Strategic Planning

Why the latest jobs report calls for stronger HR mobility and retention efforts

12/01/2025

The September employment numbers tell a familiar story: The job market is moving but not breaking in any clear direction. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 119,000 increase in nonfarm payrolls—moderate growth that still gives HR managers useful direction as they plan for the year ahead.

How to align HR with mission, vision and measurable results

09/02/2025

For many organizations, HR has long carried the reputation of acting reactively, focusing too much on administration or functioning as a “cost center.” Hilary McClain, HR consultant and partner at McClain Resources, challenges HR leaders to reframe those perceptions and focus on alignment, credibility and business value.

Building a skills-powered workforce: Turning strategy into impact

07/28/2025

Upskilling is no longer a future-facing perk—it’s a present-tense necessity. Yet a disconnect persists: While designing talent processes around skills rose to No. 3 on HR’s 2025 priority list, only 37% of executives expect it to generate ROI this year.

From firefighting to forecasting: Becoming a strategic anticipator

07/07/2025

Some HR teams spend their days putting out fires. Others are mapping the terrain ahead. According to DDI’s HR Insights Report 2025, the difference between these two approaches isn’t academic, but organizational survival.

4 questions for HR leaders to reclaim their strategic seat

05/14/2025

Human Resources Day on May 20 isn’t just a celebration—it’s a call for reflection. As the world of work accelerates, HR professionals are often caught between putting out fires and driving long-term value. This year, instead of focusing on emerging trends alone, use the day as a mirror. Where is HR truly adding strategic value? Where are you still stuck in reactive patterns?

7 tips to make your meetings more productive

01/13/2025

Between vague agendas and never-ending Zoom sessions, meetings have become a waste of time for many. Here’s how to structure huddles to make them productive and run more smoothly.

How to achieve organizational optimization through rightsizing

12/04/2024

In HR teams across industries, a quiet revolution is transforming how companies think about workforce management. Today’s most successful organizations view their human capital as a dynamic ecosystem—one that requires continuous calibration, strategic thinking and proactive adaptation.

Smart strategies for surviving this fall’s open enrollment

09/30/2024

Open enrollment for health insurance benefits is an inevitable autumn ritual that can cause great stress for HR and for your employees. It usually comes at the busiest time of the year, when HR pros—along with everyone else—are tending to year-end deadlines. Smooth the process by implementing these strategies.

How assertive are you? 18 questions test your ability to be positively persuasive

02/16/2024

Giving employees critical feedback, negotiating with vendors, sticking up for your people (or your budget)—they’re all communications situations that require a certain amount of assertiveness. These 18 questions can help you pinpoint areas of weakness in your ability to express yourself. Use your results to figure out where you can improve.

Succession: It’s time to plan for the inevitable exodus of older workers

02/14/2024

Employers nationwide are facing a potential succession crisis. With the unemployment rate hovering near a 50-year low of 3.7%, it’s difficult to hire new employees to replace older staff who are leaving the workforce. Employers need to plan now for how to replace the expertise older workers have acquired.