THE WORKFORCE DILEMMA

Presented by: Dawn Baetsen October, 2014

Youth Vs

Incumbents

Education &

Business

Collaboration &

Solutions

Q & A

Workforce Demand

Workforce Supply

Is it short supply or special demands?

Skills Gap (specialized vs. generalized)

U.S. – generalized workforce perceived as huge skills gap

U.S. companies want specialized, workers want mobility

Germany – specialized workforce but still feel a skills gap

With specializing - workers feel pigeonholed are not mobile

Company Culture and the “right fit” – critical for new

workforce

Generational Issue with Incumbent & New Workforce

4 generations of workers under one roof

Lack of succession planning

Solving the Skills Gap!

The German Model

Partners are Equally Engaged

Early engagement with youth

Robust Apprenticeship Program

Cluster Strategies – E.D. with W.D. with Private

Apprenticeships – but where are the jobs?

Wisconsin & Georgia do it with some subsidy

A student choice; up to 4,000 in WI/>6,000 in GA

Must have willing employers paying at least

minimum wage

Dual traditional H.S. & Work earning $$, job skills,

and some college credit

Solving the Skills Gap!

Established Manufacturer recognizes growing skills gap and

aging workforce - MO

Recruitment issues: electro-mechanical technicians

Purchasing new equipment required knowledge of managing

maintenance – needed several technicians – no luck

Solution: Become active in training next generation of workers

Home grown apprenticeship program

3 apprentices to learn and manage maintenance of recent investment

Identified STEM students through local schools

Active in building Manufacturing Professional Craft recruitment

programs

Recruiting for Skills – Case Study

Skilled Trades Issues – Aerospace – Training Grant

Technical & Workplace competencies the issue with hires

Solution: Skills training to match jobs that exist

Required collaboration with education and intense

evaluation of current educational courses by the company

Onsite review of classes, machines, certification programs

with two way discussion of recommended changes – ensures

training grant is not used for foundational skills

Ensure training grant is used for customized job specific to

company awarded whether customized classroom or OJT

Retention is Critical

• Your best selling feature is your existing employees – as they thrive so does the company!

• Why are they successful & happy?

• How do you currently recruit?

• Why do people leave?

• Why do people stay?

• Candidate face to Employee face is a good start for recruiting and hiring talent

Recruitment & Retention

American Medical Association

Foster meaningful work

Improve workplace partnerships

Broaden the base - diversity

Collaborate with others

Build societal support

AMA Recruitment & Retention Cases

“Attending RN” – evening/weekends make rounds with attending physician to manage patient clinical needs (Fosters meaningful work)

“No secrets culture” - information sharing; financials, satisfaction & quality, strategies, legislative; staff have a voice (Improves workplace partnerships)

Home ownership/financing resources become part of benefits package (Improves workplace partnerships)

Diversity training, internships/summer development programs, Diversity Forum build leadership, scholarships to minorities for health care industry (Broadens the base – diversity)

Instead of competing for employees – partner with others for teams serving several locations; i.e. ICU Nursing Resource Network; rural hospitals teaming up to share staff, administrative and equipment; hospitals & public schools for Health Industry Academy (Collaborate with others)

Government works to address regulations which serve as roadblocks for expanding the workforce (Builds societal support)

What are your assets?

Assets and Strengths

Define your skill sets functional vs. job specific

It is key to find out what is important to your employees and recruits

Build on your strengths – Target candidates to those assets and strengths

Know your weaknesses and be able to respond

What are you doing about it?

What are your options and alternatives?

Understanding Your Company

Recruitment & Retention Cases

Tech Company once considered a start-up, nearly 100 employees – 60% turnover annually

First impression with new HR Director: no structure, no processes

1st program: Employee Survey – open ended to get best overall perception of company and what they could do better

Employees in the dark about benefits like profit sharing incentive pay, what was expected of them, how to move to a different position or department, etc.

1st Recommendation – Coaching Managers then Coaching Employees

Move management away from start-up mentality, transition from looking for talent outside to promoting from within

Coach employees and help good performers to move and help poor performers to improve

Entry-level help desk highest turnover – address where they would like to be – help them others observe

Track Performance – 90 day review compiling results in a data bank or performance management system, note employee goals for next few years; “invest in performance” rather than completing an employee review

Make pay levels data driven instead of “fair” salary – a competitive salary based on demographic pay which can be defended to employees

Results: Current turnover is 15% annually within 3 years

Contract Manufacturing Solution!

Contract Manufacturing – Small Start-up Specialty Apparel

Issue: Design in-house but lack in-house manufacturing

skill sets

Forging titanium, injection molding, complex sewing

Solution: Contract manufacturing to strict specifications

Located companies specializing in skills absent in-

house

Results: Efficiencies, improved product turnaround time,

high quality product, more nimble to pursue wider

range of products

Research for Recruitment

Knowledge of Your Business Inside & Out

Internal perceptions from leadership, business, employees

External perceptions – what would a business or candidate find on the internet about your business, your C-level, your employees.

How did competitors or suppliers find the right employees?

How do you fit in with state and regional workforce efforts

What makes your business unique and employees wanting to work for you

How to find and use them – Participate!

The state and regional groups – imperative!

Other community groups

Education institutions - imperative

Chambers of Commerce / local and foreign

Industry Associations

Others

Partners

Recruitment Case

Design and Assembly of Materials Movement Systems

Issue: Recruiting and hiring 500 engineers for expansion

project WOW!

Incentivized by state and local government

Solution: Recession advantages go to layoff regions

Work with state, regional and workforce agencies

Locate onsite offices at major engineering schools hire

interns

Key: flexible locations, work from home, work from school,

work from satellite offices

Results: 1st year ineligible couldn’t reach minimum 50; 417 to

date in years 2 and 3 of project

18

Finding and Knowing your strengths/assets

Identifying weaknesses

Track & Evaluate People – Use the Data!

Collaborate with Education & Trade Groups

Work with Regional & State Workforce Agencies

Educate Education! Outline functional vs job specific skills

Keys to Success

Q & A

Dawn Baetsen

(616) 301-5980

dawn.baetsen@debaetsen.com