A Unique Employee Benefit

Aug 28, 2023

Divorce remains one of the most prominent issues in our society. While rates have technically declined since 2000, roughly one in two marriages still end in divorce. Second marriages stand an even slimmer chance, with a 63% failure rate; and third marriages have the worst chance of success at 73%.

Take an inventory of your closest friends and family, and chances are that you know several couples who have divorced. Many issues contribute to this problem, with lack of communication cited as the number one culprit behind it. Infidelity comes in second, with 60% citing it as their reason for splitting. And domestic abuse is next, with 24% claiming it ended their marriage. Many demographics play a part as well. For instance, those living below the poverty line have a higher chance of divorce versus college-educated couples, who are more likely to stay married. With that said, while divorce can impact anyone at any age, recent studies show the average age is mid-40s, the time when most people are at the peak of their career. And when you look at religious communities, there isn’t a single one that’s immune, though evangelical Protestants factor most prominently into these unfortunate statistics.

With so many effected by divorce, it’s crucial to understand how it can impact the workplace. Recent data confirms that divorce-related stress costs employers $300 billion per year. For example, the average employee loses 168 hours of worktime in the first year following a failed marriage. And it only makes sense that those going through the process are prone to being distracted, unfocused, and unmotivated, resulting in diminished productivity.

In one recent study, nearly 44% of those going through a divorce admitted that it had negatively impacted their work.  Think about it. They can make more mistakes on the job. They can cause issues with colleagues and be prone to being more sensitive than normal. They can also take multiple sick and personal days to attend court custody cases and meetings with lawyers. In short, things can quickly go downhill for employees ending their marriages, and the result can be catastrophic financially, personally, and professionally.

As leaders, we know the converse is just as true: When our people are happy with their lives outside the workplace, they do better on the job, contributing at a higher level, prospering their organization, and impacting their communities in a positive manner. Yet we can only impact our corporate environment, not anyone’s individual homelife.

So what is the solution? Can we do anything to support those employees headed for divorce?

My research says yes.

Most organizations already provide health benefits for employees. High-performing employers offer their workers not only health but wellness benefits, which can be related to fitness, smoking cessation, diet coaching, and more. They also maintain Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs), which typically offer therapy for employees and family members concerning relationship issues or ailments connected to depression, anxiety, grief, and loss. Some may include couples therapy as well, but some do not.

Offering great employee assistance programs can yield lower turnover rates, higher levels of job satisfaction, decreased absenteeism, and an overall happier and healthier work environment.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time with good friends Dean Brior and Jeff Kime. Dean is a successful CEO, business owner, and entrepreneur who has successfully led hundreds of employees. As such, he has witnessed the toll divorce takes on people, not just at home but in the workplace.

Currently, Jeff  is the Executive Director and Dean is director of development for The Marriage Hub.

Founded in 2004 by Dr. Bruce McCracken, The Marriage Hub seeks to provide biblically based marriage-building experiences for couples of all ages and stages. Their bold vision is to see divorce eradicated from our society by helping couples repair broken relationships so they can lead happy and fulfilled lives both inside and outside the workplace.

Mark: Jeff, it’s great meeting with you today, brother. I am excited to share with our readers what you’re doing. My first question is simple. How does divorce affect the workplace, and why should human resource professionals sound the alarm bells?

Jeff: Rosemary Frank, a certified divorce financial analyst, reported that divorce impacts the entire workplace in four major areas. The first is a loss of concentration when the employee is going through the divorce personally. This hits 40% in the first year, and slowly drops to 10% all the way in year four following the divorce.

The second is disrupted coworkers. We’re all social creatures, so if someone is hurting, we listen to their story [and] try to console them, resulting in those employees suffering a drop in productivity. It peaks at 4% in the first year, which continues for up to five years.

The third is that the employee going through the divorce misses workdays. Those days can be due to child custody hearings, meetings with attorneys, having to deal with childcare that was typically shared with a spouse – you name it. The average employee misses 9% of their workdays when going through a divorce.

