The post-pandemic labor shortage has had a negative impact on worker well-being. With the work environment and nature of work changing rapidly, employers are struggling to keep up with increased turnover and finding new workers to fill the positions needed. In the first video linked above, Mandy Parchert, Workforce Development Business Partner at HNI, and Nicole Crain, Executive Vice President at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI), address how a health and safety approach to recruitment and retention puts the worker first. The labor shortage has had a negative impact on worker well-being. When looking to retain employees and recruit new ones, workplaces should consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or DEI. Erin Stresow, PhD, Business Consultant, discusses the benefits of incorporating DEI into recruitment and retention, practices in a follow-up video called Embracing Identities.

The Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest hosted a live virtual meeting in August 2022 for employers struggling with recruitment and retention. Coined a Collaborative Learning Community, the event was designed to bring together employers, researchers, and practitioners throughout our region to share innovative ideas and best practices on how to create a workplace that attracts and retains employees. The webinar was recorded and is available to those who were not able to attend. A white paper also summarizes the discussion and includes innovative ideas and best practices, as well as links to additional learning resources.