Human Resources Management

In 2014, Target was falling apart. Data breach. Failed expansion. Low morale. Brian Cornell took over and did the opposite of what most CEOs would do: When Brian Cornell became CEO of Target in 2014, the board wanted results and fast. The company was reeling from: A massive data breach A $2B failed Canada expansion A workforce on the edge of burnout Most CEOs would’ve tightened control. Cut costs. Pushed harder. Cornell did the opposite. He raised wages. He invested billions in store remodels. He celebrated every renovation publicly, with before-and-after photos that teams could share with family. Each move made the mission tangible. Employees could see the impact. Touch it. Take pride in it. And something remarkable happened: Productivity rose. Customer satisfaction surged. Revenue followed. Not because Cornell demanded performance, but because he restored energy to a depleted team. That’s the part most leaders miss: Pressure without energy doesn’t create performance. It accelerates burnout. So what actually recharges team energy? Cornell’s story reveals three levers: 1. Meaning. People aren’t motivated by vision statements. They’re motivated by evidence their work matters. Cornell’s store remodels gave employees pride in their physical environment, something they could show their kids. 2. Progress. The #1 driver of motivation at work isn’t praise or pay. It’s seeing progress on meaningful work. Every completed renovation became a milestone worth celebrating. Momentum built from there. 3. Recognition. Not generic praise. Not annual bonuses. Specific, timely appreciation. Cornell made frontline workers feel seen through real wage increases and public celebration of their work. Most leaders talk about culture. But culture doesn’t survive on pressure alone. Energy fuels performance. And leaders control the energy. Cornell’s genius wasn’t vision. It was directing attention where energy replenishes, not where it gets drained. This is what I call energy management, and it’s just one piece of a bigger system. The full 3rd Leader Framework includes: Clarity (knowing where you’re going) Alignment (getting everyone moving together) Energy (fueling the team that’s doing the work) Your team doesn’t need more pressure. They need more energy. And you set the tone. Want more research-backed insights on leadership? Join 11,000+ leaders who get our weekly newsletter: 👉 https://lnkd.in/en9vxeNk

The higher you climb in leadership, the more you're taught to lie. Not about numbers. About being human. Forbes just revealed that 88% of C-suite executives expect change to accelerate this year. And over 80% of HR professionals say leaders aren't equipped to handle it. But here's what the studies won't tell you: Those executives are exhausted. And they're not allowed to admit it. I see this wall everywhere I work. The higher leaders climb, the less human they're permitted to be. The paradigm is suffocating: →Be motivational, never exhausted →Be inspirational, never uncertain →Project hope, hide the struggle →Show empathy, but NEVER vulnerability "Vulnerability is weakness," they tell themselves. This is wrong. Catastrophically wrong. I witnessed the breakthrough with a multi-billion dollar energy company CEO. He insisted: "I'm not an emotional person. I don't talk about feelings." His company was being acquired. His people were drowning. Then he did something revolutionary. He admitted from stage: "There are even some nights where I'm terrified." A board member's response? "I've never felt that level of engagement before." Why? Because empathy without humanity is performance. And people know the difference. Forbes says leaders must "start with themselves" - manage their energy, understand their 'why,' tap into different energy sources. But here's what nobody's saying: The leaders who will thrive in the next decade do THREE things differently: 1. They pour into themselves first Not selfishness. Survival. You can't navigate others through change when you're running on empty. 2. They share emotions confidently Not emotional dumping. Strategic vulnerability. There's power in saying "this is hard" without apologizing for it. 3. They delegate from strength, not exhaustion Taking that day off. Letting someone else take the executive meeting. Not because you can't, but because developing others requires you to step back. The retail giant I worked with proved this. We taught 200+ managers to process emotions, not suppress them. Result? 30% increase in digital adoption. Their people felt more empowered because their leaders finally admitted they were human. When you're honest about your struggle, something magical happens: →Your empathy becomes real, not performed →Your team stops hiding their challenges →Your people feel permitted to be human too The executive who pretends everything's fine while suppressing their emotional energy? They're the ones whose teams feel least empowered. Least trusting. Least engaged. Your people don't need you to have all the answers. They need you to be real about finding them. The strongest leaders aren't those who never struggle. They're those who've learned to share their struggle in service of others' strength. What would happen if you took tomorrow off and let your team handle that big meeting? What are you afraid they'd discover? (Or what might YOU discover?) Article in the comments!

