America’s education and workforce systems are failing to keep pace with the economy and the new skill sets it requires. The ‘skills gap’ is the disconnect between what skills employers need and what prospective employees are prepared to do. We have people without jobs and jobs that can’t find the right people U.S. employers are increasingly reporting problems finding qualified workers. A poll of 500 American executives by staffing solutions company Adecco found that 92 percent of executives believe there is a serious gap in workforce skills, and nearly 50 percent are struggling to fill jobs. In manufacturing alone, more than 75 percent of manufacturers report a moderate-to-severe shortage of skilled workers, according to a recent study by Accenture and the Manufacturing Institute.
Read More →Managing an Inter-generational Workforce
At the American Manufacturing Summit, Dirk Hilgenberg, VP, Assembly at BMW, shared this chart showing changes in the composition of the civilian labor force from 2004 to 2024. As you can see, the population of workers age 25-34 will remain relatively stable, there will be a decline in those aged 45-54, but as some people live and work longer, there will actually be an increase of those aged 65 and older in the workforce. The result, Hilgenberg says, is that by 2024, we will have three generations of workers on the shop floor with completely different value sets, interests, and abilities. This represents a huge challenge for leadership, team dynamics, and incentives.
Read More →New Year’s Resolutions: Create Successful Teams and a Sound Strategy
Dan Key, SVP, Operations & Supply Chain at Axalta Coating Systems spends a lot of time analyzing successful teams and how they win. He has found that many of them have similar characteristics. They have a system, they hire people that fit that system, and they develop that system over time. They mix A+ players with a lot of B players that know their role in the organization. They’re not afraid to let people go (not even the A+ talent), but rather see it as an opportunity to change and improve. They define a sound strategy that everyone on the team can understand. As we make our New Year’s resolutions to improve our organizations in 2018, consider some of Key’s tips to creating successful teams and a sound strategy.
Read More →Millennials Don’t Want to Work at Google?
3M knows a thing or two about attracting Millennials to the workforce! In 2016 they took the number one spot from Google as a preferred workplace for millennials, according to an NSHSS (National Society of High School Scholars) survey published in Forbes magazine. In light of this success, we are thrilled to have David Kadrie, VP, Lean Six Sigma join us at the upcoming American Supply Chain Summit to discuss the best strategies to attract and retain millennial talent. In addition to their success managing the skills gap, 3M recently announced better than expected quarterly profits in January due to cost containment efforts. David has led an innovative team through their restructuring efforts to lower operating expenses and achieve better than expected results. What are you doing on April 24th – 25th? Join us for the American Supply Chain Summit in Orlando, Florida to hear first-hand case studies and strategies from some of the world’s leading practitioners!
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