SHRM Blog

COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill in a flash, forcing people to stay and work from home. But the frontline workers were the lifeline of the economy and society. They kept risking their own lives and saving light on groceries, restaurants, hospitals, and other energy-saving essential services. According to Brookings, these unsung heroes are mostly “low-wage earners estimated at around 7 million people” according to Eonocofact, “ most of the workers are also minorities women, PoC, etc.,” as shown in the figure.1

Fig.1 Composition of Frontline Workers

The...

Over the past year, I have often been asked by various members of the HR community: With so many immediate changes in society, what can I do to best help my employer?

From insect invasions (murder hornets, cicadas and joro spiders, oh my!), to an entire pandemic, to the more-standard challenges of matters like voting legislation, mental and physical wellness, refugee crises, racial injustice, pay equity and gun violence, there has been plenty for HR to deal with over the past two years.

Employees are asking for different things. Employers’...

Giant segments of U.S. workers remain unsatisfied with their careers. Millennials and Generation Z’ers, which comprise a large majority of the workforce, often report feeling unfulfilled by their pay, career, and overall sense of purpose on-the-job. Many say they feel devalued and struggle with how to make their mark in business.

I’m often asked for advice from young professionals on the best way to excel and advance on-the-job. Hard work is important. But in today’s business environment, it’s not enough. That’s understandably frustrating since it runs counter to the belief that we’ve grown up with that “hard work pays off.”

I offer this wisdom as it’s...

As the importance of developing student career readiness increases for colleges and universities, there are many opportunities for on-campus employers to reimagine and elevate their on-campus student employment positions as internships. As the Student Employment Specialist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I oversee several areas including posting student employment positions, reviewing hiring documents, and unifying student employee training and onboarding. When I started in my role in July 2021, I saw potential in these areas to build an internship experience to allow a student to get exposure to Human Resources...