Lean principles and methods have become so closely tied to Six Sigma tools, knowing which is which can often be confusing. Compressing the two approaches into the moniker, Lean Six Sigma, is common.

It is true that becoming a “great workplace” doesn’t happen overnight. But instead of getting overwhelmed by a seemingly endless list of programs and offerings (and money...being “great” must cost so much money!) that so called “great workplaces” should all have, let’s take a look at what it means really to be “great”—with a few practical bite-sized pieces that you might be able to tackle at your organization right now sprinkled in for good measure.

Developing a budget for training or professional development for your employees can be a daunting task for many HR professionals. The average direct learning expenditure per employee is $1,273 according to the Association for Talent Development’s (ATD) 2017 State of the Industry report. This report also found that the average amount of formal learning hours per employee is 34.1, not including informal learning such as on-the-job learning. Both of these figures are increases from previous years which reveals organizations are putting more effort and money into developing their workforce. Being clear about specific training needs and associated costs is critical for budget planning purposes. However, there are so many unknowns that occur during the year that trigger the need for a specific training that could throw off an entire budget.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) defines performance management as “the systematic process by which an agency involves its employees, as individuals and members of a group, in improving organization effectiveness in the accomplishment of agency mission and goals.” In short, performance management is simply the way an organization defines, monitors, and rewards the performance of employees and their contributions to the organization.

There are many situations in which an employer would like an employee to be relieved of their duties but the situations do not necessarily present a well-documented, policy-violated, fireable offense. These situations, if acted upon incorrectly, could make the organization vulnerable to a lawsuit. This is probably a situation that many HR professionals would like to avoid at any and all costs.

The idea of a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) can be a daunting one for both the employee being put on the plan as well as for the individual (in the majority of cases, the immediate supervisor) being asked to design and implement the plan. Often used as the last step in a progressive disciplinary process, for the employee, a PIP can feel like it’s just a long winded way to get rid of them.

Two-thirds of organizations participating in this year’s ERC/NOCHE Intern & Recent Graduate Pay Rates & Practices Survey have a structured/formal internship program in place. Internships can come in all shapes and sizes depending on the specific industry, the needs of the employer, and the skill set of the students applying for the program.

According Adecco’s State of the Economy and Employment research, the skills gap is a very real thing. Of the senior executives surveyed, 92% feel that there is a skills gap in the U.S. workforce. The study also reports that “senior executives believe the skills gap has less to do with complacency on the part of American workers and more to do with the U.S. education system and costs associated with in-house training programs.

The 2016 ERC Performance Management Survey reported that 79% of the organizations surveyed use job knowledge/job specific competencies as key performance criteria when assessing performance. If that many organizations evaluate performance based on competencies, what are you doing to ensure that the training you provide to your employees is strengthening those skills?