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: Hard-to-Fill Jobs Respondents identified persistent hiring challenges in: Pay Practices and Compensation Trends Wage comparisons reveal moderate increases: Some employers are adopting skills-based pay programs, offering: Emerging Scheduling
What can a trip to the dentist teach us about leadership? A lot, it turns out. In this blog post, we explore how creating psychological safety—just like a great pediatric dental team does—can boost motivation, trust, and performance at work. Learn why safety and healthy conflict go hand-in-hand, and how vulnerability and structure help teams align (even when they disagree). If you’re ready to build a culture where people feel energized, engaged, and empowered to speak up, this one’s for you.
What really motivates your team? Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory offers a timeless framework to help leaders understand the difference between what satisfies employees—and what simply keeps them from quitting. In our latest blog, we explore how supervisors can move beyond managing hygiene factors (like pay and working conditions) to actively fostering motivators like recognition, growth, and meaningful work. Plus, we share practical tools you can use in one-on-ones to build engagement and boost satisfaction.
This week, we’re launching a continued education course for K-12 educators focused on supporting career development at every grade level. As we guide students in exploring their futures, we’re also thinking about what career development looks like in the workplace. How can employers create an environment where employees thrive and grow over time? In this blog, we explore the link between student learning and workforce development—and share ideas for fostering growth, motivation, and retention at work.
We’re bringing back one of our favorite posts on its 10th anniversary—a timeless reminder that leadership often looks like hard work no one else understands. Inspired by a man chopping firewood in the Alabama heat, this story challenges us to embrace “fanatic discipline”—a principle from Great by Choice by Jim Collins. If you’re striving to lead with intention, even when results feel far off, this one’s for you. Read on for four practical ways to build consistency, focus on effort, and set yourself up for long-term success.