Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Talent Management and Development

We provide full service talent management and talent development consulting services. Read our blogs in this category for stories and best practices from real clients and real research.

  • Inside the 2025 North Alabama Wage and Benefit Survey

    Inside the 2025 North Alabama Wage and Benefit Survey

    The 2025 North Alabama Wage and Benefit Survey, conducted by Horizon Point Consulting and hosted by NAIDA, North AlabamaWorks!, NARCOG, NACOLG, and seven participating counties, gives employers in our region valuable insight into compensation, workforce practices, and benefits. 

    With input from 152 participating organizations—including 81 manufacturers and 50 government contractors—this year’s report shows how pay and perk strategies are evolving across North Alabama.

    Who Took the Survey?

    Employers across diverse sectors contributed:

    • 152 total participants
    • 81 manufacturers
    • 50 government contractors
    • Representing Colbert, Cullman, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, and Morgan counties

    Hard-to-Fill Jobs

    Respondents identified persistent hiring challenges in:

    • Skilled trades and technicians, especially for off-hours and specialized roles
    • Engineering and IT
    • Finance, HR, and leadership
    • Production, warehousing, and frontline service roles
    • Education and hospitality support
    • Average last pay increase: 4.11%
    • Median last pay increase: 3.35%
    • Average next pay increase planned: 3.48%
    • Median next pay increase: 3.00%
    • Turnover: Down 16% from 2023—an encouraging trend across most industries

    Wage comparisons reveal moderate increases:

    • Accounting clerks: $23.00 to $24.48/hour
    • Customer service reps: $20.25 to $21.48/hour
    • HR assistants: $57,000 to $60,000/year
    • Production roles: $20.78 to $21.91/hour
    • Maintenance: $27.39 to $28.90/hour
    • Warehouse/logistics: $20.52 to $21.39/hour

    Some employers are adopting skills-based pay programs, offering:

    • $1.00/hour for learning additional skills
    • Maintenance progression increases of up to $5/hour based on testing and training
    • Pay raises tied to performance on a skills matrix

    A few employers are exploring non-traditional shift models:

    • Short shifts (3–8 p.m. options)
    • 8-hour formats instead of traditional 12-hour shifts
    • Part-time based on availability and business needs

    Benefits Overview

    • Average total benefit cost per employee: $14,098.61 (up 9.4%)
    • Individual medical coverage (median): $7,524.79 (up 15.8%)
    • Family medical coverage (median): $20,308.56 (up 18%)

    Non-Traditional Benefits Employers Are Offering

    In addition to traditional benefits, many employers are getting creative with their perks. Survey responses show a growing focus on holistic employee well-being, including:

    • Wellness Reimbursement Plans to cover the cost of fitness and personal health equipment
    • Charitable Gifts Matching to support employees’ financial support of community nonprofits, giving directly to organizations with personal meaning to internal staff 
    • Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOPs) increased this year, continuing the trend of giving employees more direct ownership in the success of the company. 

    These nontraditional offerings help employers stand out and signal a commitment to supporting employees beyond the basics.

    Paid Leave, Child Care, and Wellness Support

    31% of participating companies are offering Paid Family Leave for new parents after the birth or adoption of a child. The average leave time is 7 weeks, and 87% of participating employers pay a full 100% of salary. These stats are up from 2024. 

    13% of employers offer some type of Child Care benefit, primarily by offering an FSA or vouchers to nearby child care centers. This is up a bit from 2024. 

    53% of employers offer Remote/Telework employment options, most in a hybrid format. Additionally, 35% of employers offer Flex-Time, allowing employees to work alternate hours to accommodate child care and other needs.

    State-Funded Workforce Programs, Tax Incentives, and Child Care Credits

    • AIDT used by 18% of employers
    • Alabama Office of Apprenticeship: 15% of participants offer registered apprenticeships 
    • Existing Industry Training Program (EITP): only utilized by 4% of respondents with an additional 5% considering applying. 
    • Alabama’s Employer Tax Credit for Child Care is also gaining attention. It offers:
      • Up to $15 million in statewide tax credits in 2025, $17.5 million in 2026, and $20 million in 2027.
      • Small Businesses (fewer than 25 employees): Eligible for a credit equal to 100 percent of eligible expenses, with a maximum of $600,000 annually.
      • Other Employers (25 or more employees): Eligible for a credit equal to 75 percent of eligible expenses, with a maximum of $600,000 annually.

    However, only 1% of participants in this year’s survey have applied for the Child Care credit so far, and 53% do not intend to apply at all. 

