When it’s time to hire new employees, many organizations seek candidates they believe will “fit” with their established “cultures.” The theory is that employees who better conform to the dominant corporate values will be more engaged and loyal — and thus more productive and less prone to leave their jobs.

We all need to laugh more, especially around tax time!

I received so many positive responses to my column on humorous stories with good business lessons, I decided to do a sequel.

Most entrepreneurs--especially new ones--charge into leadership with a cloud of aspirational adjectives ("inspiring," "benevolent," "collaborative") roiling their brains but no clear idea what those things look like in practice. The result is confusion, as employees try to deduce the boss's intent ("Am I supposed to take initiative here, or wait for the white flag?") and grapple with leadership that is situational rather than consistent.

The unemployment rate in the professional and business services supersector has been around five percent throughout 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Given this economic climate, talent retention in professional services has become an increasingly significant concern for employers.