In a survey of Talent 2025 member employers early last year, companies were asked to identify a need they have regarding talent. The top two answers were the identification/communication of best practices for employers, as well as resources for attracting and retaining diverse talent.
By now these two needs should sound familiar. Between a low regional unemployment rate, a falling labor force participation rate, and over 18,000 job openings in West Michigan alone in January 2017 (The Conference Board, Help Wanted Online data series), employers are having unprecedented trouble locating the skilled workforce they need for success. In that same employer survey, not quite two-thirds of those who responded say they believe they are effective in attracting racial/ethnic minorities to their company.
In an effort to help publish best practices, news, data, and trends explored in the various Talent 2025 working groups, we have started this blog (and our corresponding social media efforts) to help make our knowledge and resources more accessible. Between our 12 working groups, which are co-chaired by our member CEOs, we gather the expertise and knowledge of dozens of local organizational partners, including civic organizations, nonprofits, K-12 and post-secondary educators, as well as leading staffing agencies and Human Resources managers all across West Michigan.
We believe that utilizing the problem-solving character built into our community can catalyze an aligned talent system, which will ensure an ongoing supply of world-class talent for West Michigan, and we believe that this blog can help us share the hard work of all our partners throughout the region.
