There is nothing wrong with wanting a wage increase. People should be paid fairly for the work they do, the value they bring, and the impact they have on the organization. But here is the part that gets a little uncomfortable. A raise is not always automatic just because another year has passed. I know. Rude. Many employees walk into wage conversations expecting an annual increase because they have stayed in the role, shown up, and continued doing the job they were hired to d

Nobody enjoys a difficult conversation. Some people say they do, but I assume those people also enjoy airport security and group texts with too many thumbs-up reactions. For the rest of us, hard conversations can make your heart race before you have even said, “Do you have a minute?” And the truth is, avoiding them rarely protects the relationship. It usually just lets the problem get stronger legs. That is one reason Difficult Conversations has stayed relevant for so long.

Years ago, I created a presentation called Divine Diversity; one of my goals was to educate people so they'd stop acting like religion in the workplace was a topic too awkward to address. It is not. It is a workplace issue, a leadership issue, and yes, a legal issue. That presentation focused on defining religion broadly, understanding where employers cross the line, and developing practical ways to respond without creating a mess. That broad definition matters more than som

Nobody wants to become the manager who treats Slack like a parole check-in. But when emails sit overnight, basic questions go unanswered, and “I didn’t see that” starts slowing down decisions and client response, the issue graduates from an annoyance to an operating problem. And this is where leaders get themselves in trouble. They either overcorrect with surveillance and constant hovering, or they stay so loose that accountability becomes optional. Neither works. Remote acco

When someone leaves a company, the work usually doesn’t go with them. It lands on whoever is still standing. Sometimes that is necessary. Sometimes it is even reasonable for a short period. But when “temporary coverage” becomes an open-ended workload shift with no written expectations, no timeline, no training, and no compensation review, employers stop solving a staffing problem and start creating a management one. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, most nonexempt employees

Employers are in a tough position. Training costs money, time, and attention. So the question is fair: if a company invests in an employee, what guarantee does it have that the employee will stay long enough for that investment to pay off? Increasingly, the answer is not a stay-or-pay contract. These agreements, often called Training Repayment Agreement Provisions or TRAPs, require workers to repay training costs if they leave before a certain date. Regulators and lawmakers a

As companies rush to integrate AI, too many are blurring the line between technology strategy and cost cutting. A better approach starts with understanding what the job is actually for. There is no question that AI is changing work. Some companies have openly tied layoffs to AI investment, automation, and efficiency efforts. At the same time, not every layoff being labeled “AI-related” is really about AI. In many cases, companies are also dealing with overhiring, restructurin

There are seasons when the news feels relentless. Conflict. Unrest. Economic uncertainty. Headlines that hit close to home because your loved one is deployed, your business is vulnerable, or your sense of safety feels harder to hold onto. In moments like these, it is easy to tell yourself to “just push through.” But when the world feels unstable, your mental health cannot be the thing you keep putting last. That is often when it needs your attention most. Psychologists have w

When you hear “nurses strike” you might think it’s only a healthcare story. It’s not. It’s a clean example of what happens when demand keeps rising but support does not. That gap becomes a mental health problem, then a performance problem, then a culture problem, and eventually a retention problem. In NYC, nurses were saying the same thing workers everywhere say in different words: “We can’t keep doing this pace with this staffing and pretend it’s fine.” Here’s the key chall

“I’ll just send one more email.” How many times have you said that? Too many? If you’re not careful, it’ll be your sanity, not your job, that’s at risk. Thanks to smartphones, remote work, and the pressure to respond right now, the idea of “the end of the workday” has become about as real as a unicorn on payroll. Work is a lot like glitter after a craft project—sparkly, persistent, and impossible to shake. Before long, your personal time starts to resemble a staff meeting. D

Work can get messy when we confuse roles. HR is a part of the company, not your counselor. That doesn’t mean HR can’t help; it means...

"In moments like these, leadership isn't about the title on your door - It's about the tone you set, the space you create, and the...

"Working remotely doesn't mean working without rules." -April Simpkins- In a post-pandemic world, remote work has shifted from a...

April Simpkins, SHRM-CP, PHR June 26, 2025 "The question isn't if the temperature is fluctuating. The question is: Who's adjusting the...

April Simpkins, SHRM-CP, PHR June 19, 2025 "If your team always looks happy don't congratulate yourself just yet. They may not feel safe...

April Simpkins, SHRM-CP, PHR June 17, 2025 "Burnout isn't a badge of honor- it's a bright red warning sign." April Simpkins Welcome to...