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The Pivot: How Top HR Teams Are Adjusting Their Sails for 2026

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The Hardest Lessons: What 2025 Taught Us About People Strategy

What if the HR stumble that marked your 2025 wasn’t a dramatic fallout, but a subtle misalignment—like rushing intake, losing trust, unchecked burnout eroding stars, or vague paths quietly pushing talent out? 

In a year of scaling pressures and shifting priorities, leaders realized that overlooked details in communication, preparation, and empathy could cascade into costly delays, damaged reputations, and fractured teams.

HR Spotlight collected raw, reflective accounts from founders and executives who faced these pivotal moments: from safety slips on job sites to mismatched hires stalling momentum, and generic automation alienating clients. 

Their 2026 countermeasures—personalized responses, structured checklists, proactive audits, and human-first resets—turn vulnerability into velocity. 

Wondering how a single unchecked assumption could reshape your trajectory? 

These candid pivots illuminate the discipline of turning failure into fortitude. Ready to reinforce your own foundation? 

Uncover the resilient rebuilds on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Michael Martinez
Founder & Operator, Zee’s Roofing & Construction

In 2025, we grew fast—maybe too fast. 

I hired three crew members in one week because we had projects lined up, but I skipped the formal onboarding checklist we’d created. 

One guy showed up to a job without proper safety certifications, and we had to pull him off-site immediately when the property manager asked for documentation.

That mistake cost us half a day of productivity and almost damaged our reputation with a commercial client. 

As a veteran-led company, discipline is supposed to be our foundation, and I’d gotten sloppy chasing growth.

For 2026, I built a simple onboarding tracker in a shared spreadsheet—every new hire gets checked off for certifications, safety training, and equipment orientation before they touch a roof. 

No exceptions, even when we’re busy. I also assigned our most experienced crew leader to personally verify each step.

The lesson hit hard: military values like attention to detail only work if you actually execute them every single time. 

Speed without systems just creates chaos.

Rushed Hiring Skipped Safety Checks

Heidi Duncan
Owner & Principal, Duncan & Associates Insurance Brokers

In 2025, we had a compliance miss with our own 401(k) plan administration—we nearly blew past a filing deadline for required discrimination testing because our third-party administrator changed their submission portal without clear notice. 

I caught it during a routine check two days before the deadline, but it forced a weekend scramble that shouldn’t have happened.

The root cause wasn’t the vendor change—it was that we’d gotten comfortable with “set it and forget it” benefit administration. 

We preach proactive compliance tracking to our clients but hadn’t applied the same rigor internally. 

That’s embarrassing when employee benefits consulting is literally what we do.

For 2026, I built a centralized compliance calendar that tracks every filing deadline, audit requirement, and vendor SLA across all our employee benefit programs—not just 401(k)s, but FSAs, EAPs, and group health plans. 

We now run monthly compliance checks regardless of vendor reminders, and I’ve assigned backup reviewers so no single point of failure exists.

The lesson: compliance systems only work if you actively manage them. 

Vendor portals will change, emails get buried, and assumptions kill you. 

In benefits administration, “trust but verify” isn’t paranoia—it’s professional survival.

Assumed Vendor Notice Missed DeadlineFrequent Feedback Boosts Retention Fast

Ryan McEachron
CEO, ISU Insurance Services

In 2025, we had a major disconnect with our benefits enrollment process at ISU Armac. 

We rolled out a new group benefits platform without properly training our account reps first, and it resulted in missed enrollment deadlines for three clients—costing them penalties and costing us credibility.

I’ve been on Victorville City Council since 2008 and ran our Chamber of Commerce, so I know how small business owners rely on their insurance partners to get compliance right. 

When we dropped the ball, it wasn’t just paperwork—it was real financial pain for people who trusted us.

For 2026, we built a two-week certification program before any new system touches clients. 

Every team member now has to process five mock group benefits quotes and enrollments before handling live accounts. 

We also added a 72-hour pre-deadline alert system that automatically flags any pending enrollments.

The fix cost us about $8K in training time, but we haven’t missed a single deadline since October. 

In insurance, you’re only as good as your last renewal period.

Untrained Rollout Missed Enrollments

Sybll Romley
Corporate Executive Director, Absolute Companion Care

In early 2025, I promoted a strong clinical caregiver into a leadership role overseeing three of our agencies without proper management training. 

She knew caregiving inside and out but had never handled scheduling conflicts, payroll issues, or difficult family conversations at scale. 

Within two months, we saw caregiver turnover spike 18% in her region and received multiple complaints about communication gaps.

I had to step back in personally to stabilize those teams while she worked through a crash course in leadership. 

The damage was real—we lost four experienced caregivers who went to competitors, and two families switched agencies. 

I learned that subject matter expertise doesn’t automatically translate to management capability, especially in home care where emotional intelligence and operational systems matter as much as clinical knowledge.

For 2026, I built a six-week leadership bridge program where high-potential caregivers rotate through operations, HR, and client relations before taking management roles. 

We also paired each new manager with a mentor from another region for their first 90 days. 

The investment is worth it—our Q1 retention improved and families are noticing more consistent communication.

Clinical Promo Lacked Management Prep

Louis Baresh
Sales Manager, Executive Refreshments

My 2025 HR slip wasn’t traditional HR—it was assuming my warehouse and manufacturing clients would automatically adapt to micro markets after COVID restrictions were lifted. 

We installed three units in Q1 2025 at facilities where workers explicitly asked for “the old vending machines back.” Participation dropped 40% within two months.

The issue? Shift workers wanted speed, not browsing. They had 15-minute breaks and didn’t want to check out or scan items—they just wanted to grab and go during their narrow windows.

For 2026, we now do a two-week trial period with both traditional vending AND micro market options running simultaneously. 

We track transaction times and gather feedback from each shift before removing either system. 

At one manufacturing plant, the first shift loved the micro market while the second and third shifts stuck with traditional vending—so we kept both.

The lesson: Don’t assume innovation is always better. Sometimes the “old way” exists because it actually works for how people operate in their specific environment.

