b'Talent DevelopmentBusiness Services at a GlanceTheCOVID-19pandemicdrasticallychangedthewayweWhen the COVID crisis took off, I was not ready for the challenges conductedbusinessinNorthwestMichigan.Fromathrivingbeforeme.Normally,Ilearnthroughtrialanderror,but economywithnearrecordlowunemploymentratesoursurfing through web pages and making regionexperiencedanovernighttransformationtoelevateddeadendphonecallsforinformation unemploymentratesandthenearcompletehaltofmanywas a waste of time.I was dealing with businessesandindustries.TheNorthwestMichiganWorks!peoples livelihood and needed answers!Business Services Team met these new challenges head on byIreachedouttoNorthwestMichigan providing employers with up-to-date labor market information,Works! Business Services for advice and employee retention services, access to the latest COVID relatedwas provided with an abundant amount resources and information, and a connection to available grantof resources to get our employees the and financial relief programs.help they needed to survive and make positive strides in helping themgettheirunemployment/underemploymentissues A COVID-19 Employer Resources page was developed on straightened out. On behalf of our employees and myselfthe Northwest Michigan Works! website with 24/7 access to ThankyouNorthwestMichiganWorks!foryourassistance! up-to-date information and links to resources.Assisted 5 business and 150 dislocated workers with RussPaull,HumanResourcesManager,KalkaskaScrew Rapid Response Services during unexpected and permanent Productspandemic related layoffs.Partnered with the Leelanau Peninsula EconomicFoundation to provide information and resources to Mr.Chainhasexperiencedasignificant,pandemic-related, help Leelanau County businesses remain open through increase in the demand for its safety products that support the pandemic. social distancing protocols. Many of their products are utilized indirectingfoottrafficandassistingwithcrowdcontrol. Withpre-pandemicproductionbeingatapproximately30% manufacturingcapacity,thecompanyisnowoperating24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet demand. We are in constant contact with Northwest Michigan Works! whenlookingtofillpositionsandattendalloftheirevents because we believe they have the resources to find us the best candidates for our openings. With all of the chaos in 2020, they were able to put on several virtual hiring events allowing us to spread the message about our full-time positions. We look forward to continuing our growth as a company, and Northwest Michigan Works! will be a massive part of that push for years to come. Ryan Schultz, Chief Operating Officer, M R Products, Inc.14 NETWORKSNORTHWEST.ORG / TALENT DEVELOPMENT'