What happens when pay rises without a clear link to performance, role growth, or business impact? Organizations start paying more but getting less in return. Payroll costs climb faster than results. Employees remain highly compensated for responsibilities they no longer carry. Raises get approved because they feel easier than addressing performance issues. Over time, compensation … Read more
It’s easy to lump all outside HR help into one bucket, but HR outsourcing and HR consulting are not the same thing. Here’s the simple version: HR outsourcing helps you get HR work done.HR consulting helps you address a specific HR problem, challenge, or project. The right choice depends on whether you need ongoing capacity, … Read more
Meet Lauren Reed, CEO of MHEDA, an international trade association serving the material handling industry and hundreds of member companies across the country. Lauren stepped into the top leadership role in 2025 at a moment when both the industry and the expectations of MHEDA’s member companies were evolving quickly. As CEO, she’s now responsible for … Read more
If HR work is spilling onto the desks of your leadership team, office manager, controller (or possibly even you), it’s time to rethink HR in a way that keeps you compliant, supports your people, and scales without burning out your team. For some, that might mean hiring one or more dedicated HR employees, but we … Read more
Beachwood, Ohio – ERC, an organization that provides organizations data and HR services to help leaders create great workplaces, is pleased to announce the appointment of Megan Fellinger, President & Chief Executive Officer of Morrison Products, Inc., to its Board of Directors. ERC’s Board of Directors advises on the company’s overall operations, including finance, compliance, … Read more
Every growing organization eventually hits a point where managing people, compliance, and culture gets too complex to handle without HR support of some kind. Managers need help handling employee issues, and as you add people, new employment laws start to apply. Recruiting and retention become growing challenges. And soon, HR starts taking more time than … Read more
The Highlights: As organizations grow, so do their people challenges. What started as a small team that could “figure things out as we go” now needs consistent hiring processes, clear policies, and better ways to manage and support employees. HR issues can start to take more time, and they’re landing on the owner’s or president’s … Read more
Making sure your wages stay competitive means focusing on the cost of labor, not the cost of living. And relying on old data or only occasional reviews just won’t cut it. We talked with compensation expert Susan Pyles to put together insights on pay practices that meet market demands. Cost of Living vs. Cost of … Read more
If you’re reading this, you might be feeling the strain of not having a dedicated HR professional, but you’re also not sure if you’re ready for a full-time hire. Maybe you’ve got leaders juggling HR tasks. Maybe hiring feels inconsistent, employee questions are taking more time, or you’re starting to worry about compliance as you … Read more
Is building a truly great workplace about perks and policies? Or about showing up and listening to the people who make the work happen? Meet Cindy Torres Essell, Chief People Officer at Heinen’s, the family-owned grocery company serving communities across Northeast Ohio. Cindy’s path to leadership didn’t follow a straight line, but each chapter shaped … Read more
Meet Austin Merk, President of Universal Oil, a nearly 150-year-old, 100% employee-owned organization. Universal Oil is a distributor of fuels and industrial lubricants serving customers across construction, manufacturing, and transportation, right here in Cleveland. In this episode, Austin shares what it looks like when a new leader takes the helm of a long-standing company and … Read more
When employees move into supervisory roles, it’s common to realize they need new skills to lead effectively. Supervisors may be navigating the shift from peer to manager, learning how to communicate expectations, or figuring out how to handle conflict constructively. Here’s how to explore supervisor training options that fit your organization’s goals and resources. For … Read more
