Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reached an inflection point. What began as an experimental playground for technologists is now a competitive necessity for every organization. Yet, many business owners still struggle with a key question: how much is too much? The answer lies not in the tools themselves but in how leaders integrate them ethically, strategically, […]
Category: Employers
Three Tips for Getting the Most from your Business Mentor
As a long-time entrepreneur, I’ve had the opportunity to advise a variety of startup companies over the years. In that time, I’ve noticed common themes among fledgling business owners (and executives). One of the recent challenges I’ve faced, is being an effective mentor and advisor. Most entrepreneurs do not have training or experience in how […]
Why Does Your Business Need Anti-Harassment Training?
Originally Published on HR Annie Consulting Website, by Cindy Free, CEO Do your managers know their legal obligations when an employee shares a concern or lodges a complaint? Do they know what to do next and how to compliantly document it? Employers are obligated to make sure the workplace is safe and free from […]
Navigating 2025: Key Compensation Trends & Strategies
Originally Published on HR Annie Consulting by Michelle Franco 2024 introduced a lot of changes and new challenges that affected the way employers think about compensation. We saw a continuation of layoffs, federal policies offered a new landscape for workplace inclusion and belonging, return-to-office efforts have faced many obstacles, and it appears that the market […]
Cutting the Cost of Confusion: Eliminate the High Price of the Failure to Communicate
In the lightspeed world of technology startups and commercialization, confusion is more than just a hurdle—it’s a critical threat that can stifle innovation, delay product launches, and erode trust with both customers and investors. Whether it’s an unclear product message, a misaligned team, or a complex user interface, confusion can silently kill momentum and drain […]
Cracking the Code: How to Optimize Workplace Communications for Maximum Impact
Let’s chat about something that can make or break your work life – communication. Yep, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of how often, how much, and in what way we should be talking to each other at work. This post is meant to outline best practices for employee communications, with a focus on cadence and […]
How to Effectively Onboard New Employees with a 90-day Roadmap
Hiring the perfect candidate is only half the battle – ensuring they ramp up quickly and become a productive, engaged member of the team is equally crucial. An effective 90-day onboarding plan can make all the difference in setting new hires up for long-term success. A well-designed roadmap covers everything from their first-day welcomes to […]
Key Takeaways from “The Power of Hidden Teams” HBR Article
After reading The Power of Hidden Teams by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall on Harvard Business Review, I was compelled to share key insights. The article and supporting research provided surprising insights and actionable recommendations to address a passion of mine: employee engagement and retention. I hope you find as much value in reading the […]
Eleven Best Practices for Crafting an Effective Careers Section for Your Corporate Website
For the majority of the 22-year history of my company, I paid little attention to our Careers Page. It was a place to post jobs, as far as I was concerned. In 2013, I restructured my digital marketing agency, which required aggressive recruiting and a re-evaluation of our Careers section. It took years to fine-tune […]
Creating Effective Stay Interviews to Improve Employee Engagement and Retention
Employee engagement and retention are both costly and common among organizations. Fortunately, there is one affordable and effective strategy companies can implement proven to dramatically increase both employee retention and engagement: stay interviews. Stay interviews are structured conversations between managers and their direct reports to understand what motivates employees to stay with the company. They […]
