"Dear Ellie" is an advice column from a seasoned HR consultant. Hear her advice for an HR pro who is navigating a situation with a salaried employee whose performance, when present, is strong. However, there has been a consistent pattern of frequent, unplanned absences.

Organizations that want stronger leadership cultures must measure more than output. They must measure how leaders lead. That begins with defining observable leadership behaviors, integrating those behaviors into evaluation systems, and creating mechanisms for meaningful feedback. The leadership competency no one wants to measure may be the one that matters most.

Crucial conversations is a dialogue style that teaches you to calm your emotions and stick to the heart of the matter during high stake, highly opinionated conversations. For civility, this tool is a game-changer. Help your teams learn to express controversial topics with respect for one another.

Learn how to help new managers in Micheal D. Watkins' Virtuous Cycle for new managers in his International Bestseller, The First 90 Days. The Virtuous Cycle and The Vicious Cycle are two cycles that forecast the success or failure of hiring a new manager.

The Latest includes a brief update on federal and state level news like labor market shifts, joint employer rule changes, and workplace policy developments employers need to know in March 2026; including what happened, the effective date, and what the changes mean for HR.

The Latest includes a brief update on federal and state level news including effective dates and what it means for HR professionals.

"Dear Ellie" is an advice column from a seasoned HR consultant. Hear her advice for an HR pro who is currently navigating maternity leave and performance issues.

By March, organizations don’t need more enthusiasm, they need subtraction. The question isn’t whether initiatives are worthwhile, it’s whether they are sequenced. When everything is urgent, nothing is prioritized. And when priorities aren’t ranked against real capacity, execution inevitably fragments.

Effective manager development starts with honesty. It requires HR to identify avoided behaviors, design training around real scenarios, and hold leaders accountable for application. When HR is willing to confront the real skill gap, training stops being an event and starts becoming a lever for performance.