Based on our own internal data, both direct hire and temporary job growth for industrial truck operators in distribution centers has nearly doubled in some key markets, and hourly pay rates have risen as much as 50%. Furthermore, Indeed recently saw a 6% spike in forklift operator job postings spread out across the country. With package delivery booming, the hiring companies expect certified, safety-minded candidates to fill these roles.

New Collaboration

That’s why the Adecco Group Foundation US partnered with our client—a luxury home goods brand—to invest in innovative forklift training. The client had a high demand for forklift drivers and high expectations for their performance. And the candidates had a strong desire for advanced training in order to feel confident as they started their new careers. It made perfect sense to combine our own training acumen with the virtual reality experience.

New Training

Speaking of virtual reality, what a way to train people! Not only is it engaging and enjoyable, it provides a very real—yet not quite real—environment. The client’s Adecco associates sat in a real forklift and used the controls to conduct all sorts of maneuvers in a virtual warehouse. They familiarized themselves with the machine’s nuances and safety measures. And a Raymond employee was on hand the entire time to answer questions and ensure the technology ran smoothly.

Learn more about the training and listen to the impact it made by watching our mini documentary.

New Impact

The associates gained confidence, ramped up quickly, appreciated the investment in their development, increased their earning potential, and added a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification to their resumes. The client increased early retention, maintained productivity, improved inventory management efficiencies, and enhanced workplace safety. A true win-win.

“Totally, it helped me out… it got me ready for the job. The main key is safety. I feel like I’m ready and I can operate a forklift.”

-Armando, Adecco Associate

“I definitely see the excitement in my associates. Being able to tell them that they’ve been hand selected from their leadership (for this training)… it was pretty awesome to see their reactions.”

-Cynthia, Onsite Supervisor at Adecco

It’s success stories like these that continue to push the Foundation forward. Whether it’s certifying forklift drivers, assisting athletes with career transitions, or helping veterans enter the civilian workforce, the march continues on.

Get in touch with your local Adecco team to discuss custom training, onboarding, and HR solutions for your unique workforce needs.

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The post Innovation at its Finest: Upskilling Workers with Virtual Reality appeared first on Paragon Strategic Staffing.

Every year in September, we join together to celebrate National Staffing Employee Week. This is the perfect opportunity to recognize our temporary and contract employees with a few shout-outs – but it’s about so much more, especially now.

This National Staffing Employee Week marks roughly a year and a half since the start of the pandemic, and as a company and a country, we would not have been successful without the hard work of millions of temporary workers across the US.

Hosted by the American Staffing Association, this week is marked by events thrown by employers and staffing agencies as a way to honor the millions of temporary workers across the US. At Adecco, we’re not ones to overlook the monumental contributions of our associates, particularly when so many have stepped up in an uncertain time. Nearly 16 million people are hired in a temporary role each year, and they enter into industries as diverse as manufacturing, retail, and healthcare.

Why does temporary work matter?

As the economy, supply chains, consumer habits, and government regulations evolved, the need for a more flexible workforce was top of mind for many companies. From mom-and-pop shops to international corporations, we connected our associates to every type of role, from graphic designer to commercial driver, from HR administrator to operations manager.

However, temporary staffing has provided a massive benefit to workers as well, especially those whose industries took a hit during the pandemic. According to the American Staffing Association, 6 in 10 say they pursued temporary positions to help cover gaps in their resume or to try landing a permanent gig. It allows the opportunity for them to quickly build up their experience, in addition to getting their foot in the door in new industries and new companies.

As businesses make headway in recovering from the pandemic, temporary jobs have offered parents, caregivers, and others who left the workforce for personal reasons a way to reenter their fields. (This is when an agency like Adecco can be a big help: In addition to faster placements, we can support job candidates with dusting off their resumes and preparing for the interviewing process.)

Plus, there’s the flexibility, one of the key benefits cited by temporary workers (1 in 5, according to the American Staffing Association). It might be the opportunity to pursue a role that lines up with their long-term goals. But it might also be the flexibility to find a position that meets their short-term needs, like making a few additional deposits to their bank accounts.

So this week, don’t forget to recognize the temporary and contract associates who are making a difference at your organization, or learn more about how pursuing temporary work can benefit your career.

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From CEOs to managers to new hires, many of us are re-evaluating what’s important in our work. According to just released Adecco research, two in five of white-collar workers said they are considering a career change, and 75% said that a job with a clear sense of purpose is important to them. Today, leaders have an amazing opportunity to reimagine work and reconnect fragmented workforces.

So, what does it mean to define “the purpose” for your organization and for your employees?

