Despite generating more than half of US job creation in the last decade, many small businesses struggled to hire and retain top talent in the turbulent, pandemic-era labor market.

Even as overall hiring and quit rates slowed in 2024, their challenges haven’t let up. Nearly one-third of small businesses that tried to hire last year weren’t able to find employees who were a good fit, Gusto’s latest State of Small Business survey found. Top reasons cited for not finding a good match included lack of skills or education, inability to work desired hours, insufficient applicants, and unaffordable labor costs.

Economic conditions aside, smaller organizations are, in some ways, inherently disadvantaged, especially in comparison to large competitors.

“The disadvantages of a small company are they’re small, and they lack resources, operating rigor, and routine, and frankly, they can be unprofessional,” Chris Timol, president and COO at PuzzleHR, a fractional and outsourcing HR services company, told HR Brew.

For more on what small businesses can do to better attract and retain talented employees, keep reading here.—PM

Ashley Braband spent most of her career creating sports content, so leading a people and culture team, she says, sometimes brings out her “imposter syndrome.” But, what’s kept her going is knowing she excels at two of her job prerequisites: working hard and leading with kindness.

Braband joined Los Angeles-based sports media company, Omaha Productions, in 2021 as its first employee and head of development, shortly after it was founded by Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and sports broadcasting executive Jamie Horowitz (who was terminated by Fox Sports in 2017 following sexual harassment allegations, which his lawyer has denied).

Starting as employee zero, Braband told HR Brew she did everything, including run-of-the-mill HR tasks on top of her other responsibilities as head of development. But, in 2023, Braband was tasked with a new challenge—crafting and leading the company’s people and culture function.

For more on how Braband propelled herself forward in a male-dominated industry, keep reading here.—MC

CVS Health recently earned a “menopause-friendly” accreditation from an organization seeking to help companies integrate menopause into their workplace culture. The efforts show how some employers are making deeper investments in benefits tied to the condition.

The healthcare company is the first US firm to earn the accreditation, according to a Mar. 13 press release. MiDOViA, the organization that grants the accreditation, has already awarded it to a number of UK-based employers, including Unilever and Boots.

More employers now see a return-on-investment from menopause programming, April Haberman, MiDOViA’s CEO and co-founder, told HR Brew. She said she expects these investments to continue to grow even as benefits with a DEI lens face some scrutiny in the US.

For more on the evolution at CVS Health and its menopause offerings, keep reading here.—CV