Navigating Talent, Technology, and Transparency in 2026

HR leaders today are caught between two powerful currents pulling in opposite directions. Budget pressures driven by economic uncertainty are making it harder to compete for skilled talent, while the rapid advance of AI and automation is raising the stakes for having the right people, with the right capabilities, in place. Getting this balance wrong can undermine an organization’s ability to compete.

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More Than Free Coffee: Benefits Employees Truly Value

With employee engagement at an all-time low and organizational budgets tightening, there has never been a more important time to reevaluate your employee benefits. What are you doing to show employees they are valued? Has it just been an occasional catered lunch or free coffee? Are they even interested in what you are offering? Making some small changes can help you use your benefits budget more wisely and offer things that actually contribute to employee satisfaction, and make employees’ lives easier.

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Do You Popcorn or Round Robin? Decoding Virtual Meeting Lingo

Virtual meetings have quietly built a language all their own, and once you notice it, you can’t unhear it. From quick handoffs to polite exits, these phrases act like shortcuts that keep conversations moving and everyone on the same page. What do these phrases actually mean? And how are they shaping the way we communicate and collaborate in virtual meetings?

One such term is “popcorn,” a facilitation style where a speaker selects the next person to contribute rather than relying on a fixed speaking order. For example, someone might say, “I’ll popcorn to Alex,” signaling a spontaneous handoff. This approach keeps discussions lively and encourages active listening, though it can sometimes catch participants off guard.

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The Small Business Briefing

We’ve got the pulse of small business. Tune in every Monday at 3pm ET for SBAM’s Small Business Briefing! Hosts Brian Calley and Sarah Miller bring you the latest news impacting Michigan small businesses.

Watch live on Facebook at 3PM or via Zoom.

2026 Upcoming Events

Michigan Celebrates Small Business 2026

Greater Lansing

April 21 & 22, 2026

O2O Marquette

Marquette

May 6, 2026

Register Now!

O2O Washtenaw

Ann Arbor

May 19, 2026

Register Now!

O2O Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo

June 2, 2026

Register Now!

O2O Great Lakes Bay

Bay City

July 23, 2026

Register Now!

Save the Date: Morgan Stanley Due Diligence for Professional Advisors

May 13, 2026

1:00 – 4:00 PM (happy hour to follow)

Birmingham Country Club

Professional advisors are invited to an interactive due diligence session hosted by Morgan Stanley, focused on collaborative planning strategies for complex client needs. Through real‑world case studies, the program will highlight practical approaches for serving business owners, multi‑generational families, and clients with stock compensation across a range of net worth’s.

The program will conclude with a networking happy hour, and CE credits will be available for CPAs. A full agenda and additional event details will be shared closer to the date.

Interested in attending?

Please save the date and RSVP to John Rogers, Financial Advisor, at john.g.rogers@morganstanley.com or via text at 248‑791‑4658.