Organizations with manufacturing, field-based, and other non‑desk employees face unique challenges that differ significantly from traditional office environments. As workforce expectations evolve—and as new generations, new technologies, and new competitive pressures emerge—HR leaders must rethink how to build culture, communicate effectively, and attract and retain talent in these essential roles. This panel discussion will bring together HR leaders and practitioners experienced in supporting manufacturing and other frontline environments. Together, we’ll explore strategies for fostering an inclusive culture across varied work settings, improving communication equity for employees without regular computer access, supporting diversity in historically male-dominated roles, navigating wage and benefit expectations, and preparing for the growing influence of AI in hourly work. Attendees will walk away with practical insights, real-world examples, and data-driven considerations they can use to better support and engage their non‑desk workforce.

Learning Objectives:

1. Strengthen culture across diverse work environments by identifying common cultural gaps between frontline and office-based employees and applying strategies that foster a unified sense of belonging.

2. Advance equity and inclusion in manufacturing and skilled trades by recognizing barriers in male‑dominated roles and evaluating approaches to improve recruitment, retention, and mobility for underrepresented groups.

3. Evaluate the role of wages, benefits, and total rewards by assessing how traditional pay structures align with modern expectations of manufacturing and hourly workers and understanding how benefits influence different employee segments.

4. Improve communication equity for non‑desk employees by implementing communication methods that effectively reach workers without regular computer access and building systems for timely, accessible information-sharing.

5. Create feedback loops that include frontline voices by applying tools to gather meaningful input from employees who may not engage in traditional surveys and using workforce data to understand differences in employee group experiences.

Meet the Speakers:

Jillian Altizer

Jillian has nearly 10 years of HR experience working with small and medium-sized businesses in the Pacific Northwest. She is SHRM-CP certified and currently serves as Director of Human Resources and department-of-one of an industrial equipment manufacturing company called AeroGo. Jillian chaired LWHRA's Mentorship Program for two years. She is passionate about all things HR and looks forward to the opportunity to continuing to serve on the LWHRA Board. 

Kevin Blum

Kevin is an innovative HR leader with 20+ years of experience working across a range of industries including healthcare, construction, retail and technology. He currently serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at Precision headquartered in Woodinville, WA. Prior to joining Precision, he was the Head of Human Resources at Blue Nile, Director of Human Resources at MacDonald-Miller and a Divisional HR Leader at Zumiez. Kevin has served on the Board as a Director-at-Large, Treasurer and President-Elect for the past couple years, and was co-chair of the Mentorship Program prior to his board service.