Salary budgets for 2026 are projected at 3.4%. That sits well below the post-pandemic peaks and below what most of your people expected. Meanwhile, posted pay ranges and legally protected wage conversations mean your people arrive at the review with data. A manager script alone cannot hold that conversation together. This article explains the upstream work that makes the low-raise discussion manageable, and what to say when the number is small or zero.

Is your business growing or expecting growth? Are more and more of your employees working remotely and across the country? How can a small or mid-sized organization manage these challenges along with new compliance obligations that accompany these changes without adding HR staff?

Almost 40% of the US military is made up of National Guardsmen and Reservists. These 850,000+ service members are also your employees. While their calls to duty are in the national interest, it can be disruptive to productivity, challenging to organizational cohesion, and stressful for everyone involved. But, we HR professionals can mitigate — even gain — from these experiences using techniques already available to us.

An employee will remember their first day of work at a new job. They will remember if their new manager and team were eagerly awaiting their arrival with warm smiles. They will remember if their workspace was ready with an internet connection and ready phone line and even more so a welcome package on their desk; not just with typical HR paperwork, but maybe a company logo t-shirt, set of pens or coffee mug. The first day will set the tone for their new job. And the level of effort put forth by the employer to welcome their newest hire over the months to follow could possibly determine the length of their stay and their level of productivity. The area’s top employers recognize the trends associated with new hire orientation and employee retention and are adopting robust assimilation programs. These programs are targeted toward:

Augmenting a workforce with independent contractors can be an effective way to rapidly adjust to changing business needs. Not only is this flexible work arrangement beneficial to dynamic organizations, it has become an attractive option for a growing number of talented professionals. You can supplement your team with both independent contractors and W-2 employees, just make sure you follow proper HR compliance.