Middle Management Training: The Ultimate Guide

Let’s talk about some of the unsung heroes of your organization — the middle managers. They’re often the ones translating the vision of senior leadership into actionable plans for their teams. They’re an essential link that ensures strategies are executed effectively and daily operations run smoothly.

Finding the Right Supervisor Training Program: The Ultimate Guide

Supervisor discussing tasks with employees

Choosing the right supervisor training program is an important step for HR leaders and business owners looking to set their teams up for success. New and seasoned supervisors often encounter common challenges, from understanding how to effectively manage a team to making decisions that impact their team and the organization. Supervisors are tasked with juggling … Read more

10 Things Successful Supervisors Do Differently

10 things successful supervisors do differently than others

The Highlights: We’ve all had good supervisors and bad ones, and chances are, we remember the characteristics of both pretty vividly. The good ones probably stick out as people who have made a positive impact on our work lives and who have made us more successful in our careers. The bad ones probably showed us … Read more

Effective Conflict Management Styles for Managers and Supervisors: Resolving Workplace Disputes

Conflict Management illustration with arrows

The Highlights: Workplace conflict is a common challenge that all organizations encounter. The way managers and supervisors handle workplace conflict can have a significant impact on productivity, morale, and employee retention.  This guide provides information on various conflict management styles, aiming to assist leaders and HR professionals in training their managers and supervisors with the … Read more

From Leader to Leader: ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Prioritizing Employee Mental Health

ERC Kelly Keefe Talks Prioritizing Employee Mental Health

One of the most rewarding aspects of overseeing the NorthCoast 99 program is observing the evolving trends among exceptional organizations in their efforts to attract, engage, and retain top talent. In the latest round of applications, one of the most prominent themes was the prioritization of employee mental health. While it may seem counterintuitive, award-winning … Read more

5 Key Types of Executive Compensation

The Highlights:

  • Executive compensation is the pay and benefits provided to top-level leaders, including salaries, bonuses, equity incentives, perks, and retirement plans.
  • The five key types of executive compensation are base salary, short-term incentives (bonuses), long-term incentives (equity-based rewards), benefits and perks, and deferred compensation.

5 Key Types of Executive Compensation

Executive compensation plans come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes depending on what business objectives the organization is aiming to achieve, the desired complexity of the plans, the demographics of the organization in terms of size, revenue, and industry/sector, as well as the various legal stipulations that apply to executive pay.

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ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Building a Talent Pipeline with Interns

Kelly Keefe Talks Building a Talent Pipeline

Cultivating a strong candidate pipeline is essential for any organization’s long-term success. In the Northeast Ohio region alone, 88% of companies surveyed by ERC plan to build their local talent pipeline through internships.   While internship programs generally require staff time and resources, they also host a wealth of benefits for the company, including increased brand … Read more

What is an HR Compliance Audit and Why Do You Need It?

HR Compliance Audit meeting

The Highlights:

  • An HR compliance audit is a thorough review of an organization’s policies, practices, and documentation to ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations
  • An HR compliance audit covers policies, procedures, employee files, benefits, payroll, workplace safety, and legal compliance to identify risks and keep the organization compliant.
  • Organizations need to regularly audit their HR policies and practices to not only to ensure legal compliance, but also to mitigate risks, improve internal processes, and maintain a fair workplace.

HR and business leaders are responsible for ensuring that their organization is aligned with current best practices and compliant with employment laws. Conducting periodic HR compliance audits can protect your company by catching any issues before they become problems or employee complaints.

In plain terms, an HR audit examines your current policies, handbooks, and procedures to check if they measure up to evolving regulations. While compliance may not sound exciting, it’s incredibly important today as laws and best practices frequently change. Doing regular check-ups reduces exposure to risks like lawsuits or fines down the road.

“Regular HR compliance audits are not just about ticking boxes; they’re about identifying opportunities for strategic improvements aligned with real business goals.”

Allison Kenney, Manager of HR Advisory Services

In this article, we’ll review what’s involved in a human resources audit, why it matters, and tips to keep your HR department complaint.

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ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Proactive Strategies to Retain Workers

Kelly Keefe Talks Proactive Strategies to Retain Workers

All too often, organizations are reactive in their efforts to retain their workforce. Especially during periods of talent scarcity, companies try to make quick fixes, such as increasing starting pay rates for new hires. While this may remedy the symptoms in the short term, it doesn’t solve the issue of voluntary turnover in the long … Read more

From Leader to Leader: ERC President Kelly Keefe Talks Strategic Leadership in 2024

Kelly Keefe Talks Strategic Leadership in 2024

While the field of HR had already been making great strides toward putting the “human” back in Human Resources, the last few years have thrust HR into the limelight in ways we could have never imagined. From a global pandemic to social unrest to a historic labor shortage, HR departments have been asked to shoulder … Read more

3 Keys to Communication: Listening, Nonverbal, and Written

The Highlights:

  • Listening is important at work because it helps you understand others, build trust, and respond accurately by staying fully tuned in to what others are saying.
  • Nonverbal communication is important at work because gestures, facial expressions, and body language can help reinforce your message, show confidence, and build stronger connections with coworkers and peers.
  • Written communication skills allow employees to communicate clearly, document information in a way others can understand, and convey ideas effectively across teams and audiences.

3 Keys to Communication: Listening, Nonverbal, and Written

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10 Crucial Skills Supervisors Need to Have

8 Crucial Soft Skills Supervisors Need to Have soft skills training topics for employees

Soft skills are essential for successful professional development. According to research by Stanford Research Center, Harvard University, and the Carnegie Foundation, 85% of long-term job success depends on well-developed soft and people skills.

The benefits of having employees with strong soft skills include better customer service, improved communications and team interactions, stronger relationships, and increased efficiency.

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Here are 10 crucial soft skills supervisors need to have:

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