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Throughout my career, I’ve had a number of employers. I’ve only had one wife. My wife and I have known each other for roughly 24 years. And, like most long-term relationships, ours doesn’t look exactly like it did when we first met. Early on, there was courtship. Dinners. Attention. Trying to impress one another. Trying to win one another over. There were grand gestures because, at that stage of the relationship, neither of us could take the other’s interest for granted. Then

Corollary A: Behavior is not binary; base pay and bonus are not the only tools available to achieve the outcomes you seek. Corollary B: Having only a hammer and a screwdriver in your toolkit is no way to build a stable house. A building does not come together because people simply show up and work hard. It comes together because different tools are used for different purposes. A saw cuts. A level aligns. A tape measure confirms. Scaffolding provides access. A blueprint guides

Dan Marino. Charles Barkley. Connor McDavid. Ted Williams. Four extraordinary athletes. Four very different careers. Four different sports. What do they have in common? Their professional careers are unquestionably stellar, filled with extraordinary individual accomplishments. But between these four, the number of championships: 0 Marino retired as one of football’s most prolific passers. Barkley was an NBA MVP. Williams remains one of baseball’s greatest hitters. McDavid is

It’s not the rider’s fault if a bike with square wheels fails to produce the outcome you seek. That is a design problem. Corollary A: Water flows to the lowest point; shape the system. Corollary B: Can you reasonably expect different outcomes than your design was built to produce? A bicycle with square wheels can still move. A skilled rider may even be able to keep it balanced, push it forward, and make some progress. With enough effort, strength, and determination, the bike

Without a common language or job architecture, titles can become little more than patches or status markers rather than meaningful indicators of organizational value. After diving deep into ChatGPT, I made a startling discovery: market pricing a job is remarkably similar to writing an effective prompt.

When employees do not receive information, they do not stop forming opinions.

Image Courtesy of AP Photos Like many sports fans, I've been thoroughly enjoying the FIFA Club World Cup. Like many Americans, though, I'm still trying to make sense of football's seemingly endless rules—when referees intervene, when VAR is used, and how those decisions are ultimately made. That uncertainty took center stage during one of the tournament's most talked-about moments involving USMNT forward Folarin Balogun. After Balogun received a straight red card, multiple me

A White Elephant gets its name from a valuable item that has no real value. Principle 3: Uncommunicated Value Has NO Value Corollary 1: Communication is the simplest way to reduce turnover and increase engagement. Corollary 2: How can you influence employee perceptions if you do not communicate your intent? The white elephant has long represented a gift that appears impressive at first glance but becomes burdensome when its purpose, cost, or value is unclear. That makes it a

I received a Coach bag recently. Not the leather one. A paper one. But make no mistake: it was a genuine Coach bag. My daughter bought herself a Coach tote, and it came home in a large brown Coach shopping bag with rope handles. The paper bag carried the leather bag from the store to the car, from the car into the house, and then sat around long enough to be used for other things. Both bags are genuine Coach bags. Both served a purpose. But no reasonable person would evaluate

Employees Must Understand How They Are Paid

Principle 1: Not All HR Issues Have a Compensation Solution Corollary 1: Never allow a compensation matter to become an employee relations issue. Corollary 2: If money can’t buy happiness, how can we expect it to create engagement and retention? Let’s face it: we’ve all seen a manager want to give an employee an increase to show how much they are valued — but only after the employee has submitted a resignation. Too often, managers reach for compensation because they hope it w

Every Principle of Total Rewards, every compensation philosophy, and every rewards program ultimately traces back to these two foundational concepts.

If you're positioned in the middle, how can you expect to be leading? Every Reward Is a Choice.

Why are most organizational values people-oriented, yet the #1 measure of organizational success is financial? What's being left on the table?

In today's competitive landscape, retaining top talent is more crucial than ever. Companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to keep their employees engaged and satisfied. One of the most effective strategies for achieving this is through thoughtful compensation design. This blog post will explore the various aspects of compensation design, its impact on employee retention, and practical strategies for implementing effective compensation structures. Understanding Compen

Employee engagement is a crucial factor in the success of any organization. When employees feel valued and motivated, they are more likely to contribute positively to the workplace, leading to higher productivity and lower turnover rates. One effective way to enhance employee engagement is through total rewards strategies. This blog post will explore what total rewards are, why they matter, and how organizations can implement them to maximize employee engagement. What Are Tot

In today's competitive landscape, organizations are constantly seeking ways to attract and retain top talent. One effective strategy that has gained traction is the Total Rewards Approach. This method aligns employee benefits with organizational goals, creating a win-win scenario for both employees and employers. By understanding how to implement this approach, companies can foster a motivated workforce that drives success. Understanding Total Rewards Total rewards encompass

Let's call layoffs what they are, corporate chemotherapy laying waste to good and bad parts of the living organism.