Are Leaders Helping or Stopping Change?

HR Trends: OMB & OPM to Modernize Federal HR

Federal HR systems in the U.S. are being redesigned to replace old, scattered systems with a single modern platform by 2028. The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management plan to buy a commercial Human Capital Management system to unify HR data across agencies. The memo also mentions advisory boards and councils to guide planning and change efforts. This move aims to make hiring, payroll, and HR data easier to manage and share. Federal leaders see this as a big step in making HR work more reliably in government. Read more.

HR Insights: Are Leaders Helping or Stopping Change?

Many organizational change efforts fail not because of bad plans, but because leaders quietly resist. Delays in decisions, unclear feedback and lack of visible support slow progress from within. Research shows that subtle resistance from leadership can weaken teams and make change harder to sustain. To break this pattern, leaders must set clear expectations, track progress openly, and reward those who drive change. The article also highlights the need to view innovation as a human process, not just a technical one. Read more.

HR Tips and Tricks

Tip: Set up a conflict management playbook. Before conflicts arise, define clear steps and roles for resolving disagreements between employees and managers. This reduces bias and speeds up fair outcomes.

Trick: Use shadow days where HR professionals spend one day working alongside an employee from another team. This builds empathy and helps HR see real work challenges first hand.

HR Case Files: BMW Dispute on Stipend and Disability

An ex-employee filed a lawsuit against BMW in New Jersey, claiming the company discriminated against her disability and mismanaged a relocation stipend. She alleges HR asked for repayment of a $10,000 stipend, suggested the unpaid amount “looks like embezzlement,” and terminated her after disability leave. The suit says HR did not follow normal policies, failed to offer accommodations, and used her mental health information against her. These claims are unfounded in court so far and highlight risks in how HR handles sensitive pay and health issues. Read more.

Key Takeaways:

• Allegation of disability discrimination and retaliation under federal law.

• Conflict over repayment of relocation stipend labelled as possible embezzlement.

• Claim of informal “probation” without proper process or documentation.

HR Toolkit

Resources

This conceptual study draws on cybersecurity, strategic human resource management, and social cognition. It presents a multi-level model that explains how HRM systems and an organization’s cybersecurity climate affect employee exposure to cyberattacks. The model also examines how cognitive load and employee alertness to cyber threats shape this risk. The work adds structured insight to academic discussions on cybersecurity and strategic HRM by clarifying how people, systems, and attention interact to influence security outcomes. Know more.

Events

Registration is now open for the 2026 Michigan Health Association Human Resources Conference in Lansing, Michigan. The one-day event on March 24 brings together HR professionals from healthcare and related sectors. It will cover timely HR topics and offer strategies that help people leaders meet current workforce challenges. Attendees can expect practical sessions, expert talks and networking opportunities.

Click here to be a part of this event.

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