top of page


5 Small Shifts That Transform Company Culture
intentional shifts can transform your company culture. Learn five practical ways to build trust, consistency, and authentic connection in your small business—without expensive programs or empty slogans.
Marie Rolston
2 hours ago3 min read


When the CEO Is the Toxic Employee
When the CEO is the toxic employee, what can HR really do?
How to recognize the warning signs, protect your credibility, and navigate the impossible balance of leading culture when the problem starts at the top.
Marie Rolston
Nov 33 min read


When Culture Becomes Cake: How HR Can Reset the Meaning of Engagement
When HR gets stuck planning cupcakes instead of building culture, everyone loses. In this episode, we unpack why small businesses confuse “fun” with culture,and how HR can reclaim its time and purpose.

Marie Rolston
Oct 273 min read


How HR Leaders Can Explain Pay Adjustments Without Losing Trust
Learn how to communicate pay adjustments with clarity and confidence. This guide for HR leaders provides scripts, key talking points, and strategies to explain salary changes, whether employees are above or below range, without losing trust or credibility.
Marie Rolston
Oct 203 min read


5 Signs You’ve Outgrown Your HR Spreadsheet
I started my career in big business HR, 7,000+ employees across retail, HQ operations, and distribution. We had software for everything. Need a report? Click a button. Want to track something? There was a system for it. But when I shifted into small business HR, it was a whole different story. Suddenly, I didn’t know how to get the information I needed to make decisions. I’d basically forgotten most of my Excel skills (and honestly, I never loved spreadsheets to begin with).
Marie Rolston
Oct 133 min read


Why Do People Say ‘Don’t Trust HR’?
The Truth Behind “HR Is Not Your Friend” Most HR leaders have heard the refrain: Don’t trust HR. HR isn’t your friend. HR only cares...
Marie Rolston
Oct 63 min read


Performance Reviews Aren’t Enough: What Every Small Team Needs Instead
Most small teams still rely on annual performance reviews. Once a year, everyone sits down, talks through the past twelve months, and...

Marie Rolston
Sep 294 min read


When No Candidate Feels Good Enough: How to Coach Hiring Managers with Unrealistic Expectations
Hiring is already hard enough without adding perfectionism into the mix. But every HR pro eventually runs into the manager who just can’t...
Marie Rolston
Sep 224 min read


What to Do When Managers Won’t Own HR Responsibilities (and Expect You to Fix Everything)
Earlier this year I shared some thoughts on how to train your managers to pick up their share of the HR load. Things like handling...
Marie Rolston
Sep 153 min read


Never Promise “Confidentiality” in an Investigation
Investigations can make or break trust in your workplace—and one of the biggest mistakes HR or managers make is promising “confidentiality.” This guide walks you through why that’s a risk, and shows you exactly what to say and do instead. Inside, you’ll find a step-by-step playbook with real scripts, activity sheets, escalation guidelines, and communication templates to help you handle investigations with discretion, neutrality, and consistency_Never Promise “Confidentiality…

Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


Employee Behavior Coaching
Addressing workplace behavior issues doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. This guide gives managers practical strategies to handle tough conversations with clarity and confidence, without escalating tension or hurting morale.
Daniel Jimenez
Sep 121 min read


Low-Key Strategy: Train Managers to Handle Basic Employee Relations
If your managers freeze the moment someone says, “Can we talk?”, this PDF is for you. The Low-Key Strategy: Train Managers to Handle Basic Employee Relations guide gives managers confidence with practical, lightweight tools they can actually use—like one-pagers for handling performance or behavior issues, sample scripts for tough conversations, simple checklists for documenting problems, and decision trees for when to loop in HR.
Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


How Often Should You Update Your Employee Handbook
Handbook template
Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


Quick Guide: What Needs to Go in an Offer Letter
Quick Guide: What to Include in an Offer Letter Extending an offer should be exciting, not stressful. This quick guide shows you exactly what to include (and what to leave out) so your offer letters are clear, professional, and legally sound.
Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


HIRING AND RECRUITING
Hiring + Recruiting Guide

Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


Benefits Guidebook
Benefits Guide Book
Daniel Jimenez
Sep 121 min read


HR Audit Checklist
HR Audit

Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


HR Roadmap for Growing Businesses: What to Build and When
HR Roadmap for Growing Businesses

Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


Payroll & Tax Compliance Checklist for Small Employers (1-500 employees)
Payroll + Tax Compliance
Marie Rolston
Sep 121 min read


One Small HR Shift That Could Change Your Entire Quarter
When you work in HR for a small employer, the list of “things that need to be fixed” can feel endless. Payroll processes need tightening....
Marie Rolston
Aug 193 min read

Take a Look
© 2025 Acacia HR Solutions
Have any questions?
Please don’t hesitate to
call at 877-829-MYHR
Got something to share?
Ping us at info@acaciahrsolutions.com
Check us out
bottom of page