Pre-2020, office culture was synonymous with the 'cool' office: think places to lounge, stocked pantries and in-office happy hours that went all out; or luxe retreats and team-building exercises meant to foster the feeling of 'family'. In past years, these perks drew many workers to the office – in some cases, entire companies defined themselves by their office cultures. The world of work looks and feels entirely different than just a few years ago – yet many companies are still intent on recreating the office cultures workers left behind as they abandoned their desks in 2020. While these companies are making some gestures to adapt – for instance, redesigning spaces to accommodate new preferences and hybrid-work habits – many are still set on bringing back what lured in workers before the pandemic. Yet swaths of employees simply aren't interested in going backward. Instead of trust-falls and cold brew on tap, employees are demanding flexible work, equitable pay and a focus on humanity in the workplace that transcends the perks they sought years earlier. Workers' shifting priorities are a natural consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Georgina Fraser, head of human capital for global commercial real-estate firm CBRE. "The pandemic gave us autonomy in a way that we haven't had previously," she says. "It gave us the opportunity to choose how we structured our working days." And now that workers have experienced that level of work-life balance, they won't settle for less. Fraser adds: "Post-pandemic, we saw a resurgence of people being very vocal about what they wanted and needed, not just from office culture, but from the wider world." Now, she says, workers aren't shy about "wanting to be seen as a whole human – and that filters down to their physical location, how [employers] manage them, what support they receive and how [employers] integrate technologies between home and office in order to support them". Now that the workplace doesn't serve as the culture hub it once did, "companies have really struggled to redefine the role of the office", says Lewis Beck, CBRE's head of workplace for Europe. Office culture that was once meant to get employees excited doesn't have the same pull when workplaces are only one-third full. And workers who are interested in – or required to do – office work aren't looking for many of the perks that defined culture before 2020. This is especially the case for young employees. "The next generation is very comfortable advocating for their needs," says 32-year-old Juan Franco,an associate director of operations working in higher education. "And if a company is not adapting to their needs, they can't expect to keep that employee happy." ❓What are the secret ingredients of office culture in 2024? Keen to hear your thoughts and ideas. 🙏🏻 WorkFLEX-Australia #returntooffice #hybridwork #worklifebalance Author: Lillian Stone BBC News BBC https://lnkd.in/gK76DRXv

𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 - 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐈𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭. . . Meetings scheduled. Targets moving. Decisions taken. Yet by evening, you feel drained. Not unproductive. Not disengaged. Just quietly exhausted. Many leaders tell me this: “𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤.” The truth: this is not a productivity problem. It is an energy management gap. You are available all day. For escalations. For reviews. For quick decisions. But rarely for deep thinking. Rarely for recovery. High activity outside. Low cognitive reserve inside. That gap reduces executive presence. It affects decision quality. It slowly erodes leadership clarity. 1️⃣ Not every meeting deserves equal energy. Protect your high-focus hours. 2️⃣ Schedule thinking time like revenue meetings. Strategic clarity needs prime energy. 3️⃣ Close the day intentionally. Signal your brain to switch off. 𝐴 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒 𝐻𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 77% 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑗𝑜𝑏𝑠. 𝑀𝑐𝐾𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡. The issue is not your capability. It is energy leakage. Ask yourself tonight. Where did my energy go today? Leadership today is less about doing more. It is about sustaining clarity. Time can be scheduled. Energy must be protected. If this resonates, stay reflective. We are not managing calendars. We are managing cognitive capital. To your leadership, Coach Vandana Dubey 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝐸𝑛𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑠 #ExecutivePresence #EnergyManagement #LeadershipClarity

Training and coaching programmes in many workplaces are often seen as one-size-fits-all solutions. Its time for that to change, especially when it comes to leadership development. Too often, learning and development initiatives are decided without involving the people who are not actually taking part in them. Organizations make huge investment into programmes, without effective research into people's needs. They don't ask people what they want or need. They presume everyone's needs are the same. There are times where this might be ok....specific technical skills for example or simple standard work practices. But leadership development requires a different approach. To be honest, I used to deliver one-day trainings on leadership skills here and there. But I never felt good about it. I felt like I wasn't adding real value to anyone. I knew most people were likely to forget everything they learned. It seems like such a waste of time and money. Now, I largely provide a blend of training and coaching programmes. They include an assessment of participant needs. They have a measure of individual development over time. Each person's coaching programme is tailored to what they need. I communicate with my programme participant's managers, to support the continuation of coaching long after their initial coaching programme ends. I always think I can do better so I gather feedback from every participant and improve my programmes all the time. These are the best practices guidelines I follow and teach: 1️⃣ Assess participant needs and customize programmes 2️⃣ Clarify the measures of effectiveness that will be used. 3️⃣ Personalize learning paths- this is possible through blending training with 1:1 coaching programmes 4️⃣ Foster a culture of continuous learning where coaching and training is part of what people regularly give and receive. Ensure all managers have effective coaching skills 5️⃣ Evaluate and adjust all training and coaching programmes. Make improvements based on feedback and measures. ❓What else would you add to ensure training and coaching programmes are highly effective? #learninganddevelopment #employeedevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #traininganddevelopment #training #learning #coaching

