Your Source for Strategic Clarity and Execution in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition The workplace landscape continues to evolve, revealing new insights about organizational resilience and human potential. As we launch this inaugural newsletter, I'm excited to share meaningful conversations and observations that shape our thinking about creating environments where both people and organizations thrive. I look forward to learning and growing together through this shared journey. Thought Leadership Spotlight The Hidden Cost of Bad Onboarding The 90-Day Window: Why Your New Hire's First Three Months Decide Their Long-Term ROI The first 90 days determine success or failure. Organizations often treat onboarding as a formality rather than the crucial bridge between potential and performance. Ignoring this window leads to: • Eroded ROI: Replacing early-departure employees costs 30-50% of their salary • Slow Ramp-Up: Ambiguous roles extend productivity timeline to 6- 8+ months • Process Mistakes: Misinterpreting poor performance as "bad hire" vs. system failure Read the Full Article Here Strategic Resource Featured Article "The True Cost of a Vacant Seat: Why Reactive Hiring is Your Biggest Expense" Beyond recruitment fees: How unfilled positions create cascading costs through: - Overtime expenses for the existing team - Delayed project timelines - Strategic opportunity costs - Team burnout and secondary turnover Read the strategic framework for proactive talent acquisition. Full Article Here. Ready to Build Predictable Growth? If your managers struggle with people leadership, top talent is leaving, or hiring feels like "whack-a-mole," it's time for a robust foundation. We specialize in identifying and addressing these pain points and implementing systems that drive measurable growth without requiring full-time overhead. Schedule Your Confidential Consultation. Sincerely, Evelyn Judge Managing Partner & Executive-Level HR Consultant Frank Rally Post

When a role sits open in an organization, the surface-level calculation seems simple: you don’t pay a salary or benefits, so you “save” money. In reality, the absence of a team member represents a flow of lost value, not a static cost saving. The real calculus companies must make is not about what money they’re not spending, but about what value they’re failing to capture. At its core, the opportunity cost of a vacant role is the difference between the value the role could have generated if filled and the value actually realized while the role remains open. This gap manifests across multiple dimensions, including productivity, revenue, strategic momentum, team morale, and even long-term competitive positioning.  1. Direct Operational and Financial Impact of Vacancy Every vacant position, especially in revenue-generating or mission-critical functions, removes productive capacity from the organization. When a position remains vacant, especially in revenue-generating or critical roles, the company loses both productivity and potential revenue. For general roles, if a position typically contributes $250,000 annually, this translates to around $685 lost per day (based on an average work year of 365 days). This means that for each day the position remains unfilled, the company loses that value in productivity. For critical roles, such as sales, the financial impact is even more significant. If a sales leader generates $1 million annually, then leaving that role vacant for a quarter (3 months) could result in a loss of $250,000 in potential revenue simply due to the vacancy. These numbers represent foregone earnings or productivity, not costs on a ledger. They include what the business could have earned or delivered if the role had been staffed at full capacity. 2. Opportunity Cost Through Stalled Projects and Missed Strategic Value Vacancy isn’t just about the day-to-day work that’s not happening. It disables future value creation. When key roles are unfilled: Projects stall, product launches get delayed, and deadlines slip. Leaving product manager or engineer roles unfilled increases the risk of delayed feature delivery. Similarly, gaps in accounting or analyst positions can lead to slower financial reporting, which in turn affects the speed at which decisions can be made. Strategic initiatives suffer. When a leadership or specialist seat remains open, decisions that could capture market share, optimize costs, or drive innovation in lines of business are postponed. Those missed opportunities have value that never materializes, and that’s a core definition of opportunity cost. This is where the concept shifts from “cost” to “lost opportunities:” it’s not simply money not spent, but rather money not earned because the work that drives revenue or efficiency doesn’t occur. 3. Hidden and Compound Costs Beyond Immediate Output The effects of vacancy ripple outward through the organization in ways that aren’t easily captured on a balance sheet but are real and financially significant: Burden on existing employees: Remaining team members absorb the extra workload. While overtime may seem cheaper than hiring, business research indicates that productivity actually declines when employees regularly exceed healthy work hours and error rates increase. This labor strain accelerates burnout, burnout that surveys link directly to more sick days, lower engagement, and higher turnover. Decline in customer experience and brand trust: Understaffed customer-facing teams struggle to maintain service levels. In many industries, a single poor service experience can drive customers to competitors that can, in turn, lead to customer churn and a loss of reputation. Loss of top talent: Fast-moving candidates