Recently, when more than 120 Greensboro professionals gathered for Action Greensboro’s “AI Fluent in a Day” workshop, only a handful said they’ve built their own AI chatbot. But when the workshop was over, nearly every participant walked out with AI tools they’d created themselves.

Led by Dr. Mustafa Akben, Assistant Professor of Management and Director of Artificial Intelligence Integration at Elon University, and his team, the professional development session addressed one of the most pressing workforce challenges identified in Action Greensboro’s 2025 Talent and Workplace Survey: AI is no longer a buzzword in Guilford County workplaces.

“Our survey respondents told us that AI is here — embedded in data analytics, automation and customer service operations,” says Cecelia Thompson, Executive Director of Action Greensboro.  “This workshop made sure that professionals at all levels, across all sectors, have the tools they need to thrive in an AI-enabled workplace.”

What made this workshop different was its practical, hands-on approach. Akben showed the audience how AI can help generate reports, create presentations, analyze data and produce content. And he didn’t sugarcoat the workplace implications of AI adoption.

“AI is the new baseline,” Akben says. “Your boss will say, ‘I can do this project with AI,’ so you have to make the output better with your human-level skills. What are you bringing to the table?”

Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for human workers, Akben introduced the concept of “co-intelligence,” living and working alongside AI as a collaborative partner. He encouraged participants to use AI strategically: generate ideas, improve efficiency and offload mundane tasks.

“The more you practice with it, the more you see the benefits,” Akben says. “Use AI to advance different parts of your work. You don’t have to use it for everything. Protect the work that’s meaningful for you. Keep the work that requires creativity, critical thinking and personal connection.”

Akben positioned workshop participants not just as AI users, but as leaders who will shape how AI is deployed in their organizations and community.

“You can direct our investment and attention into AI,” Akben says. “We can demand equity, accessibility, privacy, and ethical and responsible uses. It’s our future.”

5 Local Leaders Share Their Thoughts on the Workshop

Throughout the day, we talked to several participants about how they’re using AI and what they learned from the workshop. Here are a few responses:

Heather Renshaw, Chief Advancement Officer, Family Service of the Piedmont

“The workshop provided a lot of ‘aha’ moments on how AI might be useful in my workplace. It spurred me to think about how using AI on small to medium-sized tasks could be helpful.”

Raven Jefferson, Partnership Development Manager, High Point Schools Partnership

“Developing my own AI tool was the most interesting and valuable part of the workshop. It allowed me to apply what we learned in a hands-on way and see the potential of AI in real-time.”

Cassie Dean, Director of Communication & Outreach, Guilford County Partnership for Children

“We are preparing children for a future that will center around AI as a source of growth and knowledge. It is our responsibility to learn to use AI and create a world that is safe, healthy and prepared to handle these changes in learning and development.”

Sarah Hintze, Account Supervisor, Our State Magazine

“AI is constantly evolving, and I believe it’s my responsibility to stay updated on its capabilities and how it could apply to my role and business.”

Dana Clukey, Senior Planner, City of Greensboro

“There are so many benefits to using AI and the opportunities evolve every day. The biggest benefit to me is the time savings that it can offer, but it also helps me think outside the box and spurs my creativity.”

By Jessica Levco

Recently, at the Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNCG, community members and leaders gathered to face a stark reality: child care in Guilford County is in crisis. After viewing Take Care, a documentary on the state of early childhood education, three local leaders shared their perspectives on how this crisis affects families, employers and the community.

The State of Childcare in Greensboro, NC

For starters, high-quality child care for a 2 year old costs more than $12,100 annually, which represents 19% of a median-income household. To put this in perspective, the moderator noted that her daughter’s UNCG tuition costs about two-thirds of what families pay for quality child care.

What’s Driving the Shortage in Filled Childcare Jobs in Greensboro

In addition, 69% of Guilford County children under the age of six live in a household where the sole parent or both parents work, creating an enormous demand for child care. However, only 31% of children, zero to five (not yet in kindergarten), are in licensed child care. Making matters worse, there has been a 10% decrease in the number of child care facilities in Guilford County since 2019.

And let’s talk about early childhood educators: The average hourly wage for someone working at a childcare facility is $13.50 an hour. Almost half of Guilford County’s childhood educators said they’ve used public assistance.

Melissa Slade Smith, director of workforce development solutions at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, brings professional and personal experience to the issue. Having worked as a child care educator herself in 2003, making $10 an hour, she witnessed how little has changed over two decades.

