share of bad picks. One of my biggest challenges has been recruiting and retaining unconventional talent. 

These are the hires that some would call non-traditional: mavericks, disruptors and change agents. They are less compliant and more free-spirited than typical colleagues and offer...

Q:  I manage a division with 40 employees.  About half are happy working remotely, getting paid their usual, in no hurry to return. The other half however, are public-facing employees who can’t work remotely.  They’re being paid their base salary, but not their commissions.  In other words, they need us to open in order to make ends meet. 

Some of those employees have become outspoken advocates for the “open-up business”  movement and even pressure co-workers to call politicians and signing petitions. This “activism” is creating tension across the board among...

I recently got to experience virtual onboarding due to the Coronavirus pandemic and wanted to share my experience as well as best practices since many companies are onboarding virtually right now.

Beginning a new job is a stressful venture for the employee even under the best of circumstances. Onboarding a remote employee could feel daunting to a human resources professional, too, especially the first time through the process. By focusing on the virtual onboarding experience, you can ensure your new employee feels comfortable and has the tools they need to...