Human resources is involved with virtually every department and every employee, so managing it effectively takes significant time and effort. It's an essential investment though, because getting it right will help you keep your employees productive and engaged while staying in compliance with ever-changing laws.

It may be common to dwell on the negative and overlook the positive, but that's to everyone's detriment. While it's necessary to provide some constructive criticism to help employees perform at their best, too much can demoralize and create a negative spiral of disengagement.

​Compensation innovation is within every organization's reach. But what form that innovation takes will depend on a variety of factors. Some companies have made headlines by allowing employees to allocate their pay package as they see fit. Among recent examples: Netflix Inc. permits employees to receive their compensation by choosing among cash and stock options.