The Consult

Each year, National Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday of March. In 2026, that happens to fall on March 6. It’s a day set aside for employers to recognize their teams, boost morale, and strengthen workplace culture through gratitude and connection.

At HRP, we value that tradition. And we also have a story that reflects how appreciation and connection have long been part of who we are.

To understand it, you have to go back to a Friday afternoon in 1992. Around 3:12 p.m., a few HRP engineers — Tom Seguljic and Doug Pelham — were feeling the weight of a busy week. Consulting work is demanding. Our time is our product, clients rely on us, and deadlines matter. They decided to step away for a short walk across Cooke Street to J. Timothy’s Taverne. After a quick break, a pint, and some conversation, they returned recharged and finished the day strong.

The following week, at about the same time, they went again — this time joined by Tad Goetcheus and Keith Ziobron. Before long, a simple Friday reset became a ritual. Every Friday at 3:12 p.m., a page would go out over the intercom — HRP’s own version of a bat signal. A small group would gather, step away from their desks, and share a moment of camaraderie before heading into the weekend.

That tradition became known simply as “3:12.” Today, it even lives on through 3:12 – The HRP Podcast. But more importantly, it represents something deeper about our culture: connection matters. Stepping away for a moment matters. The relationships we build at work matter.

As CEO Dan Titus puts it, “The work that we do — it’s consulting, time sold. You have to pay attention to your time and how it’s used. Clients are demanding. Any time-sold professional services job can be consuming and put strain on personal time.”

That reality makes appreciation more than just a nice gesture — it makes it essential.

Over the past 40+ years, HRP’s founders and leaders have understood the importance of celebration and connection. From legendary holiday parties and Thanksgiving gatherings to the return of the HRP football game, we’ve long believed that strong culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built intentionally. It evolves. It endures.

Now, as part of our 2026 strategic plan, elevating employee appreciation remains a priority. “We do a good job already,” Dan says. “The challenge is that it isn’t programmatic. We want to make sure everyone benefits across HRP. We’re working toward something broader, more sustainable, repeatable, and durable.”

That includes exploring new ways to recognize contributions, including new ideas like recognition “coins” that allow employees to acknowledge one another’s impact across offices and teams.

It also means investing in what our employees consistently tell us matters most.

“We work really hard to make work a little less work,” Dan says. “What we see in our employee satisfaction surveys is that people come to HRP and stay at HRP because they love the people they work with. People make friends here.”

Driving collegial engagement — through events, flexibility, mentorship, and career development opportunities — remains one of the critical success factors in our strategic plan.

So while we recognize National Employee Appreciation Day each March, the spirit behind “3:12” continues to remind us that taking a moment to connect can strengthen a team for years to come.