A new month brings new opportunities to strengthen your workforce, making May the perfect time to review your HR policies, boost employee engagement and plan for the future. In this month's newsletter, we look at: 💰 Is it possible to reduce business costs without harming productivity? ⚖️ Are you checking for pay equity? 📰 Latest news and updates ❓ ...and answers to some of your HR questions. Read it here.

April 7, 2025  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other financial regulators are investigating regulated entities regarding their employees’ use of personal messaging apps and other "off-channel" electronic platforms. The SEC has raised concerns about unregulated off-channel communications, which pose risks around compliance, transparency and data security. Employers who violate SEC rules may be subject to hefty fines. Here’s why it matters for your business: Data security risks Messaging apps, like WhatsApp and Skype, often store sensitive information, including conversations, attachments and client details. Compliance challenges For businesses in regulated industries, unmonitored communication channels can lead to non-compliance with various laws and regulations. Transparency and accountability Off-channel communications can make it difficult to maintain an audit trail, complicating internal investigations or compliance checks. Productivity concerns Unregulated messaging apps might not only introduce risks but also distract employees. Reputation management Misusing personal messaging apps for work can blur the lines between personal and professional behavior, potentially leading to inappropriate or unprofessional interactions that harm your brand. That's why you need a robust phone and social media policy Your policy should cover: Approved and prohibited tools Define which communication platforms are acceptable for business use. For example, you might allow email, Teams or Slack for work conversations, but prohibit apps like WhatsApp or Skype. Productivity and appropriate use Outline expectations for personal phone use during work hours. Will you allow employees to check their phones during the entire workday or only during breaks? Are there any special considerations for hybrid or remote working scenarios? Social media use Clarify whether social media is permitted during work hours and specify acceptable use for roles that require it, such as managing company social media accounts. If your employees are posting on your company’s behalf, ensure that they understand copyright rules, fair use and what information is considered confidential and proprietary. Risks and safety Stricter rules should be included to prioritize safety for roles like drivers or those operating machinery. Conduct a risk assessment to identify where phone use might pose hazards. Be aware of related compliance requirements for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) drivers. Company-issued phones If your business provides mobile devices, state what counts as acceptable use. Specify whether personal calls or app downloads are allowed and highlight security measures to protect company data. Disciplinary measures Clearly define what constitutes a policy breach and the consequences for employees who don’t comply. For clarity, refer to your Employee Discipline Policy or Procedures. We can help you to clarify what your phone and social media policy should include to protect your business. Get in touch with us for a confidential chat today.

April 14, 2025 With challenges like quiet quitting and hybrid working struggles, keeping employees engaged has become more critical than ever. As a business owner, creating employee engagement isn’t just about boosting morale... It’s about driving productivity, reducing turnover and creating a thriving workplace. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to make a big impact.  Here are three practical, cost-effective ways to improve engagement: 1. Connect employees to your purpose Every business has a “why” - the reason it exists (beyond making a profit). But how many of your employees truly understand that purpose? • Share stories about your company’s origins and the problems it set out to solve • Involve team leaders in helping their teams articulate their “why” • Use this simple exercise: “We [what we do] for [our customers] so that [the impact we aim to make]” When employees feel connected to a larger purpose, they’re more motivated and committed. 2. Build a culture of appreciation Recognition is one of the simplest, yet most effective, ways to boost engagement. You don’t need a fancy program. Start small: • Introduce themed days like “Thankful Thursdays”, where team members acknowledge each other’s efforts • Celebrate the small wins, not just the big ones This ripple effect of appreciation helps to make employees feel seen, valued and motivated to contribute their best. 3. Promote a healthy work-life balance In today’s “always on” culture, employees need clear boundaries to disconnect and recharge. • Establish a “radio silence” policy between 6 pm and 8 am – that means no emails, DMs or texts • Share free resources like meditation apps (e.g., Headspace or Calm) or mindfulness tools to support wellness When employees have the time and space to recharge, they’ll bring more energy and focus to work. Start with the basics By connecting your team to your company’s purpose, encouraging appreciation and promoting balance, you’ll lay the foundation for stronger engagement. From there, you can explore advanced strategies like career development and leadership training. Need help? Get in touch today.

