Clay County Workforce Retention

46th Annual Intergovernmental Retreat

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Moorhead county and state leaders are looking at ways to grow the economy and retain workers in Clay County.

They held a retreat to talk about ways to bring in people and retain their current workforce.

As a college student, Jordan Heinen had many options for work but a conversation with her mother helped make the decision.

Jordan Heinen says, “Talking to my mom….that’s awesome. You’ll be really close to it. I was kind of against it at first but that was during my first semester and then my second one came and I was like okay I really need a job.”

But had she decided to work off–campus she would have been looking for a few things.

Heinen adds, “An in–office job like the one I have now but because I know my major is business administration and I figured that would be a great opportunity to learn more about those office settings.’

The president of Hornbacher’s gave his insight on workforce retention at the Clay County Intergovernmental Retreat.

Matt Leiseth says, “So we have to recruit people who have an impact. We want people to come into the job and make a positive impact.”

While we spend more time at work than anywhere else, the President of Hornbacher’s says coworkers become a second family.

President Leiseth adds, “We got to let them know we’re involved with what they’re doing…in key life events, graduation, weddings, birth of children. It’s important!”

That family feel keeps Jordan going to work. From the start of her campus position, her employer made sure there was coworker interaction.

The MSUM freshman student says, “When I first started working here we did a training session and they got everyone who works in the CMU here. We just did a bunch of training activities and it was just so cool because I got to meet everybody and it was a very fun atmosphere. I absolutely loved it.”

The retreat also hosted lawmakers to talk about issues at the current legislative session in St. Paul.