Whew, what a week in tech! As #TechWeekGR comes to a close, we're wrapping up with articles on building a local tech talent pipeline, GenAI's impact on HR, co-bots, making worktech solutions work, and more.

What We're Reading

Building a local tech talent pipeline. This week, a panel of top tech execs met to discuss how a focus on partnerships with higher-ed and underrepresented groups was key to transforming Grand Rapids into a magnet for tech talent. (Crain's GR)

Upskilling tech talent. Only 1 in 3 workers believe their employers are preparing them for the future of work — with skill gaps highest among women and people of color. Dedicated efforts to upskilling these groups can offer high ROI simultaneously increasing engagement, commitment, and well-being at work. (HR Dive)

Worktech can work better. Worktech solutions promise to increase productivity and EE but often become one more login for staff. The solution? A long-term focus on fewer but better platforms that are easy to integrate together. (TalentCulture)

Co-bots. Fortune 500 companies are seeing productivity and customer exp boosts when deploying GenAI at scale. But only when they take a disciplined, "human first" approach that leverages AI as a tool for workers, not as a replacement. (Quartz)

GenAI is an opportunity for HR. GenAI is here and already transforming businesses. It offers HR leaders, if they take it, the opportunity for a dual role at the leadership table — both preparing the organization for an ethical, "human-first" AI transformation and being an example of innovation for other departments. (BCG)

What You're Reading

In case you missed it, last week's most-read article was:

Gen X & Z tech struggles. Recent reports are providing some surprising insights into generational experiences of technology in the workspace:

• Is Gen X over tech? While they may have ushered in the modern workplace, Gen X is becoming increasingly disillusioned with the tech industry's unfulfilled promise of societal benefits and work experience betterment. (Fast Company)
  
  
• Gen Z's digital skill gap. Zoomers may have grown up as digital natives, but organizations are finding that mobile and touchscreen fluency doesn't directly translate to even basic business technology skillsets. (Hunt Scanlon)

Upcoming Events

Collaborative Cafe: Future of Talent
Join us for a morning of coffee, networking, and deep discussions on how to prepare for the only constant in the future of talent — change.

Date & Time: Wednesday, October 18, 9:30 am – 11:30 am ET
Location: Grand Rapids Art Museum
Price: $25 Early Bird (before Sept 30)

Panelists include:

• Hilary Doe, Chief Growth Officer for the State of Michigan
• Jill Dark, VP of Talent Futures at Steelcase
• Beth Kelly, President & Visionary of HR Collaborative

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