    Why This Survey Matters

    With rising costs, shifting workforce expectations, and the competitive labor market, the 2025 North Alabama Wage and Benefit Survey provides critical benchmarks. It equips organizations with:

    • Reliable data for budgeting and planning
    • Insight into regional labor market pressures
    • A roadmap for strategic compensation and benefit design

    To learn more, access the full interactive survey reports via Sensible Surveys or contact the Horizon Point team for consultation and support.

  • What the Dentist’s Chair Can Teach Us About Leadership

    What the Dentist’s Chair Can Teach Us About Leadership

    When have you seen psychological safety in action? A few weeks ago, my youngest son, who is fifteen, had a dentist appointment. Unlike me, my kids have always enjoyed going to the dentist—or at least not dreaded it. I was always thankful, especially when they were little, that trips to the dentist didn’t end in a meltdown. And I give a lot of credit to the pediatric dentist and her staff for that.

    They had a way of making kids feel completely at ease. What helped my son feel comfortable—even in a situation where many kids (and adults!) feel anxious—was something we talk about often in leadership: psychological safety.

    The dental team welcomed questions. They showed the kids the tools, explained what they were going to do, and used language they could understand. The unknown wasn’t scary—because it wasn’t unknown anymore. Step by step, they built trust by creating an environment where curiosity was encouraged and no question was too small.

    That approach didn’t just reduce fear—it actually made him want to be there. Psychological safety in action.

    What ‘Psychological Safety in Action’ Means for Leaders

    The same principles apply at work. If we want people to show up fully, stay engaged, and take ownership, we have to create spaces where they feel safe to ask questions, express concerns, and understand the “why” behind what we’re doing.

    Motivation isn’t about pizza parties or quick perks. It’s about creating a culture where people feel energized, committed, and able to perform at their best—a culture grounded in trust and growth.

    Why Psychological Safety Matters

    At Horizon Point, we talk a lot about psychological safety—the belief that it’s okay to speak up, ask questions, and offer ideas without fear of negative repercussions. In fact, Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety is the most important factor in high-performing teams. When it’s present, employees are more likely to contribute, take initiative, and stay engaged.

    Safety Isn’t Soft—It’s Strong

    But psychological safety alone isn’t enough. Part of a psychologically safe environment is the ability to manage conflict successfully. Too often, leaders avoid conflict to “keep the peace.” But as Amy Edmondson—one of the top authorities on psychological safety—says:

    “Psychological safety is not about being nice. It’s about giving candid feedback, openly admitting mistakes, and learning from each other.”

    Kim Scott, in her book Radical Candor, builds on this idea: leaders must care personally and challenge directly. Avoiding conflict isn’t protecting your team—it’s often self-serving. It creates distrust, fuels passive-aggression and resentment, and slows innovation.

    You need both – safety and conflict management skills. A team with psychological safety but no conflict skills becomes stagnant. A team with conflict skills but no psychological safety stays silent out of fear. Psychological safety in action is the foundation; healthy conflict is the catalyst for growth.

    Lead with Vulnerability and Structure

    As leaders, we set the tone by modeling vulnerability. That means admitting mistakes, inviting feedback, and showing up even when we’re unsure. As Brené Brown says in Dare to Lead:

    “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”

    By showing vulnerability as a leader, you give your team permission to do the same. Of course, this comes with guardrails:

    • Structure how concerns are raised.
    • Ensure communication is professional and constructive.
    • Recognize and reward honest feedback and collaboration—not just results.

    Motivated Teams Are Aligned, Not Always in Agreement

    Having a psychologically safe team that manages conflict well doesn’t mean everyone agrees all the time. It means team members respect each other’s different views and work through them constructively. Motivated teams aren’t always in agreement – they’re in alignment. That’s psychological safety in action.

    Books, books, books!

    Want to know more about the books Lorrie mentioned this week? Check them out on our Bookshop.org featured list:

  • What Really Motivates Employees? Lessons from Herzberg

    What Really Motivates Employees? Lessons from Herzberg

    What really motivates employees? We don’t have a straight answer for you, but we do love a good organizational psychology theory that stands the test of time—and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation. We aren’t ready to talk about what really motivates employees until we’ve talked about what doesn’t unmotivate them (yes, we know that’s a double negative and that unmotivate isn’t a real word, but stay with us.)

    Simply Psychology puts it like this:

    Herzberg’s two-factor theory suggests that job satisfaction is influenced by two categories:

    Motivators    , like recognition and achievement, lead to higher satisfaction and motivation.