Is only fair compensation enough for an employee to thrive in the company? After spending over a decade in this industry. I have realized that fair pay or bonuses are not the only factor to make your employees feel satisfied at the workplace! It is crucial but it’s just the beginning. The real winner here is employee experience and here is how we can create workplaces that people love: ✅ Build Real Connections: 📍Encourage team bonding: Set up regular team-building activities, both in-person and virtual. 📍Create mentorship programs: Pair junior staff with experienced leaders for guidance and support. 📍Host regular check-ins (not just performance reviews): Go beyond annual reviews. Have informal chats to understand your team's needs and aspirations. ✅ Offer Growth Opportunities: 📍Support career pathing: Help employees visualize and work towards their long-term goals within the company. 📍Celebrate learning, not just results: Acknowledge efforts to acquire new skills, not just successful outcomes. 📍Offer stretch assignments: Give people chances to step out of their comfort zones and grow. ✅ Listen and Act: 📍Run regular surveys: But don't just collect data - act on it! 📍Have an open-door policy: Make leadership accessible and approachable. 📍Actually, implement good suggestions: Show your team their voice matters. Create feedback loops: Keep the conversation going and update on progress. Remember: Happy employees are productive employees. When people feel valued, supported, and engaged, it's not just good for them - it's great for business. Lower turnover, higher productivity, and a positive company culture all contribute to the bottom line. But this isn't a one-time effort. Creating a fantastic employee experience is an ongoing process that requires commitment, creativity, and genuine care for your team. What's one innovative thing your company does to boost employee experience? Or what's something you wish your workplace would implement? Let's share ideas and elevate HR practices across the board!

The CEO’s secret to doing more without feeling less Let's set the record straight: time is important—very important. It’s one of the most valuable resources you’ve got as a leader. But here’s the kicker: time alone won’t get you where you need to go. What’s equally critical? Energy. Think of time as the canvas & energy as the paint. You need both to create a masterpiece. HBR puts it bluntly: the difference between effective & ineffective leaders is the ability to “manage energy, not time.” That doesn't mean we toss our calendars in the bin; it means we start thinking beyond the clock. Time is finite—everyone gets the same 24 hours. But energy? That’s a different story. Energy is dynamic, replenishable, &—most importantly—controllable. Managing time is like budgeting money, but managing energy? That's investing it wisely to get maximum returns. Now, let's not dismiss time management entirely; it’s still crucial. You need to know where every minute goes, but also ask yourself: “How am I feeling while I’m spending it?” That’s where energy comes in. Think of a day where you had a solid 8 hours of sleep, exercised, & felt pumped up. Even with back-to-back meetings, you were on fire, right? Now, think of another day when you were sleep-deprived, stressed, & dragging yourself from one task to another. Same 24 hours, but the output? Worlds apart. That’s because time management is only half the equation. Energy management fills in the gaps. • Recognize your energy cycles: Every leader knows to manage their time, but few do so according to their energy peaks. Are you sharper in the morning, or do you hit your stride post-lunch? Use your most productive hours for tasks that require the most brainpower. • Make time for recovery: Here’s where energy management shines. To make the most of your time, you need to recharge. Just like a phone, your “battery” needs to be replenished. Studies show that high-performing leaders make time for short breaks to prevent burnout. It's not about taking time off but making time more valuable. • Set boundaries like a pro: Yes, time is money, but so is energy. Meetings that should have been emails? Colleagues who drain your enthusiasm? Cut them out. Guard your energy like it’s your last dollar. The key isn't just filling up your calendar; it's filling it with things that add value & energize you. • Embrace micro-breaks: Ever tried the Pomodoro technique? It’s not just a time management hack; it's an energy hack, too. Work in focused bursts, then take a short break. Research shows it keeps your energy levels high, helping you get more done in less time. So, step back the next time you feel overwhelmed by the ticking clock. Ask yourself: How am I managing my energy? When you get the energy equation right, time starts working for you, not against you. Great leaders know how to use their time wisely, but the best leaders also learn to power themselves up to make that time count. #Leadership #Time #Energy #Management