The final area is an increase in usage of health benefits, which as we all know, ends up costing the employer in the long run. Added stress – needing to add kids to health plans, etc. – typically increases health-related expenditures by 10.4% while going through a divorce.

Adding all of these factors together, Rosemary Frank concluded the average business owner ends up paying an additional $85,934 in lost revenue for a business when one of their employees goes through a divorce. And if the person is in management, it could go even higher!

Mark: There are many great counseling programs out there, yet many couples never take advantage of them. What do you think makes The Marriage Hub unique and so successful?

Jeff: Mark, the typical couple going through marital challenges looks at counseling or their church as their first line of response. The challenge is that while both of those are potentially helpful options for a couple, it’s not the most effective option for a couple going through marital crisis. They need more than a one-hour session every other week with a counselor; they need more than the training a pastor has received in handling these specialized situations. And that’s where The Marriage Hub comes in.

We offer 20+ hours in a three-day Marriage Intensive Retreat for these couples in crisis. We then offer a 15-week follow-up course after the intensive. The national success rate of counselors working with a couple in crisis is only 25%, and the average couple flames out after two and a half sessions. It’s not enough, whereas here at The Marriage Hub, we’ve maintained an 85% success rate working with couples in crisis by giving them the time and personal care they need to navigate these challenging times – all performed by one of our highly trained coaches.

Mark: Dean, What have you personally witnessed in your years of experience as a leader in the workplace? Any specific examples regarding employees and the toll that divorce has taken on productivity, etc.?

Dean: Unfortunately, what Rosemary says rings true. I’ve seen this countless times: someone who was a business rockstar loses their mojo during a divorce. It’s not that the person is bad; it’s just the emotional landslide a divorce creates. That causes them to lose their focus and fail to perform at the same level they normally did.

Mark: Why do you believe The Marriage Hub can become a critical component of organizations’ human resources department?

Dean: When the HR department hears about challenges going on in an employee’s life, when they start to notice things going sideways and sit down to chat about job performance or any other concerning issues they see at work, they often learn that it’s challenges at home that are causing these work difficulties. Here at The Marriage Hub, we can become a resource to help those struggling employees. As the employee’s marriage is transformed, so is their entire countenance and ability to perform their job the way God intended for them.

Mark: How have you seen, firsthand, The Marriage Hub make a lasting impact on employees’ workplace efforts and personal relationships outside the workplace?

Dean: One example is a couple who had come to our program when on the brink of divorce. The lady was a key employee at a local business, and her employer had heard about our program. He called us up and said he wanted to pay for the entire program for her and her husband. Over the course of the weekend, the transformation was not only profound in their marriage, but for eternity as well! The wife came to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and their family is now stronger than ever.

Mark: What might you say to an HR professional who is skeptical about the program and does not see a need for such a thing in the workplace?

Dean: I’d encourage them to reach out to other HR friends to see whether the data I shared earlier plays out in the real world. I think they’ll quickly realize that taking care of the whole person – including their marriage – is one of the greatest ways to build their business. Business is run by people, and people in a good place emotionally, socially, and spiritually make the best businesses and communities.

Mark: Lastly, what inspired you to get involved with The Marriage Hub? Can you share any personal stories with us?

Dean: Nancy and I have been married for 46 years. Our first six years were tough, as we were married in college and had to grow up together. We would have benefited from a ministry such as The Marriage Hub back then. We have celebrated many marriages through the years and seen our share of divorces happen. Most of those divorces did not have a resource like The Marriage Hub. Our mission is to see the ministry grow to the point where any couple in need can call us and get help.

Mark: Thank you, Dean. My hope and prayer are that more organizations will see the need for programs such as The Marriage Hub, and that, ultimately, marriages will be restored. In the words of Oswald Chambers when discussing the Sermon on the Mount, “The knowledge of our own poverty is what brings us to the proper place where Jesus Christ accomplishes His work.” When we recognize our shortcomings and surrender to Christ, great things can take place. The workplace should be joyful. The joy and passion we bring to the workplace should be a reflection of what we experience in our personal lives, an ultimate reflection of our lives, as well as a great setting to share the gospel with others. I am grateful to you, Dean, for your work and pray that we see miraculous things in the days ahead.

