Recruitment
GES and rebuilding a workforce post pandemic
Stephanie Selesnick examines how a large US exhibition contractor re-cast its approach to hiring
ES is the second largest
G general contractor in the United States , with offices in the UK . Like many other companies , they laid off a large part of their workforce during the pandemic .
When it was time to rebuild , Julie Holland , people and culture officer for the company , said : “ We looked at what we needed , who we wanted to rehire , and the opportunities to bring in new people .” This was done with an emphasis on changing the previous make-up , diversifying the organisation .
The Leadership Team looked at the foundation of the company and refreshed the mission and people of GES . They surveyed employee focus groups on their thoughts , where to find new hires , then acted on the feedback received . Lastly , they let the focus group participants know what the results were .
Part of the success in a diversified workforce has been employee referrals . In 2022 , 35 % of new hires were referrals .
Jeff Quade , president of GES , notes the company serves “ tons of industries – and very diverse ones . They range from medical to fraternal , to religious , and industrial . Our industry allows the peaceful assembly of people which doesn ’ t get celebrated enough .” Employees are allowed to work in sectors they are passionate about and opt out of others they ’ d rather not work . ( Think political , medical , or religious grounds ).
Marianne Szczech , executive VP , products and client services , said the onboarding process for new hires changed post Covid . The Exhibitor Success team is the entry point for most coming into the company . She said : “ It ’ s the best way to learn about our vast business and how the company works .”
Left : Marianne Szczech and Jeff Quade
The Exhibitor Success team is customer facing , answering questions from exhibitors about furniture , electrical , and the most confusing aspect of exhibiting in US trade shows – drayage ( material handling – getting products / booths / equipment from the loading dock to the stand and back out again .).
After two years with the Success team , the no-longer-new-hires may move departments .
As we all know , working an expo floor is not a 9-5 job , and not everyone is cut out for the work involved on site .
Diversified pipeline Where does GES recruit new employees ? Utilising a diversified pipeline makes a difference . This includes outreach to vocational schools for graphics , carpentry , electricians , etc . They also partner with labour unions such as the Teamsters who visit local high schools sharing information about the various types of careers one can have in the exhibition business .
College recruiting is also done via an internship programme . It ’ s been wildly successful , boasting a 70 % retention rate at GES and 90 % of the former interns staying in the expo industry .
Highlighting the career and development paths for new hires is also a priority , with a six-month Women ’ s Resource Group , which includes mentors , and networking . Szczech said : “ It ’ s important to find out what the mentees want out of the programme and help them achieve those goals . Many in management didn ’ t expect how fulfilling it is to mentor others .”
My take – our industry needs this kind of outreach and mentorship to grow , so ask yourself , maybe , how your organisation has gone after underserved communities to find new hires .
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 3 2024 43