won’t wait weeks for an offer. Slow hiring processes often cause high-performers to drop out before interviews conclude, as they prefer competitors who move quickly. This compounds the cost; not only is the role vacant longer, but you also miss higher-quality candidates who refuse to wait. 4. When Reduced Hiring “Saves” Money, But Costs More It’s human nature for business leaders to think: “We’re saving on salary and benefits by holding off.” But savings on cash expenses are not necessarily savings on economic outcomes. The true measure should be: What is the value we are not capturing because this role is empty? That’s the essence of opportunity cost: the value of the next best alternative you give up, in this case, the productive contribution of the employee you could have hired. Delaying hiring might reduce short-term expenses on payroll, but the lost revenue, delayed projects, team burnout, and missed market share often far exceed those savings when measured rigorously. 5. Implications for Decision-Making From a practical perspective, understanding delayed hiring as an economic cost rather than a simple HR issue changes the way leadership should act: Investment mindset: Hiring is an investment expected to generate returns, not a cost center to be minimized. Speed and efficiency: Streamlined hiring processes that shorten time-to-fill deliver economic value by reducing the window of lost opportunity. Prioritizing roles by impact: Not all vacancies are equal. The economic cost of an open sales director position is significantly different from that of a support staff vacancy. Decision frameworks that weigh the impact of a role against hiring delays help prioritize recruitment resources. Maximizing Organizational Value: The Strategic Impact of Swift Hiring Decisions The opportunity cost of vacant roles is a multifaceted economic reality. Every day a seat remains unfilled represents lost output, revenue, a slowed strategy, and missed opportunities to compete effectively. What may appear as a simple cost saving becomes, in reality, a leak in organizational value creation. Leaders must therefore treat hiring timelines not as administrative delays, but as strategic economic drivers, where speed, alignment, and execution directly influence profitability and competitive strength.

Evelyn Judge here. In my years working with growing companies to help them maneuver through the often-complex world of HR and talent acquisition, one observation repeatedly surfaces. It’s about a very common, often unquestioned, phrase in nearly every job description: "X years of experience required." We’ve all written it, read it, and based significant decisions on it. It seems straightforward enough, a simple way to convey a role’s seniority and filter a pool of applicants. But if we’re being entirely frank, this long-held tradition frequently creates more obstacles and missed opportunities than it resolves for a thriving, expanding business. Consider for a moment the talent we might be inadvertently overlooking. When a job description specifies "3-5 years of experience," what message does that truly send? An accomplished professional with seven or eight years under their belt might quickly dismiss the opening by assuming it’s beneath their capabilities or that the company isn't seeking their level of strategic contribution. Consequently, a leader who can bring immediate impact, mentor others, or navigate complex challenges effortlessly will simply move past your opportunity. Conversely, think of the individual who, through sheer drive, accelerated learning, or intense project exposure, has gained profound capabilities in two years that others take five or six to acquire. A rigid "minimum of three years" requirement effectively closes that door. We’re not just potentially overlooking raw ability; we're often prioritizing a calendar count over demonstrated skill and valuable perspective. It’s not simply about time served; it’s about what a candidate has mastered, the challenges they've overcome, and the tangible results they can deliver. Then there’s the operational reality of compliance – an area few companies consider until it becomes, well, a compliance issue. While needing a level of experience is perfectly sensible, relying on an overly prescriptive, numerical range can sometimes, unintentionally, invite questions concerning age discrimination or other biases down the line. For any growing company, proactively managing these subtleties is simply good, pragmatic business. It’s about building a robust foundation that allows you to focus squarely on growth, free from avoidable legal entanglements. Ultimately, a narrow focus on numerical "years of experience" can restrict access to a broader talent pool, allow a calendar to overshadow genuine capability, and introduce unnecessary risk. It's a practice inherited from a different era of hiring that often fails to serve the agility and specific needs of today's ambitious companies. My team and I, when we partner with leaders, delve deeper. We ask: What problem does this role truly address? What specific contributions must it make? What core skills and achievements are non-negotiable? If a certain amount of experience is genuinely critical, we articulate it clearly: "X+ years of demonstrated proficiency in [specific area]." This sets a necessary floor without erecting an invisible ceiling that could deter invaluable expertise. We aim to articulate the true challenge and opportunity to attract individuals driven by impact rather than a generic checklist. It boils down to intelligently designing your talent gateway. Ensure it clearly invites the right people in, rather than unintentionally diverting them elsewhere.

