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Recent Video Posts
Caregiver Leave: How to Support Working Caregivers | HR Hot Topics August 2026
Roughly a quarter of your employees are caring for someone right now — and about a third of them have not told you. In this edition of HR Hot Topics, Jodi Schafer makes the case for caregiver leave: what it is, why an aging population is turning it into a retention issue for small and mid-sized employers, and how to build real support without creating an expensive new benefit from scratch. Jodi covers expanding the policy definitions you already have, the operational groundwork that flexibility requires, the stigma that keeps caregiving invisible at work, and practical first steps for piloting a program.
Topics include:
✅ Why 20–30% of the workforce is already managing caregiving responsibilities
✅ The demographic shift: more people over 80 than children entering kindergarten
✅ Where ESTA, PTO, and parental leave fall short for Michigan employers
✅ Expanding FMLA and parental leave definitions to increase access
✅ Why 32% of caregivers never disclose their status to their employer
✅ Flexibility, cross-training, sub pools, and job sharing
✅ Using your EAP and outside partners to support caregivers
✅ Launching a caregiver leave pilot and tracking utilization
Whether you are writing your first employee handbook or revisiting policies you have not touched in a decade, this episode gives you a practical place to start. HRM Services partners with employers who want an HR function that actually fits their business — policy, compliance, training, and the judgment calls in between. Learn more at WorkWithHRM.com.
Timestamps
0:00 Welcome
0:12 Why this month’s topic changed
1:01 When a parent falls: a personal story
2:41 Policies written for a different era
3:47 More people over 80 than children entering kindergarten
5:03 The cost of doing nothing
6:12 The sandwich generation, by the numbers
6:46 Why caregivers are often your most valuable employees
7:22 Expanding existing policies instead of adding new ones
8:23 Why 32% of caregivers stay silent
9:38 Manager readiness
10:00 Flexibility, cross-training, and job sharing
11:00 EAP and the emotional toll
11:37 Partnering with elder care experts
12:48 Simple steps to get started
13:10 Expanding FMLA definitions
14:53 Running a pilot program
15:30 Final thoughts
#HRHotTopics #CaregiverLeave #SandwichGeneration #EmployeeRetention #MichiganEmployers #SmallBusinessHR #HumanResources #HRPolicy
Strategic Hiring: How to Attract Better Candidates in a Tight Job Market | HR Hot Topics July 2026
Hiring isn't getting easier—but improving your hiring process can give your organization a significant competitive advantage.
In this month's HR Hot Topics, Jodi Schafer shares practical strategies to help employers attract stronger candidates, improve the candidate experience, and build a hiring process that reflects professionalism from the very first interaction.
Topics include:
✅ Understanding today's labor market
✅ Updating outdated job descriptions
✅ Pricing positions competitively
✅ Using AI to write stronger job postings
✅ Posting jobs where candidates are actually looking
✅ Why communication is your biggest hiring advantage
✅ Creating professional offer letters
✅ Why onboarding begins before Day One
Jodi also highlights new features on the HRM website, including a dedicated Job Openings page featuring positions HRM Services is actively helping clients fill, along with upcoming leadership training opportunities this fall.
Whether you're hiring your first employee or your fiftieth, this episode provides practical ideas you can implement immediately.
Resources Mentioned
• Free HR Resources: https://workwithhrm.com/resources/
• HRM Job Openings:
https://www.workwithhrm.com/job-openings/
• Leadership Training
Mastering Emotional Intelligence at Work – September 16
HR 101: Practical HR Knowledge for Non-HR Professionals – October 21
Leadership Training: Diagnosing and Treating Employee Issues in the Workplace – October 28
Timestamps
00:00 Why Hiring Strategy Matters
00:38 Welcome
01:04 Understanding Today's Hiring Market
03:12 Rethink the Position Before You Post It
04:13 Pricing Jobs Competitively
05:03 Why Salary Transparency Matters
05:35 Using AI to Write Better Job Postings
06:25 Where to Advertise Your Position
08:29 Creating an Outstanding Candidate Experience
10:28 Offer Letters: Why Everything Should Be in Writing
11:56 Hiring Doesn't End on Day One
12:26 New HRM Job Openings Page
13:19 Upcoming Leadership Training
14:16 Closing
If you'd like help with hiring, recruiting, onboarding, or any HR challenge, we'd love to partner with you.
Visit WorkWithHRM.com to learn more.
June 2026 HR Hot Topics: A DOL Update and Free HR Resources Every Leader Should Know About
In this month's episode, Jodi Schafer provides an important update on the Department of Labor's recent rescission of the proposed 2024 exempt salary threshold increases and explains what it means for employers.
She also takes a deep dive into the extensive collection of free HR resources available through the HRM Services website, including:
✅ HR Articles and Blogs
✅ HR Hot Topics Video Archive
✅ HR Assessment Tools
✅ Interview Questions
✅ Onboarding Resources
✅ Employee Records Retention Guides
✅ Difficult Conversation Tutorials
✅ Michigan ESTA Toolkit Resources
✅ Upcoming Training Opportunities
Jodi also introduces the new Thriving Leader Collaborative (TLC), a leadership development program currently being built for launch in 2027.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Welcome to HR Hot Topics
01:20 DOL Rescinds Exempt Salary Threshold Increase Rule
03:50 Why HRM Resources Matter
04:20 HRM Website Resource Center Overview
04:40 Articles and HR Guidance
05:20 HR Hot Topics Blogs
05:38 Video Archive Access
06:14 HR Tools and Templates
07:46 Michigan ESTA Toolkit
08:24 Training and Events
09:04 Introducing the Thriving Leader Collaborative (TLC)
12:40 Closing Thoughts
Need help with HR, leadership development, compliance, or employee relations?
Contact HRM Services:
🌐 WorkWithHRM.com
#HRHotTopics #HumanResources #LeadershipDevelopment #MichiganEmployers #HRCompliance #ESTA #EmployeeManagement #LeadershipTraining #SmallBusinessHR #HRMServices
HRHTShould You Outsource HR? | Benefits, Costs, and When It Makes Sense | HR Hot Topics
If HR is eating up your week—or you’re worried something might be falling through the cracks—this episode is for you.
In this month’s HR Hot Topics, Jodi Schafer is joined by new team member Terese Dragonetti to break down:
What outsourced HR actually means
What HR functions can be outsourced
The biggest benefits for growing companies
When outsourcing makes sense
How to choose the right HR partner
This episode also introduces HRM’s new outsourced HR service line for 2026.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why outsourcing HR matters right now
00:19 – Welcome + introduction of Terese
01:06 – What outsourced HR actually means
02:02 – Common HR functions you can outsource
04:05 – Manager support and real-time HR guidance
05:38 – When companies start to feel the HR strain
06:31 – Cost vs. hiring in-house HR
07:22 – Redundancy and risk reduction
07:56 – Process improvement and efficiency
09:02 – Technology and workflow advantages
10:05 – When outsourcing makes sense
11:08 – How to choose the right HR partner
13:06 – How to get started with HRM
13:41 – Event: Fractional professionals panel
If you think outsourcing HR might be right for your organization:
👉 Use the QR code in the video
👉 Or schedule a call directly with the HRM team