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Concerned about the HR programs at your organization? The benefits of having a trusted partner to guide you and your team to excellence are invaluable. Contact us today. You—and your employees—will be glad you did.

Rise with us by implementing our high-performance remote human-resource programs to help find great people! E-mail us here.

Mark A. Griffin is president and founder of In HIS Name HR LLC. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources

Podcast “DEI Is Inescapable: Partners Collaborate Around Biblical DEI”

Aug 21, 2023

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) might seem like a new concept, but it’s actually been around for a long time. It’s just that the content has changed over the years, with the fundamentals of today’s DEI programs being built on Marxist teachings.

On the surface, the resulting structure has the appearance of leveling the playing field. But the outcomes have actually been shown to be divisive.

Listen in as Kevin McGary and Mark Griffin come together to discuss an alternative to that script through biblical DEI. Kevin shares information from his book, WOKEd UP! and Mark shares more about his DEI certification program. Together, their efforts provide a standard that celebrates differences and human connectedness in a much more accurate and effective manner.

Kevin and Mark also discuss how they met through Pinnacle Forum, which was inspired by Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International. Dr. Bright challenged a handful of leaders in 1995 in Phoenix, Arizona, saying, “I believe the only way we can change our culture is to find a way to network our high-influence leaders and inspire them to use their influence for God.”

Join Them Here! 

Kevin McGary is an entrepreneur, author, and public speaker. Kevin serves as co-founder of Every Black Life Matters (EBLM) and as chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of California. His background, passion, and keen observations about the momentum of dramatic changes in culture and society all shine through WOKEd UP!, the fifth book he’s authored. All of his previous books delved into the arenas of politics and theology. But WOKEd UP! is strictly designed to combat the many powerful forces producing overarching influences seeking to detach global populations from positive morals and traditions.

Host Chuck Bryant has served with Pinnacle Forum since 2005 and is currently serving as its president and CEO. Chuck has held a few instrumental roles with Pinnacle Forum, first as executive director of Pinnacle Forum Modesto in California and then on the national board as well as board chair.

Download and Listen on iTunes Here

Mark A. Griffin is paving the way for employment opportunities without fear of religious discrimination even as the government seeks to reshape the business landscape. Mark stands  in the gap and lives out his Kingdom mission by providing an alternative Bible-based DEI program for Christian nonprofits, churches, ministries, and camps. He also serves Christian-owned for-profit organizations looking for wiser choices in this space.

Listen in and glean beneficial information for your organization. You can contact Mark through his website, inhisnamehr.com, or find him on Twitter @inhisnamehr.

Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Podcasts

Protect Your Mission Webinar

Jul 21, 2023

Presented and hosted by Christian Business Partnership Ohio’s Christian Chamber of Commerce.

Restoring the American Promise. Together.

3PM EST Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023  

HR practices that can best help your “Kingdom-Minded” organization and business protect its mission in today’s hostile world.

Click Here To Register

Presenter Mark Griffin has seen it all in his more than 25 years of Human Resources experience gained by working with a wide range of organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to Christian Colleges, Ministries and Churches.

Let Mark help you by sharing his experiences in helping a variety of organizations manage their beliefs in the reality of today’s workplace.

Leading an organization with Christ-centered values makes organizational sense.

Mark will share why he believes Christ-centered organizations experience:

• Lower absenteeism
• Higher quality products
• Fewer employee morale issues
• Safer work environments
• Better perceptions by customers and vendors

Mark will also share how he helps organizations develop HR practices that reflect their core values and still build a high performance organization.

Topics to be Covered

• DEI and Biblical alternatives why is this important?
• Protecting your religious liberty
• Dangers from proposed laws
• Current state of religious liberty in court
• Creating a high performance culture through practical HR competency development

Click Here For Tickets

About The Host 

Christian Business Partnership exists not only to defend your rights in the economy, but to ensure a business environment friendly to businesses throughout Ohio. Their mission is to aggressively advocate for the religious liberty of Christian employers and for a fair and free marketplace that enables entrepreneurs to thrive and compete. Learn more or join here!

