A business panel discussed the global workforce at the Wake, Rattle and Roll event Friday morning.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — The workforce is ever-changing in America. The Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce hosted the Wake Rattle and Roll networking event Friday morning. A panel of business owners discussed the global workforce.
“With changing demographics, it is imperative that we have a workforce for the future,” Emcee/Director of Government and Community Relations at Mercy Health Beth Keehn said. “To ensure businesses, schools, corporations, non-profits or local governments have what they need, we recently established a new coalition. It has been meeting since early this year to focus on issues that affect chamber members in our community.”
Keehn also said the medical field (and other industries) are beginning to embrace gifts and talents from around the globe. Keehn said Mercy Health St. Rita’s Medical Center has employees from more than 30 different countries.
Local business leader Tammy Gladwell (Vice President of Diamond Manufacturing in Bluffton) shared her experience in hiring an employee who was from Puerto Rico.
“Alex began working with us in 2017,” Gladwell said. “He came to us with no English. He has come a long way and he began to recruit a lot of friends to come and work with us. In 2018, we brought his family home to rent from us and other families who came as well.”
Gladwell shared he is now a translator for the company, a lead welder and a trainer. Gladwell also honored Alex for his leadership and the work he does for the industry. Alex was also present on the panel. He said a challenge he faced as he transitioned was finding housing.
Vice President and Director of Research for Clemans Nelson Pete Nevada shared how his company helps employers.
“We get involved in labor relations, negotiating working agreements and working on grievances as they arise in the workplace,” Nevada said.
Nevada also said it is important to have the right processes in place as you hire new employees.
For more information visit clemansnelson.com.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
