Kansas City's Top Companies Collaborate To Attract Talent

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The national labor shortage has reached a critical point, with 46 percent of American employers having trouble finding skilled workers. In response, more than 500 Kansas City employers from companies including Hallmark, Bank of America, Sprint, H&R Block and Garmin International are gathering today to address this challenge at Team KC's second annual talent leadership summit.

Kansas City's unemployment rate hovers at 3 percent, below the national average. Using tools such as the KC Career Network for trailing partners and the MyKC program for thousands of interns and recent graduates, Kansas City companies are partnering to attract the workers they need. Benefits packages that include STEM-focused childcare for engineers and tuition reimbursement for nursing degrees are also being rolled out.

"The TeamKC network is stronger than ever and we are kicking off 2019 with a bold, unapologetic approach to the way we message Kansas City as a top destination to live and work," says Jessica Palm, vice president, lead executive for TeamKC. "We are eager to continue to lead the nation with our collaborative approach to talent attraction, with more than 1,000 talent acquisition leaders working together to promote KC."

The Training Camp features interactive presentations from national talent leaders on flexible and innovative approaches to talent recruitment and engagement for an increasingly disruptive job market.

Lucy Adams, CEO of Disruptive HR, best-selling author of "HR Disrupted," and the newly released "The HR Change Toolkit," will give the keynote presentation. Adams will share practical tools to help HR and talent recruitment leaders engage and develop their workforce in the digital age.

"We can't keep saying that world around us has changed, but keep delivering HR in the same way," says Adams. "We need to move away from our role of nursemaid or compliance officer and instead focus on creating the conditions where our people can thrive."

Other speakers include Executive Director of the Steps of Faith Foundation, Billy Brimblecom Jr.; President of Parsons Strategic Consulting, Tracey Parsons; and Founder and CEO of Onward Financial, Inc., Ronnie Washington, whose focus includes financial literacy tools and access to savings resources.

TeamKC, an initiative of the Kansas City Area Development Council, was created in 2006 to support the organization's corporate members in attracting top talent to the Kansas City area. To help build an inclusive, enriched and welcoming region, the TeamKC advisory board touts the area's affordability, accessibility and diverse arts and cultural scene as main attractions for this Midwestern metro.

"TeamKC has been incredibly successful helping companies to attract and retain talent in industries that are rapidly changing," says Tim Cowden, president and CEO of KCADC. "After an outstanding turnout for their first annual event in 2018, they came back bigger and better."

The TeamKC Training Camp is an annual event with plans already underway for 2020.

About Team KC
TeamKC is an initiative of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) with guidance from an advisory board of 30 of the area's top companies including Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell, Garmin International, Children's Mercy Hospital, H&R Block, Hallmark, VMLY&R, State Street and Sprint. TeamKC currently serves a network of more than 1,000 talent acquisition leaders and 300 KC area employers. The initiative works to create a competitive advantage by fostering collaboration among the region's HR professionals to amplify Kansas City's livability assets to potential employees, making the region a top lifestyle and career destination. TeamKC.com.

About Greater Kansas City
Home to 2.5 million people, the Kansas City region is recognized as "America's Creative Crossroads," a center for technology and artistry. Kansas City was selected for the roll-out of Google's 1 Gigabit Google Fiber service, and for one of Cisco's most comprehensive Smart+Connected Cities programs. ThinkKC.com.

SOURCE Team KC

Related Links

http://TeamKC.com