March 31, 2025  The TL;DR for Busy Executives: Consultants work WITH you. Employees work FOR you. Know the difference. Respect the difference. Or don’t be surprised when the relationship doesn’t last. There’s a misconception floating around in some corporate corners, and I’m here to lovingly - but firmly - set the record straight: 👉 Consultants are not your employees. We are not on-call. We are not in your org chart. We are not subject to your internal chaos. When you hire a consultant, you’re not gaining a new report - you’re engaging a strategic partner. One who brings outside perspective, deep expertise, and yes, healthy boundaries. And yet, many still treat consultants like staff who can drop everything at a moment’s notice. Let’s break that habit. What You Actually Hired Us For Let’s not forget: you didn’t hire a consultant because you needed someone to check boxes. You hired us because your internal team didn’t have the bandwidth, the knowledge, or the confidence to handle something critical. You hired us because you trusted we’d get it right the first time, not spend ten internal meetings talking it in circles. So why, after all that, would you treat us like we’re just another task-rabbit? The Hallmarks of a Consultant Relationship Working with a consultant should look like this: You agree on a clear scope of work, goals, and timelines. The consultant executes, keeps you informed, and delivers. You collaborate as partners - not as manager and subordinate. Communication is intentional. Feedback is structured and solution-focused. And if the plan needs to change? You talk about it. Like grown-ups. Not through a random ping, not with a surprise calendar invite, and definitely not with mere hours' notice and an “Need this by EOD” subject line. What Happens When Boundaries Are Crossed When consultants are treated like employees: Timelines get rushed. Priorities become unclear. Communication breaks down. The final deliverable suffers. And, worst of all, the trust erodes. We’re professionals. Many of us run businesses. We have multiple clients, lives, obligations, and systems in place so we can deliver quality at scale. That doesn’t happen when we’re being yanked into reactive fire drills we didn’t start. If You Want the Best, Be the Best Partner Here's what makes the difference between a messy engagement and a seamless one: 💡 Stick to the scope. If you want to expand or pivot, that’s fine - just don’t assume it happens without a conversation or deadline change. 💡 Respect time. Our calendars are full for a reason. Last-minute meeting invites won’t yield our best work. 💡 Use the agreed-upon communication channels. If we said email, use email. That’s not a suggestion - it’s a boundary. 💡 Trust the process. You hired us for our methodology, insight, and experience. Let us do what we do best. 💡 Don’t confuse availability with commitment. Just because we’re not in your office doesn’t mean we're not invested in your success.

March 24, 2025  There are moments in HR where you stop, blink at your screen, and think: “Did they really just say that?!” Spoiler: he did. Let’s rewind. An employee gave me one of the most honest, insightful, detailed exit interviews I’ve ever participated in. He wasn’t petty. He wasn’t bitter. He was brave. He described a workplace where anyone who didn’t fit the mold felt unsupported, or straight-up retaliated against. He handed over the kind of feedback companies say they want. So I did my job. Documented his concerns Provided HR insight Proposed clear solutions (partnerships, audits, training, etc.) This wasn’t radical. It was standard. Or at least I expected it to be. Instead? I got a reply from the CEO that read like a personal manifesto. 10 paragraphs. No detail spared. It started like this: “Our employees need look no further than yours truly to understand that this company is, in fact, diverse.” Oh? Do tell. He explained: He has family from Puerto Rico. He grew up poor and went to college on a scholarship. He had once said something racist and learned a lesson from it. Then came this unforgettable opening to his redemption arc: “I was growing up in a racist environment learning about mean (insert N-word), stupid (insert slur for Polish people), slow (insert slur for Spanish people)...” He sent me racial slurs in the name of strategy. I told him that was not the move. Inappropriate. Not in line with what employees were asking for. That diversity is not a one-man monologue. That storytelling from the top isn’t a substitute for actual change. He did not like that. His reply? “Yes, it is clear that you view in poor taste the link I have made between myself and diversity.” Correct, sir. I do. I also view it as a major red flag, and a case study in what happens when no one tells the boss no. But wait - there’s more: He asked if our training would cover “reverse racism”. He dismissed microaggressions unless someone formally filed a complaint. He offered (again) to share his “story” with the team because he thought it might motivate them. He genuinely believed he was the posterchild for the company’s diversity initiative. It’s easy to roll your eyes at the absurdity. It’s harder to sit with the truth: this man was in charge. Of pay. Of hiring. Of policy. Of culture. He wasn’t the only one who thought this way - he was just the only one bold (or completely clueless) enough to put it in writing in an email, uncensored, to the HR Lady. It was classic corporate delusion disguised as “inclusion.” And then, the slow fade began. I created a one-pager on the importance of diversity as part of a larger internal initiative. Each department had one. All of them were printed and posted for all to see. Mine? Mysteriously missing. My work disappeared, but the CEO's ego didn't. For context: 50+ employees Fewer women than I can count on both hands (yup, you guessed it - none in leadership roles). Zero black employees. Not just during my time there - in the company’s entire decades-long history. But Juneteenth was a paid holiday, so - progress. AmIright? Let’s call it what it is: 🛑 It's performative. 🛑 It's toxic. 🛑 It's what happens when HR is told to speak up - but only if what we say flatters the people in charge. I didn’t get fired for calling it out, but I got frozen out. Meetings stopped. Support vanished just like my project. The writing was on the wall and my flyer wasn’t. If your instincts are screaming “this isn’t right,” listen to them. You’re not too sensitive. You’re not too outspoken. You’re not a bad cultural fit. You’re just in the wrong room. And sometimes? The most equitable thing you can do is leave.

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