Human Resources Articles

10 Benefits of a Talent Management System

Companies are starting to recognize the value of talent management systems. Among companies that planned to increase spending on HR-related technology, more than 50% planned to invest in talent management…

10 Benefits of Employee Retention for Businesses

Understanding employee retention risks and implementing strategies to reduce talent attrition rates is a fundamental facet of human capital management — and for good reason. The cost of employee turnover is…

10 Causes of Employee Turnover & How to Prevent/Reduce Them

There’s no better time to search for a new position than when you’re gainfully employed: Studies consistently show that employers look more favorably on applicants who already have jobs—especially if they see an…

10 Employee Retention Metrics and KPIs HR Departments Should Track

Finding and hiring the right employees is crucial — but retaining them is just as important. The cost to replace a worker is notable, including losses in revenue, productivity and staff morale…

11 Benefits of Using HR Software

Long-held preconceptions about the human resources department are changing. The team is increasingly being recognized for its important role in creating strategic value to the business—and so is technology like HR…

11 Recruitment KPIs & Ways to Increase Recruitment Efficiency

Understanding how to calculate recruitment KPIs, or key performance indicators, can help you improve your recruiting strategies. In this guide, we share examples and formulas for the top recruitment KPIs to measure in…

11 Stages in the Employee Life Cycle: How to Measure & Optimize

Business owners and leaders know a strong team is the backbone of their company’s success. While they may talk about their team as extended family, in reality, nearly all businesses will see employees come and go over…

11 Top HR Mistakes Companies Make and How to Avoid Them

Labor is most often a company’'s biggest operating expense and, by extension, mistakes involving the workforce have a huge impact to the bottom line and…

12 Employee Turnover and Retention KPIs to Measure in 2023

Organizations are more likely to enjoy strong, sustained performance when their workers are motivated, productive and continually striving to reach new goals. Yet every year, a percentage of workers voluntarily leave…

12 Tips to Increase Productivity While Working From Home, From Folks Who Do It Often

In the past few weeks, millions of U.S. workers have adjusted to a new reality: working from home due to effects of the coronavirus. Taking phone calls from your kitchen table isn’t a new concept, per se, but it’s certainly more widespread now…

12 Top Employee Experience Metrics & KPIs to Measure

If you’ve ever received above-and-beyond service that made you a loyal customer, you’ve experienced the buyer-side benefit of an engaged employee. But how did the consulting service, store or B2B business motivate…

13 Top Employee Experience Trends Shaping Business in 2023

Whether employees are working from home or the office, one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of the employee experience. The term “employee experience” refers to the employee’s perspective of all his or her…

15 Important Learning Management System Features for Your Business

With the right learning management system (LMS), you can easily give your employees access to the training materials they need, and your employees can conveniently learn what they need to know. Choosing the best…

15 Tips to Reduce Employee Turnover and Improve Hiring and Retention in 2023

Attracting and retaining is one of the biggest issues companies face. The most successful organizations recognize the value of their workforce and are constantly looking for strategies that will help them hold onto top…

15 Top Talent Management KPIs and Metrics to Track and Measure

Recently spotted want ad: U.S. manufacturer that consistently makes the Forbes list of America’s best employers seeks talent analyst. Ideal candidate will continue the growth of the company’s talent programs and establish…

15 Top Talent Management Trends for 2021

There’s no shortage of obstacles for small businesses. But as work has evolved from “somewhere you go” to “something you do,” recruiting and retaining talent has long been one of the largest challenges for companies…

17 Recruiting Trends That Are Shaping 2023

For many open roles out there, it’s a candidate’s market. Especially in highly skilled, in-demand roles, quality employees often have their pick of places to work. This makes the role of the recruiter even more vital. …

20 Must-Have HR Policies for Your Employee Handbook

HR policies are a must-have for any organization. They can guide employees and leaders about what’s expected of them, ensure everyone is treated consistently, as well as prevent problems—including legal concerns…

25 Employee Recognition Statistics That Prove Recognition Matters

Recognizing employees for their contributions is a gift that keeps on giving. When organizations take the time to acknowledge their workers’ accomplishments, they are able to increase retention. Appreciated employees are…