    Hygiene factors, such as salary and working conditions, prevent dissatisfaction—but don’t necessarily inspire motivation.

    In other words, motivators spark engagement and growth, while hygiene factors help employees stay neutral rather than dissatisfied. According to Herzberg, what really motivates employees are factors that can’t meaningfully exist until hygiene factors are taken care of. Both hygiene factors and motivating factors are necessary to create a productive and fulfilling work environment.

    Yikes, I’m a supervisor!

    If you’re in a supervisory role, this might sound a little discouraging—are you only responsible for preventing dissatisfaction? Can’t you inspire motivation too?

    We think you can. In fact, we’d argue that the ability to influence motivators is what helps a supervisor become a leader.

    What Really Motivates Employees: In Practice

    Here are a few practical ways you can move beyond maintenance and actually create a motivating workplace:

    1. Get to Know What Drives Each Employee
    Want to know what really motivates employees? Ask them.

    Different motivators resonate with different people. Start with our Motivation Checklist to understand what matters most to your team.

    We often use this in conjunction with DiSC training, which we highly recommend for new teams or teams experiencing disconnect. 

    2. Hold Meaningful One-on-Ones
    Use regular one-on-one conversations to explore motivators and check on hygiene factors. Ask questions like:

    • What are your career goals?
    • What kind of work energizes you—and what drains you?
    • How do you prefer to be recognized?

    Need help? Try our printable conversation cards designed for intentional check-ins. We also recommend cards from The Unstuck Box.

    3. Don’t Ignore Hygiene Factors
    In your one-on-ones, also check on basic needs:

    • Are tools, resources, and safety measures in place?
    • Are personal challenges affecting work?
    • Are compensation or benefits a concern? (Make this a point of discussion at least once or twice a year.)

    4. Support Development and Growth
    Create personal development plans that encourage ownership and responsibility. We use the Leaders as Career Agents process to guide these conversations.

    Leaders as a Bridge to Satisfaction

    Leaders who consistently invest time in these actions are more than just supervisors—they become the bridge between employee potential and job satisfaction. So… what really motivates employees? It doesn’t require big budgets or elaborate programs—just intentional conversations, consistent follow-through, and a commitment to growth.

    How are you creating engaging work environments?

    We’d love to hear what works for you.

  • Lead Better: The Power of Values in Performance Management

    Lead Better: The Power of Values in Performance Management

    Last year, I had the privilege of facilitating leadership training at the managers retreat for one of our clients—a dynamic group of leaders committed to growing their impact and investing in their teams. We explored Horizon Point’s People First Method, diving into what it means to create a motivating environment where people can grow, and how to lead with empathy, appreciation, and accountability.

    This year, I had the opportunity to return and work with the same group for the same retreat. This time, we didn’t have to start from scratch—we built on the foundation we had laid and went deeper into effective performance management.

    Building on Shared Values

    We kicked things off by revisiting the key theme from last year, that leaders create the conditions for performance—not just by setting goals, but by empowering people, modeling values, and cultivating trust.

    Performance management can’t just be about metrics and compliance. At Horizon Point, we believe you can’t talk about effective teams without talking about ethics. That’s why this year’s retreat included a focus on values-based leadership and ethical behavior—how what we say we believe matches what we actually do.

    Inspired by Michael Schur’s book How to Be Perfect, we discussed the idea that ethical leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about effort. Schur writes:

    “If we really work at finding the means of our virtues…we become flexible, inquisitive, adaptable, and better people.”

    This mindset shaped how we approached each element of effective performance management. How do you give feedback that’s honest and respectful? How do you coach someone toward growth without imposing your own agenda? How do you document performance issues in a way that is fair and factual?

    These are not just management questions—they’re ethical ones.

    Four Pillars of Effective Performance Management

    Throughout the session, we worked through four key pillars of effective performance management, using industry-specific examples and interactive activities:

    1. Clarifying Expectations and Delivering Feedback
    Using the SBI (Situation–Behavior–Impact) model, leaders practiced giving clear, actionable feedback rooted in real scenarios. For many, this exercise revealed how much clarity and tone matter—and how easily feedback can be misinterpreted when those are missing.

    We like the Center for Creative Leadership’s resources for using SBI:

    2. Coaching Conversations That Drive Development
    We explored the GROW model and discussed the differences between coaching, mentoring, and correcting. Through small group role-plays, leaders sharpened their ability to listen, ask powerful questions, and support employee growth without jumping to solutions.

