GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

Outpacing frontline worker wage gains, executive pay has increased dramatically over the past several decades and continues to grow as leaders are faced with managing business activities in increasingly complex and risky macroeconomic environments.

Meal breaks might seem like a simple part of the workday, but in Oregon, the law has very specific requirements about how they must be provided and when they must be paid. Understanding these rules can help employers stay compliant and avoid unnecessary penalties.

If your team avoids conflict, it can feel peaceful at first. No tension. No tough conversations. No awkward meetings where someone “says the thing nobody wants to say.” But here’s the truth many leaders learn too late: A team that avoids conflict doesn’t avoid problems, they avoid conversations. And when people stop communicating directly, they start communicating indirectly. That’s where passive-aggressive behavior comes from. Passive-aggressive culture isn’t the absence of conflict. It’s what conflict becomes when it’s not handled in the open.

AI has quickly become one of the most dominant forces in workplace conversations, shaping everything from executive strategy meetings to everyday employee concerns. The pace of innovation has fueled big expectations about what AI can do and how it will reshape the workforce. Yet as organizations roll out these tools, a gap is emerging between the buzz and the reality. Early findings show that the story is more complex than simple narratives of miraculous transformation or widespread job loss. Understanding what AI is truly capable of and where it still falls short is becoming essential for leaders trying to navigate the future.

Paid Leave Oregon has become one of the most difficult leaves in Oregon to navigate. From limited communications from the Oregon Employment Department, delays in application processing, or employees just not communicating, it has often left employers wondering what to do. What are their options? Based on recommendations from BOLI and changes in the statute and rules, Cascade has compiled the following list of best practices to make navigating PLO easier.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into HR and compensation practices, it’s critical to understand its broader influence on the overall function. Many professionals are turning to AI as a potential solution to minimize bias in several aspects, like pay decisions. However, like any tool, AI can just as easily introduce or amplify bias if not used carefully and responsibly.

As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to pause and celebrate all that you and your team have accomplished. Maybe you navigated unexpected challenges, launched new initiatives, or finally survived that “one never-ending project.” Whatever your wins, big or small, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect and appreciate the progress you’ve made. 

Understanding what it truly means to pay a living wage is more important than ever. As organizations navigate rising costs, tight labor markets, and growing expectations for fair pay, distinguishing between the cost of labor, cost of living, and a living wage is essential.

The Employers Associations of America (EAA) has released its 2026 National Business Trends Survey, offering valuable insights into the economic expectations, workforce priorities, and organizational strategies shaping employer decision-making across the country.

As religious accommodation requests become more common in today’s workplaces, many employers in Oregon and Washington are left wondering what exactly they’re required to do, and what’s changed recently. The rules aren’t as complicated as they seem, but they are significantly stricter than they used to be. Here’s a clear breakdown of what every employer should know.

As organizations plan for 2026, understanding how compensation is evolving has never been more important. This year, compensation is all about balance, managing costs while keeping key talent engaged. Economic pressures continue to shape pay decisions. Inflation, rising costs of living, tight labor markets, and fluctuating interest rates are forcing organizations to carefully balance budgets with retention needs. In this environment, broad-based pay increases are becoming less common for some organizations, replaced by targeted adjustments for critical roles, retention risks, or market corrections.

Workplace drama happens everywhere: in meetings, in email threads, and even in casual hallway conversations. It often starts small: a misunderstanding, a missed deadline, or a difference in communication style. But when left unchecked, workplace drama can quietly chip away at team morale, trust, and productivity.

The calendar is turning, and with the end of the year in sight, organizational strategy shifts into high gear. Building a robust 2026 plan requires more than just rolling forward this year’s budget; it demands forward-looking, data-driven intelligence.

To help you build a resilient and informed blueprint for the year ahead, we’ve highlighted three crucial surveys for strategic planning. Think of this as your 2026 planning toolkit, with data that is local, current, and actionable.

Despite the time and effort organizations dedicate to performance reviews, few believe they truly work. Leaders and employees alike are skeptical of their impact. In fact, According to a Gallup study, just 2% of Fortune 500 CHROs express strong confidence that their performance management systems truly inspire employee motivation. In the same study, employees express a comparable sentiment, with only one in five reporting that their performance reviews are handled transparently, equitably, or in a manner that actually supports their growth and effectiveness.  

If you’re a supervisor, you’ve probably had that moment when you notice something in an employee’s work that needs improvement, but you hesitate to give feedback. What if they take it the wrong way? What if feedback damages the relationship?

