In this episode of Chewing the Fat with WorkForge we are joined by Katelin Koch, Human Resources Director at Natoma Manufacturing and Laura Clark, Chief People Officer at BERKS Manufacturing who share a unique story of how a state background check system was down, which meant they could not put new hires on the floor. So they put them in the classroom instead of the traditional mix of training and OJT and the results were eye-opening. They’ll share:

• How they found themselves in this predicament

• What they did in response to not lose the new hires (and all the hard work and money that went into hiring them)

• How they restructured their onboarding

• The results they have seen

• The feedback they have received from their production leaders

• Simple ways you can drive similar results

Join host Katie Allen, Chief Marketing Officer at WorkForge, and special guest Tim Petron from TSP Edge on this insightful episode of the Chewing the Fat Podcast as they discuss "From Performer to Leader" in food manufacturing. Together, they examine the role leadership training plays addressing turnover, driving alignment and fostering a culture of trust.

In this episode, we explore the common challenge faced by organizations when promoting high performers to leadership roles: the failure to communicate and prepare them for the fundamental shift in responsibilities. Tim Petron will discuss practical strategies to ensure a successful transition from individual contributor to effective leader. From providing clarity on new expectations to investing in tailored leadership training and fostering a culture of regular feedback, we will uncover actionable steps for organizations to support their emerging leaders.

Having a clear plan and process for upskilling employees may be the secret sauce to addressing labor shortages, production demand increases, preparing for the baby boomer generation to retire and finding ways to attract and retain Millennial and Gen Z talent.

In this installment of Chewing the Fat with WorkForge, special guest David Adams, a workforce development expert and Forbes contributor joins WorkForge CEO Nathan Walts to discuss:

• Why upskilling has become such an important topic
• The challenges individuals and companies face in considering which skills are most important
• Practical approaches for companies seeking to upskill their workforce
• The role AI plays in learning and upskilling a workforce
• How upskilling can be a win-win for the company and the employee