Flashy Tech Flopped for Workers

Nicole Farber
CEO, ENX2 Legal Marketing

In 2025, I made a classic leadership mistake: I promoted someone internally without properly documenting the transition process for their previous role.

We were growing fast, my team member absolutely deserved the promotion, and I was so focused on celebrating her success that I didn’t create a knowledge transfer plan.

When we backfilled her position, the new hire struggled for months because critical client communication preferences and project histories lived only in my promoted employee’s head.

The financial impact was subtle but real—we had to comp hours for three clients who experienced service delays, and our new team member’s ramp-up took nearly twice as long as it should have.

More painful was watching my promoted star spend her first month in the new role constantly getting pulled back to answer questions instead of growing into her leadership position.

For 2026, I built what I call a “promotion playbook.”

Before anyone moves up, they spend two weeks documenting their current role through recorded Loom videos, client preference sheets, and process maps.

It’s not glamorous, but now promotions actually feel like celebrations instead of scrambles.

The person moving up gets a clean break to focus on their new responsibilities, and their replacement has a roadmap instead of a guessing game.

Promo No-Handover Stalled Ramp

Nancy Avila
Community Manager, ViewPointe Executive Suites

In early 2025, I got overconfident with our CRM automation and set up auto-responses for virtual office inquiries that were way too generic. 

We lost three attorney clients in one month—they needed specific answers about business licensing compliance and mail handling protocols, not templated replies about “flexible workspace solutions.”

One prospective client told me straight up: “I can’t trust you with confidential client mail if you can’t even answer a basic question about your process”. 

That stung, because privacy and professionalism are literally our cornerstone with legal clients.

For 2026, I stripped out all the fancy automation for initial inquiries and went back to personal responses within 2 hours. 

I also created a simple one-page FAQ specifically for attorneys that addresses the compliance and confidentiality questions upfront. 

Our conversion rate jumped from 34% to 61% in just two months.

The takeaway: automation is great for efficiency, but not when your clients need reassurance that you actually understand their industry. Sometimes the “old school” personal touch is what closes the deal.

Generic Auto-Texts Alienated Clients

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

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The Hardest Lessons: What 2025 Taught Us About People Strategy

by

The Hardest Lessons: What 2025 Taught Us About People Strategy

What if the HR oversight that haunted your 2025 wasn’t a flashy scandal, but a quiet gap in clarity, connection, or support that silently pushed talent away? 

As teams navigated hybrid fatigue and talent churn, savvy execs discovered that overlooked details—like undocumented training, vague advancement paths, or one-size-fits-all remote welcomes—didn’t just disrupt operations; they eroded the very trust that holds cultures together.

HR Spotlight turned to founders, directors, and CEOs who faced these pivotal moments: from safety slips on job sites to mismatched hires stalling momentum, and generic automation alienating clients. 

Their fixes for 2026—mandatory triages, buddy systems, proactive education, and human-centered communication—prove that learning from failure isn’t about avoidance; it’s about acceleration. 

Wondering how a single missed conversation or unchecked tool could snowball into broader issues? 

These raw accounts illuminate the path from vulnerability to vigilance, offering actionable wisdom to shield your team. 

Discover the resilient rebuilds on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Christopher Pappas
Founder, eLearningIndustry

Our slip in 2025 involved missing the impact of workload spikes on creative thinking.

We pushed teams to meet rising demands but we did not adjust expectations to support the time they needed to think.

One designer shared that they found it hard to bring new ideas forward because they felt rushed each day.

Their experience helped us reflect on how our actions shaped the environment around them.

For 2026, we introduced protected creativity hours where teams work without interruptions.
We also simplified approval flows to give them more room for deep thinking.

These changes have been in place for months and are already building healthier creative energy across the organization.

We now understand that steady support helps ideas grow with more clarity and confidence.

I am delighted to respond to your query. You can make edits as you prefer.

Workload Spikes Stifled Creative Flow

Alex Kovalenko
IT Recruitment Specialist, IT Recruitment Specialist

Looking back at 2025, the slip that stuck with me was this one: I let technology handle too much of the relationship work in recruiting.

I leaned on automated messages, filters, and dashboards until I almost forgot that every name on my screen belonged to an actual person.

It took a few missed chances and a couple of awkward follow-ups to remind me that this IT recruitment job that I do still depends on real conversation and connections.

So in 2026, I’m dialing things back. More phone calls. More time spent talking with candidates face-to-face.

More room for the kind of exchanges that don’t fit neatly into a system.

I’ll still use the tools that make the job easier, but they won’t replace the moments that build trust or the small interactions that show someone they’re being heard.

Automation Overreach Eroded Recruiting Trust

Pankaj Kumar
Founder, Naxisweb

While in the employment of Naxisweb in 2025, one of the HR oversights we encountered was the lack of organised onboarding systems when we expanded our teams.

This resulted in new employees taking longer to adapt and inconsistencies in the alignment of our projects.

I understood the importance of even a digitised, fast-growing company having basic HR systems to establish a digital foundation.

For 2026, a more organised onboarding system was instituted, training modules specific to the new roles were implemented, and performance metrics were included to ensure employees have a clear path on their first day.

New communication systems were put in place, and a mentorship system was provided to new employees.

Employee engagement increased and all systems resulted in more productivity and retention for a more stable and motivated workforce.

Disorganized Onboarding Slowed Team Ramp

Ally Ipsen
VP of Marketing, PerformanceX

Our biggest HR slip in 2025 was missing the early warning signs of team burnout in our marketing department.

We launched a new recognition program in Q2 to celebrate wins, but participation dropped off within weeks.

I initially thought people were just “too busy,” but what we missed was that the team didn’t need more praise for output.

They needed relief from unsustainable workloads.

By the time we realized three team members were burned out, we’d lost momentum on key campaigns.
The recognition program felt tone-deaf because we were celebrating people working themselves into the ground.

For 2026, we’re using PerformanceX.ai’s workload and engagement signals to spot stress patterns before they become burnout.

We’ve also shifted our focus from recognition alone to actually redistributing work and building in recovery time.

The lesson: you can’t badge your way out of bad workload management.

