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“Wage theft” was coined by the Interfaith Worker Justice, a network of people advocating for improved wages, benefits and conditions of workers. It is an epidemic sweeping across industries, regions and firms of all sizes. Wages should warrant the work put in on the job, and yet many employees are finding out that their pay is not so fair after all.

The harsh reality is you may pay more in fees than what is in your retirement! This is the unfortunate reality many are facing, as the Department of Labor estimates 77 percent of 401k plans are out of compliance. To be deemed “qualified,” a 401k plan must satisfy the requirements listed under the Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a). If a plan fails to meet these requirements, then the plan is deemed “disqualified” and favorable tax benefits may be lost.

Power can be transformative and yet destructive depending on how it is handled. Take Adolf Hitler for example, he used power to control and abuse the lives of innocent human beings – not the type of power you want to see. Then there’s Abraham Lincoln who used his power to bring integrity, respect and honor back to the lives of many who were living as slaves - an honorable achievement.

How much power can one sign hold? The answer: #insurmountable. The hashtag has become a revolutionary icon in businesses worldwide. From reporting purposes and gaining followers, to finding out who is talking about your company or what is popular within your industry, this sign — heretofore known as the pound sign on your phone or an empty tic-tac-toe grid waiting to be played — is arguably the Internet’s most popular icon.

On the eve of Independence Day, I want to take a moment to look at a unique comparison between our country’s founding fathers and the people who have helped create jobs for you and me: the American entrepreneur. Although separated by time, the two have something in common in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The federal government’s controversial legislation has our founding principles and entrepreneurial spirit on the proverbial pins and needles.

A simple smile, an act of gratitude and supporting others all go a long way in the workplace. In fact, these attributes help to build an atmosphere of positivity. The human mind is the most powerful tool in the world; within this device lives an arena of positive and negative thoughts battling for control of your psyche. Each mindset is contagious, so which would you rather have ruling your office? My bet is on positivity, because with it, your team has more potential to accomplish its goals, develop resiliency and improve psychological prosperity.

If you weren’t at #SHRM14 this past weekend, then you missed out. A torrent of thought-provoking insights on leadership, developing a smarter workforce, advancing technologies and other HR initiatives were buzzing on the conference floors and Twitter as well. With all of the excitement surrounding these new HR strategies and offerings comes a number of questions and concerns. If you found yourself overwhelmed by the amount of information you received at SHRM and you’re not sure how to navigate through it all, hopefully this post will help you to iron a few things out, specifically when it comes to switching providers.

Sustainable engagement is an ongoing process. You may be thinking, “Well, of course it is, so what’s your point?” Although the concept may seem obvious, it is something with which businesses constantly struggle. Engagement is a continuous process, not a one-and-done kind of initiative – a valuable lesson learned from shopping at warehouse retail stores.

Even in our digital age, paper remains a vital commodity for doing businesses. As an International Data Corporation study reported, “U.S.-based companies spend $25 billion to $35 billion processing (filing, storing and retrieving) paper.” Management of these documents pushes that figure up to $100 billion annually. As utilization of business data expands, companies are experimenting with alternate solutions to managing paper files.

Do you know that everything you do matters? Every move you make and every action you take matters, not only to you but to everyone that’s part of your life and organization today, tomorrow and even after you’re gone. Think about it for a while. Say someone creates a new accounting process, eliminating two tedious steps, essentially streamlining how your business operates moving forward. Wow, what an impact that would have on any business. See one single action can have a resounding impact on your company for years to come; this is known as the Butterfly Effect.

Employee wellness affects more than just medical costs. For companies, an unhealthy employee hinders office productivity. Often times these medical costs are caused by preventable and modifiable health concerns. Rather than risk losing thousands in productivity costs, promoting healthier lifestyles has shown to be advantageous for companies.

Some say performance reviews are a thing of the past; a waste of time for everyone involved. If you’re part of these naysayers then most likely you haven’t been part of a culture that embraces the year-round significance of performance reviews. Performance reviews are essential to workplace management yet often times they hold lower weight amidst a sea of projects, to-do lists, meetings and more. Supervisors tend to look at performance reviews through jaded lenses, but what they may be overlooking is the fact that effective performance management leads to improved productivity.