About The Presenter

Mark A. Griffin, MBA
President and Founder In HIS Name HR LLC

Mark is a human resources professional with 25-plus years of experience in both public (Quaker Oats Company, Kodak Inc., Merck Inc.) and private companies (Woolrich, Conestoga Wood Specialties, Valco Companies Inc.), Mark is passionate about building high-performance workplaces by utilizing best practices while leading organizations with strong values.

Speaker, accomplished HR consultant, and the author of How to Build “Kingdom-Minded” Organizations and College to Career: The Student Guide to Career and Life Navigation, Mark A. Griffin encourages leaders to build values-led organizations during these increasingly complex times.  Mark and his wife live in Lancaster PA and have two adult children.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Events, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Protect Your Mission ~ Lancaster, PA

Jul 5, 2023

HR practices that can best help your “Kingdom-Minded” organization and business protect its mission in today’s hostile world.

The Junction Center
1875 Junction Rd,
Manheim, PA 17545

September 7, 2023

9AM-1PM

Lunch Included!

Click Here For Tickets

Presenter Mark Griffin has seen it all in his more than 25 years of Human Resources experience gained by working with a wide range of organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to Christian Colleges, Ministries and Churches.

Presenter Randall Wenger Esq. has a myriad of experiences from all his years of working on religious liberty cases in Pennsylvania including the Conestoga Wood Specialties case that resulted in a landmark victory in the US Supreme Court for religious liberty and the sanctity of life. Randy understands the pressures and dangers that are facing those who want to run their businesses and organizations in line with their Christian values.

Let Mark and Randy help you by sharing their experiences in helping a variety of organizations manage their beliefs in the reality of today’s workplace.

Leading an organization with Christ-centered values makes organizational sense.

Mark will share why he believes Christ-centered organizations experience:

• Lower absenteeism
• Higher quality products
• Fewer employee morale issues
• Safer work environments
• Better perceptions by customers and vendors

Mark will also share how he helps organizations develop HR practices that reflect their core values and still build a high performance organization.

Topics to be Covered

• DEI and Biblical alternatives why is this important?
• Protecting your religious liberty
• Dangers from proposed laws
• Current state of religious liberty in court
• Creating a high performance culture through practical HR competency development
• Where most organizations go wrong engaging employees
• Setting expectations
• HR tools for creating success
• Employee policy manuals
• Codes of Conduct
• Employee relations and communications
• Performance management
• Counseling and discipline procedures
• Terminations
• How the Civil Rights Act administrative guidance affects your business 

Click Here For Tickets

Map To The Junction Center (Map)

About The Pennsylvania Family Institute

The Mission of the Pennsylvania Family Institute is to strengthen families by restoring to public life the traditional, foundational principles and values essential for the well-being of society. It is  the only full-time professionally staffed non-profit organization representing family values—your values—in the state capitol. It encourages responsible citizenship and involvement in civic affairs to promote respect for life, family, marriage and religious liberty.

About The Presenters

Randall L. Wenger, Esq.
COO & Chief Counsel

Randall Wenger is Chief Counsel of the Independence Law Center in Harrisburg, a pro-bono law center affiliated with the Pennsylvania Family Institute and dedicated to maintaining those liberties that have made America great and free. He has litigated in federal courts all around the county, and his cases have included the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, bodily privacy, and pro-life issues. In addition to his role with the Independence Law Center, he is COO of the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Randall has an economics degree from the University of Chicago and earned his J.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Lancaster County, and he and his wife Tina have seven children.

Mark A. Griffin, MBA
President and Founder In HIS Name HR LLC

Mark is a human resources professional with 25-plus years of experience in both public (Quaker Oats Company, Kodak Inc., Merck Inc.) and private companies (Woolrich, Conestoga Wood Specialties, Valco Companies Inc.), Mark is passionate about building high-performance workplaces by utilizing best practices while leading organizations with strong values.