Burnout Hid Behind High Output

Thomas Oldham
Founder, WebMotion Media

My agency WebMotion Media handles complex digital projects for brands like Ford and Jaguar where technical precision is non-negotiable. 

Our most costly HR failure in 2025 was hiring for broad skills instead of mapping recruitment to our actual project pipeline. 

We onboarded generalist developers when client work showed a 40% spike in demand for niche platform expertise. 

This mismatch created project delays and directly threatened client relationships built over years.

For 2026 we have abandoned reactive hiring entirely. 

My team now maps all recruitment to our 12-month sales pipeline using a skills matrix we developed. 

This system requires a minimum 70% match between a candidate’s proven platform expertise and projected client demand for the next two quarters. 

We will not interview a candidate unless this threshold is met. 

This disciplined approach has already reduced our time-to-hire by 25 percent and ensures technical proficiency aligns directly with revenue-generating projects.

The new model prevents costly onboarding of talent that does not fit our immediate project backlog which has cut our unbillable bench time by nearly 30 percent. 

Instead of hiring for potential we now hire for proven execution capability tied to specific client deliverables. 

This shift ensures our team structure directly supports the complex technical requirements of brands like Jaguar and guarantees we can scale expertise without sacrificing project momentum or quality.

Generalist Hires Mismatched Pipeline Demand

Hanzel Talorete
Head Coach, Get Smart Series LLC

My work with over 1,000 professionals involves diagnosing organizational issues that manifest as HR failures. 

A major client challenge last year was a leadership pipeline that promoted technical skill over emotional intelligence, leading to a 20% increase in team turnover within newly managed groups. 

The failure was not the HR process itself, but the cognitive bias in leadership selection that our new coaching framework is now designed to systematically correct before promotion decisions are finalized.

The primary failure we corrected was over-relying on anecdotal manager endorsements for promotions which directly caused the 20% turnover spike. 

Our analysis of 75 promotion cases showed 80% of endorsements were based on technical output not leadership potential. 

For 2026 we implemented a pre-promotion assessment framework that quantifies emotional intelligence and strategic thinking. 

This system is designed to reduce promotion mismatches by 30% within the first two quarters.

This new process forces a data-driven dialogue between HR and department heads removing subjective bias. 

Candidates now complete two simulated leadership challenges that we score against 15 core competency benchmarks. 

We project this will not only cut turnover but also increase team engagement scores by 10 points within six months post-promotion. 

The objective is a replicable system not a series of good hires.

Tech Promotions Ignored Leadership Fit

Carla Niña Pornelos
General Manager, Wardnasse

As the General Manager at Wardnasse I directly manage the operational and creative frameworks for our teams.

Our biggest misstep in 2025 was applying a standardized performance metric system that inadvertently penalized experimental work.

We observed a nearly 20% decrease in artist-led project proposals within three months because the process favored predictable outcomes over the thought-provoking expression we are meant to champion.

As the General Manager at Wardnasse I directly manage the operational and creative frameworks for our teams.

Our biggest misstep in 2025 was applying a standardized performance metric system that inadvertently penalized experimental work.

We observed a nearly 20% decrease in artist-led project proposals within three months because the process favored predictable outcomes over the thought-provoking expression we are meant to champion.

For 2026 we are implementing what I call a bifurcated assessment model to correct this. We now have two distinct evaluation pathways.

The first is for commercially-driven projects with standard KPIs.

The second pathway is a protected incubator for experimental work where projects are shielded from revenue targets for their first 12 months.

My team instead tracks metrics like dialogue engagement and cultural resonance which are far better indicators of long-term value for a thought-provoking platform like ours.

This new structure directly funds innovation by allocating 15% of our creative budget to the incubator track.

We are no longer asking artists to justify experimental concepts with premature financial forecasts.

Instead project leads submit a Cultural Impact Thesis outlining the work’s potential contribution to artistic dialogue.

This strategic shift ensures our long-term relevance is not sacrificed for predictable short-term gains which is a common failure in creative industry management.

Metrics Penalized Experimental Art

Denton Belnap
Founder, High Country Exteriors

In early 2025, I learned the hard way that skipping proper documentation during rapid expansion can bite you.

We were growing fast across Idaho and Montana, bringing on multiple crews to handle the demand.

I verbally agreed to a compensation structure with a lead installer that differed slightly from our standard contract, thinking we’d formalize it later.

Six months in, there was confusion about commission rates on a large commercial project in Bozeman, and it nearly cost me a key team member.

The frustration wasn’t just the money—it was realizing I’d created the problem by not locking things down in writing from day one.

When you’re out doing roof inspections and managing jobs across a 75+ mile radius, it’s easy to think a handshake is enough. It’s not.

For 2026, I built a simple digital onboarding checklist that I personally review with every new hire or contractor, covering compensation, expectations, and timelines.
No more “we’ll figure it out later.” Everything gets documented before the first shingle goes up.

In roofing, we know a strong foundation matters—turns out the same applies to team agreements.

Verbal Deals Sparked Commission Disputes

Claire Maestri
Business Development, Lucent Health Group

In 2025, we lost a high-performing sales rep because we didn’t catch burnout signals early enough.

She was hitting 140% of quota consistently, so leadership—including me—assumed everything was fine.

By the time she voiced concerns about workload balance, she’d already accepted another offer.

The real issue wasn’t hours or compensation. It was that our recognition system only tracked revenue numbers, not the relationship-building work that sustains long-term referral partnerships.

Our top performer was doing twice the relationship management of peers, but our dashboards made it invisible.

For 2026, I built a dual-metric performance framework that tracks both conversion rates and referral relationship depth—measured by follow-up touchpoints, partner satisfaction scores, and retention of key accounts.

We also implemented monthly one-on-ones focused purely on workload sustainability, separate from pipeline reviews.

The takeaway: high performance can mask serious problems.

In post-acute care sales, relationships are everything, and if you only measure closures, you’ll burn out the people who actually know how to build lasting referral networks.