Corporate purpose is your core reason for being – beyond profits. It’s not a vague idea, it’s a business’s unique and positive impact on society. At Google, it’s “to organize the world’s information.” At Unilever, “it’s to make sustainable living commonplace.” At Adecco, we’re “making the future work for everyone.”

Having a strong corporate purpose can be a game-changer for today’s burned out, disconnected employees. Those who live their purpose at work are healthier, more productive, and more engaged. Research has found that people are five times more excited to work at a company that takes time to reflect on how they’re contributing to the world.

Learn how leaders can ignite their company’s purpose and help employees find meaning in their daily work.

Reframe work

Employees may not always feel inspired, but it’s important to focus on the impact their work has on their community and the world at large. For example, front-line store workers, delivery drivers, and blue-collar workers continue to play a critical role in the pandemic and our economy. For many, what kept them going was the realization: “If I wasn’t here, who would be here providing this essential service?”

Spread the word

Your message starts with onboarding, but it shouldn’t end there. Invest in intensive cultural orientation for all new colleagues, and continue to reinforce your purpose through employee communications, town hall meetings, and team-building activities. That’s why managers and leaders need to be fully engaged with your organization’s purpose. They set the tone by encouraging ownership and celebrating employees who are putting in the work.

Put purpose before pay

Framing work as something that’s purely transactional will trigger your staff to work on only the most measurable – and rewardable – activities. Pay remains hugely important, and when you ask your employees what motivates them, they’ll probably talk about pay and benefits, too. However, retention doesn’t mean engagement. A quick salary bump won’t necessarily motivate an already disconnected employee. Refocus your investments on helping your employees feel a part of the bigger picture and reach their potential through skills and career development opportunities (Upskilling concerns are a big part of the ‘great re-evaluation’ for employees).

Lead with purpose

Workers continue to trust companies the most to deliver on building a better working world, according to our new global report. Yet, satisfaction with leadership is low, as are perceptions around company culture. When your purpose messaging doesn’t match your senior leadership’s behavior, people smell the hypocrisy and become skeptical. The decisions leaders make during this crisis will shape employee engagement – and your business’ identity – in a way that will long outlast this pandemic.

For more insights on the complex, unfolding issues shaping our working world – including purpose and remote employee engagement – visit our freshly launched Resetting Normal: Defining The New Era Of Work.

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Despite all the talk of automation eating up jobs, US manufacturing is expected to have 2.1 million unfilled vacancies by 2030. At the same time, pandemic-driven market fluctuations and supply chain disturbances mean that more and more companies are opening up well-paid, purposeful jobs for American workers.

To seize these opportunities, manufacturers need to start creating new career paths today. That begins with carefully mapping current and future skills requirements, from today’s blue-collar workers to the engineers and data scientists driving manufacturing’s digital future. And that means reskilling and reemploying their workforces, fast. Here’s our lowdown on how to do just that:

Cultivate highly transferable skills to make your workforce ‘disruption proof’

The pandemic hit some sub-sectors of manufacturing harder than others. For example, we saw demand surges for firms dealing in fitness gear, sanitization, and air filtration, and sharp downturns for commercial aerospace or heavy equipment. So how can manufacturers stay nimble and ready to pivot their offering in line with future market lunges? Well, across sub-sectors, today’s manufacturing jobs are increasingly high-tech, blending traditional competencies like welding and machining with cutting-edge digital know-how. That’s why we recommend building standardized skills around lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and quality control, in addition to disruptive manufacturing technologies, from AI and wearable tech, to 3D printing, robotics, and virtual reality. Technology holds the key to building a disruption-proof workforce – even for hiring. We harness AI and data-driven solutions to help our manufacturing customers solve their staffing problems.

Tap into skills from non-traditional talent pools

Manufacturers must move faster to foster more inclusive workforces if they are to close the skills gap. Upskilling multiple generational segments of the workforce is just one compelling opportunity. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that around 25% of America’s workers will be age 55 and older by 2026, yet only 3.3% of all apprentices were over 50. The reality of America’s ageing workforce demands that manufacturers embrace up-skilling or re-skilling older workers, especially through apprenticeships, if they are to have a sustainable talent strategy.

Reskilling workers from other sectors is other great source of new people and competencies, with 16% of new hires in US manufacturing already coming from outside the sector, according to PwC research. Hundreds of thousands of people in occupations like catering or travel were left out of work by the pandemic and could be re-skilled for in-demand manufacturing roles like welding, machining, and fabrication. And in our article on upskilling and reskilling for the top competencies in the post-Covid era, we argue that customer service, emotional intelligence, and other softer skills can be highly valuable – and transfer seamlessly – across sectors.

