The Alignment Blog

Corporate America’s decade-long march toward gender equity is stalling—and in some areas, reversing. For the first time in the Women in the Workplace study’s history, only half of U.S. companies say women’s career advancement is a high priority. This represents a seismic shift from when women’s advancement was viewed as a strategic imperative

Stepping into your first CHRO role is exhilarating—and can also be brutal.
In 2024, CHRO turnover jumped 36% over the prior year. Meanwhile, 80% of new CHRO appointments were women—the highest rate on record.
Translation: There’s never been more demand for CHROs—and never more pressure.
If you’re not in the room where strategy is set—early, often, and without needing a special invitation—you are not a true C-suite partner. And a CHRO role without real strategic authority is one of the fastest paths to frustration and eventual exit.

As organizations prepare for 2026, compensation planning is evolving from reactive adjustments to proactive alignment—driving performance and retaining critical talent in an increasingly complex environment. This year’s planning cycle is marked by three converging forces: AI-driven workforce disruption, a weakened entry-level labor market, and persistent inflation within an uncertain economic climate. Key Findings This guide equips HR […]

Compensation is never just a paycheck. It’s a reflection of what an organization values, how it defines success, and who it chooses to reward. Too often, organizations design pay systems behind closed doors, incorporating market data and benchmarking salaries accordingly. But purposeful compensation design starts with a deeper question: What message are we sending? In […]

Ask any employee what they want from their job, and one answer consistently rises to the top: opportunity. Opportunity to grow, to contribute meaningfully, and to advance. When organizations make that path visible and equitable, they unlock performance and purpose. That’s the power of career alignment—one of the five pillars of the Talent Alignment Model […]

When people hear “compensation,” they usually think of salary. But in reality, compensation is far more than a number on a paycheck. It’s a signal. A strategy. A reflection of what your organization truly values. If you want to retain top talent, drive performance, and advance equity, compensation can’t be treated as a line item. […]

Let’s stop pretending burnout is a personal problem. Across industries – healthcare, tech, education, finance – women are burning out at unprecedented rates. Not because they’re not resilient. But because the systems they’re working in are unsustainable. As someone who coaches HR professionals and serves on the Board of Directors for Lean In, I see […]

In today’s workplace, success isn’t just about filling roles – it’s about aligning people with purpose. The real opportunity lies in placing the right people in the right roles, backed by systems that help them not just survive in the workplace, but thrive. That’s where the Talent Alignment Model™ (TAM) comes in. Developed over two […]