As the end of the year approaches, so do benefits renewals for employers. Businesses are evaluating their current offerings, understanding expenses, and considering how their benefits support their workforce while balancing costs.

The Workforce Innovation Center is committed to helping regional employers make informed decisions about their workforce practices, including benefits offerings. We work alongside employers to support how they attract, retain and advance their employees, and an important piece of the employee/employer relationship is the benefit practice. However, we also hear from companies that their employees are not accessing the benefits they’re offering and may not appreciate how the employer is trying to support their workers.

To meet this need, we are offering our HR self-assessment at no cost to a group of eight employers looking to explore their existing benefits and practices as part of their planning for 2027. In addition, employers can also add a pulse survey to ask their employees about their understanding of the employer’s benefits and what is most important to them at the current moment. This employee benefits pulse survey helps employers understand directly from their employees what they know and what they want.

We’re piloting this with a small group of employers to start so that we can learn from them and explore how else we can enhance our offerings to meet their needs. 

If you’re interested in completing the HR self-assessment and/or the employee pulse survey on benefits, let me know by November 15. We’ll get you engaged quickly and with insights that can inform how you move forward with your own offerings in a challenging environment.  

By helping employers build workplaces where employees feel supported, we can better position businesses for success, create a more resilient workforce, and foster a growing, thriving region where everyone belongs.

WORKOHIO

This month, Amanda Lail, Director of Workforce Development at The Care Center of Loveland, joined Michelle Hopkins on Cincy Lifestyle to discuss The Care Center’s holistic approach to workforce development and how the partnership with WorkOhio helps them provide personalized guidance, resources, and supports to address the unique barriers faced by individuals on the path to meaningful employment. 

We are proud to partner with The Care Center within the WorkOhio Southwest Hub as they continue to help participants across Southwest Ohio overcome barriers, move toward their employment goals, and reach their full potential. 

Check out the full interview to learn more:

WORKOHIO

Our team was featured on the latest episode of the BCW/Workforce Podcast to share about our involvement in WorkOhio and how the program is expanding opportunities for job seekers across the region.

The conversation covers the origins of WorkOhio, the WorkOhio Southwest Hub's efforts to connect job seekers to personalized resources and opportunities, the importance of relationships in building sustainable, effective workforce systems, and success stories we have seen as we advance this work.

Listen to the full discussion to learn more:

WORKFORCE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Ohio’s Career Pathway Support Network (CPSN) connects education and industry to strengthen career-connected learning and prepare students for the workforce. The network operates through seven regional centers, with the Southwest Regional Center housed at Cincinnati State.

CPSN helps school districts develop high-quality career-technical education programs that reflect student interests, regional opportunities, and employer needs. The team convenes educators, employers, and community partners to share resources, review data, and strengthen career pathways. CPSN also connects local partners with state initiatives, professional development, and guidance on education and workforce priorities.

Employers play an important role in this work. Through business advisory councils and other collaborative opportunities, industry leaders can help educators align classroom learning with real-world workforce needs. These partnerships strengthen talent pipelines and help prepare students for meaningful careers across Southwest Ohio.

Interested in getting involved? Check out our recent blog feature of CPSN to learn how you can connect with opportunities to collaborate with local education leaders.

FEATURED EVENT

Join regional business and community leaders on November 12 for the Fifth Third Bank Leadership Symposium. This year’s theme, The Science of Inclusive Leadership, features keynote speaker Dr. Janet Ahn, behavioral scientist and author of Learning that CLICS, presenting The Leadership Playbook is Broken: What Does it Take to Lead?

Through keynote insights, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, attendees will discover how behavioral science shapes leadership, explore a shared language for inclusive leadership, and develop actionable strategies for integrating inclusion into leadership development and organizational culture.

Community Table Sponsorships are available to include a table of 10 at the Leadership Symposium. Your company will receive recognition on the Cincinnati Chamber's website, as well as onsite event recognition in the event program, signage and on the presentations at the Leadership Symposium. For assistance on Community Table Sponsorships, please contact Laura Chrysler.

NEWS OF INTEREST

Ohio's manufacturing sector needs workers. A new program aims to fill the gap – WVXU 

Nurses Are in High Demand—but They’re Quitting in Droves – The Wall Street Journal

Northern Kentucky nonprofit highlights housing in new strategic plan – Cincinnati Business Courier

Increasing Student Access to Labor Market Information: Insights from Qualitative Research – Strada Foundation

US inflation rises more than expected - here's what is happening with prices - BBC

Employers' Confidence in Higher Education Undaunted by AI - Gallup

How these local universities are winning the enrollment war – Cincinnati Business Courier

Large employers are hiring part-time workers over seasonal ones, Indeed data shows – HR Dive

Ohio gets $50 million federal grant to help low-income, first-generation students – Local 12

A loyalty disconnect is emerging between employers and employees – Cincinnati Business Courier

A majority of Americans have low-quality jobs - Axios

U.S. Manufacturing Is Adding Jobs Again, but the Hiring Rules Have Changed – The Wall Street Journal