GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

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.