BCW Launches Workforce Of The Future Initiative

In response to a rapidly evolving employment landscape, The Business Council of Westchester (BCW) has launched a major new initiative to help business leaders attract the best talent.

Upcoming events include Workforce of the Future: Leading, Learning and Leveling Up, a Tompkins Community Bank Power Breakfast on Tuesday September 30; a podcast featuring workplace dynamics expert Valerie Grubb; and online materials offering a deep dive into a workplace dominated by Millennials and Gen Z.

The initiative kicked off on September 10 with two in-person seminars by Grubb. She described how the shift to Gen Z and Millennial workers requires a novel approach to leadership and talent retention. The seminars were sponsored by Heineken, Jackson Lewis and RM Friedland with event partners Nonprofit Westchester and the Westchester County Office of Economic Development.

Gen Z job seekers, she explained, desire companies that align with their values, with 31 percent of Gen Z stating that they would turn down a job offer if the company had poor sustainability and ethics. She also noted that Gen Z is also the most entrepreneurial generation ever, with 62 percent of them indicating that they have started—or intend to start—their own business.

Grubb’s core message is that businesses must prioritize purpose-driven work and cultivate flexible, supportive cultures to retain their best people. She urged attendees to consider how their businesses are doing good in the world, because positive impact matters immensely to younger generations who are pessimistic about the world they are inheriting.

Gen Z, whose members were born between 1997 and 2012, have expectations of employers that differ significantly from older generations. Within a few years Gen Z — along with Millennials born between 1981 and 1996 — will represent two-thirds of the U.S. workforce.

“It is critical to our members to have an understanding of the desires that motivate younger workers so they can attract and retain the best talent in this transforming business environment,” said BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon. “No topic is more important in the workplace than the breakneck changes we are seeing with the arrival of artificial intelligence, automation and remote work.”

She noted that as the county’s largest business membership organization representing more than 1,000 members, including multinational corporations, hospitals, universities, biotech pioneers, not-for-profits, entrepreneurs, and companies of all sizes, the BCW is uniquely positioned to provide leadership and education in this rapidly evolving arena.

The Tompkins Bank Power Breakfast on September 30 at the Westchester Marriott will explore “Perspectives That Power Progress.” Two panels will explore the evolving landscape of the workplace.

• “How Gen Z is Redefining Careers & Company Culture” features seven young professions from leading Westchester institutions who will share their insights into how they are shaping office cultures within their organizations.
• “The Future is Now: Collaboration Across Generations & Building Teams That Thrive” features six established business leaders who will describe how they collaborate with younger employees.

BCW Podcast Network featuring Valerie Grubb will provide her unique insights into modern workplace dynamics and Gen Z will elaborate on leading younger generations in an October 7 episode.