Business Breakfast Roundtable: Competing For Your People

Competing For Your People: Retaining, Engaging, and Training Today’s and Tomorrow’s Workforce

Something is shifting in the talent landscape and most companies are feeling it whether they can name it yet or not. Open roles sit unfilled while qualified candidates say they can’t find the right opportunity. Frontline managers are leading teams they weren’t fully prepared for. Smaller companies are losing talent competitions before they even start because they assume they can’t compete on compensation. And quietly, in the mix of every workforce conversation, a new generation has arrived. Gen Alpha is here, and they are unlike any workforce we’ve welcomed before.

It’s time to get strategic.

Join the Southwest Michigan First Chamber in partnership with SHRM Kalamazoo on Thursday, August 27 for our next Business Breakfast Roundtable: Competing For Your People: Retaining, Engaging, and Training Today’s and Tomorrow’s Workforce. We’re bringing together local experts and some of the country’s most respected employers for a morning of practical, honest conversation about what it actually takes to attract, develop, and keep great people right now.

What’s on the Agenda

The morning features three focused, expert talks followed by a panel discussion with some of the region’s most culture-forward companies.

The Manager in the Middle: Building Frontline Leadership Confidence in a Workforce That’s Watching
As emerging professionals continue to advance into management and leadership roles, they are increasingly tasked with leading and collaborating with a multigenerational workforce. This session is about giving your frontline leaders the tools, the confidence, and the autonomy to lead well.

Small Company, Strong Offer: Building Compensation and Benefits Packages That Compete
You may not have a Fortune 500 budget, but you have advantages larger companies don’t. This session breaks down how smaller and midsize employers can build creative, competitive packages including the flexibility, culture perks, and non-traditional benefits that today’s workers.

The Talent Paradox: Why Great Candidates and Great Companies Keep Missing Each Other
Plenty of open roles. Plenty of people searching. So why does it feel harder than ever to connect? This session unpacks the gap between employer and job seeker and shares ways to stand out in a noisy market.

Culture That Competes: How Leading Employers Are Retaining, Engaging, and Preparing for a Workforce Unlike Any Before
Moderated Panel Discussion
Leaders from Rose Street Market, Bell’s Brewery, Consumers Credit Union, Landscape Forms, Greenleaf Hospitality Group, Imperial Beverage, and other companies known for their strong workplace cultures will share what’s working and how they’re already thinking about the next generation. Moderated by .

What You’ll Walk Away With

• A clearer picture of why the hiring disconnect exists and what your company can do about it
• Practical approaches to developing frontline managers who lead with confidence
• Creative compensation and benefits strategies built for companies without enterprise-level budgets
• Real-world retention and engagement insights from local employers who are getting it right
• A better understanding of Gen Alpha as a workforce — how to recruit them, engage them, and in some cases, prepare them to manage

Who Should Attend

This roundtable is built for HR professionals from generalists to senior leaders, business owners, executives, and anyone responsible for hiring, developing, or retaining people inside their organization. If you’re competing for talent in today’s market — and you are — this morning is worth your time.

Not sure if your company is a Chamber member? Click here to search our Member Directory to confirm your membership status.

Event Details

Thursday, August 27
Catalyst Center, Warner Building — Downtown Kalamazoo
Networking breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m.
Program runs 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Full breakfast will be served. Discounted registration is available for Chamber members. Register today while seats are available.

Please note: All ticket sales are final. Should you be unable to attend, we offer the opportunity to transfer your ticket to a fellow team member or partner organization. Please contact a member of our team to transfer your ticket if necessary. Eventbrite charges a nominal fee for tickets purchased online.

We hope to see you there!

Parking instructions

Please click here to view detailed parking instructions, including maps and lot locations to help you arrive with ease.

Full breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m., and the program will begin at 8 a.m.

Register today while seats are available. Discounted registration is available for Chamber members. We hope to see you there!

Please note: All ticket sales are final. Should you be unable to attend, we offer the opportunity to transfer your ticket to a fellow team member or partner organization. Please contact a member of our team to transfer your ticket, if necessary. Eventbrite charges a nominal fee for tickets purchased online.