Navigating the Impact of Generative AI in Industrial and Manufacturing Companies

In recent years, the integration of generative AI tools into industrial and manufacturing settings has promised revolutionary changes in productivity and efficiency. However, despite widespread adoption, realizing significant productivity gains remains elusive. As more than half of employees worldwide […]

The Vital Role of Soft Skills in the Ever-Evolving Industrial and Manufacturing Workplace

In the rapidly advancing landscape of industrial and manufacturing companies, one thing remains constant: the importance of soft skills. While technology has transformed these sectors, human abilities like communication, problem-solving, and time management remain indispensable and essential for productivity, […]

Eliminating Toxic Behaviors: How To Build A Healthy Work Culture in the Industrial Space

Are you eliminating toxic behaviors in your workplace? A healthy and meaningful work culture is a powerful force that can propel your business to new heights. It fosters an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and engaged, resulting in […]

10 Keys to Success for Industrial and Manufacturing Employee Training

In the fast-paced and highly competitive world of industrial and manufacturing companies, employee training plays a pivotal role in ensuring operational efficiency, product quality, and overall success. Whether onboarding new hires, upskilling existing employees, or staying compliant with industry […]

How Industrial and Manufacturing Firms Can Create a People-Centered, Purpose-Driven Workplace Culture

Creating and maintaining a people-centered, purpose-driven workplace culture is crucial for industrial and manufacturing companies. Such a culture not only enhances employee satisfaction but also contributes to improved productivity, innovation, and overall success. Industrial and manufacturing companies can create […]

The Unique Challenges Industrial and Manufacturing Companies Face in Finding, Attracting, and Retaining Talent

According to a recent report from the UKG Workforce Institute, 76% of manufacturers face challenges in finding qualified workers despite production capacity and revenue improvements. The survey of over 300 manufacturing HR leaders revealed that filling open positions takes […]

Improving Industrial Employee Engagement: A Pathway to Enhanced Productivity and Retention

In industrial and manufacturing companies, where the synergy between human capital and operational efficiency is paramount, employee engagement stands out as a crucial determinant of success. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the pivotal role […]

The Importance of Development and Career Advancement in the Industrial Space

In the dynamic landscape of the industrial and manufacturing sectors, employees play a pivotal role in driving growth, innovation, and success. As the industrial space continues to evolve, companies recognize the value of investing in their workforce’s professional development […]

Fostering Psychological Safety at Work: Enhancing Well-Being and Performance

In today’s fast-paced industrial and manufacturing sectors, creating a workplace environment that prioritizes psychological safety at work is paramount. Psychological safety refers to the belief that one can express their ideas, take risks, and be their authentic self without […]

Understanding ‘Quiet Quitting’ in Industrial and Manufacturing Industries

Did you know that the industrial and manufacturing industries are two of the biggest industries in terms of employment? On a global scale, these sectors recruit tens of millions of employees every year. In 2023 alone, global apparel manufacturing […]

Improving Leadership Communication Skills in the Industrial and Manufacturing Industry

Anyone who has worked on a team understands that when there’s a breakdown in communication, a breakdown in performance quickly follows. And when industrial and manufacturing business leaders fail to properly communicate with their teams, the company’s success may […]

Gratitude In The Workplace: How It Can Reduce Employee Stress

Entrepreneur and author Richie Norton once said, “Express gratitude for the greatness of small things.” Being grateful in all aspects of life is important, but gratitude in the workplace is something that often goes overlooked. A workplace naturally leads […]

Addressing the Quiet Firing Trend In the Industrial Space

If getting fired is an employee’s nightmare, firing them is as big a nightmare for their employers. Therefore, to tackle the uneasiness that comes with the confrontational nature of terminating employees, the “quiet firing” trend has emerged. Highly problematic […]

Addiction In The Workplace: You Can’t Afford To Turn A Blind Eye

Dealing with addiction in the workplace has always been difficult, but spotting the signs of it was easier when you had all your people in the building. However, in our post-pandemic world where more and more people are working […]

Cybersecurity Awareness Training in the Workplace

We are living in an age of technology. With its overpowering grasp on nearly every aspect of our lives, technology is gradually becoming intertwined with our very existence. In such a scenario, “cybersecurity” has become a topic of great […]

Industrial Recruitment Trends for 2023

Modern-day recruitment is rapt in the technological evolution we all are witnessing and undergoing. While technology is blending with nearly all aspects of an industrial or manufacturing organization, recruitment is not untouched. Nowadays, recruitment is not about rummaging through […]