In boardrooms and offices across the country, leaders wrestle with the same question: “How do we attract the right people without breaking the budget?” It’s tempting to assume that higher salaries are the answer. But experience shows that money alone rarely wins the loyalty, engagement, and performance that truly make an organization thrive. The real differentiator lies in the Total Value Proposition (TVP), the way culture, flexibility, benefits, and growth opportunities come together to create a workplace that people want to join and stay with. Each element tells a story about what the organization values, how it invests in its people, and the kind of experience it delivers day to day. Consider culture as the sum of interactions, decisions, and behaviors that define how work gets done. Teams that operate with transparency, accountability, and mutual respect naturally inspire a sense of commitment. Employees understand that their contributions have an impact, and that understanding keeps them engaged even when competitors offer higher pay. Flexibility reinforces that trust. Giving people the autonomy to manage schedules or work arrangements that fit their lives shows respect for them as whole individuals. This trust creates ownership and focus, and it signals that the organization measures results, not just hours at a desk. Flexibility is a strategic tool that strengthens loyalty and performance while keeping compensation manageable. Benefits further shape the employee experience. Thoughtful programs, supporting wellness, skill development, paid time off, insurance, or life balance, communicate that the organization invests in its people beyond the role itself. They demonstrate that the company views employees as partners, not just resources by fostering engagement and retention in ways that money alone cannot buy. Growth opportunities complete the picture. When employees know they have a clear path to advancement, their ambition is recognized and nurtured, and they can take on more responsibility. Over time, they commit more deeply. Investing in internal development reduces reliance on external hires, keeps knowledge within the organization, and builds a workforce capable of navigating future challenges. Crafting a Total Value Proposition is about more than adding perks. It is a deliberate choice about how an organization demonstrates what it values most, how it engages its people, and how it sustains performance over time. Leaders who get this right attract the talent they need, retain high performers, and build a resilient, capable workforce, without resorting to unsustainable salary increases. Take a step back and look at your Total Value Proposition. How do culture, flexibility, benefits, and growth combine to shape the experience of working in your organization? A thoughtful, intentional approach will help you attract and retain top talent while keeping your workforce engaged, resilient, and aligned for long-term success. Let’s talk.

Let’s break down how promoting from within protects institutional knowledge and reduces hiring costs.