25 Employee Retention Strategies & Tactics to Keep Your Employees

When consultancy KPMG asked more than 300 CEOs about the greatest threat to their companies’ growth through 2023, the No. 1 response — from among a dozen options — was “talent risk.”…

25 Recruitment Metrics for Data-Driven Human Capital Management

This guide includes the formulas and elements you need to calculate recruitment metrics and improve human capital management (HCM) strategies. We’ve also included examples of the essential metrics for 2021 and how…

3 Amazing Restaurant Labor Hacks to Drive Results

There are few issues a restaurant operator will lose sleep over. We put out fires all day: shorted turkey on Thanksgiving, in the weeds so deep you can jump rope…

3 Ways ‘People Analytics’ Improves Workforce Management

In short: Over the past few months, your HR team has been on a roller-coaster ride from record low unemployment to record high. Time to level set. A formal workforce…

32 Online Collaboration Tools to Rule WFH in 2020

By now, everyone has hopefully password-protected their Zoom conferences and settled on the right technology bundle to work from home effectively for the long haul. Now, it’s time to up your overall WFH game with some free or…

4 Standout Companies Explain How They Manage Remote Workers

The popularity of remote workers is increasing, with over 43 percent of employed Americans spending at least some time working from home. Managers of this growing remote workforce…

50 Employee Turnover Statistics to Know Today

In September 2020, more than 3 million people quit their job, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows. For as long as people have been working, managers and business leaders have tried to figure out the drivers of employee turnover…

50 HR Statistics You Need to Know for 2021

Any successful business will credit its talented staff as the source of many of its biggest achievements. Indeed, human resources are an essential part of any company, and also represent a major cost. While being an effective manager…

50 Thoughtful Employee Recognition Ideas for 2022

An employee recognition program is a proven way to increase engagement, boost morale and minimize attrition — when it comes to retaining talent, it’s hard to beat a clever, personalized gesture of appreciation…

6 Skills Every New Finance Hire Should Have

In short: In a climate of unusually high employee turnover, scouting solid finance hires is more important than ever. As the practice changes with technology and market conditions, top skills…

7 KPIs & Metrics for Measuring Onboarding Success

Onboarding sets the tone for the employer/employee relationship. Succeed and you boost everything from a new hire’s individual productivity to the company’s overall retention rates. Fail and you could find yourself with…

7 Smart Workforce Moves Every Hospitality Leader Needs to Make

In short: When it comes to staffing, hotels were hit harder than most this past year. Safety concerns and unprecedented unemployment benefits put hospitality HR teams in a hole that’s…

7 Tips to Improve Your Negotiation Skills and Humanize Your Meetings

In business, negotiation skills no longer include the ability to win verbal duels in the boardroom. Today’s negotiation experts recommend using authenticity and compassion in…

8 Best Practices for Workforce Management in 2023

There was a time when workforce management was just a tool to map staffing levels to call center volume and create schedules that best aligned with those conditions. But workforce management has since grown across…

8 Remote Onboarding Best Practices for CFOs

In short: As they increasingly shift to hybrid or remote work, companies must proactively address the onboarding of far-flung new hires. An effective onboarding program is linked to increased engagement,…

8 Strategies for Manufacturers to Tackle the Talent Shortage Now — and in the Future

In short: The labor shortage that’s hit many industries is especially acute in manufacturing, where an existing skills gap was exacerbated by the pandemic. There are a number of immediate…

9 Productivity Metrics and KPIs That Matter

Company productivity is a perennial business topic because it’s the key to remaining competitive. Productivity measures the output an organization produces divided by the inputs it uses, and it’s crucial that a company not…

A Guide to Workforce Planning: Process, Strategies, & Template

Because talent is such a crucial asset for any business, workforce planning is one of the most important factor in organizational growth. Unfortunately, many organizations still don’t fully understand their current and future…

As Women Leave the Workforce, Take Steps to Boost Retention and Maintain Strong Teams

In short: The COVID-19 recession is unique from past ones in that it has disproportionately impacted women. Women are leaving the workforce at four times the rate of men due…

Back Office Definition

Actors get many of the accolades for their memorable movies, but their films would never have made it to the big screen without a large, dedicated film crew working behind the scenes…

