Human Resources

Insubordination is one of those words that commonly appears in fiction to describe a hero fighting against an oppressive regime. However, it’s even more common in the workplace, with unruly employees who refuse to listen to directives or obey orders. SHRM describes it like this: “Insubordination in the workplace refers to an employee’s intentional refusal…

The performance review, performance appraisal, or performance evaluation is a critical part of every company’s process. Every employee, periodically throughout their employment, must have their performance evaluated. This evaluation is an essential tool for various purposes, so you must understand what it involves, what it’s used for, and how to perform one if you’re in…

Human Resources exists at a crossroads between sociology and business theory. There are many theories and a lot of science that contribute to new and ongoing models of HR practices. Some of these practices have been around for decades, while others are relatively recent developments in the field. As an HR manager or executive, it’s…

Nearly every company that has more than a small handful of employees needs a human resources department. HR departments face challenges every day, many of which are routine, but they still require proper care and handling for the good of the business. Whether they’re challenges born out of ongoing change, challenges brought up by the…

Most industries are made up of professionals, and those professionals often form organizations to help advance their fields. Those organizations often develop tests or examinations they can use, to judge the skills, knowledge, and abilities of people in their industry.  With a properly rigorous examination, a certification can become a valuable asset, and people who…

Human Resources departments are often misunderstood and unfairly categorized, especially in TV shows and other stereotypical portrayals, as team members that should be feared and are primarily responsible for cutting costs and firing employees. The reality is, Human Resources departments have many valuable responsibilities, and they’re often caught in the middle of power struggles in…

The rock star developer. The lone wolf. The recluse. There’s a certain archetype of an employee who doesn’t play well with others, but who, nevertheless, are responsible for the big ideas that catapult a company from mediocrity to superstardom. Hollywood may have reinforced this idea throughout the decades, but the truth is, these kinds of…

It’s not enough just to hire a talented candidate for an open role within your company. You need to onboard them in a progressive, tailored way to bring them up to speed and make them part of the team as soon as possible, but without undue stress that can increase turnover. What should an onboarding…

One of the biggest hurdles of talent management – more so than many other departments – is justification. Sales teams have easy sales reports and conversion data to share. Marketing can easily report their spend versus revenue. Talent management? Well, measuring and showcasing their return on investment is a bit more complicated. Measuring your return…

We’ve written a lot about how to hire the perfect candidate for any given role in your company. A lot of that process involves starting with a large pool, narrowing it down through progressively steeper requirements, and then finally arriving at your chosen candidate. What happens to those who make it most of the way…

Your job title is important. It’s important as an indicator of where you stand on your career path within your company. It’s important when communicating with others outside of your organization. It’s important if you leave your company, so the hiring managers at other companies know what role you held. There are, though, quite a…

Sometimes it seems as though there are as many different HR tools and apps as there are businesses out there. There are so many that it’s difficult to contain them all in a single list, but we’ll try. No matter what size business you run, what the needs of your HR team are, or what…