I recently started working with a client who has been using employment agreements with the entire employee population. I raised the question as to why they were using employment agreements instead of the traditional offer letter, which has led to discussions about why organizations use employment agreements and when it is appropriate to use them.

I was recently speaking with a young man that received an offer for a new employment opportunity. This new position would provide him with a significant increase in salary, as well as benefits and perks he had not received from his previous employers. However, before accepting the offer, the young man took the gamble of making a counter offer to the salary presented to him by the potential new employer.

As HR consultants, clients often approach us seeking guidance on how to manage an employee who is under performing in their current role. By the time a manager has decided to approach HR with the situation they are often frustrated with the poor performance and are seeking HR intervention. Poor performance is an inevitable part of every organization and it is imperative that supervisors and HR work together to determine the best course of action for each situation.

Sequestration Again? Here we are again... news of a potential government shutdown is looming over the national capital region. Wasn’t it just a few months ago that we were coping with sequestration and the potential to have to institute furloughs for our employees?

Summer has officially ended. Gone are the relaxed attitudes that come from a week spent on the beach and the natural endorphins that are a result of longer evenings and plenty of sunshine. Companies are now entering into the final home stretch of the calendar year with an expectation of productivity and results. For an HR Director, this can result in a sudden rise of complaints about workload, work/life balance and what are perceived as unrealistic expectations. So, how does an HR Director respond to the frantic employee who calls at 5:00pm declaring that they are ready to quit without notice and that their manager is crazy?

It was such a pleasure to be interviewed by Ingar Grev, a well-respected growth coach and contributing writer for the Washington Business Journal. Ingar was interested to hear about what has worked for me as an entrepreneur, contributing to the success of Helios, and what advice and counsel would I give my colleagues—basic lessons learned as a CEO. You can watch the full interview below.