Calculating the ROI of HR Software

Convincing key business decision-makers — owners, senior executives and boards — to invest in human resources (HR) software can be a challenge. Businesses usually have long lists of revenue-generating initiatives…

Conserving Human Capital: 3 Warning Signs That Foreshadow a Skills Exodus (and How CFOs Can Help)

In short: CFOs have data and analytical skills that can be invaluable for HR colleagues struggling to cope with a talent shortage Developing a proactive retention plan will save money…

Customer Churn Analysis: Why It’s Important and How to Do It

Understanding why customers do—or don’t—purchase more goods or services is essential to success for any company. Gaining this insight begins with analyzing how many clients are taking their business elsewhere…

Developing Talent: When and How to Upskill Your Workers

In short: For many businesses, upskilling is a popular, cost-effective way to manage the current talent crunch. First, assess your department’s skills gap. Then, work with HR to define a…

Employee Compensation Guide for Businesses

Without paying employees properly, they won’t stick around for long. But calculating and considering compensation for employees is more than just accounting for an hourly wage. There are health benefits…

Employee Experience Software: What It Is & Why It’s Important

In recent years, companies have recognized that improving the employee experience is key to retaining valued staff, increasing productivity and enhancing overall business performance. Employee experience software can…

Employee Journey Mapping: Improve Your Employee Experience

Your employees’ experiences at work impacts the success of your business. Employees who feel positive about their employer and their workplace are more engaged, more productive and stay at the company longer…

Employee Onboarding Explained

Employee onboarding is more than processing paperwork on new hires. Onboarding is the term that encompasses the organizational socialization to help new employees acclimatize to the culture so that their…

Employee Retention vs. Turnover: Key Differences & Why It Matters

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that over the next decade the economy will add 6 million jobs. While competition for talent will be most intense in high-demand industries like healthcare, minimizing turnover is a…

Everyone Back to the Office? Not So Fast, Says New Data

In short: Maintaining the ability to have teams work from home — whether your business plans to allow it indefinitely or not — is a smart move in the "work-from-anywhere"…

Financial Considerations for Human Capital in 2021

In short: HR should work closely with cross-functional teams to proactively manage KPIs related to human capital and get a granular view of costs across the organization. As businesses return,…

Firing Is a Management Failure. The Talent Crunch Should Drive a Rethinking

In short: Retrain and reposition is always a better option than replace. Now more than ever, work with what you've got, because hiring is difficult and expensive. Here’s how to…

Guide to HR Analytics: Top Metrics, Pro Tips and Templates

We share why it is critical to analyze human resource data to improve HR processes and make better decisions on attracting and retaining top talent. Discover the leading HR analytics to improve performance and…

Guide to Workforce Analytics: Insights, Examples and Resources

Workforce analytics drives data-informed workforce planning, analysis and management. This article explores the benefits and capabilities of workforce analytics. It provides resources to determine the value and impact of…

Headcount Planning Best Practices for 2023

In a large company, managing headcount gets complicated fast. Total employees and contractors, approved-to-fill positions, proposed positions, unapproved positions, positions aligned with cost centers, positions not…

Headcount Planning Defined: Steps, Tips & Free Checklist

Every business owner knows the positive impact of a great hire—and the drag of not having the right number of people with the right skills in the right places to serve customers and support growth…

Hiring Top Finance Talent in a Candidate's Market

In short: Team-building CFOs face not only a competitive finance-jobs market but also the need to identify and develop future leaders One answer is to highlight technology integration and career…

How the Balanced Scorecard Will Yield Wins in 2021

In short: When the interests of financial stakeholders, employees and customers are in balance, everyone wins. But there are new challenges in achieving equilibrium. Keeping workers engaged requires added support,…

How to Build an Employee Experience Roadmap [Free Template]

Employee experience is a hot topic in human resources. And it’s an important one if your company wants to measure and improve its employee journey. Employee experience is a broad term that refers…

How to Build and Grow a Superstar B2B Sales Team

In short: There’s a science to figuring out when a new sales rep will deliver on revenue expectations. Rank sales leaders and reps on objective criteria — then supplement those…

