Retaining Talent When It Matters Most

There’s never a dull day in recruiting, especially when you’ve been doing it a while. I’m constantly chatting with people who are gainfully employed but thinking about switching things up — for all sorts of reasons. 2025 is already feeling like a wild ride for a lot of workers. Gen Z hasn’t really experienced a recession in their careers yet, while Millennials and Gen X are kind of exhausted, thinking, “Not this again,” after living through a few tough economic stretches already. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Work in America survey, more than half of U.S. workers are seriously stressed about job security. Out of 2,017 employed adults who responded online, 54% said worrying about their workplace stability is really taking a toll on their professional and personal lives.

As a business owner, it’s more important than ever to hold onto your top talent during these uncertain economic times. Losing a star employee isn’t just expensive when it comes to hiring and training someone new — it can also seriously shake up your team’s morale, their quality of work and the overall vibe of your company.

Here are three defensive moves to prevent that dreaded resignation letter:

1. Don’t sugarcoat business challenges during company meetings.

Being upfront builds trust. Share the big picture — where the company stands financially, including monthly, quarterly, and yearly projections, plus year-to-date results. Let your team know what steps are being taken to turn things around and bring your key people into the conversation to help brainstorm new strategies. If you’ve only been meeting quarterly, now’s the time to bump that up to monthly — keep everyone in the loop, track progress, and celebrate the wins, big or small.

2. Leadership means making sacrifices first.

Executives and owners should hold off on bonuses and raises before making tough calls like cutting benefits, freezing pay, or laying people off. It goes without saying that this is not the time to roll up to the office in a new Mercedes S-Class.

3. Double-down on professional development.

Staff — especially Millennials — really value opportunities like lunch-and-learns, industry events, and workshops to keep growing. Most leaders see training as an easy place to cut when budgets get tight, but that would be a bad move. Employees want to feel valued and involved. Investing in professional development, however modest, pays big dividends.

Getting through tough times as a team is like strengthening iron in a fire — it’s tough, but it makes you stronger. These challenges can actually help build a more resilient, united company in the long run. While you're dealing with today’s obstacles, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

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Grow Faster. Hire Better. Stress Less.

By Bernadette Hill • May 29, 2025

Let’s face it—hiring top talent these days is like finding a parking spot at a concert. It’s stressful, time-consuming, and just when you think you’ve found "The One", someone else swoops in and takes them. That’s why more companies—scrappy startups to corporate giants—are handing off recruiting to the pros. Here's why outsourcing your recruiting might be your next power move: 1. They Know What They’re Doing (Like, Really Know) Recruiters are the matchmakers of the working world. They eat, sleep, and breathe screening calls, resume red flags, and the fine art of the follow-up. So let them do what they do best, while you focus on growing your business. 2. Save Time. Save Money. Save Your Sanity. Between chasing references and ghosted interviews, hiring feels like a second full-time job. Outsourcing clears your plate—speeding up time-to-hire, slashing hiring costs, and preserving your team’s focus (and patience). 3. Flex Like a Hiring Ninja Need to fill one role this week and 20 next month? No problem. Outsourcing lets you scale your recruiting efforts up or down faster than you can say “urgent headcount request.” 4. Access to a Bigger (and Better) Candidate Pool Recruitment agencies have a secret weapon: massive networks. They know people. Good people. People who aren’t even looking... until the right opportunity comes along. You probably won’t find those folks by just tossing a job on LinkedIn and hoping for the best. 5. A+ Candidate Experience First impressions matter. A great recruiter knows how to keep candidates informed, engaged, and not completely ghosted halfway through the process. Even if someone doesn’t land the role, they’ll walk away thinking your company is classy—and that goodwill can go a long way. Final Thoughts: Outsourcing your recruiting isn’t admitting defeat—it’s playing smart. It's about hiring better, faster, and with fewer headaches. In today’s ever-changing job market, that kind of edge can be a game-changer. Plus, it means fewer awkward interviews with people who still list “Microsoft Word” under special skills.

Supporting Your Team During Tough Times

By Bernadette Hill • March 21, 2025

Hard times happen. Whether it’s a global or national crisis, workplace challenges, or personal struggles, your employees are feeling it. And when stress levels rise, how leadership responds makes all the difference. The good news? You don’t need all the answers—you just need to show up for your team in the right way. Clear communication, genuine support, and a little flexibility can go a long way in keeping morale up and productivity steady. Here’s how you can steer the ship through choppy waters to eventual smoother sailing. Keep It Real with Communication Be upfront—let your team know what’s going on, whether it’s a big crisis or a smaller challenge. A lack of transparency fuels anxiety, rumors and increases employee turnover. Keep everyone in the loop with regular updates so they know leadership has a plan. Listen! Make sure employees feel heard and that their concerns matter. Consider Q&A sessions during company meetings, encourage participation in employee surveys and support management to have one-on-one lunches with their direct reports. Take Care of Their Well-being Implement or beef up your company’s mental health resources, like counseling or wellness programs, to help manage stress. Encourage a healthy work-life balance—remind people to take breaks! Show empathy—let employees know you genuinely care about them as people, not just workers. Be Flexible & Adaptable If possible, allow flexible work hours or remote work to help employees juggle personal challenges. Recognize that everyone’s situation is different—some may need adjusted workloads or extra time off. Show Appreciation Celebrate small wins! Even in tough times, recognizing achievements keeps morale up. Give public shout-outs—sometimes, a simple “thank you” goes a long way. Consider small rewards (bonuses, gift cards, or extra time off) to show you value their hard work. The bottom line? Open communication, empathy, flexibility, and appreciation go a long way in keeping your team motivated and supported.