Building the workforce of tomorrow: Why culture and community matter more than ever
In an time when trust in corporate leadership is at an all-time low and traditional community structures are eroding, work has become central to people’s identity in ways that demand a fundamental rethinking of how companies approach workforce development.
That was the core message from four industry leaders who gathered at the recent Schneider Electric Innovation Summit North America to discuss the future of talent in construction, manufacturing and facilities management.
The challenge facing these industries isn’t just about filling positions — it’s about creating cultures and career pathways that sustain workers over decades. David Long, CEO of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), framed the opportunity in stark terms: his organization has identified 56 career paths in electrical construction, positioning skilled trades as “the 21st Century College degree.”
But making that vision real requires more than training programs. It demands what Neil Murray, CEO of Real Estate Management Services at JLL, calls being “custodians” of culture, leaders who are deeply intentional about the environments they create. Murray’s work with major organizations worldwide has given him a unique perspective on how culture manifests physically. “Buildings become the single greatest manifestation of companies’ culture, or at least their ambition of the culture they want to have,” he said.
The problem is the “dissonance” he regularly sees between corporate websites proclaiming “people are our greatest asset” and offices that tell a different story. “You want to know what a company truly values,” Murray said, “ask an employee: What gets you noticed? What gets you recognized? What gets you promoted? What gets you fired? Those are the things that demonstrate what a company truly values, not what’s on the website.”
Such authenticity matters more now because of how central work has become to identity. Murray cited the Edelman Trust Barometer reporting that trust in corporate leaders hovers at historic lows, even as declining participation in organized religion and community groups has made the workplace one of the few remaining spaces where people build connection and meaning.
Long echoed that reality with a sobering statistic: In construction, the industry loses 5.1 workers to suicide for every one job site fatality. “Do not underestimate mental health in your organization,” he said, “because it affects everyone.” NECA has responded by intentionally building community on job sites and teaching soft skills and leadership from day one.
The retention challenge is particularly acute in the first year, Murray noted, making it critical that organizational values align with worker expectations from the start.
Greg Fischer, EVP of Design-Build and Operations Management at Jacobs, emphasized what he calls “leadership shadow” — the example leaders set through daily actions. “Are you the leader that people want to follow you into the fire and come out the other side?” he asked. In his sector, cities are increasingly outsourcing facility operations because they simply can’t staff them, a symptom of what Fischer called an unsustainable pattern: “We’re stealing from one another.”
Breaking that cycle requires a shift from zero-sum competition to genuine partnership. Carolyn Lee, President and Executive Director of the Manufacturing Institute, described how its FAME apprenticeship program has grown to 45 chapters in 20 states by bringing regions together to build shared talent pools.
“Talent cannot be a zero sum game,” she said. “If you have all that you need and your clients and customers and partners don’t have it, we’re not getting anywhere.” Long described similar collaboration with companies like Schneider, where construction teams receive earlier access to technical training and work closely through facility transitions. “There’s a real partnership between all of us,” he said. “We know what they’re looking for, and they’re very transparent about it.”
As technology advances, this human-centered approach becomes more rather than less important. While some fear AI will eliminate jobs, Long offered a memorable reframe: “It takes a lot of wire to be wireless. It takes a lot of data centers to be AI.” Lee emphasized that work will change but remain fundamentally human, with tasks becoming “more enjoyable and leading into what humans can bring versus what the technology will bring.”
Murray crystallized this philosophy with a direct request: He asked fellow leaders to stop using the term “headcount” when referring to employees. “Where I come from, head count was a term used for cattle and sheep,” he said. “This is about creating together a brighter and better future, better quality jobs for human beings. It’s a time to be more human.”
The panelists’ calls to action reinforced that theme, as Fischer urged leaders to examine their own leadership shadow and Long emphasized empowering current employees as recruiters. He pointed out that “it still is a hand to hand job, the relationship development process.” Lee reminded attendees that workforce development “cannot be an afterthought. There is no on or off switch.”
As the discussion made clear, addressing today’s workforce challenges isn’t primarily about training programs or compensation packages. It’s about recognizing that in an increasingly isolated society, the workplace has become a crucial site of community and meaning — and leaders must rise to meet that responsibility with intentionality, authenticity and genuine partnership.