Offering a Living Wage to Attract and Retain Workers

One local organization’s decision to raise wages for their lowest-paid employees improved recruiting and decreased turnover.

As the economy recovers from the pandemic, businesses across the state — especially those in foodservice, hospitality,...

Read More

Re-Entry Task Force advocates for these changes with employers

Individuals coming out of prison are often beginning a new type of sentence. After serving their time, they face many more collateral consequences including being unable to get hired for jobs that pay a living wage or to find affordable housing,...

Read More

Navigating work: What lower-wage workers experience

As New Directions Shelter Program Manager at Hawthorn Hill, Kelsie Pinegar hears many stories about challenges central Iowans face as they strive to meet their basic needs and care for families. Many of the shelter’s clients are working and still...

Read More

How Oakridge offered a small lending program to employees

Offering a small lending program can be a type of employee benefit that helps them prevent or handle a small emergency without falling into crisis and to build credit as they repay the loan. As an employer, having employees who are less stressed...

Read More

4 reasons employers should offer a small lending program

Offering a small-dollar lending program is an employee benefit that supports both your business and those who work for you. These programs give employees access to small loans quickly that are then paid off over several weeks or months, helping an...

Read More

What UnityPoint Health considered when increasing minimum wages

This month, UnityPoint Health is increasing its minimum pay rate to $15 per hour, impacting nearly 33 percent of its more than 30,000 team members. After several years of small incremental wage increases, the leadership team sped up its timeline to...

Read More

What employers should know about hiring someone with a criminal record

There are many reasons to hire someone with a criminal record, and considering this step is important for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. While many employers are open to the idea of hiring ex-offenders doing so requires looking...

Read More

Three ways to boost employee engagement in the retail industry

Having a committed and hardworking team often requires relationships in the community and a lot of structure to support employee development—all things that are especially challenging as a small business.

“Just waiting for applications to come in,...

Read More

Skilled Trade Apprenticeship: What to consider before you apply

Even in a pandemic, the construction industry is still looking to hire skilled workers. One way to gain the skills for those good-paying jobs is to enter an apprenticeship.

An apprenticeship is an opportunity to learn a skilled profession in a...

Read More

4 innovative ways the construction industry is expanding the hiring pool

You may have heard that central Iowa is facing a workforce shortage in skilled trades. Rapid growth in Greater Des Moines and an aging workforce are just a couple of reasons for this shortage. 

Tasked with thinking creatively about how to boost...

Read More