How to Close the Manufacturing Skills Gap

In short: Manufacturing firms seeking to launch new products are stymied by a shortage of skilled workers, our survey shows Automation won’t solve this skills gap problem — yet One…

How to Effectively Manage Mobile & Remote Consultants

Technology has dramatically changed the way we work and is largely responsible for the rising popularity of mobile and remote employees. In fact, 26.8% of consultants now work from home.1…

How to Manage a Multigenerational Workforce

The demographics of today’s workforce mean that managers often oversee teams with members from as many as four different generations. Each generation brings unique strengths…

How to Motivate Employees, According to an HR Expert With 20 Years' Experience

Employee motivation is a crucial factor in business longevity that impacts productivity, morale and retention. Managers can enhance employee motivation by monitoring their own behavior, adjusting motivation tactics on a per-office…

How to Reduce Attrition at Services Businesses

Services organizations are infamous for grueling travel schedules, lofty utilization targets and employee burnout. Because employees are so integral to service organizations, losing a highly skilled consultant has significant impact…

How to Run a Meeting That’s Quick and Effective

Meetings can be a drag on productivity if not well-run. Laying ground rules in your office keeps them efficient. Tactics like setting an agenda, choosing a random end time and incorporating a physical aspect can make a real…

If You’re Sick of Unproductive Meetings, Try Robert’s Rules of Order

Unbeknownst to many of us, a 19th-century procedural handbook called “Robert’s Rules of Order” permeates the way we run meetings today. The rules are designed to establish a standard meeting…

In-Demand Tech Skills Are the LAST Thing To Look for in IT Hires

In short: Asking for a laundry list of specific tech skills is ruining your ability to attract the very best talent Entrepreneurs need to guard against the temptation to hire…

Optimizing HR Costs With People Analytics, and the CFO's Role

In short: Workforce costs can total up to 70% of operating expenses, making it a cost to manage carefully. People analytics, a data-driven approach to recruitment and workforce management, has…

Project $50M: 10 Best Practices for Growing Beyond 100 Employees

In short: When gearing up for the next stage of growth, human resources issues are among the most important to identify and address. In the transition to a middle-market business,…

Recruitment: The Ultimate Guide for 2021

Recruitment is more than just posting openings to online job boards. It’s a proactive approach to finding the right candidates for your company who will help advance your business and meet goals. Recruiting includes…

Remote Employee Onboarding

There’s more to onboarding remote employees than you might think. While you can—and should—use your master onboarding checklist as a guide, the “where, what and how” of many activities will change.Some tweaks are minor. For example, equipment…

The 9 Most Common Onboarding Mistakes & Problems to Avoid in 2021

Onboarding is a series of processes designed to fully integrate new employees into an organization—and it’s key to keeping them engaged and productive. While poor onboarding is a top reason why new hires fail to meet…

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Assembling a Leadership Team

In short: Hoping someone will “learn to like” or “grow” into a position? Back that train up. The business must be able to sustain every hire. Distinguish what you want…

The Key to Reducing Turnover in Your Restaurant is a Well-Defined People Plan

Great staffing is a critical element of any successful restaurant. However, as a whole, the restaurant industry is known for extremely high turnover rates. National Restaurant Association data reveals that…

The Non-Toxic Workplace: How to Mitigate the Great Resignation

In short: The Great Resignation looks poised to continue well into 2022, driven by a grab bag of factors. Are you or your managers alienating people unintentionally? Possibly, if you’re…

Tomorrow’s ‘Hybrid Workplace’ Will Require Different Skills — and More Data

In short: As companies look to their post-pandemic futures, the idea of a “hybrid workplace” has gained traction, as it allows for some employees to continue working remotely and others…

Top 10 Onboarding Activities & Ideas for New Hires

Onboarding is not a one-day, one-week or even one-month process. Yes, there are tasks that must be completed on or before the hire date. But to fully integrate new employees into the organization with the goal of…

Top 18 HR Challenges in 2023

It can seem like the responsibilities of human resources teams grow by the day. They have to manage the entire employee life cycle, from attracting the…

Top 25 Employee Perks and Benefits to Retain Talent in 2023

In-and-Out offers employees free burgers, and Intel provides free car washes and notary services. One of the best ways to attract and retain great employees is with competitive benefits and perk packages. After…