Speaker, accomplished HR consultant, and the author of How to Build “Kingdom-Minded” Organizations and College to Career: The Student Guide to Career and Life Navigation, Mark A. Griffin encourages leaders to build values-led organizations during these increasingly complex times.  Mark and his wife live in Lancaster PA and have two adult children.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Events, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Podcast “Partner Provides Christian Friendly Alternative Job Site”

Jun 12, 2023

Pinnacle Forum was inspired by Dr. Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, who challenged a handful of leaders in 1995 in Phoenix, Arizona saying, “I believe the only way we can change our culture is to find a way to network our high influence leaders and inspire them to use their influence for God.”  Join Them Here! 

Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Podcasts

3 Labor Law Issues that Can Destroy Your Organization

Jun 10, 2023

Are you complying with all the proper state and federal labor laws? 

If not, it could cost you everything.

 In large corporations, an entire human resources (HR) department navigates the complex minefield of federal and state labor laws. Most small organizations think of HR as an afterthought, or HR responsibilities like hiring, benefits, compliance, and payroll falls to a few people who aren’t properly trained. This can be a pricey mistake. Laws concerning overtime, unlawful termination, and equal rights are just a few areas that trip up organizations, big and small, all the time.

Labor laws fill volumes and are quite complex. Plus, labor laws vary from state to state! Even Walmart ran into trouble recently and incurred $4.83 million dollars in back wages, penalties, and fines for violating The Fair Labor Standards Act. The mistake? Managers were misclassified and not appropriately compensated for overtime work. Unlawful termination is another problem that has cost organizations like UPS, Carmike Cinemas, and Dial Corporation dearly. Yes, it’s tricky. Do you know the laws?

It gets worse—the government is ramping up efforts to check up on organizations and crack down. The Obama administration has allotted $25 million for the sole purpose of investigating those misclassified as “independent contractors,” hoping to reclaim lost tax revenue and pad the IRS’s coffers. Be smart. Remember that stiff penalties and lawyer fees can decimate your organization. Are your workers properly classified?

Stay legal and remember these 3 key points:

• Child labor, non-resident labor, and equal rights legislation are the three areas where small organizations most often fail to comply.

• Both state and federal labor information is free and available online.

• Outsourcing with an HR professional firm can save your organization a lot of time and money.

Most organizations with fewer than 100 people benefit from outsourcing labor law compliance and other human resource tasks to HR professionals. The alternative is risky: employees are often uninformed about and under-trained in labor law compliance. Look out! Federal fines could be in store for you. In addition, HR often falls outside an employee’s main job focus, so getting it wrong or spending valuable time away from primary tasks can cripple productivity in a small organization. Get the right person trained or on your team to comply with labor laws.

Regrettably, staying legal has never been more difficult or important.

Make sure to get the help you need right away.

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 Mark Griffin is President and Founder at In His Name HR LLC. He has over 25 years of HR experience. Learn more about Mark’s journey in HR by watching this short video. In addition you can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources

Podcast “How Well Do You Know Your Hiring Rights?”

May 30, 2023

Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Podcasts

Press Release: Amy E. Fineman Joins In HIS Name HR LLC

Apr 4, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amy E. Fineman Joins In HIS Name HR LLC

Lancaster, PA, US – April 4, 2023 – In HIS Name HR LLC, based in Lancaster, PA, has announced that Amy E. Fineman has joined the company as Human Resources Partner.

Amy possesses extensive recruitment and HR industry experience. Previously, Amy led talent sourcing and recruitment efforts for Fortune 500 companies such as Gap Inc., Tesla, and Microsoft. She has a wide range of industry experience including finance, marketing, communications, engineering, and technology and has recruited for all levels of organizations, including executive positions.

Amy brings the ability to connect strategy to action while building strong relationships with her clients, leadership, and teams whom she works with. Amy is a trusted advisor and collaborative talent acquisition partner. With her experience, she will leverage strategy, research, and relationship to ignite long-term mutual impact between individuals and the organizations she supports.