[Atlanta, GA] — [09/20/2025] - Artificial intelligence has become central to modern hiring, automatically screening, ranking, and even rejecting resumes before a human sees them. While this technology can streamline recruitment, it also carries hidden risks: Qualified candidates may be filtered out for minor reasons, and companies may lose the talent they need without realizing it. “Algorithms are making decisions that can profoundly affect the quality of your hires,” says Evelyn Judge, managing partner and executive-level HR consultant at Frank Rally Post. “If you haven’t examined how AI influences your hiring process, you may be missing key candidates, while your competitors quietly bring them onto their teams.” Judge works directly with startups and growing companies to audit hiring processes, align them with business goals, and ensure AI supports your recruitment strategy. Her approach focuses on clarity, compliance, culture, and leadership enablement, helping organizations efficiently attract and retain the right talent. The Reality for Companies Today Strong candidates are slipping through the cracks. AI filters can unintentionally exclude high-performing or unconventional talent. Process gaps create risk. Outdated hiring systems can delay recruitment and reduce competitiveness. Your employer brand matters. Candidates notice clunky processes and may take their skills elsewhere. “ A mismanaged hiring process directly impacts business performance ,” Judge says. “Even a small flaw in the system can prevent the right candidate from joining your team at the right time.” How Evelyn Can Help Evelyn’s services are designed to integrate directly with an organization: Fractional HR Consulting: Executive-level HR support without full-time overhead, including strategic people planning, compliance, and culture development. Talent Acquisition Strategy: Define the roles you truly need, optimize employer branding, and streamline hiring processes. Talent Development Advisory: Develop top performers, establish succession planning, and embed feedback systems that improve retention. Take Action Today Every day your best candidates are filtered out is a day your competitors move ahead. Schedule a confidential consultation with Evelyn Judge to audit your hiring process, uncover hidden gaps, and implement strategies that ensure the right talent reaches your team. Reserve your session today at www.frankrallypost.com/contact Or call (203) 820-1720 and let’s talk. About Frank Rally Post Frank Rally Post is a specialized Human Capital Organization serving a nationwide client base with offices in Atlanta, GA, New York, NY, and Stamford, CT. We provide retained HR, Talent Acquisition, and Recruitment Services designed for small to mid-sized companies. Our expertise spans direct hire and executive search in the Accounting, Finance, and HR sectors. We deliver access to top-tier talent without upfront costs through a relationship-centric, contingency-based approach. By quickly assessing organizational needs and implementing effective processes, we empower business leaders to focus on growth while we manage HR complexities with precision. Frank Rally Post is committed to helping clients turn HR challenges into opportunities, positioning their businesses for sustainable success.  Media Contact Evelyn Judge FRANK RALLY POST Email: evelyn@frankrallypost.com Phone: 203-820-1720 Website: www.frankrallypost.com

In every organization, hiring is framed as a win: The role is filled, the team feels complete, and leaders expect the business to run more smoothly. But the reality is that the hiring decision is only the starting line. The following three months are far more consequential than most organizations recognize. This 90-day window quietly determines whether your new hire becomes a long-term asset who delivers measurable return on investment, or whether they drift into disengagement, misalignment, or even an early exit. As someone who has spent decades helping companies strengthen their talent strategy, I can tell you that onboarding is not a formality. It is the bridge between potential and performance, and too many businesses leave that bridge unfinished. Why the First 90 Days Matter More Than You Think Research paints a clear picture. Most new employees need six to eight months to reach full productivity. Without an intentional onboarding process that timeline stretches and, in some cases, never recovers. Even more concerning, surveys consistently show that employees form a lasting impression of their employer within their first 90 days. That impression directly influences their engagement, likelihood to stay, and ultimately, how quickly they contribute at the expected level. From an ROI perspective, the stakes are high. The cost of replacing an employee who leaves within the first year can reach 30-50% of their annual salary. For leadership teams looking to optimize budgets, overlooking onboarding is not just a cultural misstep; it’s a financial one. What Onboarding Really Impacts Strong onboarding is not about handbooks or one-time orientation sessions. It directly affects three drivers of long-term ROI: 1. Role clarity. New hires who understand what success looks like in their first 30 days are significantly more likely to perform at a higher level by the end of their first year. Ambiguity, on the other hand, leads to hesitation, errors, and slower integration. 2. Connection. Employees don’t leave companies; they leave environments where they never felt they belonged. Early relationship-building with managers, mentors, and peers fosters engagement and commitment, which directly lowers the attrition risk. 3. Knowledge transfer. Every organization has unwritten rules, workflows, and context that can’t be captured in a job description. Without a structured approach, that knowledge takes months to absorb, which equates to valuable time when productivity stalls. When these elements are missing, leaders may misinterpret poor performance as a hiring mistake. In truth, it is often a process mistake. How to Shorten the Ramp-Up Curve Effective onboarding aims not to rush new hires but to shorten the time between arrival and meaningful contribution. Practical, evidence-based steps make this possible: Start before day one. Pre-boarding, sharing culture insights, role expectations, and simple administrative tools before the official start date, reduces first-week overwhelm and