7 Hiring Tips for 2023 — and Beyond

Hiring the best of the best is every employer’s dream. A skilled workforce is one of the key drivers of a successful organization. But, it’s not always easy … especially in today’s competitive job market. That’s why you need […]

Why HR Management Is Key To Surviving a Recession and Other Uncertain Times

A recession can be an incredibly stressful time for working professionals. With a cloud of uncertainty looming over everyone, it is a testing time for employees, employers, and the overall economy. The Federal Reserve confirmed on July 28, 2022, […]

The Importance of Job Security and How to Create It in an Industrial Organization

The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way we think and live. Nowadays, employees and job seekers are more inclined toward job security than higher pay. They simply prefer the peace of mind that comes with a stable job. […]

Why Industrial Organizations Need to Master Upskilling and Reskilling

Are you upskilling and reskilling your employees? You should be, because it seems the “Great Resignation” isn’t ending anytime soon. Per a survey conducted by Microsoft in March 2022, 41% of employees were thinking about leaving their jobs. According […]

How Companies Can Win the Industrial Talent War

How is your organization faring in the industrial talent war? Companies around the world are learning to thrive and sustain amid uncertainties. They’re returning to normalcy and quickly adapting to scale their operations back to the pre-pandemic days. Here […]

The ‘Great Resignation’ and the ‘Great Reflection’ — And What it All Means for Industrial Staffing

You’ve probably heard a lot about the Great Resignation, where a large number of employees voluntarily quit their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while these resignations are continuing, a new era has been ushered in: the Great Reflection. […]

Career Development Strategies: How To Nurture the Future of Your Workforce

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and amid the organizational emergencies and layoffs, career development strategies have taken a back seat at several organizations, especially in the manufacturing and industrial world. During these uncertainties, companies focused primarily on […]

How To Understand and Address Your Company’s Workforce Skills Gap

As business models and technologies are rapidly evolving, organizations need to carefully assess and evaluate their workforce skills gap. Even though the key drivers of productivity, profitability and growth in an industrial or manufacturing organization are efficient machinery and […]

Employee Communication: Are You Delivering Irrelevant or Frustrating Information to Your People?

How is employee communication at your organization? You may think you’re reaching your employees in the right way, but it’s possible you have team members who feel they’re not getting the info they need. In an increasingly digitized world, […]

Manufacturing Jobs: Why Everybody Is Hiring But Nobody’s Getting Hired

Even though the US is beginning to recover from the economic hardships caused by COVID-19, many industrial employers are struggling to fill open manufacturing jobs. If you look at the situation from a job seeker’s perspective, they feel they’re […]

How Your Internal Communication Methods Impact Your Company Culture

Per research by McKinsey, the manufacturing industry contributes approximately 16% of global GDP every year and covers approximately 14% of global employment. The sector is flourishing; however, there’s one thing common among most manufacturing companies in the world — […]

Boosting Employee Retention in Industrial and Manufacturing Organizations

Employee turnover has been on the rise in industrial and manufacturing organizations. Since the beginning of 2014, the rate of employee turnover in the manufacturing sector has slowly increased; it was close to 16.1% in 2021. Even though the […]

Team Building Activities for Remote Workers

According to the Pew Research Center’s report on How the Coronavirus Has Impacted the Way Americans Work, 71% of employed adults are currently working from home. Not only this but more than 50% of them say they would like […]

Employee Recognition Programs: Are You Giving Employees What They Really Want?

In today’s competitive environment, attracting and retaining employees is a top priority.  This is where Employee Recognition programs can help. In addition, they are also proven to boost employee engagement and productivity. According to Gallup’s research, one of the […]

Top 7 Benefits of Video Interviews

Research shows that 60% of HR managers use video interviews in the hiring process. Advancements in technology have made the video interview process smoother and more streamlined for both the candidate and interviewer. Video interviews have become popular over […]

The Role of Peer Reviews in Performance Evaluations

Organizations use performance evaluation as a strategy to bolster employee performance and improve their productivity. They also are always looking for newer, effective ways to collect employee feedback. This is where the role of peer reviews comes into the […]

Post-COVID Recruiting: How Organizations Can Deal with More Jobs and Fewer Candidates

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic literally shook the US economy. Per the Economic Policy Institute, it’s estimated that the pandemic could eliminate over 3 million jobs. Needless to say, post-COVID recruiting is going to look completely different than in […]

Top Employee Wellness Benefits for Any Organization

Employee wellness benefits can benefit both employees and employers. Research reveals that organizations with highly impactful and employee-friendly health and wellness benefits have 40% more chances of reporting greater financial performance than organizations with less impactful health and wellness […]

Mandatory COVID Vaccines: What Employers Need to Know

Ever since the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines, many employers — especially those in the industrial sector where people often work near each other in close quarters — have been debating whether or not to require employees to get the […]

What Is ‘Safety Third’ and Is It Right for Your Company and Industry?

