Today leaders from Walgreens Boots Alliance, McDonald’s, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, and the City Colleges of Chicago shared insights and techniques for retaining talent in today’s labor market with a room full of HR professionals. Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., and a member of Skills’ Board of Directors, hosted the event and led the discussion around strategic retention practices. Joining Kathleen on the panel was Marie Trzupek Lynch, founding President & CEO at Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Lisa Schumacher, Director of Education Strategies at McDonald’s Corporation, and Eric Lugo, Executive Vice Chancellor – Institutional Advancement at City Colleges of Chicago. The panel was moderated by Sarah Cannon-Foster, Vice President, Talent Management & Acquisition at Walgreens.
The robust conversation focused on several key areas. Various strategies for increasing retention and creating lasting impact for the business and employee were discussed. There was great energy around businesses investing in their front-line staff through career pathways, upskilling programs, and incumbent worker training programs. Of particular focus was how corporations, workforce organizations, and educational institutions are engaging Chicago’s youth – the future workforce. The young adults joining the workforce today need different supports to succeed than older workers. All panelists lifted up the importance of cross collaboration and multi-level partnerships, exemplified by the partnerships Walgreens and McDonald’s have with Skills and the City Colleges of Chicago.
(From left to right) Sarah Cannon-Foster, Vice President, Talent Management & Acquisition at Walgreens, Sal Venegas, Vice President, Global Leadership Effectiveness at Walgreens, Milena Inzeo, Director, Career Development at Walgreens, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., and a member of Skills’ Board of Directors, Tiana Carter, Vice President of Business Development & Innovation at Skills, Marie Trzupek Lynch, founding President & CEO at Skills, Lisa Schumacher, Director of Education Strategies at McDonald’s Corporation, and Eric Lugo, Executive Vice Chancellor – Institutional Advancement at City Colleges of Chicago.