Smith recalled a heartbreaking conversation with her child’s teacher.

“She told me that she was going to work at Target because she could make more money,” Smith says. “When she told me her teacher’s salary, it was maybe $3 more an hour than I was getting paid twenty years ago.”

In her current role, Smith sees how the child care crisis is affecting business leaders.

“So many business leaders call me and say, ‘I’m going to lose my employees. What are the resources out there to address affordable child care?’ The number one reason employers are losing their staff is because of child care.”

How Local Business Leaders are Looking to Help

Jon Hardister, former state representative and current president of TREBIC (Triad Real Estate Building Industry Coalition), explained how workforce challenges affect economic development. Representing more than 160 companies, Hardister said that the number one concern that employers have is affordable child care.

With major employers bringing thousands of jobs to the area, Hardister says this is an issue that our community can’t ignore.

“Toyota can afford to provide on-site child care, but not all companies can do that,” Hardister says. “Small businesses are still the backbone of our economy and always will be.”

Meredith Kasten, director of the Early Childhood Center in Greensboro, offered her perspective on what it’s like to run a child care facility. Her program serves 145 children with 48 staff members. She said the only reason she can afford to send her child to the center is because of the staff tuition discount she receives.

Kasten says the current child care system is a “bad business model.”

“Most child care programs rely on private pay,” Kasten says. “Parents can only afford to pay so much. And so those programs can only afford to pay their teachers so much.”

Some families are on waitlists for over a year, and even families with vouchers face challenges because they have to pay the difference between voucher amounts and tuition costs.

“Research shows every dollar invested in early care and education, there’s a return of anywhere from $4 to $16,” Smith says. “If we had more accessible child care in our state, we know that economic output could increase by up to $13.3 billion.”

Looking ahead to what Guilford County could do differently, the panelists shared several new approaches:

• Tri-Share programs: Hardister advocated for expanding the pilot Tri-Share Program, where child care cost is split three ways: the employer, employee and state. “That way everybody’s got a little bit in the game, but if you do the math on that, you’re cutting the cost by two-thirds,” Hardister says.
• Multiple funding streams: Kasten advocates for child care programs with multiple funding streams, including dollars going to child care programs to enable quality improvements and workforce support.
• Employer-led childcare solutions: After Toyota announced onsite child care, many companies expressed interest in doing something similar, Smith says. In addition to on site child care, some companies have explored reserving slots at nearby child care facilities for their employees.
• Learn more about becoming a Family Forward NC® Certified Employer: As North Carolina continues to attract major businesses and compete for talent, companies that prioritize family-friendly policies gain a competitive edge. Greensboro is proud to be recognized as the first Family Forward NC® Certified Community in North Carolina. Find out if your business is eligible.

This event was hosted in partnership with Guilford County Partnership for Children, GenerationEd, Ready for School, Ready for Life, Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC-Greensboro, and Action Greensboro.

While headlines about the “future of work” seem abstract, Action Greensboro’s third annual Talent & Workplace Survey provides data from more than 300 organizations facing real workforce challenges today.

From Fortune 500 manufacturers to nonprofits, employers are facing questions like:

• How do you find skilled workers when 62% of companies struggle to attract qualified candidates?
• What happens when AI adoption accelerates, but training budgets stay stagnate?
• How do you retain talent when three generations work side-by-side with different expectations?

“The companies that are thriving aren’t the ones with perfect solutions to all these questions,” says Cecelia Thompson, Executive Director of Action Greensboro. “They’re the ones willing to adapt their strategies based on what the data is telling them. These findings give our entire region a roadmap for building the workforce we need to compete nationally.”

1. Guilford County has an ongoing skills gap problem

The survey confirms what many leaders already suspect: finding qualified talent has become difficult.

For example, 62% of employers cite attracting suitable candidates as their top challenge, while 69% struggle with candidates lacking logical and analytical thinking skills. What’s striking is the disconnect between what employers need and what they’re finding.

This isn’t just a local phenomenon. The survey says nearly 70% of employers nationwide report similar difficulties finding candidates with critical thinking and leadership skills, according to 2025 World Economic Forum data.

The disconnect becomes more apparent when you consider that 53% of organizations report annual training budgets under $10,000, yet 95% provide some form of employee development. This suggests many companies recognize the need to build skills internally, but may lack the resources to do so effectively.

Celina McCrea, community and business engagement manager at Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina, Inc. said her team started receiving requests for cost-effective training opportunities among corporate and non-profit partners in 2022.

“The data from this report has allowed us to adapt our curriculum in real-time to meet the needs of our local employers, while continuing our mission of upskilling and supporting job seekers in our career services programming,” McCrea says. “Since we primarily work with overlooked talent, having these ‘hard to find’ skills gives them a major leg-up in their job search.”

Action item: Encourage your staff to attend Lead Your City on Sept. 4 — “By matching sessions with the critical skill areas identified in the survey, this summit helps bridge the gap between what today’s workforce offers and what our local industries need,” says Sarah McGuire, director of synerG Young Professionals. Register here.

 

2. AI adoption is accelerating

One of the survey’s most forward-looking findings involves AI adoption. Local companies are using AI for data analytics (50%), automating repetitive tasks (38%) and improving customer service (26%). These usage patterns that mirror national trends.

This isn’t the dramatic workplace disruption some predicted, but rather thoughtful integration of AI tools to enhance existing processes. The data suggests successful AI adoption focuses on specific, measurable improvements rather than wholesale transformation.

At a recent community-wide breakfast about the survey results, Dr. Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management and director of Artificial Intelligence integration at Elon University, talked about the role of AI in the workforce.

“If your employees know how to use AI, their creativity increases,” Dr. Akben says. “But if they’re not properly trained and they don’t have a fundamental understanding on how to use the technology, their creativity flatlines.”

Action item: Learn more about how to use AI —Action Greensboro is teaming up Elon University for an AI workshop on Sept 19. Register here.

 

3. Retaining employees has become challenging

With an average turnover rate of 17%, Guilford County employers seem to be managing workforce stability better than many regions. However, the reasons people leave tell a nuanced story.

The top drivers of turnover reveal a mix of life transitions and workplace dissatisfaction: retirement (23%), family reasons (18%) and low pay (16%). While some factors like retirement are unavoidable, the prominence of family-related departures suggests that workplace flexibility remains essential for retention.

The survey shows that organizations are prioritizing retention through training and development (69%), improved onboarding (57%) and better workplace culture (56%). However, the gap between intention and investment, suggests many companies may be approaching retention reactively rather than strategically.

Action item: Become a Family Forward NC® Employer — More than 80 Greensboro-based employers earned the Family Forward NC® Certification, demonstrating a community-wide commitment to family-friendly workplace practices. Learn more about why having this seal of approval is a great way to attract and retain employees.

 

4. Generational shifts are reshaping workplace expectations

One of the most significant long-term trends in the survey is the generational composition of the workforce. According to the data, 77% of respondents report that Baby Boomers make up less than 25% of their workforce, while Millennials and Gen Z now dominate locally.

This shift has implications for everything from benefits design to management styles. Younger workers often prioritize different benefits, like flexibility, professional development and purpose-driven work. The survey shows that 58% of local organizations offer parental leave and 55% provide flexible scheduling, suggesting employers are adapting to these changing expectations.

Action item: Redesign your benefits package — Benefits packages need to address generational priorities. From traditional healthcare and retirement benefits to flexible work arrangements and professional development opportunities, talk to your HR team about what you can offer.

 

5. Local talent development needs strategic investment

While 87% of employers recruit primarily within Guilford County, less than 50% recruit from local universities and colleges. There’s an opportunity to strengthen regional talent development.

Only 57% of respondents indicate they hire interns, representing a significant missed opportunity for talent pipeline development. Internship programs, apprenticeships and stronger partnerships with local educational institutions could help address both immediate staffing needs and longer-term skills development.

The survey said that only 2% of respondents indicated Guilford County’s community amenities were a factor when candidates declined job offers, suggesting the region isn’t losing talent due to quality of life issues. Instead, the challenges appear to be around compensation, career opportunities and finding the right skill matches.

Action item: Learn more about Campus Greensboro — Through year-round programming and events, we connect talented students with local businesses for mentorship or internship opportunities. If you’re looking for an intern, Campus Greensboro can help!

Today, more than 80% of new mothers in the U.S. begin breastfeeding, and 6 in every 10 new mothers are in the workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Research shows that supporting breastfeeding employees benefits both families and businesses through reduced absenteeism, higher retention rates and increased productivity. However, many working mothers stop breastfeeding earlier than planned due to workplace barriers.

In 2022, Congress passed the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) Act, where employers of all sizes are required to provide a reasonable amount of break time and a clean, private space for lactating workers of all genders to express milk for up to one year following the birth of the employee’s child.

However, the law does not require employers to have a dedicated, permanent lactation space. Yet this is something that working mothers need.

As more North Carolina employers recognize this need, lactation rooms are becoming increasingly common in workplaces. But what makes an effective lactation room, and why should businesses invest in creating these spaces?

We contacted several Family Forward NC® Certified employers to find out.

Volvo Group: A phased approach to supporting nursing employees

At Volvo Group’s North American headquarters in Greensboro, supporting nursing parents has become a priority through their Caregivers Employee Resource Group (ERG), which was formed last year.

The ERG has been focused on ensuring Volvo not only meets compliance with the PUMP Act, but goes beyond the minimum requirements to create supportive spaces.

Their approach has been methodical, starting with an audit of their 66 North American sites to assess the current state of lactation facilities. Their vision for “best” includes offering amenities like sinks, refrigerators, comfortable furniture and supplies.

One of their model locations in Maryland features a shared hallway with a sink, refrigerator and supplies, with sectioned-off private rooms — similar to dressing rooms — allowing multiple parents to express milk simultaneously while maintaining privacy.

At their Greensboro campus, Volvo Group has seven lactation spaces, with one being actively constructed. While construction is underway, they’ve even installed a Mamava pod — similar to those seen in airports — to ensure adequate accommodations.

For businesses looking to create or improve their lactation facilities, the Volvo Group team offers this advice:

“Ask your employees who have used these resources what they’re looking for,” says Brittany Carty, Director, Employee Experience and People & Culture Communication at Volvo Group. “Having a great space will allow the employees to continue their pumping journey and keep working moms in the workforce.”

Why lactation rooms matter

Lactation support specialists emphasize that these dedicated spaces serve multiple purposes that benefit employees and employers.

The pressure and stress of returning to work while breastfeeding can be immense. Having proper accommodations means parents don’t have to choose between their job and feeding their baby. This has tangible benefits for employers, too.

“For breastfed babies, there’s a lesser risk of infection and sickness, which means parents will take less time off,” says Marketa Baker, a community health educator at Every Baby Guilford.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for creating quality lactation spaces is the impact on employee retention and satisfaction.

“When you become a parent, you want to feel supported,” Baker says. “And so your workplace being able to be an extension of your support is a beautiful thing.”

Baker says an effective lactation room should include:

• Comfortable seating.
• Electrical outlets.
• A surface to place the pump.
• Nearby sink access for cleaning.
• Enough space to feel comfortable; not cramped.
• Easy access without needing to track down keys.
• Privacy to help parents relax and separate from the work environment.
• A refrigerator, while not required, is highly beneficial for milk storage. Alternatively, ensuring the room is near a communal refrigerator or providing space for cooler bags with ice packs can work.

Learn more about how your company can support breastfeeding workers from Family Forward NC®.

3 more examples of Greensboro business leaders paying attention to lactation rooms

Here’s what a few more Family Forward NC® Certified employers said about their lactation rooms.

Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) covers 257 acres and employs more than 1,400 full-time and part-time people. There are eight designated lactation rooms across the college’s seven campuses and locations.

“As a college that supports the development of students, we understand the importance of mother and newborn bonding,” says Dr. Cheryl Bryant-Shanks, associate vice president of human resources at GTCC. “For nursing moms, we’re happy to provide spaces across our campuses that are comfortable and private.”

Charles Aris, employs 98 people nationwide and has 33 team members working in or around their Greensboro headquarters. They have one lactation room.

“When we built our building, we added this in as part of the core design because it was important to us to support all employees’ needs, especially working mothers,” says Danielle Bowman, the company’s chief people officer. “Our room has a recliner chair, a refrigerator, storage space, lactation supplies and a sink. Our team has shared with us that they appreciate having this dedicated space.”

Clifford Thompson, president and co-founder of Thompson Traders, Inc., wanted to go “beyond the basics” when he re-designed his company’s lactation room in 2023. He bought new couches, a TV, a refrigerator and artwork to make the space as comfortable and relaxing as possible.

“This was a renovation project our team was proud of,” Thompson says. “I encourage my fellow Greensboro CEOs to look at their lactation rooms and ask themselves: ‘How can you improve this space?’ It makes a big difference in employee morale.”

For more information, Family Forward NC® shares several ways to support breastfeeding employees in your workplace.

Here are a few more ways you can support

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