2020 saw something of a boom in executive coaching. CEOs and senior management found themselves trying to navigate a turbulent, pandemic-struck world, with no one to turn to for guidance. Coaches offered calm, objective support and helped leaders to develop survival strategies on the fly.

As a recruiter, when speaking with candidates a few of the first few questions I ask are, “Tell me about your company culture?” and “What are you looking for in your next job opportunity?” Responses I often receive include, “an environment that allows flexibility,” “a team driven environment”, “a family atmosphere”, “ a place where I can learn and grow”, or “a place where I can make a difference and help take a company to the next level.” In listening to these statements, it provides me with insight into a candidate’s current company culture as well as what the type of culture that they would like to work in.

My first job in HR used a heck of a lot of paper and even more time filing it all away. There was a form for everything. Each one triggered a chain reaction of manual events, which usually included personally escorting the document all over for various signatures. Is this sounding familiar to you too?

The Coronavirus outbreak has changed the way we interact with others, and it’s limiting the way companies interact with large groups of candidates and industry connections. Now, more than ever, it’s time to think about keeping connections alive with digital capabilities. Is your business doing all it can to stay in touch with your candidate network?

Compensation planning for the year ahead always involves a certain amount of guesswork. You have to try to anticipate several variables, from your company's performance to trends in the hiring market.

Video meetings have been commonplace for years, and the pandemic made them indispensable. Almost overnight, people had to get used to the Zoom meeting format: a Brady Bunch-style tableau of their colleagues’ faces, with speakers battling for control of the mic. After a while, it got exhausting.