    We like this resource from NYU: The GROW Framework

    3. Creating a Culture That Reflects Values
    Leaders identified what a positive culture “looks like, sounds like, and feels like,” aligning those cultural cues with their everyday behaviors. The result? A shared language for reinforcing a high-trust, high-performance environment.

    We talk a lot about values at Horizon Point, including how values can shape your performance management system.

    4. Documenting Behavior Effectively and Objectively
    We wrapped the content with a practical look at documentation. Using mini case studies, managers practiced writing clear, objective notes that could support both development and accountability—crucial in regulated environments like that of this client’s industry.

    Leading with Purpose—Together

    Honestly, my favorite part of this trip was seeing these leaders again. Because we had already built trust and rapport in our first session together, we could push further this time—having real conversations about challenges, risks, and gray areas. And as we wove values and ethics into the technical skills of effective performance management, it was clear that this wasn’t a “one and done” training. When organizations commit to long-term leadership development, the impact is exponential. You create a shared foundation, build momentum, and keep growing together.

    Whether it’s a one-time retreat or a multi-year journey like this one, our team at Horizon Point is ready to partner with you. We bring structure, strategy, and storytelling to the leadership space—making it practical, personal, and rooted in purpose.

    Let’s build something together!

  • Understanding Behavior Styles Can Turn Conflict into Growth

    Understanding Behavior Styles Can Turn Conflict into Growth

    For the past two semesters, I’ve been part of the Highlands College Leadership Institute, and if I’m honest, I’ve often felt like an imposter. Leadership hasn’t always come naturally to me. Speaking of understanding behavior styles, I know I tend to thrive in supportive roles rather than taking center stage. According to the DiSC personality assessment, my style is SC-calm, conscientious, and supportive. That means I avoid the spotlight and steer clear of conflict when I can.

    But here’s the twist: this very discomfort has become a space for deep growth.

    Through both Highlands College and my professional work with Horizon Point, I’ve been diving into conflict resolution. It turns out, understanding personality styles-not just our own, but others too, can dramatically shift how we handle disagreements in the workplace.

    At Highlands, Chris and Sophie Corder from Designed for Unity have been helping us explore how our DiSC styles shape our approach to conflict. They draw from Robert A. Rohm’s powerful framework in The Ultimate Discovery System, which teaches how understanding behavior styles can unlock harmony at work.

    Here’s what I’ve learned-and why it matters.

    The Four DiSC Styles: How They Handle Conflict Differently

    (Note: There are many models for understanding behavior styles, and we recommend using more than one to better understand ourselves and others. This is simply one tool we like.)

    According to Rohm, people tend to operate within four key behavioral types:

    • Dominant (D): Assertive, results-focused, and direct. In conflict, they can seem intense or confrontational. To resolve issues, speak to their need for efficiency and solutions.
    • Influential (I): Outgoing, optimistic, and persuasive. These people might avoid tough conversations, so approach them with empathy and affirm their ideas.
    • Steady (S): Calm, patient, and loyal. They value peace and can shy away from conflict. Give them reassurance and plenty of time to process.
    • Conscientious (C): Precise, logical, and detail-oriented. They’ll want facts, not feelings. Offer clear data and structured solutions.

    Know Thyself: The Power of Self-Awareness in Conflict

    Understanding others is key-but knowing yourself might be even more important.

    • What triggers your frustration?
    • How do you respond under pressure?
    • Do you tend to avoid conflict or rush to solve it?

    By becoming aware of your own behavioral style, you can better regulate your reactions and navigate conflict more intentionally.

    Communication Tips for Resolving Conflict Effectively

    Conflict can either divide teams or deepen trust. The difference often comes down to how we communicate.

    Here are some key strategies from The Ultimate Discovery System:

    • Listen actively. Before offering solutions, seek to truly understand the other person’s point of view.
    • Tailor your communication. Match your tone and approach to the other person’s DiSC style for better connection.
    • Focus on solutions. Keep the conversation future-focused instead of rehashing problems.

    Collaboration > Competition: Shift the Workplace Mindset

    One of Rohm’s most valuable insights? Conflict resolution isn’t about winning. It’s about understanding and collaborating. Teams function best when they embrace diverse styles and strengths, working together instead of pulling in different directions.

    When we honor different perspectives and communicate with intention, conflict becomes a tool for progress, not a threat to it.

    Ready to Rethink Conflict?

    Conflict is inevitable. But with the right tools, self-awareness, communication, and behavioral insight, it doesn’t have to feel like chaos. It can be the start of something better.

    Want to dive deeper? Check out more from The Point Blog:

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