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Leadership & Lyrics

I love to hike. Several times a week, I’m rejuvenated by walking through the rolling north hills of western Pennsylvania, where I enjoy the dense forests, beautiful streams, and sprawling farms. During these jaunts, I often pop in my ear buds to soak in the music of the singers/songwriters of the early 1970s. Recently, the […]

From Scientist to DEI Leader: The Inspiring Journey of Cherise Bernard

As the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Invitae, Cherise Bernard’s journey from a scientist to a DEI leader in technology and advertising is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Her story is not just about career transitions but about a deep-rooted passion for driving positive change and fostering inclusive environments. Early Career and […]

Busting the Winter Blues: 8 Tips to Help Employees Improve Mental Health

Throughout the winter, many people across the U.S. go days or weeks without seeing the sun. Particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, they experience weeks of dark and dreary weather combined with bitter, unrelenting cold. The chilly gloom negatively impacts mental health, sometimes leading to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In fact, an American Psychiatric Association […]

Why One CEO Emphasizes Hiring More Efficiently And For Cultural Fit

For Phil Wright, CEO of Memorial Regional Hospital South, attacking labor shortages begins before you even get a potential worker through your doors. Finding ways to recruit and retain staff is a priority for leaders of hospitals and health systems across the country dealing with workforce challenges. However, one part of recruiting that Wright believes […]

School or Skills: How Employers Feel About ‘Tearing the Paper Ceiling’

In the fall of 2022, a coalition of nearly 50 organizations launched the “Tear the Paper Ceiling” campaign in an effort to convince employers to shed degree requirements for certain jobs. The thinking goes that such requirements are often unnecessary and not only make hiring more difficult than it has to be but also hold […]

Tech Layoffs May Offer Opportunities for Other Employers

In recent months, the tech industry has faced a significant upheaval, marked by a series of high-profile layoffs from leading companies such as Microsoft, Salesforce, and Amazon. These layoffs, affecting thousands of skilled professionals, have not only unsettled the tech sector but also sparked a broader conversation about the future of work in an increasingly […]

Frontline Industries Are Demanding Change in 2024

In 2023, frontline workers witnessed several milestones that sparked significant change within their work environments and everyday lives. With increased labor movements, we saw a surge of awareness and advocacy for employees on the frontline that influenced many organizations to redirect their focus toward workplace reform and improving working conditions. As we reflect on 2023 […]

Ask The Expert: Holiday Time To Pay or Not To Pay?

Question: Would it be noncompliant to require employees to work both the day before and the day after a holiday in order to receive holiday pay? Also, would it break any pay laws not to provide holiday pay to an employee who calls out sick before a holiday? Answer: Federal law doesn’t require pay for […]

Faces of HR: Diane Hughes on Business Acumen, Career Development, and Giving Back

For this week’s edition of Faces of HR, we give flowers to Diane Hughes, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Alliant Credit Union. Like many of the HR professionals we feature in this column, Hughes didn’t always have HR on her radar. In fact, she calls herself an “accidental HR professional.” During college, she majored in […]

Childcare Benefits as a Prime Employee Perk

The importance of work-life balance and flexibility in the workplace has become increasingly important for today’s workforce. One critical aspect of this balance is the growing cost of childcare, which has become a significant financial burden for many families. Recent data reveals that childcare prices, when adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars, range from $4,810 […]