Latest news with #ForbesHumanResourcesCouncil
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
12 Factors To Consider When Overseeing Employment Contracts
For HR leaders and managers, employment contracts and agreements are critical tools for setting expectations, protecting the organization and establishing trust with new hires. But as laws evolve, roles shift and new technologies emerge, it's not always straightforward to create documents that are both compliant and future-ready. From compliance with local regulations to the clarity of contract language, there are several factors that can shape how effective and sustainable an employment contract really is. To help HR teams best support their people and their organizations, the members of Forbes Human Resources Council share 12 considerations to keep in mind when drafting and managing employment agreements. 1. The Feasibility Of Contractual Obligations Do not overcommit the organization to contractual obligations that may become unsustainable in the future. Take, for example, promised benefits that ultimately could not be delivered due to medical underwriting restrictions. Another example is offering 'golden handcuffs' that could complicate matters if the organization needs to raise capital, sell the company or end the employment relationship. - Richard Polak, American Benefits Council 2. Compliance With Local Labor Laws Ensure that the contract complies with local labor laws for that particular area. Labor laws vary not only across different states, but can also vary greatly across different countries. Take the time to fully educate yourself on the specific local labor guidelines before anything is sent to the candidate. It could save you from substantial employment issues at a later time. - Janet Vardeman, Avanade 3. Clarity For All Parties One word: clarity. It's imperative that both parties fully understand the terms, expectations and benefits. Clear agreements avoid misunderstandings and help build trust from the start. This helps in setting the tone for a strong working relationship. - Sourabh Deorah, 4. Alignment With Pay Transparency Directives HR leaders employing within the EU must ensure their employment contracts comply with the EU Pay Transparency Directive—effective June 2026—by avoiding clauses that restrict employees from discussing their pay. Pay secrecy clauses or confidentiality of pay clauses are now prohibited, as transparency is key to identifying and addressing pay gaps and ensuring equal pay for equal work. - Hayley Bakker, beqom 5. The Human Impact Of Promises Every word in a contract represents a promise—and people remember when those promises are broken. HR leaders must balance legal precision with human impact. Contracts aren't just documents; they're commitments that shape trust, safety and the employee experience from day one. Don't just protect the company—protect the relationship. - Nicole Cable, Blue Zones Health Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 6. The Need For Compliance Reviews In a rapidly evolving legislative climate, employment contracts and agreements will need to be reviewed with compliance in mind every single time an offer is extended, regardless of size or location. Taking the precaution protects the organization and the employee. It's good business sense. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum 7. Clearly Outlined Terms, Conditions And Obligations The first rule is always to consider that an employment contract is an important agreement between an employer and an employee; therefore, outlining terms and conditions clearly and comprehensively is crucial. Secondly, it serves as a strong legal protection for both parties; therefore, it is essential to outline the obligations properly. Finally, ensure it's within the legal framework. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear 8. Current Realities And Future Strategy Context matters—and so does direction. Contracts created during uncertainty, business transformations or restructuring often solve for now but miss the bigger picture. Align terms with both current realities and future strategy. Misaligned clauses, like equity, severance or remote work, can create costly friction later. Partner with legal, but lead with a business lens focused on now and next. - Nicole Brown, Ask Nikki HR 9. Alignment Of Legal Precision With Cultural Transparency Clarity is everything. Vague language around expectations, role scope or termination terms creates confusion and risk. HR leaders must ensure contracts reflect current realities, not outdated templates. Align legal precision with cultural transparency so what's written matches how people actually work, grow and exit. Contracts should build trust, not just compliance. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 10. Consistency Across Jurisdictions A key aspect is clarity and consistency across jurisdictions. Especially when working globally, employment laws can vary dramatically. Ensuring that contracts are compliant, unambiguous and aligned with both local regulations and company guidelines helps to prevent cost-intensive legal disputes and protects both employer and employee. - Daniel Salamon, DS Leadership Advisory 11. Flexibility For Role And Organizational Change Future-proof the contract and also provide current flexibility by setting out the expectation for organization and role change within the contract. It is expected that the candidate will evolve with organizational needs. Viewing the contractual agreement from immediate need to future need ensures it does not become a static and outdated agreement that loses value over time. - Angela O'Donovan, UCC 12. Permissions For Digital Agents As agentic AI continues to build its presence within the workforce, HR leaders must begin defining access and accountability just as they would with human contractors or employees. Employment agreements may soon include digital agent permissions: what systems they access, what actions they take and how they're governed. Without clear "agent access profiles," autonomy can become risk, not leverage. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino,