Your ER inbox is not the real problem. It is a symptom. I have worked with a lot of companies over the years. Here is a pattern I cannot ignore. When a company is drowning in employee relations cases, the workflows are usually messy. Policies live in three different folders. Managers “handle things their own way.” Deadlines are unclear. Approvals change depending on who you ask. Sound familiar? Now let me flip it. The clients who rarely call me about investigations or complaints have something in common too. Clear policies. Documented workflows. Consistent enforcement. Not perfect people. Clear process. Think about what happens when process is unclear: • A manager disciplines one employee but gives another a pass. • A promotion decision feels random. • A performance issue drags on because no one knows the next step. • Payroll errors repeat because there is no checklist. Employees do not usually file complaints because they love drama. They file complaints because they feel confused. Or treated unfairly. Or surprised. Unclear process creates surprise. Clear process creates predictability. And predictability builds trust. If you want to move toward the C suite one day, this is where you stand out. Do not just respond to cases. Look for the pattern behind them. Ask yourself: Where is the workflow breaking? Where is policy being applied differently? Where are managers improvising? When you clean that up, the volume drops. Not overnight. But steadily. Less chaos. More credibility. Stronger HR brand. Here is the hard question: Are your employee relations cases pointing to people problems, or process problems? If this gave you something to think about, share it with another HR friend in your network. ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career! #HumanResources #EmployeeRelations #HRLeadership

“Unlimited PTO” is the corporate version of “trust me bro.” Looks generous, lands you broke. Priya found that out the painful way. She was a ₹36 LPA Marketing Manager in a Gurgaon MNC when HR launched their shiny new perk: Unlimited Paid Time Off. Everyone cheered. Priya too. No tracking, no counting, no awkward leave emails. Sounded perfect. What nobody noticed was the quiet funeral happening in the background. The old 30-day paid leave policy was gone. Which meant no accrual. Which meant no encashment later. Fast-forward 18 months. Layoffs hit. Priya gets called in. She hoped her previous 45 days of accrued leave would soften the blow. Payout: ₹0 Meanwhile, a colleague who didn’t switch to Unlimited PTO walked out with ₹4.5 lakh, tax-free. Same company. Same layoff. Different outcome. This is the dark reality of “modern perks.” Package a cost-cutting move as freedom and hope people clap instead of question. Moral: read the boring parts. Anything that removes structure usually removes money, too. #corporatelife #workculture #hrreality #careeradvice #jobtruths

💡 High performance isn’t just about time management—it’s about energy management. This was one of the big takeaways from the “Personal Operating System” workshops I ran for White & Case LLP’s law graduate program in Melbourne earlier this month. The goal of these workshops? To help the next generation of lawyers build sustainable habits, make better decisions, and thrive—not just survive—in their careers. Did you know that there’s more than one type of energy? High performers don’t just focus on physical stamina—they actively manage seven different types of energy: ⚡ Physical – Your body fuels your work. Sleep, movement, and nutrition are just as important as hitting deadlines. 🧠 Mental – Focus isn’t infinite. Taking breaks, avoiding multitasking, and managing distractions helps sustain deep work. 👀 Sensory – Constant screens, noise, and bright lights drain you. Closing your eyes, stepping outside, or reducing tech time restores balance. 🎨 Creative – Fresh thinking requires fuel. New experiences, art, and exposure to different ideas keep your problem-solving sharp. ❤️ Emotional – Processing and expressing emotions in healthy ways (through journaling, coaching, or deep conversations) prevents burnout. 🤝 Social – Some relationships energise, some drain. Being intentional about connection and solo recharge time is key. 🌱 Spiritual – Work feels more meaningful when aligned with your values. Finding purpose beyond the next task fuels long-term motivation. It was powerful to see these concepts click for the grads. The best lawyers aren’t just technically skilled—they’re self-aware, adaptable, and intentional about how they lead themselves. What type of energy do you need to manage better? Personally, I’m working on my mental energy. Thanks again to Lauren (Kay) Johnstone, Frances Absalon and the whole White & Case team for your trust and partnership! #Leadership #HumanSkills #EnergyManagement #CareerDevelopment #FutureOfWork #HighPerformance