DEVELOP A LEARNING CULTURE
Building Talent for the Future
CREATE A LEARNING CULTURE Some call it native genius, others call it natural ability — however you refer to it, it’s paramount that your company promotes it. Employees need to feel their skills are being fostered and that there are opportunities for learning and growth. In addition to training for skills that are needed on the job, ongoing training should be available. CAREER PATHS Defined career paths should exist and adapt to new opportunities created by technology. These, along with increased pay, are key to retaining talented employees who will help your company stay at the top of its game. LEAD — DON’T JUST MANAGE Shug notes the difference between leadership and management and that having higher-ups who know how to do the former is essential to motivating and inspiring a team. “The old- school management styles were ‘You will be
here at this time, you will follow this process, and you will do it this way,’” says Shug. “That’s management. Leadership is very different. You’ve got to get the most from the team, and then they will perform well.” Finding a team that’s ready to learn, grow, and adapt with you in a quickly changing industry is key to your company’s success. “That’s the world we’re moving toward — one with a lot of uncertainty — and we have to figure out how to lead in that world.”
Maybe you’ve experienced it yourself — the lack of qualified, skilled candidates for a position you’re trying to fill. The numbers don’t help us solve the problem, either. Half of U.S. employers are having trouble finding employees. Jim Shug, an operations manager for a management consulting firm specializing in engineering and construction, believes this problem lies with trying to forecast with one foot rooted in the past. With technology primed to have more of an impact on the construction world, roles and needs will change along with that, and you can’t make tomorrow’s decisions based on yesterday’s information. While we can’t predict the future, we can build talent that’s ready to adapt to it. Shug suggests looking at recruiting methods first, and hiring for competencies and characteristics — not just skill sets. Three other key factors can help you to recruit and retain talent.
TAKE A BREAK
INSIDE-OUT GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
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8 ounces ham, thinly sliced 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, sliced 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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8 slices of bread (Pullman works best) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano- Reggiano)
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1/4 cup apricot preserves
INSTRUCTIONS
4. In a cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan over medium heat, grill sandwiches until golden, about 3 minutes per side. 5. Cut in half and serve.
1. Butter each slice of bread on the outsides and sprinkle with Parmesan. 2. Layer ham and cheese evenly on top of 4 slices of bread. 3. Spread apricot preserves and mustard across the other 4 slices. Press sandwiches together.
SOLUTION
Inspired by Food &Wine magazine
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