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Nine Strategies To Help Companies Navigate Tariffs And Sustain Growth
Tariff fluctuations and global trade uncertainty can create ripple effects across a company's operations, from supply chains to strategic planning. In these moments, HR leaders play a crucial role in helping businesses remain agile while staying aligned with both short- and long-term goals. Whether through scenario planning or investing in employee development, the right HR strategies can maintain stakeholder confidence, legal compliance and overall resilience. Below, the nine members of Forbes Human Resources Council share their best advice for HR leaders supporting their organizations through these economic shifts. 1. Prioritize Long-Term Talent Investment Over Short-Term Cuts HR leaders should help the executive team make long-term decisions related to people, and not short-term ones based on macroeconomics or government initiatives. We invest heavily in recruiting, training and nurturing top talent. Too often, leaders jettison good people in the face of short-term challenges and then spend even more to replace the talent when the situation improves. - John Allen, G&A Partners 2. Invest In Skills And Innovation During VUCA Times It isn't the first or last volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) time. One of my retail employers delivered profitable growth because we invested in skills with continuous training on cross- and upselling, as well as customer experience. We also added more variety and colors to our stores. Our sales increased, and the reason the numbers started climbing is that others were reducing expenses. We were still investing. - Ashutosh Labroo, SuccessionIQ 3. Plan Scenarios And Communicate With Transparency HR's role is to help the business respond—not just react—to uncertainty. That starts with clear scenario planning tied to talent risk, culture continuity and long-term capability needs. Leaders can't protect every role, but they can protect trust by being honest about what's changing and why, and by involving employees early in the conversation. - Nicole Brown, Ask Nikki HR 4. Use Predictive Modeling To Prepare For Shifts HR needs to use predictive modelling of its human resources and cost base, projecting several scenarios that could play out with tariffs. This would provide some level of certainty in the uncertainties there. It would also allow HR to scenario plan its responses and be competitively ready for whatever shift happens. - Angela O'Donovan, UCC 5. Align Workforce Strategy With Business Priorities Strategic workforce planning is essential for helping leaders stay agile amid global tariff uncertainties. HR can analyze labor costs, supply chain shifts and market trends to guide decisions about where to invest or scale back talent efforts. By aligning workforce capabilities with evolving business priorities, HR ensures that short-term needs are met without compromising long-term growth. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 6. Connect Talent Plans To Value Drivers Tariffs may hit trade, but the real risk is losing line of sight. HR must help leaders and teams connect decisions to how the company makes money and where costs sit. When people understand value drivers, they can pivot fast, cut smart and protect profits. Uncertainty isn't the enemy—operating blind is. Transparency beats turbulence. - Prithvi Singh Shergill, Tomorrow @entomo 7. Strengthen Agility With Analytics And Cross-Skilling HR drives short-term agility through scenario-based workforce planning, cross-skilling, clear communication on business outlook and key talent retention. Long-term, HR should strengthen resilience with global talent strategies, robust compliance and a culture of adaptability—aligning workforce strength with business goals and stakeholder trust. Leaders can leverage HR analytics to make data-driven decisions. - Sheena Minhas, ST Microelectronics 8. Co-Lead Strategic Planning With Finance And Ops Amid tariff shifts, HR must co-lead with finance and operations—stress-testing workforce plans, scenario-modeling talent needs and protecting stakeholder trust through transparent, values-aligned messaging. Culture is tested in uncertainty. Strategic HR ensures resilience isn't just compliance—it's capacity built on purpose. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 9. Anticipate Talent Gaps With Scenario Planning HR leaders should proactively anticipate how tariff-induced shifts could lead to talent shortages or surpluses. Strategic scenario planning allows the organization to model various market outcomes, identifying potential gaps or excesses in talent and skills. By developing clear reallocation strategies, HR ensures the workforce is optimally balanced, agile and prepared to respond swiftly to sudden changes. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
6 Ways Companies Can Adapt Compensation For Today's Complex Workplace
The world of work has changed significantly in recent years, and the evolution is ongoing. The workforce has become more global, flexible and skills-focused, and economic factors, including inflation, supply chain challenges and more, are weighing on leaders' minds as they seek to balance innovation with financial restraint. Companies are rethinking and revamping their compensation strategies not only for these reasons, but also to address changing employee expectations, remote work and the growing competition for top talent across borders. Modern strategies like performance-based incentives, lifestyle benefits and flexible pay structures are designed to reward impact while supporting employee well-being. To explore how companies are making these shifts work in real time, below, members of Forbes Human Resources Council share the innovative compensation approaches they're using to attract and retain top talent in a changing world. 