Top Workforce Management Metrics and KPIs

Two of the biggest and most common issues for small businesses are maintaining healthy cash flow and shortfalls in operating expenses. Because small business owners often dig into their…

Using the Cloud to Manage a High-Performing Workforce

The business world is constantly changing and companies are continuously thinking about what to do next. Where should the company invest next? Which company should be acquired next? Where should the…

What Gen Z Looks for in the Workplace, and How to Provide It

Get highly specific action items to ready your workplace (even if remote) to welcome and retain Gen Z talent…

What Is a Data Dashboard? The Ultimate 101 Guide

Dashboards help organizations track business performance and make better decisions by providing an at-a-glance view of key performance indicators (KPIs) and other important information. These…

What Is a HRMS?

An HRMS, or human resources management system, is a suite of software applications used to manage human resources and related processes throughout the employee lifecycle. An HRMS enables a company to fully…

What Is a Learning Management System, and Which is Best for Your Business?

Seasoned educators believe there is more than one way to teach—that students learn best when content is differentiated for their personal learning styles. And in business settings, research on 21st-century career…

What Is a Pay Period? Types, Considerations, and How to Choose

How you manage the structures used to pay your employees is an important decision in running your business. Structuring your pay period in a well-thought-out-way can help you maintain compliance with tax and labor…

What Is a Talent Management Dashboard and Why Do You Need One? (Free Template)

Talent analytics has become a crucial business function, and now even small firms have the means to collect, analyze and act on talent data. What’s often missing is an understanding of what to include and how to interpret…

What is Employee Engagement? Why It’s Important & How to Improve It

It’s more than just having happy or motivated employees. Engaged workers are invested in the success of the business and actively work to meet strategic goals. It takes time, planning and effort, but improving employee…

What Is Employee Experience? A Complete Guide

For years, organizations have sought to improve the employee experience with the aim of increasing retention and productivity. Efforts aimed at driving employee engagement, or each worker’s daily commitment and…

What is Employee Recognition? The Ultimate Guide

Employee engagement is crucial to powering a company towards its goals. Recognition for engaged employees and the work they proudly produce maintains that employee’s level of engagement and encourages others to…

What Is Employee Retention? Benefits, Tips & Metrics

In an increasingly competitive and fast-moving labor market, it is critical for businesses to understand why some employees go and others stay — not only for the bottom line, but also to retain top talent. Understanding what…

What is Employee Turnover & Why It Matters for Your Business

How successfully a company hires, onboards, manages and rewards its people is fundamental to success. These factors are too important to leave to chance, so the most successful firms use data to ensure excellence…

What is Human Capital Management?

Employees expect their companies to invest in their careers and provide professional growth opportunities. Employers expect their workforces to be nimble enough to support rapid changes in the business landscape…

What Is Human Resources (HR)? Functions, Goals and Responsibilities

Human resources (HR) management is a business concept built on the assumption that employees are valuable assets. The concept further assumes that if those assets, or resources, are carefully selected and effectively…

What Is Talent Management Strategy? 8 Tips for Building a Winning Plan

Chess is a popular metaphor for talent management for good reason. They both involve complex strategies, thinking ahead and considering what moves the competition is making. And just like chess, talent management…

What Is Talent Management? Model, Strategy & Tips for 2020

Talent management empowers businesses to attract, develop and retain a workforce tuned to achieve business success. Here’s how to excel. Finding the right workforce — and then keeping them—is an ongoing challenge for most businesses…

What is Workforce Management? The Complete Guide

Businesses with call centers have known the value of strong workforce management strategies for many years now—and their early lessons have paved the way for the development of processes and leveraging the…

Where to Find, How to Pay and How to Legally Classify Your First Freelancer

Hiring freelance workers gives companies flexibility to scale their workforces temporarily and on-demand. There are a handful of channels through which to recruit and hire freelancers. Choose the one that fits best with the…

Why Do Annual Performance Reviews Squash Morale? Plus, 10 Ways to Do Better

In short: You’re waiting a year to give significant documented feedback? Puh-leeze! There is no perfect solution. This is improv jazz, but the correct riffs are pretty clear. Here are…