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Top Workplaces: Program launched 15 years ago. Here’s how the state’s jobs economy has changed.

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2 months ago

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In 2009, the country was still in the midst of the Great Recession. Wisconsin unemployment was at or around 9% for most of the year. Workers and businesses were clearly struggling.

Fifteen years later, Wisconsin’s economy has rebounded and unemployment dipped to 2.6% as recently as March 2023 and employers scramble to fill openings.

Beyond more people working, what has changed? And what parts of the economy will continue to change?

For the past 15 years Top Workplaces has recognized local businesses for how they treat their employees. The Journal Sentinel partners with research platform Energage to recognize southeastern Wisconsin workplaces that demonstrate strong organizational health and employee engagement. Any employer in the area — which encompasses Dodge, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties — with at least 50 employees is eligible to participate.

Employers seek out Top Workplaces designation because it helps with recruiting and retaining workers. Much has changed in the jobs economy in the years since the the program began.

“Perhaps the primary change over the last 15 years is the realization of the human resource constraint,” said Dennis Winters, economist with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

“It may not yet be fully understood that it will affect all areas of economic development. The workforce limits will affect all industries, occupations, and geographies, and the provision of all goods and services. Risk and labor will continue to shift to the consumer.”

West Bend Mutual recognized 14 years

Some companies that have been frequently on the list say they place on premium on engaging with their work forces.

West Bend Mutual Insurance as been on the Top Workplaces list for 14 years. Chad Feltz, assistant vice president of human resources, attributed the company’s success to being able to adapt to present needs and expectations of workers.

“Our associates live in 25 different states, and as such, we offer remote and hybrid work schedules with virtual meetings happening just as often as in-person meetings. We also host weekly social events for associates and create opportunities to connect associates with similar interests,” Feltz said.

“Prioritizing flexibility and community has allowed us to maintain a thriving group of associates who, in turn, are able to provide high-quality service and results for our agents and policyholders.”

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, businesses adapted to changes in health concerns and offered incentives to keep employees from leaving.

For Sendik’s Food Market, the company took extra steps to tell workers how to stay safe.

“In addition we took several steps early on such as installing plexiglass, cart cleaning, frequently touched areas cleaned throughout the day, face masks for associates and customers, and providing ‘thank you’ bonuses throughout the pandemic,” the company said in the survey administered by Energage. “In addition, we provided each associate with a gift card for Thanksgiving as another way to say thank you and recognize our amazing associates.”

Some changes made during COVID pandemic have remained

Many businesses shifted practices to more online and adopted technology-driven strategies like virtual meetings. Some companies offered employees the option to work remotely.

“These trends will continue to evolve the workforce and the workplace in the foreseeable future,” Winters said. “The workforce quantity challenge arises from demographic trends that are largely unalterable in the short-run.”

Bret Mayborne, vice president of economic research for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Area Chamber of Commerce, said the previous 15 years showed “slow but steady metro area growth, with the exception of two of the steepest recession declines in quite some time.”

“While the recessionary declines were national in geographic breath, in both cases it has taken a long period of time to catch up from the respective declines,” Mayborne said, adding the median age of the metro population has been steadily increasing as people get older, and the overall population, especially working age population, “has been flat.”

Mayborne said the labor force participation rates in recent years have gone down, particularly around the time of the pandemic as older workers decided to retire.

“These trends have led to historically low unemployment rates and tight labor markets in general,” Mayborne said.

The adoption of artificial intelligence could have a long-term impact.

“AI may go a long way in alleviating the quantity challenge by using the technology to execute job tasks and duties,” Winters said. “Furthermore, AI will be used to lessen the more mundane aspects of skilled jobs, such as compiling and actuating information, allowing for more high-valued activities. AI will also increase the capabilities of those in lesser skilled positions, putting information and reasoning literally at their fingertips. AI may have arrived at the right time to alleviate the pressures of the workforce quantity and quality challenges.”

For the 2024 Top Workplaces for Southeastern Wisconsin, 2,890 organizations were invited to survey their employees, and 257 agreed to do so. Based on the survey feedback, 169 earned recognition as Top Workplaces.

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