Society is currently experiencing “The Great Resignation,” and it only continues to be exasperated by the pandemic. Yet, for many industries, building safety especially, this is not a new phenomenon. In fact, for the skilled trades like construction, the shortage of incoming talent...

One of my clients’ most often asked questions is, “How exactly do we track and implement an incentive program?” Most companies are willing to pay their manufacturing employees more wages (incentives) based on greater output. Yet, the vast majority of wood truss component...

When a candidate interviews with a company, they expect tough questions to determine their fit for the position. Employers want to know if the candidate has the skills, experience, and desire to fulfill their needs, both short and long term. The candidate should be frank about their abilities as...

Even before the coronavirus pushed it into the stratosphere – setting record new highs – the housing market was experiencing one of the largest booms in the country’s history. From 2012 until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. housing market had risen more than 50%,...

All industries are filled with a colorful cast of characters — but it is how you remember them and how you learn from them that will make a difference in an industry’s continuing trajectory. In this month’s issue, we are able to remember a legend as we look forward to our...

Building a strong employer/employee relationship is probably one of the biggest challenges that leaders face in any organization. I have never met any manager or leader of any company who does not want to improve in this area. There are so many books, seminars, and other resource materials...

Last month’s article, “Record-Breaking EBITA Exceeded Mid-Twenties for Many Component Manufacturing for 2021,” mentioned a key factor of making best-in-class profits: the highest performers have very low employee turnover and vacancies. Creating a stable and proficient...

Previously, we’ve reviewed the top manufacturers’ defects according to a survey of In-house inspections. (See my April 2020 article, “How Do Your Manufacturing Errors Rank on the List?”, for the top ten items and ways to correct them.) While wane in the plated area topped...

For many of us, one of our favorite parts of childhood was playing in sports. It taught us many lessons about life, including teamwork, sportsmanship, competition, and being the best you can be each day. Every day on the playground, at every elementary school I ever went to, the first thing...

Are Companies Missing the Boat? As a recruiter, I talk to a lot of employers. Not just to get job orders and discuss candidates, I want to hear about the challenges they have with retaining employees in the long term and how they address those challenges. Because I look at both sides of the...