Compensation and Benefits

Last week we asked how much of your 2027 health increase you're planning to pass along to employees, and the most popular answer was none of it. Here's why we think you answered that way.

We asked what your 2026 merit budget looked like. A third of you (33%) landed at 3–4%, 26% came in under 3%, 25% cleared 4%, and 16% froze merit increases entirely. Here's what we think is going on ...

"They haven't taken a vacation in two years" gets said like a compliment. It's actually one of the most expensive sentences in your company. Here's why your most dependable performer could be costing you operationally, quietly burning out, becoming a flight risk, or all of the above, and how to fix it.

"Dear Ellie" is an advice column from a seasoned HR consultant. Read her advice for an HR pro navigating how to handle late payroll issues.

"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.

"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.

HR can’t stop premiums from rising, and HR can’t control drug trends, but HR can control clarity, consistency, and trust. When HR communicates early, aligns the organization, and secures the systems behind the scenes, employees experience stability, even when costs shift. HR becomes the translator between business pressure and employee reality.

As HR professionals, we can’t sit passively on the sidelines. We need to be proactive. It’s our responsibility to grab the bull by the horns and wrestle those increasing healthcare costs down to a more manageable, sustainable level.

HR teams are scrambling to guide people through confusing options before deadlines hit. Learn how to build trust and educate them early.