You’ve always heard, “safety first,” but is it better to think “safety third”? As you well know, a typical industrial or manufacturing workspace represents several hazardous situations, and workers are exposed to risks, both predictable and unpredictable. According to […]

Leadership Qualities: Are You a Good Boss?

Have you noticed a change in your team’s behavior or productivity? Is your patience getting shorter and shorter? Are you unhappy about leading a team? Are you giving your best as a manager but unable to generate the results […]

What You Need to Know About the Illinois Minimum Wage Increase

On February 19, 2020, the Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzer, signed a bill that set the Illinois minimum wage on a path to reach $15 per hour by 2025. The year 2020 witnessed a $2 hike in the hourly […]

6 Reasons Why Employees Leave Companies

According to data shared by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, every month, approximately 3 million Americans quit their jobs, leaving many employers wondering why employees leave. When good employees leave, colleagues struggle, morale suffers, and productivity sinks. Not […]

The Salary History Ban — Everything Employers Need to Know

If you are an HR manager or responsible for hiring in your organization, you should know what a salary history ban is and how it can impact your hiring process. Local and state governments are increasingly adopting laws that […]

The Benefits of Hiring Military Veterans and Spouses

Hiring military veterans and spouses can add considerable value to your business. They bring desirable skills, qualities, and values that can have a positive impact on the workforce. However, both military veterans and spouses are often overlooked when it […]

What Illinois Employers Need to Know About the Workplace Transparency Act

The Workplace Transparency Act (WTA) is a significant development for both Illinois employers and employees. As an employer in Illinois, you must understand the nitty-gritty of the bill and assess how it can impact your business. Here’s what you […]

Industrial Training: How Mentorships Could Fill the Skills Gap

No matter what industry you’re in, having a flow of knowledgeable, well-trained employees is key. This has become a challenge across the board — and especially in companies that require industrial training — as the workforce has seen a […]

What Does Employee Happiness Mean for Your Business?

While we live in a time of increasing technology, businesses are still highly dependent on humans; in fact, people are central to the future of work. As such, keeping those humans happy is central to the success of every business. […]

How to Maintain Clear Communication with Generation Z Employees

While Generation X was the generation that rode the first wave of digital communication – emailing with America Online and chatting via Instant Messenger – the generations that came since have cemented digital communication as a necessity both at […]

Now Is the Time to Build Your Brand Advocacy Program

It doesn’t matter whether you are a food manufacturer or a distributor of electronic equipment: you want your organization’s brand to be recognizable and well received in the marketplace. To help achieve this status, along with a solid marketing […]

Uber Freight and Amazon Logistics — How Are They Affecting the Transportation Industry?

Uber Freight and Amazon Logistics are trying to make transportation more efficient, but they are also affecting businesses already in the transportation industry. Amazon and Uber are working on changing the way freight is moved by eliminating the middlemen […]

Coronavirus – Our Measures for Keeping Employees and Clients Safe

Last week we implemented plans to help ensure that all of our employees and job candidates are protected while in our office. The measures we’ve taken throughout our 7 locations include: Distributing educational information from the CDC, in English […]

How is Legalized Marijuana in Illinois Affecting the Workforce?

In the wake of the recently-passed Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA), legalized marijuana in Illinois has led many organizations to change their workplace drug policies. Employees can now consume legalized recreational marijuana — and they could be doing […]

Manufacturing Communication: How to Communicate with Industrial Workers

Communication is one of the most critical aspects of a workplace. It is especially critical in an environment that focuses primarily on productivity and human effort. Manufacturing communication can have an enormous impact on the efficiency of industrial workers […]

Achieving Work/Life Balance for Industrial Workers

Work/life balance is a phrase that gets discussed a lot these days, with everyone searching for the perfect way to walk the tightrope between being successful on the job and taking enough time for self and family. Is the […]

Flexible Work Scheduling: Can It Work for Industrial Jobs?