In HIS Name HR has been implementing high-performance HR programs for Christian-value-based for-profit companies and organizations, including Christian colleges, ministries, camps and churches, since 2011. In this new role as Human Resources Partner, Amy will support organizations to achieve their goals with her extensive recruitment experience. Additionally, Amy will deliver Biblically based diversity, equity and inclusion training to clients nationally.

“We are excited to have Amy join our team to help take this HR organization to the next level,” says Mark A. Griffin, president and founder of In HIS Name HR LLC. “Amy’s depth of experience, knowledge and recruitment capabilities complement our growing team of seasoned executives.”

More information about Amy Fineman is available at: In HIS Name HR 

PR Newswire Press Release Here 

In HIS Name HR is guided by Christian values and strives to reflect Christ in all areas, starting with the view that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, and that employees are the most important part of all organizations.

Official Links:

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

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Mark A. Griffin | Christian Higher Ed HR, Events, Human Resources

Webinar: Finding Great People In Today’s Economy

Feb 9, 2023

Presented and hosted by Christian Business Partnership Ohio’s Christian Chamber of Commerce.

Restoring the American Promise. Together.

1:30PM EST Monday, April 3rd, 2023  

It’s no secret that your organization wants to succeed. It should come as no surprise that your employees also want to succeed!

Of course, there’s often a strong, positive relationship between the two—when employees succeed, so do the organizations they serve.

A key question to answer: How can organizations most effectively find, train, motivate and encourage employees’ success?

Topics We Cover

• Marketing your organization in today’s difficult labor situation.
• What should we have in place to be attractive?
• Where do high-performing organizations find employees?
• What are the three most important steps of an effective hiring process?

This presentation will also help prepare people within your organization who may want to move into an HR role. The presentation is positive, inspiring and provides the participant the opportunity to learn concepts used within high-performing organizations.

About The Host 

Christian Business Partnership exists not only to defend your rights in the economy, but to ensure a business environment friendly to businesses throughout Ohio. Their mission is to aggressively advocate for the religious liberty of Christian employers and for a fair and free marketplace that enables entrepreneurs to thrive and compete. Learn more or join here!

About the Speaker

Mark A. Griffin is the founder of In HIS Name HR LLC, a human resources outsourcing and career coaching firm created to help organizations pilot the complex issues of managing HR.

As a human resources professional with 30-plus years of experience in both public (Quaker Oats, Kodak, Merck) and private companies (Woolrich, Conestoga Wood Specialties, Valco), Mark is passionate about building high-performance workplaces by utilizing best practices while leading organizations with strong values.

Mark and his wife Gail have two adult children and attend LCBC Church. Mark has coached leaders on “Business as Mission” as far away as Eastern Europe, India, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

Speaker, accomplished HR consultant, and author of How to Build “Kingdom-Minded” Organizations and College to Career: The Student Guide to Career and Life Navigation, Mark A. Griffin encourages leaders to build values-led organizations during these increasingly complex times.

Click Here to Register! 

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources, Kingdom Company Building

Webinar: Recruiting in Today’s Economy

Nov 22, 2022

Presented and hosted by The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)

12:30PM EST Wednesday, December 7^th  

Now, more than ever, recruiting employees has become increasingly difficult. Some organizations (those who lead with high-performance HR programs) never seem to run out of qualified leads. What are they doing that makes recruiting employees easier? Learn valuable tools to attract mission fit candidates in today’s tight labor market.

Click Here to Register!

These and other issues will be addressed in this important 1-hour webinar by a keen partner and consistent High-Performance Human Resources blogger with ABHE, Mark Griffin.

If you’re dealing with recruitment challenges during this employment crisis, we hope you’ll listen for his invaluable counsel.  ABHE is comprised of approximately 200 postsecondary institutions specializing in biblical ministry formation and professional leadership education.

Does your organization need HR help,  If so, don’t panic. We are here. We can help.

If you’re struggling with the current employment crisis, what it means for your organization and your employees, and need someone to listen to your concerns who can help, contact us today.

Mark A. Griffin | Blog, Christian Higher Ed HR, Human Resources