Archives

Faces of HR: Dessalen Wood’s Journey to Global Chief People Officer

Dessalen Wood isn’t just a Global Chief People Officer; she’s a culture curator, a talent transformer, and a passionate advocate for human potential. At Syntax, she’s the driving force behind the people strategies that empower over 2,800 employees, fostering a vibrant and inclusive workplace. With a career spanning more than 25 years, Dessalen has left […]

Are You Spying on Employees? The Pros and Cons of Workplace Surveillance

There is an argument to be made about how monitoring employees helps them stay productive, keeps operations moving along smoothly, and pinpoints potential areas for growth and improvement. However, implementing surveillance measures is a complex decision, raising important questions about the invasion of privacy and trust in the workplace. Organizations are grappling with this dilemma […]

Best Practices for Managing Employees Working Four-Day Work Weeks

While four-day workweeks have been around as a work model for some time, and other countries have embraced the model, it’s seen slower adoption in the U.S. Interest, though, is growing as companies seek ways to meet employees’ demands for flexible work and greater work/life balance. According to WTW’s Global Benefits Attitudes Survey, the primary […]

3 Ways Gen Z Is Reshaping Workplace Priorities

In recent years, thrilling leaps in technological advancement have often kept the skills gap conversation focused squarely on the need to equip employees with hard, technical skills. While these are critical—especially as many face a shortening shelf life for their professional skills—Gen Z employees have their eyes instead on soft skills—foundational competencies including communication, leadership, […]

Panasonic CHRO Uses This Powerful Mantra to Unlock Employee Potential

Although the HR industry is always changing, true innovators like Liz Almeida, Chief Human Resources Officer at Panasonic Corporation of North America, stand out by challenging conventions and embracing the power of human potential.  “It’s about creating the right environment where all employees can really feel engaged, feel like they’re in the zone, experiencing the flow, and […]

If an Employee Dies Without a Will, Here’s What to Do With Their Last Paycheck

Q           We have an employee who recently passed away. He wasn’t married, didn’t have a will, and didn’t have company life insurance or death benefits. How do we handle his final paycheck? Do we continue with our regular payroll procedures, should we wait for the beneficiary for his estate to be identified, or something else? […]

FLSA

Navigating FLSA Exemptions: Understanding the Preponderance of Evidence Standard 

The Supreme Court’s recent opinion in E.M.D. Sales Inc. et al. v. Carrera et al., No. 23-217, 2025 WL 96207 (U.S. Jan. 15, 2025) provides clarity for employers navigating the complexities of exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This ruling set the “preponderance of the evidence” standard as the benchmark for proving exemptions, […]

EntertainHR: What SNL Can Teach Us About Employee Retention

Last month, comedians spanning five decades gathered to celebrate one of TV’s longest running shows, Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary. Fifty years is quite a remarkable accomplishment, considering shows rarely last longer than 5 seasons. SNL’s longevity has been a mixture of the ability to stay current and the ability to retain talent for decades. […]

The Advantages of Adding Micro Retirement to HR Benefits

As the modern workforce continues to evolve, employees are increasingly seeking more flexibility in their work-life balance. One emerging trend gaining traction in human resources (HR) strategies is the concept of micro retirement. According to a survey last April by the American Staffing Association (ASA) and The Harris Poll, 43% of U.S. workers report feeling […]

GenAI Impact on Training and Development: Pros, Cons, and Best Practices

By now, generative AI (GenAI) is widely known for its ability to create content—written or visual—and it has certainly already upended many industries. But use cases are continually emerging and one that is particularly relevant to our readers is learning and development (L&D). “Companies are slowly embracing AI, not just to streamline operations but to […]