Quota Focus Masked Relationship Burnout

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

Answer our latest queries and submit your unique insights:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxInsight

Submit your article:
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PR Representatives:

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The 2026 Reset: How Companies Are Fixing the HR Mistakes of Last Year

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The 2026 Reset: How Companies Are Fixing the HR Mistakes of Last Year

Imagine an HR mistake so subtle it went unnoticed for months—yet it quietly drained motivation, sparked exits, and left your best people feeling invisible. 

In 2025, as growth collided with hybrid realities, leaders realized that the deadliest slips weren’t explosive conflicts but invisible ones: skipped handoffs, unchecked workloads, and assumptions that “everyone knows the plan.”

HR Spotlight gathered unflinching stories from founders and executives who lived through these quiet crises: from onboarding chaos losing new hires to boundary-less demands burning out stars, and rigid tools alienating clients. 

Their 2026 countermeasures—structured feedback, workload safeguards, and deliberate human touch—transform regret into rigorous renewal. 

Curious how a small unchecked detail can reshape an entire culture? 

These candid rebuilds show that the sharpest growth often starts with the hardest admission. 

Dive into the comebacks redefining resilience on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Deandre Jones
Owner, EcoClear Solutions LLC

This year, we had a slip/fall incident when an AT&T internet contractor walked out of our break room and slipped in the hallway.

Someone had spilled cleaning solution on the floor and did not clean it up immediately.

Kasey, our HR manager, felt really worried because even though he wasn’t an EcoClear employee, he was still in our building and trusted us to keep things safe.

She did check on him right away and made sure he got help, and stayed in touch until he felt better.

It taught all of us that safety isn’t just for our team, it’s for everyone who steps inside our facility.

For 2026, Kasey built a stronger safety plan, so something like that doesn’t happen ever again.
Now we have bright wet-floor signs that are lighted when opened with a red flashing light that beeps, which goes out the second a spill is noticed.

Now that we have added this new technology, anyone walking near these areas will be much more aware of their surroundings.

She created a simple cleaning log for all break rooms and hallways so the team can check those areas throughout the day.

She also added quick safety reminders during each of the weekly meetings, telling everyone to report spills right away, even tiny ones.

EcoClear grows when everyone feels protected, and now we’re all working together to keep our building safe for employees, visitors, and contractors, too.

Spill Incident Exposed Safety Gaps

Rashad Johnson
HR Manager, A&T Mechanical

My largest Human Resource failure in 2025, was assuming that our culture would grow automatically, just by having an amazing group of people.

My assumption was that by hiring the right people, everything else will take care of itself.

Unfortunately, culture does not grow on its own like a self-watering plant; ours began to feel like a group project or a potluck, and everyone thought someone else was taking charge.

There were many good intentions but no clear alignment. In 2026, we will not be relying solely on chance to create a positive workplace culture.

In 2026 we will work intentionally at creating a stronger culture through providing clearer expectations, recognizing employees consistently, holding regular open discussions, and making sure all leaders exhibit the behavior we preach.

Culture is not a marketing slogan; it’s the choices you make every day, the standards you hold yourself to, and how you show up for your fellow team members.

We will build our culture on purpose this year, clearly, visibly, as a team, and yes, we finally decided who is bringing the snacks this time.

Assumed Culture Ignored Alignment Needs

Amir Husen
Associate, ICS Legal

My most significant HR oversight in 2025 was underestimating the importance of clear communication during remote onboarding. 

As my consulting practice expanded globally, I added collaborators across various time zones and cultures. 

I initially relied on written guides and digital resources, but soon realized that new hires felt disconnected and uncertain about expectations without regular touch points and a culturally sensitive approach. 

This led to slower onboarding, lower morale, and frustration among some team members.

To address this in 2026, I implemented a comprehensive onboarding process that balances automation with personal connection. 

Each new collaborator now receives a personalized orientation call and weekly check-ins during their first month. 

I also introduced a shared onboarding dashboard to track milestones, answer frequently asked questions, and share information about our culture to promote clarity and inclusion.

I also established feedback loops that allow new hires to anonymously share their onboarding experiences. 

This enables us to refine our processes weekly and address issues before they escalate. 

Additionally, I partnered with company mentors to provide peer support, ensuring new hires feel welcome and supported.

The lesson is clear: HR extends beyond compliance; it is about building trust, empathy, and connection from the start. 

By prioritizing communication, inclusion, and feedback, I am making it easier to welcome new team members in 2026, resulting in improved morale and stronger global collaboration.

Remote Onboarding Lacked Personal Touch

William Fletcher
CEO, Car

We stumbled in 2025 when we rolled out a new support-rotation system at Car with almost no warning.

On paper it looked fairer, but in reality people lost the rhythm they’d built with garages and recovery operators.

Within a week, ticket resolution times slipped about 9% and one teammate told me it felt like their whole day had been “shaken like a soda can.”

The slip wasn’t the system itself — it was pushing the change too fast without explaining why.

So for 2026, we’ve added small pilot groups and simple feedback loops before anything goes live.

Anyway, we fixed the wobble, but the lesson stuck. My takeaway: HR works best when the people impacted help shape the plan, not just receive it.

Sudden Rotation Sparked Team Chaos

Edward Hones
Employment Lawyer & Founder, Hones Law PLLC

Owning the Misstep
In 2025, the biggest HR slip we faced at Hones Law involved onboarding a new hire without giving them the structured support they needed in their first 60 days.

We assumed that a small, tight-knit firm could rely on informal check-ins and organic learning.

Instead, the employee felt adrift, unclear about expectations, and hesitant to ask for help.
By the time we realized the issue, frustration had built on both sides.

As an employment lawyer, I counsel clients on the importance of clarity and documentation, yet internally, we have fallen into the trap of “we’re small, so we don’t need the same level of structure.”

That assumption cost us time, morale, and ultimately, a talented person who might have thrived with better support.

Fixing the Foundation for 2026
Looking ahead, we’ve overhauled our approach by implementing a 90-day roadmap, scheduled weekly check-ins, and a “go-to” mentor for every new hire, no exceptions.

We also rebuilt our performance expectations and workflows into clear, accessible documents so employees aren’t relying on tribal knowledge or guesswork.

