The Chatfield Group is helping TMA strengthen its partnership with Northern Illinois University College of Engineering & Engineering Technology (CEET) in order to support professional technical skills development and to gain access to talented new hires for TMA members. TMA, Illinois’ Premier Tooling & Manufacturing Association, hosted a table at the CEET Spring Job Fair with the support of TMA volunteers Chuck Klingler, Janler VP, and Patsy Svare, President of the Chatfield Group.

Patsy and Chuck spoke with more than 50 students who stopped by with resumes in hand. They talked up TMA as a 1,000-member association with great jobs for engineers. Said Chuck, “Just about anything being manufactured today has some connection to Chicago-area manufacturing companies. The best of those companies are members of TMA.”

The NIU CEET students are on their way to bachelors or masters degrees in the following majors:

• Electrical Engineering
• Industrial & Systems Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Technology

All of them are interested in employment as summer interns or as full-time employees; some expressed interest in jobs that continue through the school year. The students were encouraged to post their resumes on the TMA Job Board (accessible via TMAnet.com). In addition, the entire stack of resumes is available to TMA members electronically.

Businesses must make a commitment to engaging the future workforce. By hiring a new grad or a summer intern, you help a new professional gain practical manufacturing experience that grounds their education in workplace realities. For students who are undecided about going into manufacturing, a positive first work experience can make all the difference.

Just as importantly, your company will gain by investing in the training of our future professionals. Your current employees can serve as an experienced mentor and demonstrate their expertise to an eager new employee. Your current employees can learn some of the latest ideas being taught in engineering school. And, your current employees can adopt a sense of excitement about the future from interacting with a new professional.

Tags: Workforce Planning — Recruiting — Interviewing — Training — Employee Engagement

Dear Workforce:

Our company is undertaking a major reorganization exercise that will change the job responsibilities of most employees. No layoffs are planned, but some people may be rotated and tried in different positions. As a precursor, and to overcome resistance, I want to give employees a presentation on change management. How do I address employees' concerns? How do I identify the various aspects I ought to cover?

—Upheaval, manufacturing, Karachi, Pakistan

Dear Upheaval:

Changes of any sort--even positive changes--can send ripples of fear and resistance through your company, so preparing employees for anticipated changes is very wise. As a leader in your organization, keep three key principles in mind as you intervene throughout the change:

• Show empathy for employees’ concerns.
• Communicate openly and directly.
• Involve employees in decision-making.
  

As change begins, it is important to listen to, and show empathy for, employees’ fears and concerns. It helps to confront, and openly discuss, the organizational changes and why they have occurred. Help to identify continuities that balance losses, but be careful to avoid giving “pep talks” before people are ready for them. William Bridges, author of Transitions and a noted authority on change, defines three stages of adjustment that people generally go through during a major change, such as company reorganizations. The three stages--endings, neutral and beginnings--are illustrated below:
...Read More...

Tags: Dear Workforce — Employee Retention — Employee Engagement