The following is from Lora Fish, principal consultant with Applegate Talent Strategies in Columbus, Ohio.
Since becoming a Workplace Stability certified trainer last year, I have enjoyed sharing the socioeconomic lens with businesses so they can begin to understand how their policies and practices may be creating barriers for people who are not from a middle class background.
With today’s talent shortage, businesses in Columbus, Ohio, are widening their talent pipeline to welcome interns from the Columbus State Community College (CSCC) Earn & Learn program. Many of these students do not have the same resources as those from four-year colleges and universities to whom businesses are accustomed.
Colleges have historically offered workforce readiness training to their students, but CSCC’s business partners felt their leaders would benefit from training to increase their readiness for being successful in receiving these students. In 2023 and 2024, they asked us to provide training for The New Gen Leaders cohort, which included 24 leaders from various businesses. This training introduced and emphasized the concepts of Workplace Stability. Leaders learned about the essential resources necessary for workplace success.
Throughout the year, leaders shared their new understanding and applications of this understanding. Some provided more resources, such as a monthly bonus, to accommodate the additional costs associated with going to work. Others found that asking more questions and making simple changes can have a significant impact.
After participants completed the training, a community workforce manager from a participating staffing agency noted a marked difference in her interns’ access to the “11 essential resources” outlined in the training. For example, one of her interns faced car troubles that could have hindered her ability to commute. She used another family member’s multiple cars, so this employee had no challenge with attendance. This contrasted with another student, an only child who shared a vehicle with her single mom. With her awareness of this challenge, the community workforce manager was able to facilitate a solution, which was scheduling group intern activities based upon this intern’s access to a vehicle. By actively engaging with her interns and inquiring about their circumstances, she was able to organize group activities around their availability, thus fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. She recognized if she had not been aware of transportation challenges, the employee with limitations would not have been able to participate.
This community workforce manager continues to collaborate with contacts she has met through the Earn & Learnprogram, sharing best practices for fostering intern success. They meet regularly to learn from one another and refine their approaches to managing young and diverse talent.
By participating in the New Gen Leaders program and the concepts of Workplace Stability, representatives from both large and small businesses have been introduced to tools and strategies to address the unique challenges posed by this younger, less-experienced workforce. The insights gained through the program are helping employers better understand the needs and expectations of interns, leading to improved hiring and retention rates. As more employers embrace the principles of Workplace Stability and invest in their interns’ success, we can look forward to a future where every young professional has the resources they need to thrive.
Lora Fish is a committed practitioner of the mutual learning approach and is skilled in facilitating the behaviors that transform relationships at work. Applegate Talent builds foundations of trust, belonging, and psychological safety so people can be the most effective versions of themselves at home and at work.
