The Manufacturing Employer

Shalin Jyotishi, founder of New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss talent-pipeline challenges in manufacturing. He shares misconceptions about manufacturing careers, the urgent need to modernize work-based learning and the importance of employer investment in workforce development. The conversation explores practical steps for building strong partnerships with educators, the potential of MEPs and youth apprenticeships, and highlights some of the programs making a difference today.

Susan Taah, occupational health consultant and founder of Work Factor, joins The Manufacturing Employer to examine how things like chronic illnesses, fatigue, mental health and heat stress are impacting today's industrial workforce. Susan shares why traditional wellness programs often fall short and highlights practical, data-driven strategies for embedding health initiatives within operations. The conversation explores the financial impact of chronic disease, the competitive edge of supporting employee well-being, and the pivotal role of frontline supervisors in influencing workplace culture and retention.

Ray Reader, strategist at Gorilla 76, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss why marketing and HR must collaborate to attract and retain talent. Ray explains how authentic employer branding and employee stories help manufacturers stand out. The conversation offers actionable steps for building a strong employer brand and driving better hiring results.

Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, award-winning author and workplace fairness expert, joins The Manufacturing Employer to explore what fairness really means in a modern manufacturing plant. Drawing on decades of business law and social psychology experience, Hanna reveals why fairness is so crucial for employee engagement and retention, and how unwritten workplace rules quietly undermine both. She explains the social contract between employers and employees, offers practical ways leaders can identify and address hidden biases, and shares actionable steps for building trust and a truly fair culture on the shop floor. See the article she references in the podcast here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/48-ways-managers-abuse-power-destroy-employee-hanna/

Larry Salazar, President and Co-Founder of NestSTEPS, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss what employees really want from their workplace. With more than 25 years at the intersection of technology, HR benefits and financial services, Larry shares why housing and homeownership have emerged as powerful tools for workforce stability and retention. The conversation explores evolving employee expectations around dignity, progress and financial wellness, revealing how housing benefits not only address financial stress but also foster deeper loyalty and long-term engagement.

Jason Woodard, COO at Geislinger Corporation, returns to The Manufacturing Employer to share insights from his new book, "Manufacturing Leadership That Works." Drawing on 35 years of experience, Jason discusses why traditional leadership models fall short, the importance of holistic people-first management and practical tools like one-on-one meetings. He explains how investing in frontline operators and leading with empathy drives lasting change and stronger cultures in manufacturing.

Andrea D. Carter, organizational scientist and founder of Andrea Carter Consulting, joins The Manufacturing Employer to share how measurable belonging can transform manufacturing culture. Andrea discusses her Belonging First methodology and its five key indicators that drive trust, performance and retention. She explores the real costs of culture gaps, how leaders often miss hidden pockets of disengagement and practical steps for frontline supervisors to build strong teams. This episode shows why belonging is not a perk, but essential infrastructure for operational success.

Chris Zdenek, founder of Soma Ergonomics, joins The Manufacturing Employer to discuss how manufacturers can shift from reactive safety efforts to proactive workforce protection. With more than three decades of experience, Chris breaks down the hidden impact of chronic, repetitive stress injuries and introduces bionomics — a holistic approach to optimizing human performance, cognition and well-being on the shop floor. He shares practical strategies for designing safer workstations that reduce injuries, lower workers’ comp costs and improve employee retention, showing how smart design investments drive long-term returns.

Laura Hanley, licensed therapist and workplace consultant at Big Picture Companies, joins The Manufacturing Employer to unpack generational diversity on the shop floor. Drawing from her clinical background at the Mayo Clinic and VA, Laura explains why communication and occupational empathy are key skills in today’s manufacturing environment. She breaks down why older and younger workers often talk past each other, how wiring, motivation, and stress responses play into team dynamics, and why leadership rooted in empathy and data-driven insight is essential.

Kevin Patrick, ERP leader and Certified Dream Manager, joins The Manufacturing Employer to share hard-won lessons from his career to date. Drawing on his journey from the shop floor to leading more than 120 ERP deployments, Kevin reveals why successful systems aren’t just about technology, but instead how they hinge on human engagement, trust and personal growth. He discusses the consequences of employee disengagement, the transformative power of trust-based leadership and the business impact of connecting personal dreams to organizational success. This episode touches on Kevin’s experiences in recovery, how vulnerability reshapes leadership and explores the Dream Manager philosophy as a path to reducing turnover and fostering lasting employee loyalty.