Today, competition in the workforce is fierce – not just between potential hires to get the best jobs, but also between businesses to score the best workers. Lots of companies are offering benefits such as flexible scheduling to help […]

Why Humans Are Central to the Future of Work

According to the 2019 International Employee Survey Report, humans — not robots — are central to the future of work. Despite the talks around artificial intelligence (AI) and robots replacing humans at workplaces, companies are exploring opportunities to make […]

Do Candidates Need a Cell Phone When Applying for a Job?

With the increasing popularity of the internet as an important resource for job hunting, smartphones have become a critical tool for finding and applying for jobs. Almost two-thirds of Americans now have smartphones, and for many, they are a […]

Illinois Marijuana Legalization and How It Impacts Companies

If there’s one thing that made headlines during the 2016 polls — apart from the Presidential election — it was the legalization of marijuana in various forms. Several states held votes to determine the future of legal marijuana in […]

China and Manufacturing Tariffs — How They Are Affecting Manufacturers

If you’re a manufacturer, you’re surely thinking about China and manufacturing tariffs. China’s decision to have their own tariffs on American goods after the Trump administration imposed three rounds of tariffs on over $250 billion worth of Chinese goods […]

Temp, Contract, and Direct — Understanding Employment Types

In the complex labor market, hiring managers typically have three employment types to choose from — temporary hires, contract-to-hire, and direct hires. By getting different types of hires on board, organizations can fulfill their staffing requirements during economic turmoil […]

Recruiting Manufacturing Employees: How to Find Top Talent

In spite of the widespread belief that manufacturing jobs are disappearing, many manufacturers are actually facing a worker shortage. Sound like your company? If so, you’re probably looking for new and innovative ways of recruiting manufacturing employees. The staffing shortage […]

Managing Staffing Shortages in a Challenging Labor Market

Now more than ever, good help is hard to find. A lack of qualified candidates is leading to serious consequences for many businesses, making managing staffing shortages a key component to organizations of all shapes and sizes. A recent […]

The Importance of Past Job History in Industrial Candidates

As a staffing and recruiting firm specializing in working with industrial companies, we know that hiring new employees can be a long and arduous process. It’s essential, however, that employers do their due diligence and learn about each candidate’s […]

Drug Testing Trends for 2019

A comprehensive drug testing program can help businesses promote a safer workplace and aid a productive work environment. Research shows that regular workplace drug screening can discourage drug use among employees. Drug testing can also have positive effects on […]

Cybersecurity FAQs – What You Need to Know

There is no denying that cyber-attacks present a grave danger to organizations and employees. With the growing dependence on technology to help store vital information, any cyber-attack can destroy a thriving business and harm a person’s reputation and personal […]

Why Workplace Safety Is So Important

Employees today want more than a workstation or cubicle. They need flexibility and good benefits, of course, but what’s the most important thing they demand? Workplace safety. To cater to the needs of today’s workforce, developing a comprehensive health […]

The Keys to Finding Talented Interns

For businesses both large and small, staffing can be a constant challenge. You want to build your staff so that your goals are being met and all tasks covered, but you also want to hire the right people. This […]

Saving Time and Money with Pre-Employment Physicals for Temp Workers

Employers in manufacturing, distribution, trucking, or similar industries must do more than find job applicants with the experience or skill set to perform necessary jobs. To keep a stellar safety record and reduce turnover, it’s also essential to hire […]

How to Express Your Gratitude to Employees This Holiday Season

By Julie Reimer, Marketing and Branding Specialist, HALO Branded Solutions The giving of gifts is an important part of the human experience. The act of giving helps define our relationships, strengthens our bonds and reinforces our feelings toward the […]

Contributor’s Perspective: The Cost of Living, Wages and Unemployment

By Peter Chung A few months ago, I turned 40. I was at the airport by myself, eating bad Chinese food, working on a client presentation. My thoughts wandered to what life was like 40 years ago vs. today. […]

What to Expect from a Staffing Agency

Several times a month we meet with companies of all sizes and types that for the first time are considering engaging with a staffing agency to fill their open positions. Sometimes the employer has one full-time opening; sometimes they […]

Should You Outsource Your Hiring?

If you’ve always handled hiring in-house but the process – and/or the results – haven’t been as seamless or effective as you would like, it’s a good idea to consider outsourcing this responsibility. Plus, while outsourcing does add a […]