Organizations aren’t born into existence as large and complex constellations of purpose, people, processes, and projects. They often start small, with the seed of an idea which is then tended to as it grows and is supported by its ecosystem. At some point during an organization’s growth and development, a clear division of labor becomes necessary over and above simply organizing tasks and responsibilities into individual jobs. This is where defining job levels and how all jobs work together in an organization, commonly referred to in whole as job architecture, can create a scalable blueprint for additional organizational growth.

If you’re a small business owner, you know that shopping for employee health insurance can feel like an uphill climb. Premiums go up year after year, and the quote you receive from carriers often feels like it’s based on factors completely outside your control.

It’s not just the leaves changing this fall; business and workplace environments are also experiencing change at a faster pace than normal. We know you’re feeling it and uncertainty seems to be the theme of the season.

It’s not all gloomy like our upcoming Oregon weather, but there are some trends worth watching closely. Here are a few that stand out and some suggestions about what you can do.

Employers in Oregon often wonder whether there are special rules around asking about criminal history or conducting background checks. While criminal background checks are not required in most industries, many employers use them as part of their hiring process. So are there special rules in Oregon? Yes.

Cascade has partnered with the Employer Associations of American (EAA) to conduct the 2025-2026 National Business Trends Survey. This survey compiles data on national, regional, and local business trends, covering issues such as staffing levels, hiring practices, cost-cutting measures, and business outlooks. This year includes topical questions on recent business concerns, such as tariffs and AI technology impacts.

Stepping into a supervisory role can feel like a big leap. One day, you are focused on doing your job well, and the next, you are responsible for guiding others, making decisions that affect the team, and balancing the expectations of both staff and leadership. It is exciting, but it also comes with challenges many new supervisors are not fully prepared for.

Looking ahead to 2026, many employers have started mapping out their salary budgets, with the prevailing expectation being that salary increases will remain steady.

Have you ever had a situation where you’ve observed an employee stumbling or weaving as they walk, or perhaps slurring their words, and wonder if the employee may be inebriated? In situations such as these, you may consider sending the employee for a drug and alcohol test based on your reasonable suspicion that the employee is under the influence.  Hence the term “Reasonable Suspicion Testing.”

When I tell people I’m the president of an HR consulting association, the first question is usually, “So, what’s your HR background?” The answer is…I don’t have one.

I didn’t start as an HR consultant or practitioner. I started as a receptionist — answering phones, greeting members, and figuring out the inner workings of our Association from the ground up. Over the years, I worked my way through administrative and membership roles before stepping into the president’s seat. My career path has been anything but traditional for this role — and that’s exactly why it’s been so valuable.

With annual increase season coming up for many employers, one question we hear often is, “What should we do when employees are at or near the top of their salary range?” Whether it’s due to tenure, limited advancement opportunities, or tight salary bands, this is a moment that calls for strategic attention. How you handle it impacts equity, morale, and your ability to stay competitive.

Cascade is excited to announce that the 2025 Northwest Employee Benefits report is now available! This regional survey report is a great resource for benefits and policy data for organizations that want to ensure their benefits and rewards are competitive in today’s market.

“We pay fairly, we have a scalable and defensible system to set and adjust pay rates, and we’ve never had anyone complain about being paid unfairly before.”

These are sentiments each employer hopes to express to its employees but this situation doesn’t just happen without intention and planning. As Oregon’s Equal Pay Act is coming up on its eighth birthday this year, some employers may be preparing for their third Equal Pay Audit and some employers may just be getting around to their first. Regardless of how many times your organization has conducted an equal pay audit, there are compelling reasons to start or continue this practice.

One thing we say in our leadership training courses offered at Cascade is, “Leaders are Learners.”

What does this mean in the workplace? In the fast-changing world that we operate in, the best leaders never stop learning. Whether you're managing a small team or guiding an entire organization, your growth sets the pace for others. The phrase “Leaders are Learners” isn’t just catchy—it’s a principle that separates thriving leaders from stagnant ones.

Self-auditing I-9s has become a high priority for 2025, as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasing the number of I-9 audits conducted. A self-audit of Form I-9s is an internal review of I-9s to identify and correct errors or compliance issues. If you have not yet conducted a self-audit, or if it has been several years since you have done so, it’s highly recommended that you do that now. Identifying and correcting mistakes prior to an ICE audit can help you avoid penalties, which can be based on the number of violations found during the audit.

In today's fast-paced work environment, effective leadership is a necessity. But how do organizations truly assess how well their leaders are performing? How can they identify blind spots, build on strengths, and develop targeted improvement plans? That’s where 360 leadership feedback reviews come in.