1. Balance Fairness With Market Competitiveness Our compensation strategy adapts to inflation and global talent competition by balancing fairness with market competitiveness. For example, we offer performance-linked incentives that reward impact and contribution, ensuring employees are motivated beyond fixed pay. This approach helps us recognize talent meaningfully while staying aligned with business goals and market realities. - Sourabh Deorah, 2. Expand Salary Ranges Through Remote Hiring Remote working has allowed us to adjust our salaries—we've created a wider range to fit specific job families and role types. Historically, we would be limited to the specific local geography, but now we have an expanded market. This creates not only more options and a larger candidate pool, but also an expanded salary range. - Jake Zabkowicz, Hudson RPO Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 3. Adopt A Skills-First, Location-Agnostic Pay Model Our mantra is 'FAIR': flexible, agile, impact-driven and relevant. We've shifted to a skills-first, location-agnostic pay model, benchmarking compensation globally and linking it to role criticality, not geography. For example, we introduced retention-linked bonuses and mid-cycle corrections for niche tech roles to stay competitive and reward impact, not just tenure. - Ankita Singh, Relevance Lab 4. Introduce Lifestyle Spending Accounts We introduced a lifestyle spending account to reframe compensation as care. It's not a perk; it's a proxy for trust. Instead of prescribing benefits, we fund what fuels people's lives—wellness, caregiving and creativity. That shift is helping us compete globally, retain top talent and sustain performance without sacrificing humanity. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 5. Align Incentives With Outcomes And Lifestyles Our strategy has evolved to blend competitive base pay, performance-based equity and flexibility. Inflation, remote work and global competition have shifted the focus from just compensation to aligning incentives with outcomes and lifestyle, helping attract top talent in a global market. - William Stonehouse, Crawford Thomas Recruiting 6. Offer Total Rewards That Meet Real Employee Needs The war for talent in top niches is ongoing. Now more than ever, employers are looking outside the box. An area of compensation that employers of choice should look into is total rewards perquisites, such as student loan repayment, tuition assistance, childcare discounts, remote work with annual reimbursement budgets for home office needs, and wellness programs. - Nakisha Dixon, Helios HR LLC
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
20 Tips To Attract And Retain Top Graduates In Today's Workforce
A competitive salary alone doesn't cut it for employers trying to attract and retain high-performing graduates. Today's emerging professionals are looking for purpose, growth opportunities and inclusive, value-driven workplace cultures. Employers who can understand these expectations and adapt their strategies accordingly can stand out as a top choice in a crowded market. To help companies bring in and nurture the next generation of leaders, 20 members of Forbes Human Resources Council offer some proven approaches for engaging top graduates. 1. Communicate Respectfully With Candidates Many job applicants say the average quality of employer-to-candidate communications is brutal. Emails go unreturned, hiring officers are a no-show for interviews and contenders who are ruled out may never be told. It drives confusion and misery, and it takes little effort to do better. Companies need to differentiate, as well as be as meticulous and respectful with prospective talent as they'd be communicating with their CEO. - John Kannapell, CYPHER Learning 2. Hire Based On Core Values To support our mission and brand, our hiring is anchored by our company's core values: 'n-rich' lives, 'n-spire' others and 'n-joy' the journey. We consistently communicate our values by incorporating them throughout our hiring process to attract and retain culture enhancers: people who align with our company values and mission and will work to enhance and drive the company and culture forward. - Kathleen Pai, N-able 3. Offer Purpose-Driven Career Paths To retain top graduates, it's important to focus on the impact of the work and highlight career pathways that include room for lateral moves. Many of today's top grads are looking for purpose-driven work that aligns with their personal values and passions. They also value work-life integration, lifelong learning and the opportunity to broaden skillsets rather than climbing traditional corporate ladders. - Lori Landrum, Heights Tower Service, Inc. 4. Embrace Digital Engagement And Creativity Engaging with the entry-level talent digitally, giving them avenues to express their creativity, providing continuous learning opportunities and demonstrating a value system of respect for the individual are all critical to ensure companies are able to attract and retain top talent. - Tan Moorthy, Revature 5. Invest In Students Early And Often Companies should authentically and proactively invest in students' learning and development from freshman through senior year. They should offer meaningful internships, mentorship and skill-building programs. This long-term engagement demonstrates genuine commitment, building loyalty and a robust talent pipeline well before graduation, making your establishment their preferred choice. - Michael D. Brown, Global Recruiters of Buckhead 6. Understand Emerging Generational Needs Early career recruiting programs start well in advance of graduation, so it makes sense to plan accordingly. It's crucial to understand what these workforce entrants are looking for and craft strategies that meet them where they are today. You need to consider how their experience with technology, like AI, has shaped their understanding of the world. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 7. Highlight Culture, Growth And Opportunity To attract top graduates, you should highlight your company's impact and culture, and emphasize clear career paths and opportunities to build skills. Then, you can offer challenging projects and mentorship to show your commitment to growth. To retain talent, you need to recognize contributions, support development and build an inclusive culture, particularly within evolving industries like digital banking. - Julie Hoagland, Alkami 8. Embed Your Brand In Academia To attract and retain top graduates, companies need to stop selling jobs and start building influence. The most sought-after employers show up in classrooms, not just at career fairs. You must embed your brand in the academic journey: co-create curricula, sponsor challenge-based learning and offer immersive pre-hire experiences. If you shape how future talent learns, then they'll seek you when they're ready to lead. - Katrina Jones 9. Support Real Life With Real Benefits Today's graduates want to work for companies that support real life, not just work life. Data shows that job-seekers are more likely to apply if paid leave is offered. That means benefits like paid parental leave and mental health days aren't simply perks; they are proof you value your people. - Seth Turner, AbsenceSoft 10. Build Long-Term Campus Relationships Companies can develop a strategy to engage with undergraduates from the beginning of their studies, then identify high-potential candidates early and offer structured internship programs during the holiday or throughout the academic year). Simultaneously, they can build long-term relationships with the school and faculty management. Another idea is to design a campus ambassador program to provide a funnel for potential top graduates. - Ijeoma Onwordi, Tetracore Energy Group Ltd. 11. Create A Strong Employee Value Proposition New graduates look for strong culture fit, competitive compensation and growth potential in their prospective employers. To attract top graduates, companies must highlight their unique offerings in a compelling employee value proposition. To retain them, companies need to have a comprehensive onboarding program that acclimates, guides and develops new hires, while reinforcing culture fit. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company 12. Treat Graduates As Individuals Top graduates are drawn to purpose, growth and authenticity. Companies attract and retain them by offering personalized development from day one, such as strengths-based development, and by creating a culture that sees them as individuals, not just job titles. Investing in who they are, not just what they do, builds loyalty and lasting impact. - Jaka Lindic, e2grow 13. Form Strategic University Partnerships Creating partnerships with universities can be a great way to attract graduates, as it allows them to join the company as part of the partnership agreement. This approach is especially beneficial when the required skills are niche. A firm can also establish a graduate development program, where newly hired graduates rotate across different departments or locations for two years before being assigned to a specific department or position. - Helal Hamdanieh, PwC 14. Align Culture With Graduate Values Attracting top graduates requires offering more than just a paycheck—show a clear growth path, mentorship and a chance to make an impact. Companies must build a culture that values innovation, diversity and flexibility. They should also invest in professional development and create a brand that resonates with their values. - William Stonehouse, Crawford Thomas Recruiting 15. Showcase Purpose And Possibility Early You should start by acting like the best grads already work for you—showcase purpose, growth paths and real impact early. Then, you can focus on matching skills and motivators to the culture you're building. Generational expectations vary, so meet them where they are. Retention sticks when values align and talent sees a future they're excited to help shape. - Stephanie Manzelli, Employ Inc. 16. Evolve Beyond Outdated Hiring Traditions You must understand what matters most to the next generation of talent. It's easy to rely on the things that worked in the past, but those methods may no longer resonate. You could co-create with your recent hires, who can offer fresh and innovative ideas you might not have considered. It's important to avoid insisting on outdated traditions during interviews. Instead, you should emphasize your company's values. - Jalie Cohen, Radiology Partners 17. Focus On Meaning, Mentorship And Momentum To attract and retain top graduates, companies must focus on the 3Ms—meaningful work, mentorship and momentum. Today's grads seek more than a job; they want purpose, learning and fast-track growth. That's why we've built our strategy on the 'GRAD foundation'—growth, recognition, access and development—ensuring they feel valued, empowered and ready to thrive from day one. - Ankita Singh, Relevance Lab 18. Design Ecosystems For Graduate Success Top graduates follow signals of credibility and care. We don't just recruit them—we design ecosystems where their ambition has somewhere to go. That means, you must invest early—embedding leadership exposure, purpose-driven work and equitable mobility. You don't win top talent by chasing them. You attract them by becoming the place their future already fits. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 19. Personalize Benefits And Recognition Companies must create a culture of appreciation and also focus on a flexible benefits approach that truly resonates. Today's talent values a workplace culture where they feel heard, valued and empowered. Offering meaningful work, purpose and personalized benefits creates a compelling environment that fosters long-term engagement and loyalty. - Smiti Bhatt Deorah, 20. Define Clear Career Paths From Day One You need to show them a career path. A job is more than a singular bullet on a person's resume. It needs to feed into their career journey and the individual's aspirations to reach milestones important to them. Companies that clearly articulate how a fresh graduate fits into the organization and the path that sets them on will outhire competitors. - Nicky Hancock, AMS
