The unique challenges of keeping younger employees happy, productive and engaged was the focus of a panel discussion that included four area business leaders.
The Seidman College of Business sponsored the forum to bring together experts to share their successful strategies for recruiting and retaining talent.
The event was held November 19 in Loosemore Auditorium on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Renee Tabben, director of Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in West Michigan, served as the moderator.
Claudia Montgomery, managing director at PwC and one of the panelists, said these are unique times navigating the working expectations of a multi-generation workforce.
"The workforce is dramatically changing and we are redefining work for the generations to come," Montgomery said. "This is a unique moment when four generations are working together and trying to understand each other."
Panelist Blake Krueger, CEO of Wolverine World Wide, said the expectations of Millennials, Gen Y and Gen Z impacted how his company operates.
"The younger generation wants more flexibility and a communal work environment," Krueger said. "Health and well-being is important to them. We put in an athletic facility at our Rockford campus with a track and weight room. We added on-site day care and doggie day care, which was the No.1 request in our employee satisfaction survey."
Khalilah Spencer, diversity and inclusion officer at Honigman law firm, said her company works with students to help them understand what a typical work day is like.
"We show them what it's really like to be a lawyer as opposed to what they see on TV. We talk about the education that is required and we show them all sides and facets of the industry and how to access schools," Spencer said.
Christina Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering, said manufacturing ranks last for jobs that interest high school students.
"We are partnering with local schools to involve students in internships and apprenticeships so they can understand manufacturing is about creating. They get excited about that," said Keller. "We also were one of the first to open our job searches to former felons and to those in poverty who are willing to dig in and learn and grow."
The event was sponsored by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Honigman, and PwC.
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