Attracting a New Generation of Employees in the Printing Industry

Printing Impressions' sister publication packagePRINTING recently hosted a webinar, sponsored by BOBST, on "How to Find, Train and Retain High Value Employees." The webinar provided advice for using creative means to attract a new generation of printing industry employees, as well as how to train them and make sure they connect with the company, increasing the chance they will stay long-term.

David Peterson, Managing Partner, Direct Recruiters, Inc., and Tom Brennan, Chair, Department of Communication Arts at Chowan University led the discussion.

Peterson began the discussion by stressing that "one size does not fit all." When hiring new employees, it's important to treat everyone as an individual. He also described the drastic difference between the millennial generation when compared to other generations, and since millennials are the largest generation in the workforce, their wants and needs should to be understood and addressed.

Some of the aspects that millennials look for in a job, Peterson explained, are:

• The chance to work with talented people
• The opportunity to create meaningful work
• Flexible hours
• Work/life balance
• Diversity
• A great company culture

Peterson continued by outlining various ways companies can integrate these aspects into their workplace. He concluded by explaining that the current hiring atmosphere is extremely competitive, warranting the need for the competitive advantage when it comes to company culture and offerings.

"It's the most competitive landscape I've ever seen in my years of recruiting," he said.

Brennan agreed with Peterson that the printing industry is facing a challenge in recruiting and retaining employees, but that there are ways to combat this issue. He emphasized the importance of training employees rather than educating them on the task at hand.

During his discussion, Brennan suggested steps for enabling new employees to gain competency and skillfulness.

To learn more about what Peterson and Brennan suggest when trying to find, train and retain new employees, listen to the entire webinar here. Or, if you would like to explore the other educational webinars packagePRINTING has to offer, click here.