Meet 6 of the difficult personality types and how to ‘surprise’ them when they attack

The next time you allow a difficult employee to irritate you beyond measure, remember the words of psychologist Bruce Christopher: “Difficult people don’t know they are difficult. They are behaviorally blind. They learned difficult.”

What Mercer’s Global Talent Report means for managers

Mercer’s 2024–2025 Global Talent Trends report outlines how leaders must evolve their priorities to keep pace with shifting talent demands, workforce expectations and business risks.

5 ways to attract and source talent that fits

With so many talented people in the job market, how do you attract and source that talent that fits the job and your company’s work ethic, culture and commitment to customers/clients? Consider these five things to improve how you attract and source the best talent.

Confronting entitlement and inappropriate conduct

Some issues may not appear in performance metrics, but entitlement and disrespectful habits can fester beneath the surface, undermining trust and morale. Teams thrive when no one believes they’re exempt from basic decency. For managers, that means spotting subtle signs and responding quickly.

Why asking questions is a manager’s secret weapon

Why should a leader prioritize posing questions over issuing more orders? Becoming an expert inquirer builds relationships and boosts knowledge. You gain a reputation as a caring and curious manager who is interested in what’s going on with the team and its people.

Tough talk: 5 ways to get through to the offender

Here are five suggestions to perk up someone’s interest in tackling behavior that needs improvement.

More than the bare minimum: Training employees to take initiative

Every manager wants team members who move beyond the checklist—employees who seek opportunities, take initiative and solve problems unprompted. Achieving that starts with building environments where autonomy, meaning and support aren’t afterthoughts—they’re the foundation.

Managers tackle pay challenges without bigger budgets

U.S. companies are holding salary increase budgets flat at 3.5% for 2026, mirroring 2025’s actual average increases. That doesn’t mean the pressure is easing. If anything, managers are being asked to do more with less—and get strategic about how they reward and retain talent.

AI starts with you: How to train teams on AI use

A new report from BambooHR reveals what many managers are seeing firsthand: There’s a widening gap between who is using AI at work and who isn’t—and frontline workers are being left behind.

How managers can tap into a CIVILITY framework

Jeffrey Owens, a former hostage negotiator and police officer, delivered a compelling message at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual convention: Respect is a behavior, not an attitude. And it’s the cornerstone of workplace civility.