AD: How has COVID-19 changed the employee experience in manufacturing, and what facets of this should organizations retain going forward? Zenk: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have been experiencing a drastically different work environment. Thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. and around the world were deemed essential during the pandemic...Continue Reading

Of course, the big factor impacting office and industrial parks going into 2021 is COVID-19. The pandemic has reduced business production and workforce (through illness, social distancing, and remote working), disrupted the supply chain and cash flow, and brought about significant investments in technology. Across the nation, the demand for suburba...Continue Reading

The world as we all knew it changed earlier this year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seemingly overnight, everything that we used to think was normal had changed, and things that once were deemed impossible for the workplace became the “new normal.” Now, seven months later, most o...Continue Reading

AD: Can you define people analytics for our readers? Williams: People analytics is described as the method of analytics which can support leaders as they make decisions about their employees and workforce. This method applies statistics, technology, and expertise to large sets of HR data, which should result in better business and managemen...Continue Reading

E-commerce has exploded in recent years, but as COVID-19 emerged the sector has seen unprecedented growth. While many industries battled disruptions, e-commerce provides opportunity. E-commerce and logistics companies are accelerating planned innovation and restructuring initiatives to stay ahead of the curve — if that’s even possible — spurring the implementatio...Continue Reading

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate consumer and workplace trends that were, in many cases, already under way pre-pandemic, challenges and opportunities in finding, training, and retaining an efficient industrial workforce remain constants for distributors and manufacturers. Effective site selection decisions hinge on a complex cost/quality balance of labor...Continue Reading

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our lives, and each one of us likely has a personal story to tell that underscores that fact. But there are also stories to be told of sweeping changes that virtually all of us have felt. One of those is the altered state o...Continue Reading

This fall, Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage) secured options on 260 acres of land with access to natural gas, rail and nearby major highways, and within close proximity to electricity and water. This is a major step forward in meeting the expansion needs of current businesses, and in positioning th...Continue Reading

CAMBRIDGE, NE — Pinpoint (Pinpoint Communications, Inc.) announced today that thru the CARES ACT funding from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, they have expanded their footprint to serve more underserved locations in rural Nebraska and continues to deliver on its commitment to deliver fast, reliable fiber-optic broadband internet t...Continue Reading

As an entrepreneur, you likely have a growth mindset. You didn't expect to be a one-person operation forever did you? But when you're ready to start growing your business, you're suddenly presented with a whole new slew of challenges. In The HR and Administrative Career Training Bundle, you'll learn how to tackl...Continue Reading

Add to that the emotional turmoil resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, an uncertain economic climate and increased recognition of systemic racial injustice, and the state of mental health in America needs attention. A staggering 61% of Americans experience loneliness and, in the Covid-19 era, just 37% of full-time workers exhibit hig...Continue Reading

It’s not enough to have a competitive advantage in the Covid-19 era. Marketing must adapt to the new normal, and crafting a strong and authentic brand helps with this process. Brand-building is a long-term initiative that demands patience and persistence, but its benefits are worth the effort. The perks of brand-building ar...Continue Reading

Our attitudes about food and beverage influence the brands we purchase, how we socialize, where we shop — and sometimes even where we live. Our expectations are high when it comes to product mix and availability. When our wants and needs are not met quickly, as was the case a...Continue Reading

There's no shortage of articles that will opine about how tumultuous 2020 was for the economy, jobs, and industry as the world grappled with the impact of COVID-19 on business and daily life. However, there's reason to be optimistic, especially in manufacturing.   Despite 60% of manufacturers feeling the impact of COVID on operations, ...Continue Reading

This year has been hallmarked by re-evaluation. On all levels, people have taken a second look at their habits, spaces, and lifestyles and have had to adjust greatly to meet the new needs of today. With safety as a priority, people entered their homes in March, and most have no...Continue Reading

E-commerce has exploded in recent years, but as COVID-19 emerged the sector has seen unprecedented growth. While many industries battled disruptions, e-commerce provides opportunity. E-commerce and logistics companies are accelerating planned innovation and restructuring initiatives to stay ahead of the curve — if that’s even possible — spurring the implementatio...Continue Reading

As if manufacturers are not challenged enough by COVID-19, many face shortages of appropriately skilled workers to keep their tech-savvy factories competitive. A 2018 report by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Instituteestimated the manufacturing industry would have as many as 2.4 million jobs to fill by 2028. Last year, the National Association o...Continue Reading

AD: How has COVID-19 changed the employee experience in manufacturing, and what facets of this should organizations retain going forward? Zenk: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have been experiencing a drastically different work environment. Thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. and around the world were deemed essential during the pandemic...Continue Reading

Shoppers making their way to stores over Thanksgiving weekend were able to also support an annual program that helps put toys under Christmas trees of children in need. From Nov. 27-29, the Beatrice Police Department set up shop outside the Beatrice Walmart with its mobile command bus for the fifth annua...Continue Reading

State business climates are exceedingly competitive in 2020, if Site Selection’s latest Business Climate Ranking is any indication. For the first time ever, two states claim the top spot — Georgia, which now has an eight-year run in first place, and North Carolina, which missed tying Georgia last year b...Continue Reading

At a not-so-little farm off Highway 77 in Blue Springs, thousands of trees are waiting to become the Christmas centerpiece at local homes and businesses. A large, inflatable Santa waves people into the tree-picking portion of Pinecrest Tree Farm. However, customers can also enter the nearby office building to shop fo...Continue Reading

From increasing takeout and delivery options, to providing services online, local Beatrice businesses have worked to continue providing services safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. This week and into December, the community has several different opportunities to return the favor while holiday shopping. Beatrice Chamber of Commerce Director Angie Bruna said they pla...Continue Reading

Business life in the era of Covid has elements of both crisis management and an endurance trial. How can your business join the ranks of those that are succeeding in this environment? LJ Suzuki, founder and fractional CFO at CFOshare and I recently dissected this question together, with an eye toward the actionable step...Continue Reading