The goal for 2026 is simple. No one should feel like they’re navigating the firm alone.

Being intentional about integration isn’t just an HR best practice, it’s a cultural commitment. And for a law firm that advocates for fair treatment and transparency every day, it’s a standard we’re determined to uphold internally just as strongly as we do externally.

Informal Onboarding Left Hires Adrift

Chris M. Walker
CEO, Legiit

In 2025, one HR slip I experienced was underestimating the importance of structured onboarding for remote hires. 

While our culture is collaborative, we assumed new team members would adapt quickly with minimal guidance. 

The result was slower integration and missed opportunities to align them with our values and processes. 

For 2026, we have implemented a formal onboarding framework that includes mentorship, clear milestones, and regular feedback sessions. 

We also introduced tools from Legiit to help track productivity and engagement. 

The lesson was clear: even in fast moving environments, structure matters. 

By investing in onboarding and continuous development, we are ensuring that every new hire feels supported, connected, and positioned to succeed long term.

Rushed Remote Ramp Slowed Integration

JZ Tay
Founder, WFH Alert

I sized up my most significant error in HR in 2025: underestimating the speed with which burnout spreads throughout an entire remote team.

I galloped and pushed my team during a growth surge and did not actively wrap up a more assertive structure surrounding the boundaries for rest.

Any decline in participation metrics inferred that people craved clearer expectations and more support.
I have planned the year 2026 in more organized blocks of time for work, so that one can breathe in the gaps without guilt for not staying online.

I drew up a list of monthly flavorings with clear stress-reading scalings, not just output and performance-making.

To ascertain the lower level of their stress, I went ahead and drafted a simple and frank dashboard that coined boundaries on task load to signal any workload spikes.

Last, we created a “No Meeting Day” in order to sit down the team for acute hour-long feeds of uninterrupted focus.

I’ve come to understand that what it really means to look out for acknowledgment of clarity and energy in remote HR isn’t to manage processes, truly.

Burnout Spread From Unchecked Rush

Aziz Bekishov
CEO, DC Mobile Notary

Disparities in the Staffing Situation
During an unprecedented rush period, I witnessed a slight staff gap that my mobile notary team had to work around to keep things going.

The way my jobs got scheduled, unevenly loaded all service sectors.

I lined up tighter roster checks and took a graphical depiction of the task flow coupled with automatic alerting.

I introduced a weekly conference call, to allow contractors to identify cases of disaster issues sooner rather than later.

I took measures to have the contents of a wage tiering launched to sustain some kind of comforting semblance during the rush waves.

I am all set for 2026 with better alignment of managerial oversight and clearer definition of the task flow.
Stop as a partner, if you have any questions to pose.

Grateful in advance should you decide to feature my quote!

Uneven Loads Strained Remote Team

Stefan Stojanovic
Director of Recruitment, Digital Silk

We have experienced our biggest HR setback due to our slow adaptation of our hiring processes to a rapidly evolving labor market.

As expectations of candidates change, we found multiple stages within our recruitment funnel created barriers to progress leading to long hiring cycles and lost opportunities with several qualified candidates. The problem has not been the availability of talent, but rather our ability to internally move at the required pace while providing clear guidance.

Our goals for hiring in 2026 are to optimally utilize and establish a hiring framework with better job descriptions for all roles.

As well as expedited interview processes throughout the process, using earlier skill-based assessments, and improved communication touchpoints with our candidates through quicker and more frequent updates, moving forward.

Slow Processes Lost Top Candidates

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

Answer our latest queries and submit your unique insights:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxInsight

Submit your article:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxArticle

PR Representatives:

Answer the latest queries and submit insights for your client: https://bit.ly/BrandWorxInsightSubmissions

Submit an article for your client:
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Please direct any additional questions to: connect@brandworx.digital

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Future-Proofing the Workforce: Lessons Learned from the Failures of 2025

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Future-Proofing the Workforce: Lessons Learned from the Failures of 2025

What if the HR oversight that cost you talent in 2025 wasn’t malice or neglect, but a simple assumption that “everyone knows” the rules, paths, or boundaries? 

As teams scaled, leaders confronted how loose agreements, unchecked workloads, and vague onboarding quietly bred frustration, delays, and exits—eroding the very momentum they were chasing.

HR Spotlight collected candid admissions from owners and executives who felt the sting: from contractors lost to casual contracts to top reps burned out from boundary-less demands. 

Their 2026 remedies—written ladders, mentor pairings, structured triages, and enforced off-hours—transform hindsight into hardwired safeguards. 

Wondering how a single missed conversation or unchecked tool could snowball into turnover? 

These unflinching stories reveal that the boldest recoveries begin with owning the gap. 

Ready to fortify your own team against similar slips? 

Dive into the lessons reshaping workplaces on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Leon Miller
Owner, BrushTamer

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was not having a clear equipment maintenance schedule tied to operator accountability.

We had a mulcher go down mid-job because routine checks weren’t assigned to specific crew members–just assumed someone would handle it.

Cost us two days of downtime and nearly lost a commercial client’s trust.

For 2026, I implemented a simple pre-shift inspection checklist that each operator signs off on, plus weekly maintenance rotations assigned by name.

Every piece of equipment from our skid-steer mulchers to the mini excavators now has a digital log that Carter (our Director of Operations) reviews.
If something’s missed, we know exactly who to coach.

The result? Zero unexpected breakdowns in three months, and our crew takes way more ownership of the machines.

One of our operators, Zack, actually caught a hydraulic leak before it became a $3,000 repair.

When your team knows they’re personally responsible for a $100K piece of equipment, they treat it differently.

Assumed Checks Caused Costly Downtime

Tom Terronez
CEO, Medix Dental IT

Our IT analysts were leaving too much last year, and it messed up our work. I had to change how we got people started.

We began pairing each new hire with a senior person and showed them a clearer path forward.

People seem happier now and are sticking around longer.

My advice is to keep listening to the team and fix the small annoyances before they become reasons to quit.

Unclear Paths Sparked Analyst Exits

Lawrence Irby
President, Bay Area House Buyer

Here’s something I got wrong last year. I was vague with new agents about how they actually got paid, and some ended up leaving.

Taking a page from Bay Area House Buyer, I now make one-page commission breakdowns and monthly earnings reports.

New hires can track their own dollars right away.

My advice? Just check in with them weekly so nobody gets left behind.

Vague Pay Confused New Agents

Max Marchione
Co-Founder, Superpower

Honestly, our contractor setup last year was a mess.

Information would get stuck with one person and cross-team work just crawled.

We’re fixing it now by having contractors and full-time staff work in the same small squads and talk things through after each project.

For next year, I think we just need to make sure they’re part of the conversation when it matters, not just an afterthought.

Siloed Contractors Slowed Squads

Daniel Kroytor
CEO, TailoredPay

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was losing three experienced equipment operators within two months because we didn’t have clear career progression paths.

These weren’t just operators–they understood GPS-guided machinery and laser grading techniques that took years to develop.

The hit to our project timelines was real, and I watched our 98% on-time completion rate drop to 91%.

For 2026, I built a formalized skills ladder tied directly to pay increases and project leadership opportunities.

Operators now see exactly how mastering technologies like BIM integration or SWPPP compliance gets them promoted to site supervisor roles.

We also started cross-training teams across excavation, water/sewer, and demolition so people aren’t stuck in one lane.

The measurable difference hit within six months.

We haven’t lost a single operator since implementation, and two team members who were job-hunting actually turned down outside offers to stay and move up our ladder.

Project efficiency recovered and we’re back to 97% on-time delivery.

If you’re in skilled trades, don’t assume people know there’s room to grow.

Make progression transparent with concrete benchmarks, or your competition will recruit them with promises you should’ve made first.

Siloed Skills Triggered Operator Exodus

JP Moses
President & Director of Content Awesomely, Awesomely

Last year we used a lot of 1099 mentors but kept our agreements loose, which created legal problems I didn’t see coming.

I learned that when nobody knows exactly who’s responsible for what, things get messy.

So this year we wrote tighter contracts and brought a few key mentors on as full-time staff.

Everything is clearer now, and I can actually sleep at night.

Loose Contracts Created Legal Mess

Max Emma
CEO, BooXkeeping Franchise

My biggest HR fail in 2025 was trying to do everything myself for way too long after opening new franchise territories.

I had franchisees reaching out with operational questions while I was also handling corporate support, and I dropped the ball on response times.

One franchisee waited three days for an answer about client onboarding that should’ve taken three hours.

I learned this lesson the hard way in my first business failure–I played the victim instead of owning the problem.

This time I caught it faster. For 2026, I hired two dedicated franchise support specialists and implemented a ticketing system with 24-hour response guarantees.

We also created a franchisee peer network so owners can help each other without waiting on corporate.

The cost of my delay was real–that franchisee lost a potential $2,500/month client because they couldn’t move fast enough.

Now our average response time is under 4 hours, and franchisees have direct Slack access to specialists in their region.

I schedule mandatory “offline” time for myself now too, because burnout makes you a terrible leader.

Solo Overload Dropped Critical Balls

Charles Dobyns
CEO, Strategic Franchise Development

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was letting a top franchise sales rep burn out because I didn’t enforce boundaries around client communication.

He was fielding calls at all hours from franchisors who treated our team like they were in-house employees, and I didn’t step in fast enough. Lost him in April.

For 2026, I’ve implemented strict communication windows and response protocols in every client contract.

Our team now has “off-grid” hours from 6pm-8am, and we’ve set up an emergency-only line that actually filters requests.

Clients who can’t respect that don’t renew–lost two this year, but retained four reps who were considering leaving.

The replacement process ate three months of pipeline momentum and cost us roughly $40K in lost deals he would’ve closed.

More importantly, the rest of the team saw me fail to protect him, which damaged trust.

Now I check in weekly specifically about workload boundaries, not just numbers.

Boundary-Less Demands Burned Reps

Rafael Sarim Oezdemir
Head of Growth, EZContacts

In 2025, we underestimated the time and support new hires needed to ramp up, which led to early frustration and slower productivity.

As such, redesigning onboarding in 2026 includes more clearly defined milestones, assigning mentors, and check-ins throughout the first 90 days to make sure new employees feel supported and can contribute confidently from day one.

Rushed Ramp-Up Bred Frustration

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

Answer our latest queries and submit your unique insights:
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From Fail to Fix: Executives on Recovering from HR Missteps

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From Fail to Fix: Executives on Recovering from HR Missteps

What if the HR misstep that defined your 2025 wasn’t a catastrophic error, but a subtle oversight in clarity, accountability, or support that quietly undermined team cohesion and momentum? 

As organizations scaled, leaders confronted how unassigned tasks, vague expectations, or siloed communication didn’t just disrupt daily flow—they fueled frustration and exits, revealing the hidden costs of assumption.

HR Spotlight compiled honest reflections from founders and directors who navigated these humbling hurdles: from unchecked workload spikes overwhelming queues to rushed hires missing cultural fit, and scattered updates breeding chaos. 

Their 2026 strategies—capacity thresholds, mentor pairings, documented workflows, and proactive drills—recast regret into robust systems. 

Wondering how a single unchecked assumption could cascade into broader issues? 

These unvarnished accounts illuminate the path from vulnerability to vigilance, offering actionable wisdom to shield your team. 

Ready to transform last year’s lesson into this year’s leverage? 

Uncover the rebuilds on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Aditya Nagpal
Founder & CEO, Wisemonk

In 2025, one slip we faced at Wisemonk was underestimating how quickly our workload would scale as several clients expanded their India teams at the same time.

Our HR support queue peaked for a few weeks, and although nothing critical was missed, response times were slower than our usual standards.

It was a clear signal that our capacity planning had not kept pace with client growth.

For 2026, we have set up two fixes.

First, we introduced capacity thresholds for every HR function, so we get early warnings before workloads spike.

Second, we expanded our hybrid HR operations team and added part time specialists who can be activated during high volume periods without compromising quality.

We also tightened our internal SOPs to streamline recurring tasks and reduce dependency on a few individuals.

