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.

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.

Interviewing is a very important process in a company and defines the culture of the people who work there. In order to find the best, you need to interview for attitude and not accolades. Hiring managers need to look beyond the surface and grab their shovels to really dig deep. Did you know that 46% of new hires failed within the first 18 months? And that 89% of the time, these new hires failed because of attitude?

In a very competitive job market, you’ve applied to your dream job and your resume has made it to the top of the pile. Congratulations! You’ve been confirmed for an in-person interview! Now what?

It’s budget time! Since labor is usually the highest expense an organization has, it is crucial to take the time to determine your pay budget. If planned properly, pay increases can be a tool to help engage, motivate, and retain top talent. Below are a few things to take into consideration when setting your pay budget: