Opinion: Solving work force issues starts with character

Southwest Missouri’s economy in a bubble – protected by its Midwestern locale and lower costs of living – appears to be threatened by this work force phenomenon. Good companies are having difficulty finding good workers.

An esteemed panel during the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Outlook Conference last fall drew our attention to the warnings of work force quality and quantity issues. Panelists represented some of the city’s highly respected employers: Jim Batten of O’Reilly Auto Parts, Virginia Fry of Blackwell Sanders LLP, Michael Nietzel of Missouri State University, and Jack Stack of SRC Holdings Corp.

Several manufacturers that reporter Jeremy Elwood talked to for Springfield Business Journal’s Aug. 6 Mainstays in Manufacturing special pullout section cited work force quality as their biggest challenge.

We must consider why this phenomenon is occurring within our labor pool. The first place I look is character issues. If the employee is not built with quality character traits – 12 of which the chamber is launching this month for the second year of its Character Ed program – efforts at work will reflect that.

The chamber’s Character Ed words are the same this year, and so is the point: to put a focus on the individual traits that can be applied to better this community, from both business and family perspectives.

This column kicks off my monthly quest to find employees with positive characters, in conjunction with the chamber-led, communitywide initiative to create a culture of character through efforts of businesses, schools, civic organizations, churches and media. But that requires participation on your part.

The Character Ed word for September is “respect.”

Who in your office, plant/warehouse or shop is respectful toward others? They deserve recognition this month.

The definition of respect used by the chamber is “to show consideration for the feelings and rights of yourself, others and the world around you.”

I challenge SBJ readers to find staff members or co-workers who reflect these quality character traits. Throughout the month, I ask you to send those names to me. Send me a letter stating why and how this person exemplifies that month’s character trait at work. I will run reader responses on these opinion pages.

There is no award ceremony, no plaque given – just good, solid word being spread about the workers who are doing right even in tough, stressful situations. That way, I hope, it becomes contagious.

Let’s do our part as media and business representatives.

To get you thinking ahead, here are the following months’ Character Ed words: responsible, caring, honesty, attitude, courtesy, self-discipline, trustworthy, dependable, cooperation, integrity and accountable.

SBJ Salutes Character Ed

The Character Ed word for September is respect. Who in your workplace best exemplifies this quality character trait? Send an e-mail to eolson@sbj.net with the person’s name, title, employer and a brief example of the trait at work. Responses will be published in upcoming Opinion pages.

Springfield Business Journal Editor Eric Olson can be reached at eolson@sbj.net.