These changes mean that even if growth accelerates again, we have buffers and clear triggers in place.

The goal is simple: no client or employee should feel the strain of our internal scaling challenges again.

Workload Spike Slowed HR Responses

Vlad Ivanov
CEO, Search GAP Method

Last year I messed up onboarding.

I thought new hires would just pick up how we do things, but they didn’t.

They struggled with our SEO methods and our projects started falling behind schedule.

So this year, I paired every new person with a senior team member.

Now people get up to speed much faster and our projects are back on track.

It’s made a real difference.

Assumed Pickup Delayed Projects

Branden Shortt
Founder & Product Advisor, The Informr

Last year got messy.

Sarah and I both thought we were updating the client spreadsheet, so we kept overwriting each other’s work.

So this year we wrote down who does what and checked in every two weeks.

My advice is to not treat those job descriptions like they’re set in stone.

Even a quick look can stop that “who’s doing this?” panic from happening again.

Dual Updates Overwrote Critical Data

Ralph Pieczonka
Director, Simple Is Good Inc

Last year, a key person on our AI automation team quit and we were scrambling.

With no handover plan, a few projects stalled.

So I set up a knowledge base and got everyone documenting their workflows, from voice AI scripts to demo scheduling.

It’s already helping.

Transitions are smoother now and there’s way less stress when things change unexpectedly.

Sudden Quit Stalled Key Projects

Nikita Beriozkin
Director of Sales & Marketing, Blue Sky Limo LLC

Last year, our UK and Colorado teams were often out of sync.

Missed HR updates meant people had to ask colleagues about vacation policies, which was confusing.

This year, we set up specific Slack channels for HR and started monthly calls.

That’s already cut down on the confusion.

Now everyone gets the same announcements at the same time.

Global Sync Lags Confused Policies

Miguel Salcido
CEO, Organic Media Group

Last year, our remote SEO folks didn’t know what leadership was doing, and it really hurt their motivation.

We started doing monthly Q&As and opened a dedicated chat for feedback, which helped people speak up more.
So this year, we’re bringing everyone together in person once and doing more quick polls.

We just need to make sure everyone gets what we’re doing and why.

Remote Silence Hurt Motivation

André Disselkamp
Co-Founder & CEO, Insurancy

We grew too fast last year and hired some people who weren’t the right fit.

We didn’t notice until projects started going sideways.

Now I’ve added more interview steps and a 30-day check-in to catch problems sooner.

Honestly, nothing beats regular conversations about expectations and feedback all year long, not just when we’re hiring.

Fast Hires Missed Cultural Fit

Tyler Hodgson
Managing Director, Ancient Warrior

Last year, new hire training was a mess.

Every store did their own thing, so nobody knew what to do.

We fixed that with a new HR system and standardized training.

Now everyone gets the same information from day one, which makes our daily operations run so much smoother.

It’s just simpler.

Inconsistent Training Bred Chaos

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

Answer our latest queries and submit your unique insights:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxInsight

Submit your article:
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Confessions from the C-Suite: The Biggest HR Stumbles of 2025

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Confessions from the C-Suite: The Biggest HR Stumbles of 2025

What if the HR oversight that stung most in 2025 wasn’t a flashy scandal, but a quiet gap in clarity, connection, or structure that silently pushed talent away? 

As teams navigated growth spurts and seasonal rushes, leaders discovered that overlooked details—like undocumented training, vague advancement paths, or mismatched expectations—didn’t just disrupt operations; they eroded the very trust that holds cultures together.

HR Spotlight gathered unflinching accounts from owners, directors, and CEOs who faced these humbling moments: from losing key staff over undefined roles to near-misses from unchecked tech reliance. 

Their 2026 resolutions—mandatory triages, written ladders, and proactive check-ins—transform regret into rigorous safeguards. 

Wondering how a single conversation or checklist could have changed everything? 

These raw reflections reveal that the sharpest growth often emerges from the toughest stumbles. 

Ready to turn your own misstep into momentum? 

Explore the candid pivots on HR Spotlight.

Read on!

Jeff Nuziard
CEO, Sexual Wellness Centers of America

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was losing a talented medical assistant because I didn’t have a clear career development path laid out.

She felt stuck after a year, and I realized too late that I hadn’t created advancement opportunities within our clinic structure.

For 2026, I’ve implemented quarterly career development meetings and created specific advancement tracks for our team.

We now have defined paths from entry-level positions to senior roles, complete with skill requirements and compensation increases.
I also started a CE (continuing education) stipend program so team members can pursue certifications relevant to sexual wellness treatments.

The wake-up call was expensive–recruiting and training her replacement cost us about $15,000, plus we had scheduling gaps during the busiest time of year.

Now I’m proactive about retention conversations rather than reactive when someone puts in notice.

No Career Path Lost Key Assistant

Sandro Kratz
Founder, Tutorbase

Last year we rushed hiring a bunch of new tutors and it was a mess.

Nobody knew how to submit their hours correctly, so our support team got flooded with payroll questions.

We fixed it by adding a required demo session and setting up automatic reminders in the app.

Now, payroll questions have basically disappeared and new tutors seem much more comfortable getting started.

Rushed Hiring Flooded Payroll Questions

Beth Southorn
Executive Director, LifeSTEPS

My biggest HR fail in 2025 was losing a stellar case manager mid-year because we didn’t have clear advancement pathways mapped out.

She’d been with us for four years serving residents in our supportive housing programs, consistently maintaining our 98%+ retention rate, but when she asked about growth opportunities I realized we’d never formalized career ladders beyond “keep doing great work.”

She left for another nonprofit that offered a senior coordinator track with defined milestones.
That position supported 180 formerly homeless residents, and the transition gap meant delayed crisis responses for three weeks while we hired and trained her replacement.

For 2026, I worked with our team leads to create a written career progression framework with specific competency benchmarks and salary bands for every frontline role.

We’re also piloting “stretch assignments” where case managers can lead pilot programs or specialize in areas like CalAIM coordination–basically giving people leadership experience before a formal title opens up.

The lesson hit hard because I’ve spent three decades in this field watching burnout destroy talented staff, yet I still defaulted to “we’ll figure it out when a director role opens.”

