Author: Luke Viera, Human Capital Institute

Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Applying the “Cheers” Principle to Employee Engagement 

The iconic theme song from the sitcom Cheers captures a fundamental human desire: to be recognized, valued, and part of a close-knit community. The lyrics, “Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came,” encapsulate a culture of belonging and camaraderie. While Cheers was a fictional Boston bar, its underlying principle can be […]

Why HR Should Embrace Skill Loss to Gen AI as a Strategic Advantage

In today’s workplace, evolution isn’t driven by biology — it’s driven by technology. As generative AI rapidly transforms how work gets done, HR leaders face an uncomfortable question: What happens when employees start losing certain skills to AI? Rather than resisting this shift, the most forward-thinking HR professionals are realizing that letting go of some […]

How to Scale Culture Without Losing What Makes It Work

It’s one thing to build a strong culture—it’s another to scale it. As organizations grow—whether through rapid hiring, geographic expansion, or acquisitions—company culture can get diluted or distorted.  New people come in, processes shift, and what used to feel natural now requires intention. The risk? Losing the very culture that made workplace growth possible in […]

Faces of HR: How MasterClass’s CPO Turned Missteps into HR Masterstrokes

Melanie Steinbach is a driving force in Human Resources (HR), currently serving as CPO of MasterClass and CBO of MasterClass at Work. In this role, she shapes HR strategy and operations, spearheads recruitment, and champions culture initiatives. Her career is marked by a consistent thread: the strategic alignment of talent and business. A Career Forged in […]

Company Culture Is What You Tolerate: Why Consistency Matters More Than Slogans

Most organizations can describe their company culture, but fewer can prove it. Culture isn’t what’s written on a careers page or stated in a company all-hands, but what gets rewarded, ignored, corrected—or tolerated. Culture Lives in the Gray Areas The biggest threat to a healthy culture is inconsistency. When some behaviors are addressed and others […]

Closing the Engineering Skills Gap: Building a Sustainable Workforce

The engineering industry faces a critical challenge. Demand for energy and technology infrastructure solutions is rising, while skilled engineers remain scarce. This nationwide talent shortage risks firms’ ability to meet growing needs, making retention and engagement crucial. Human resources professionals, with support of and in collaboration with company leaders, must implement innovative strategies that go […]

Survey Shows Increase in Workplace Political Conversations

Political conversations at work aren’t new—but they are becoming more common, more complex, and harder to ignore. According to a recent Kickresume survey, nearly half of employees (49%) have noticed an uptick in political discussion at work, with 72% reporting interest in politics overall. The most commonly discussed topics? Taxes, corruption, and economic issues—subjects that […]

Retirement Ready: Building a Better Transition Through HR Leadership

As America’s workforce continues to age, HR leaders face an unprecedented challenge: supporting the psychological well-being of retiring professionals. While most organizations have robust financial preparation programs, retirement’s emotional and psychological dimensions often go unaddressed, leading to significant wellness concerns for retirees. My recent research with senior leaders who successfully navigated retirement transitions reveals a […]

Faces of HR: Cyril Boisard’s Journey to People Leadership

Cyril Boisard‘s career is a testament to the power of curiosity and adaptability. His journey began in the realm of electronic engineering and R&D, but a thirst for deeper knowledge led him to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. Boisard’s early career saw him thrive as a software engineer across diverse landscapes, from multinational […]

How Neglecting Culture Hurts Retention, Engagement, and Performance

Leaders understand financial debt and technical debt. But many overlook a more subtle, equally corrosive liability: culture debt. Culture debt accumulates when leadership delays difficult conversations, ignores misaligned behaviors, or fails to reinforce company values. It’s not always visible right away—but it compounds. Left unchecked, it erodes trust, weakens engagement, and increases turnover. What Culture […]