allows employees to arrive ready to engage. Define 30/60/90-day milestones. General orientation doesn’t provide direction. Clear, staged goals help new hires measure progress and give managers a framework to assess development in real time. Assign a peer or mentor. Formal mentorship or buddy programs accelerate learning by providing safe channels for questions and reducing uncertainty. This is particularly valuable in hybrid or remote settings where informal hallway conversations don’t exist. Invest in manager check-ins. A new hire’s manager is the most critical factor in retention. Structured weekly or bi-weekly conversations in the first three months surface misalignments early and reinforce expectations before they drift. Enable with the right tools. Access to knowledge management systems, project platforms, and communication channels ensures new employees aren’t left to navigate fragmented information. Technology can be a critical equalizer in reducing ramp-up time. What Leaders Should Ask Themselves I often advise executives to pause and evaluate their onboarding process with a straightforward lens: If I joined this organization tomorrow, how quickly would I understand how to succeed? Would I know exactly what is expected of me in my first 30, 60, and 90 days? Would I feel connected to the team and confident in where to go for support? Would I have the tools and knowledge needed to perform, or would I spend weeks piecing things together on my own? If the honest answer to these questions is “NO,” then the organization is not only slowing productivity but also quietly eroding the ROI of every new hire. Making the First 90 Days Count The 90-day window is not a grace period. It is the most critical stage in the employee lifecycle. Done well, onboarding builds trust, accelerates contribution, and maximizes the long-term value of your investment in talent. Done poorly, it prolongs ramp-up time, drains resources, and often results in preventable turnover. Leaders who recognize this shift their focus from filling seats to building momentum. That perspective benefits new employees and strengthens the entire organization. If you’re ready to rethink how your organization approaches the first three months, let’s talk.

When business leaders think about risk, their minds usually jump to financial audits, cybersecurity, or supply chain disruptions. Rarely does HR make the list of high-risk areas. But the truth is, one outdated job posting, one poorly documented termination, or one misstep in an interview can expose your company to serious legal and financial consequences. That’s where Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) comes in, the insurance policy you didn’t know you needed. The Hidden Liabilities in HR Practices Most executives don’t realize how costly small HR compliance mistakes can be: Job descriptions that discriminate. Writing “3-5 years of experience” sounds harmless, but it’s legally problematic. That wording could be considered exclusionary to candidates with more or fewer years of experience. The compliant version? “3+ years.” Interview questions you can’t ask. Anything that touches on age, gender, family status, or medical conditions is off-limits. Yet I still see hiring managers making these mistakes. Data retention risks. What employee information you keep, where you store it, and how long you hold it matter. Mishandling personal data creates exposure. Weak documentation. Terminations, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions all need proper documentation. Without it, companies are wide open to wrongful termination claims. These aren’t isolated issues. They’re patterns I see repeatedly when auditing HR practices. And in today’s environment, one small misstep can trigger a lawsuit that drains time, money, and reputation. What EPLI Covers and Why You Can’t Ignore It EPLI protects companies against claims from employees, former employees, or even job applicants. Coverage typically includes: Wrongful termination Discrimination (age, sex, disability, etc.) Sexual harassment Retaliation claims Mismanagement of employee data or records Without coverage, even defending against a frivolous claim can cost six figures. With coverage, the financial hit is managed, but here’s the reality: insurance doesn’t stop the claim from happening. It just pays for the mess after the fact. That’s why EPLI and HR compliance go hand in hand. Compliance Is Prevention Think of HR compliance as the seatbelt and EPLI as the airbag. Both protect you, but in very different ways. Compliance reduces your risk of ever needing the policy. By aligning your hiring, interviewing, and documentation practices with the law, you close the gaps that cause most lawsuits. EPLI is the back-up. It’s there if, despite your best efforts, something slips through. In my work, I help companies audit their HR practices and identify the blind spots leaders often miss. For example: Updating outdated job postings and hiring protocols Training managers on what they can and can’t ask in interviews Setting up compliant documentation and record-keeping processes The result? A lower chance of being sued, lower insurance premiums, and often significant cost savings. I routinely save companies 30–40% on their hiring and HR costs while helping them avoid liabilities they didn’t even know existed. Why Business Leaders Should Care Leaders are often surprised when I say this: HR compliance isn’t about being “politically correct.” It’s about protecting your business. It protects your budget. Legal fees and settlements are one of the fastest ways to erode profitability. It protects your people. Transparent, compliant processes build trust and credibility with employees. It protects your leadership. As a CEO, CFO, or HR leader, you’re responsible for the practices under your roof, even if you weren’t aware of them. Ignoring compliance is like driving without insurance. You might be fine until you’re not. EPLI Is Only Half the Story  EPLI is the insurance policy you didn’t know you needed. However, it works best when paired with strong HR compliance practices that keep you out of the courtroom in the first place. If you’re unsure whether your hiring, interviewing, and documentation practices are compliant or want to understand how EPLI fits into your risk management strategy, now is the time to take a closer look. Protect your business before you need protection. Let’s talk.

