Insight’s 16th annual Manufacturing First drew more than 1,300 people, who networked, learned from each other and heard a keynote address from Phil Gwoke, a Wisconsin native who donned a Brewers hat.
Gwoke, chief executive officer of BridgeWorks, said businesses that do not adapt to the changing demands of the workforce will become irrelevant. He said generational differences in workplace expectations are driving change, so it is important to understand those differences.
“What a generational cohort shares in common is the experiences that uniquely shaped them in their formative years. Those unique experiences bring unique value,” said Gwoke, chief executive officer of BridgeWorks.
Gwoke gave examples of the experiences that shaped generations in the workforce from Baby Boomers through Gen Z and said it has produced a workforce with different expectations and skills. In particular, he said Gen Z is seeking a workplace that is different than what earlier generations have created.
Gen Z prefers working as part of teams, want workplace mentors and in person training. Gwoke says that is true even if they struggle with some of that interaction. He offered specific recommendations from adjusting language to understanding how collaboration and teamwork can leverage skillsets each generation offers.
“People need to feel that they can be their authentic self. People need to feel that they have the tools and time to manage workflow and people need to feel a meaningful connection to the work and the people,” Gwoke said, citing a study from Cornell University.
Finally, Gwoke said employers and society need the wisdom of Baby Boomers, the discipline of Gen X, the innovation of Millennials and Gen Zs drive for human connection in order to succeed.
Following the keynote, attendees had the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics that followed the tracks of business growth and strategy; people and culture; safety, risk and compliance, talent and development; and technology and innovation. Topics ranged from workers compensation to AI and automation and from sales and marketing strategy to psychological safety.
The more than 220 exhibitors drew a steady stream of participants as they connected with new and current vendors and customers. The day ended with the Power Hour prize drawing and a networking happy hour with the event wrapping up early enough for Brewers fans to see their team win a World Series.