Offer meaningful, long-term training and development

Upskilling comes in many shapes and sizes. From on-the-job training to formal certifications, embracing creative solutions can enhance your talent pool while boosting retention. Employers won’t necessarily have to bear the financial burden of upskilling alone. Working with us means access to many U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeships supported by the Adecco Foundation. It’s crucial to maintain career-boosting upskilling opportunities even in the face of the operational difficulties caused by ongoing COVID restrictions. Read how we partnered with a Georgia manufacturer to deliver a creative upskilling solution to plug a skills shortfall at the height of the pandemic last year.

At Adecco, we are passionate about addressing America’s skills gap, and creating greater economic opportunity for all American workers. Among employment agencies, we have the biggest candidate database in the country. Learn how we help some of America’s biggest manufacturers redeploy and reskill key talent.

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Corinne Ripoche sat down with industry leaders Pavan Kochar, CEO and Co-Founder of Certree, and Lesleigh Seagram, Global Head, VP Fieldglass at SAP, for a conversation about Women in Tech. 

In the first of this two-part interview, the three leaders discussed ways to encourage STEM interest in future generations of the female workforce, as well as educating STEM students on the many careers that their degree can apply towards. By being vocal and sharing stories of women in technology, more females will be encouraged to enter and grow in the industry.  

Do leaders and organizations have a social responsibility to invest in STEM at the grassroots level and change the current trajectory? 

Corinne Ripoche: We know that there are few female STEM students, and even fewer entering the workforce as a technologist. In fact, a McKinsey study out of the UK found that only 27% of female students said they would consider a career in technology, compared to 61% of males, and only 3% said it is their first choice. Do we have a social responsibility here to invest and encourage females to enter tech? 

Pavan Kochar: As leaders in this industry, I do believe we have a social responsibility to support females in tech. In my mind, this starts very early on, from the time girls are born and through the time they’re senior leaders in Tech. One of the biggest influences when we are young is our parents and educators. They can provide an open platform for girls to learn the same things that boys do and are exposed to math and science and this includes toys and games and anything else that kids might interact with. I think that is absolutely critical, very early on.  

I also think female leaders have the responsibility today to ensure we can be mentors. It’s amazing how often I get asked to be a mentor, and it’s because girls don’t have too many options for female tech role models. We need to show girls that being a technologist, you can thrive and this is what it looks like. And it’s not necessarily just coding. More girls are getting STEM degrees now, which I’m very excited about and the numbers are going up.  

Beyond degrees, it’s also our responsibility to nurture and advocate for women throughout their careers. Retaining women throughout technology careers is a challenge and so that nurturing and that mentorship is key to all of us. 

Lesley Seagram: It’s so important to plant the seed and I love what Pavan said where it starts very early in the child’s life. I also think it’s important for organizations to help plant that seed and SAP is doing a really great job at this.  

At SAP, we have a STEAM program and they’ve been running coding weeks and hackathons and really providing an environment for young women to come and learn about technology and the tech industry. You know, it can be daunting for younger generations to navigate this industry, so with organizations really stepping up and providing that forum and fostering that environment for girls to thrive and really learn about the different aspects of what technology industry means is supercritical. 

Corinne: I agree. You know, I did some research and I found that the person who designed the first algorithm to be executed by a computer was a woman. Ada Lovelace – born in 1815 and her design done in 1845 – so meaning we’ve had women in STEM for some time and we lost part of that at the beginning of the 20th century.  

We have to plant a seed and we have to be vocal. And we have to continue to be vocal because we have not been for so long. Looking at the past, how many women have done that? We have the impression that no one has done that in the past when we actually have some great names and role models to look at. We must continue to be vocal and share stories. 

Pavan: Absolutely, I agree, so often we think that there’s just not that many of us. But, there are many of us and I think it’s all of our responsibility because we’re in this type of forum and we’re leaders. We have the capability to impact and to make changes and to express that to the younger generation.  

Lesleigh: It’s really showing the art of the possible. Last year in the summer we partnered with supermodel Karlie Kloss and she completed a coding course and fell in love with it. And after that, Karlie started sponsoring young woman who wanted to become interested in coding and really giving them the opportunity to explore that.  

We can be multi-dimensional. Just because you choose one career doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with it. These types of examples really show what the art of the possible is.

Lesliegh Seagram, Global Head of VP of Fieldglass Partnerships

Pavan: That’s a perfect example, Lesleigh. I think for me personally, I didn’t know that I wanted to be in tech or study computer engineering, but I had the openness and the platform from my family to explore and to feel encouraged to see how far tech could take me. Tech can be applied to so many arenas. It’s not just about coding, and I think that exposure of young women to all STEM can offer is crucial. 