When you’re serving 100,000+ residents across California, you can’t afford to treat retention as an accident of loyalty instead of an intentional system.

Vague Growth Paths Sparked Exit

Christy Robinson
Director of Marketing, Comfort Temp

My biggest HR fail in 2025 was not having a structured seasonal training refresh for our HVAC techs before the EPA’s refrigerant change took effect in January.

We assumed everyone would stay current, but when customer questions started flooding in about R-410A vs A2L refrigerants, some technicians gave inconsistent answers.

That inconsistency cost us credibility with a few commercial accounts who expected us to be the experts on the transition.

For 2026, I built quarterly knowledge-check sessions into our calendar–mandatory 30-minute briefings before spring AC season and fall furnace season.

Each tech now gets a one-pager on regulatory updates, new equipment features, or common customer concerns, and we role-play the conversations they’ll have in the field.

Our Director of Service signs off that everyone’s completed it before they’re scheduled for customer-facing jobs.

The difference has been immediate.

Our technicians are confidently explaining the 78% GWP reduction with A2L refrigerants and helping customers decide whether to replace now or wait.

One of our senior techs, Mike, closed three system replacements in February just by walking customers through their options with clarity.

When your team sounds like the authority, customers stop shopping around.

Training Lag Cost Regulatory Cred

Clay Hamilton
President, Grounded Solutions

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was losing three experienced equipment operators within two months because we didn’t have clear career progression paths.

These weren’t just operators–they understood GPS-guided machinery and laser grading techniques that took years to develop.

The hit to our project timelines was real, and I watched our 98% on-time completion rate drop to 91%.

For 2026, I built a formalized skills ladder tied directly to pay increases and project leadership opportunities.

Operators now see exactly how mastering technologies like BIM integration or SWPPP compliance gets them promoted to site supervisor roles.

We also started cross-training teams across excavation, water/sewer, and demolition so people aren’t stuck in one lane.

The measurable difference hit within six months.

We haven’t lost a single operator since implementation, and two team members who were job-hunting actually turned down outside offers to stay and move up our ladder.

Project efficiency recovered and we’re back to 97% on-time delivery.

If you’re in skilled trades, don’t assume people know there’s room to grow.

Make progression transparent with concrete benchmarks, or your competition will recruit them with promises you should’ve made first.

Siloed Skills Triggered Operator Exodus

Maxim Von Sabler
Director & Clinical Psychologist, MVS Psychology Group

My biggest slip in 2025 was assuming our psychologists automatically knew how to handle client-matching at intake.

We had a system where admin staff would book appointments, but three clients ended up with therapists whose specialties didn’t align with their needs–one trauma case got booked with someone still building EMDR skills, and they disengaged after two sessions.

For 2026, I implemented a 15-minute clinical triage call that I or our senior clinicians conduct before the first appointment.

We assess presenting concerns and explicitly match therapeutic approaches to client needs–if someone needs couples therapy or EMDR for trauma, they get a psychologist trained in exactly that modality.

Our no-show rate dropped from around 18% to 7% because people feel heard before they even walk in.

The other change was weekly case discussion meetings where our team shares complex cases anonymously.

This means our less experienced psychologists get real-time learning from situations they haven’t encountered yet, rather than learning through trial and error with actual clients.

It’s made our junior staff infinitely more confident and our client outcomes measurably better.

Mismatched Therapy Drove Disengagement

Jeffrey J. Miller
President & CEO, Kelbe Brothers Equipment

My biggest HR slip in 2025 was not documenting operator training completion properly when we brought on seasonal crews during our busy period.

We had operators running equipment without verified walkaround inspection training, and it caught up to us when a skid steer went out with low tire pressure–something a proper daily check would’ve caught.

The machine performed poorly all day and we had to pull it mid-shift.

For 2026, I created a mandatory operator certification checklist that covers everything from daily inspections to understanding when to report equipment irregularities.

Every new operator now goes through a structured program where they demonstrate competency in pre-use checks before touching our equipment.

We track it in each employee file with sign-off dates and specific machines they’re cleared to operate.

The difference has been immediate.

Our operators are catching fluid leaks and tire issues before machines even leave the yard, which has cut our emergency service calls by more than half.

One operator spotted a cracked mounting hinge during his morning walkaround last month–would’ve been a complete bucket failure if he’d missed it.

When you make training documentation a hard requirement instead of an assumption, accountability follows naturally.

Undocumented Training Risked Safety

Ryan Nelson
Founder, RentalRealEstate

I wasn’t talking to my property teams enough during rental season last year.

Some mix-ups really annoyed tenants, so I started monthly check-ins this year.

Being more involved means we catch problems early – like that billing error we fixed before anyone noticed.

Honestly, just showing up more often makes everything run smoother.

Check-In Lag Bred Team Mix-Ups

Rudy Mosketti
Founder, Rudy’s Smokehouse

My biggest HR fail in 2025 was not documenting our charitable giving structure clearly enough for new hires.

We donate half our earnings every Tuesday to local Springfield charities–it’s core to who we are–but I realized several employees didn’t fully understand the program or feel connected to it.

When team members don’t grasp that mission, they miss why we do what we do.

For 2026, I added a mandatory orientation session where I personally walk every new hire through our Tuesday giving program.

I show them the actual donation records, introduce them to some of the local organizations we’ve helped, and explain how their work directly supports our community.

It’s a 20-minute conversation that makes all the difference.

The change has been huge. Our newer staff now actively suggest charities and talk about our mission with customers.

One of our line cooks, Maria, even started volunteering at one of the groups we support.

When your team understands the “why” behind the paycheck, they bring that heart to every plate they send out.

Mission Disconnect Dimmed New Hires

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Individual Contributors:

Answer our latest queries and submit your unique insights:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxInsight

Submit your article:
https://bit.ly/SubmitBrandWorxArticle

PR Representatives:

Answer the latest queries and submit insights for your client: https://bit.ly/BrandWorxInsightSubmissions

Submit an article for your client:
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Please direct any additional questions to: connect@brandworx.digital

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