West AlabamaWorks! to host fourth annual Talent Conference on Jan. 18

West AlabamaWorks! will host its fourth annual Talent Conference on Jan. 18 at 7:30 a.m. at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa. 

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Melissa Furman, MS, DBA. She is the owner of Career Potential, LLC. Furman will talk about how to manage multigenerational organizations. 

“This is the first time in American history, there are five generations present in the workforce and most organizations are serving customers from six generations,” Furman said in a press release. “As a result, leaders are faced with challenges due to differing mindsets, work styles, and communication styles."

The press release said that the conference will be "ideal" for managers, supervisors, workforce development leaders, and human resource professionals. 

“The beginning of the year is the perfect time to have this topic heard by employers and leaders in the community, said Donny Jones, who is Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama Chief Operating Officer and West AlabamaWorks! Executive Director.

“Leaders can face a variety of challenges when developing and retaining a multi-generational team. When leaders lack an understanding of each generation’s needs and wants, it affects their ability to effectively communicate and impedes strong working relationships within their team."