Corinne: Agree. We are always looking at different surveys from the market, and a recent one from PwC said that only 16% of the female had a career in technology suggested to them. And a McKinsey study showed that women globally account for only 35% of STEM students in higher education, and fewer than 20% of tech workers are female. 

So if we look at how we can encourage more women to come to tech, I think is clearly coming from us leaders and organizations, but it’s also coming from the education and teachers and families. And also from different examples and stories that we can share with everyone at the beginning of the career or the bringing of the life of the people as well.  

How do we stop the old stereotypes that say females should go work in certain categories or roles?  

Lesleigh: I’m a big believer in growing early talent. You know it’s not just about opening the doors and getting young women interested in this space, but it’s about fostering that environment for early talent and growing it. There are so many avenues. It’s one thing just to give them an opportunity, but as Pavan mentioned really helping mentor those women and setting up future leaders. 

Corinne: Do you see any obstacles within companies? What are the obstacles that women can face when they are in the tech industry, more than in some other industries? 

Pavan: In my personal experience studying to be an engineer at UIUC, there weren’t that many females. I was one in a handful of women among a group of thousands in my class and so the obstacle is really the fact that there’s not that many of us. I can see that it’s improving now. But as you grow into leadership positions, and as you grow to do a multitude of different things, there are less and less women.  

As Lesleigh mentioned, creating a nurturing environment where women can thrive is so important to me. With every new hire in my company, I’m spending time with each one on one to ensure that the environment is conducive for their success.  

This is very much a male-dominated industry, and as women grow in their tech careers, organizations should encourage and help inspire these women so that they stay there, and they grow, and they potentially join board seats. It’s important to have a female voice at those levels. 

Lesleigh: This is a very interesting topic for me and one I often engage in some really interesting debates on. I often think our biggest obstacles is ourselves. 

And what I mean by that is I think us as women always try and compare ourselves against our male counterparts. And I honestly think if we stop doing that and we step up and we be bold and we be unapologetic in our point of view and what we have to say, I think that’s going to pave the way for a lot more progression where we see women moving into the space.  

I always mentor my team that as long as you’ve done your due diligence, you’ve done the hard work and you know your subject matter, then you should have no problem stepping up and voicing your opinion. But when we get into comparing ourselves to our male counterparts, we’re actually doing ourselves a big disservice because we are making that the focal point – we are not making the focal point in what we have to say and the value that we have to deliver. 

Pavan: I love that point, Lesleigh. You’re absolutely right on. Maybe that is one of the inherent girl versus boy things, right? And we need to overcome that.  

It’s interesting – I have someone who I consider a peer asking me for some professional advice about her career and a lot of the conversation I found myself saying: but what do you really want? Express yourself like the world is your oyster. Assume that you can have any role that you want. What would that look like? Assume that, then set your targets on that and figure out how that can play out. All too often we’re not doing this. We’re not as expressive and in-line with ourselves, in terms of who we are and what we want. Self-discovery and self-confidence and knowing who you are and what you want. 

Corinne: So clearly here we have to work on our resilience. We have to believe in ourselves and we have to have determination.  

Because if you have all of that – you know yourself, you know what you want, and as Lesleigh said you have done your due diligence done and know your subject matter: nothing can block you. Nothing can block you. You have all the components to be successful and to provide your company with the same level of job and the same level of result as your male counterpart.  

Check back for part two where the women discuss the power of mentoring and building a business culture to retain and encourage women to grow into leadership roles.  

About the panelists:

Corinne Ripoche is CEO of Adecco Americas and Pontoon. Corinne is a global leader with an activist mindset and clear customer-centricity. She is driven by data and knows that purpose and experience within the hiring ecosystem is central to success. Corinne is a member of C200, Paradigm for Parity, and Women’s Business Collaborative.

Lesleigh Seagram is the Global Head & VP of Fieldglass Partner Channel at SAP and is responsible for developing and executing Partner GTM Strategy, ensuring partner and customer success.  Her career at SAP spans 20 years, where she’s focused on transparency and authentic leadership as the foundation to build trust and loyalty of her team, customers and partners. Lesleigh advocates for coaching and mentoring of young woman in tech, as well as creating awareness on Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace. Lesleigh originally hails from South Africa and currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Pavan Kochar is Co-Founder and CEO of Certree, an anti-fraud platform with the purpose of safeguarding data privacy. Prior to Certree, she was co-founder and CEO of Ubertal, a global technology services company focused on delivering innovation as a service. Pavan spent 15+ years in the technology industry holding leadership positions at firms such as Accenture, Deloitte and several others. She is a member of YPO, EO, Athena Alliance, and President of Akhand Jyoti USA. Pavan resides in Silicon Valley and holds a B.S. in Computer Science/Engineering and Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

See Part 2 of this Interview here

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