They say when you love someone; you have to let them go. Although it may be hard to believe, from my experience, the same can be said for our jobs. When you dedicate a significant amount of time and energy to a project or position within a company, you build relationships with co-workers and form an attachment to the projects and initiatives on which you have worked. These bonds and attachments can make it challenging to hand over the reins to another team member or leave a company altogether. So if change is indeed constant; how do we make the best out of a difficult situation?

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.

Change is everywhere. We see it all of the time. And let’s face it, change is scary. At Helios, our clients are constantly faced with changes. One of the biggest and scariest of these changes is a merger and acquisition. So how do you keep your employees motivated and engaged when going through such a big change as a merger and acquisition?

Apollo Honoree, Salient Federal Solutions, shares the challenges of merging two cultures and what they do to help employees engage and embrace the change. Read more about how Salient brings cultures together in this interview with their Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer, Kay Curling, below.

What drives the use of employee development programs? Are the funds used mostly around the time of an annual review as a result of an employee realizing they are eligible for a raise by obtaining an industry specific certification? Are the funds used primarily as a result of the criticism on a deliverable or a behavior being recognized as needing improvement? If so, it may not necessarily be the availability of the benefit itself causing the disinterest in the program. It may be that the program needs to go beyond that which develops employees. The program must be designed so that it strengthens employees.

Have you ever known a colleague that never participated in social activities, avoided all group activities, and managed to keep a very "high wall" around their area in the office? It's likely that person was not moving up through the ranks, not receiving impressive peer reviews or performance evaluations, and they were not being recognized for outstanding contributions to the organization. The power of networking should not be underestimated because of the many possibilities it can bring forth in personal, career, and business development gains.