After three decades in talent strategy, I've seen the economy rise and fall. I’ve helped organizations weather recessions, respond to industry disruption, and evolve through digital transformation. But the talent challenges we face today amid a wave of AI integration and workforce dropout are unlike anything I’ve seen before. In an age where artificial intelligence can suggest your next meal, coach you through a breakup, or write a perfectly acceptable email, one thing is becoming clear: convenience has come at the cost of connection. And nowhere is that more evident than in the way we hire, retain, and engage people. Sure, it’s easier than ever to automate. But in that convenience, we risk forgetting something fundamental: to begin a new relationship, personal or professional, human connection goes a long way. The Real Cost of a Workforce in Retreat In 2025, the U.S. talent shortage hit historic highs. According to Manpower Group, nearly 3 in 4 employers reported difficulty filling key roles. That’s not just a statistic; it’s a signal. And it comes with a price tag. An open role can cost a company more than $10,000 in lost productivity, stalled projects, and added strain on existing staff. Over time, these vacancies don’t just delay business; they erode morale. Burnout becomes inevitable, turnover rises, and the cycle continues. But let’s be clear: this is not simply a labor shortage. It’s a trust shortage. It’s an engagement shortage. It’s a systems problem. We’re seeing a quiet but powerful movement; millions of working-age adults choosing not to participate in traditional employment. Not because they’re lazy, but because they’re disillusioned, disengaged, or just done with outdated hiring practices that don’t reflect today’s world. What’s Driving the Dropout? There’s no single culprit. It’s a perfect storm of structural issues: 1. AI-Filtered Hiring That Misses the Human Automation tools promise speed, but often at the cost of nuance. MIT Sloan Management Review states that many screen out up to 60% of applicants before a human ever sees a résumé. That’s not efficient; that’s exclusion. 2. Lack of Human Connection Digital systems have turned hiring into a transactional experience. Candidates are ghosted, sometimes after multiple interviews, even after verbal offers. According to Indeed, 40% report being ghosted after the second or third interview. That kind of treatment erodes trust, and reciprocation follows. 3. Unrealistic Job Requirements Some organizations still post "wish lists" instead of job descriptions. They want a unicorn, but offer a pony’s salary. The result? Positions go unfilled for months while teams limp along without support. 4. Shifting Worker Values More workers are stepping away for mental health, family, or freedom. Freelancing, entrepreneurship, and remote work are no longer side gigs but full-time realities. The traditional 9-to-5 model doesn’t inspire loyalty anymore. Where Do We Go from Here? We can’t teach our way out of a human problem. To move forward, we must restore connection, purpose, and adaptability to our approach: Real Conversations: Go beyond the bots. Bring back live interviews. Let people be people. Internal Development: Upskilling and reskilling aren’t just nice-to-haves but survival strategies. Better Candidate Experience: Timely feedback and transparent communication are the new currency of trust. Purposeful Flexibility: Hybrid or remote isn’t a perk. It’s a strategy to meet people where they are. This Isn’t a Pipeline Problem. It’s a People Problem. The bottom line? HR is changing. The old rules don’t apply, and neither should our old assumptions. To stay competitive, we must pivot toward people solutions strategies rooted in attraction, engagement, flexibility, and cost awareness. It’s time to stop thinking of hiring as a transaction and start seeing it for what it is: the beginning of a relationship. Let’s Rethink the Way We Work, Together If your organization feels the strain from empty seats, exhausted staff, or outdated hiring systems, there’s a way forward. And it starts with a conversation.