By Liz Stevens, writer, The American Mold Builder
Workforce development, a perennial requirement in mold building, is a hot topic in 2025. Effective employee recruitment is necessary for filling empty slots with well-matched candidates in a timely manner, thereby limiting recruitment costs and reducing downtime due to a lack of staff. Effective employee retention equally is important, especially with team members who are key players or who have become a company’s most knowledgeable and experienced gurus. Mold builders are changing how they recruit new team members, and their retention strategies may be relying less on financial-driven incentives and more on employee development, growth
and opportunity.
The American Mold Builder talked with Elizabeth Lasanen, HR manager at Dynamic Group, and Todd Steging, general manager at Prestige Mold, to get insight into what mold builders are doing to recruit new workforce members and to retain their valued employees. Dynamic Group, Ramsey, Minnesota, provides innovative design solutions for complex plastic, powder and metal injection molds and serves a range of industries, including medical, electronics, technology and firearms. Prestige Mold, Rancho Cucamonga, California, provides design, manufacture and testing of precision injection molds and turnkey system solutions for the medical, closure and technical markets.
Recruiting
Dynamic Group and Prestige Mold use several strategies for identifying and recruiting job candidates. “One of the most effective recruitment strategies we’ve found is leveraging internal referrals,” said Dynamic Group’s Lasanen. “These candidates tend to stay with us longer, and the cultural fit often is pre-vetted because they’ve come to us through an existing employee who understands and values our workplace culture.” Dynamic Group trusts that its employees know what the company is looking for and will recommend like-minded individuals who align with its values.
“Another successful strategy,” said Lasanen, “has been partnering with a recruiting agency that truly understands our culture and hiring needs.” She acknowledged that building rapport with an agency takes time but stressed that finding the right partner can be invaluable – especially when recruiting for niche or hard-to-fill positions. “Agencies with a solid understanding of our business act as an extension of our team, and they provide the support we need when recruiting bandwidth is limited,” she said.
Prestige Mold uses several recruiting avenues. “For most positions,” said Steging, “we use traditional recruitment methods, such as online ads, word of mouth, referrals, local high schools and traditional trade schools.” For engineering positions, however, the company has changed its approach, he said. “Our strategy for engineering team members has shifted from recruiting within the mold building trade to recruiting candidates straight out of college.”
Prestige Mold seeks team members who possess a high energy level and a desire to meet the company’s standards for manufacturing high-quality plastic injection molds. During the interview process, the company shares information about its culture and listens carefully for whether job candidates mirror and embrace aspects of that culture. “Our main approach,” said Steging, “is treating potential candidates like we treat potential customers. Like potential customers, candidates need to hear why we’re the best while, in the background, we are determining if they are a good fit for us. We try to engage the candidates in ways that may indicate the type of environment they will thrive in.” For Prestige Mold, the winning candidates express a desire for a highly autonomous position also while signaling their desire to develop their skillsets and be the best at what they do. “The idea of a good fit,” said Steging, “must be mutual.”
Dynamic Group prides itself on a culture rooted in core values, such as compassion, integrity, gratitude, respect and determination. To convey its company culture during recruitment efforts and gauge a candidate’s reaction, careful attention is paid to key questions as well as to a candidate’s physical aspect. “We use behavioral-based interview questions designed around our core values,” Lasanen explained. “For example, we ask candidates about a time they worked on a challenging project or goal that seemed impossible, and how they overcame obstacles to achieve success.” The candidates’ responses to this question give the company insight into their determination, problem-solving skills and resilience. “Beyond structured questions,” said Lasanen, “part of telegraphing our culture is observing body language and listening carefully during interviews. It’s a subtle, yet critical, ‘vibe check.’ Additionally, we ensure candidates experience our culture firsthand by walking them through our facility. This allows them to see our commitment to excellence and teamwork in action, and we can assess their suitability by gauging their level of enthusiasm for our environment.”
Both companies have made changes in their recruiting strategies in the last several years. “As previously mentioned,” said Steging, “we go straight to the local university for engineering candidates instead of relying on recruiting within this seemingly shrinking industry.” For the shop floor and other candidates, Prestige Mold has started looking outside the mold building industry. “We used to rely on our reputation as the best mold builder in the area to recruit those who want to be the best,” he said. “We’ve exhausted that avenue, and we now look outside the industry for those who align with what we offer as an employer.”
Lasanen described the changes in the recruiting strategy at Dynamic Group. “One significant change was reintroducing a dedicated HR professional after several years without one,” she said. “This brought a renewed focus to recruiting and employee experience.” The company also adopted recruitment and onboarding modules in Paylocity. “What once was a cumbersome paper-based system now is fully electronic,” Lasanen said, “improving efficiency for both candidates and the HR staff. These updates have modernized our approach and ensured we stay competitive in today’s talent market.”
In the mold building business, as in many manufacturing businesses, it remains important to emphasize that the industry has largely modernized, now substituting clean, bright, highly automated plants for the dingy, labor-intensive operations of days past.
“This topic excites me,” said Lasanen, “because I love showcasing the innovation and pride within mold manufacturing. During interviews, we emphasize that candidates are interviewing us just as much as we are interviewing them. As part of the process, we take them on a walkthrough of our facility, where they see firsthand how high-tech, clean and safe our operations are.” Lasanen pointed out the value of employee word-of-mouth for spreading the news about Industry 4.0 and advanced manufacturing. “Beyond the physical space, our employees play a crucial role in telling this story,” Lasanen said. “Their pride in their work and the cutting-edge technology we use speak volumes. By interacting with our team, candidates quickly grasp the stimulating challenges and modern advancements that define mold manufacturing today. We’re passionate about what we do, and we look for candidates who share that enthusiasm.”
At Prestige Mold, Steging also uses plant walkthroughs, letting the spotless environment and the advanced innovation make an impact. “We must sell ourselves to potential candidates, so knowing how to compare and contrast the various industries is extremely helpful,” he said. “For example, after giving a machinist candidate a tour of our clean, climate-controlled environment and showing all the high-end equipment and automation, I’ll describe the typical aerospace manufacturing environment – a typical job shop environment. Then I’ll describe our business as dynamic and creative while noting that aerospace and other industries are repetitive widget producers, and their work often is carried out in uncontrolled environments. Being matter of fact about that stark contrast is the best tactic.”
Job seekers, as a group, sometimes lean toward employment opportunities that offer stability and a steady path for expanding trade skills. At other times or among other demographics, candidates want jobs that offer a chance to advance on a professional career path or to move into supervisory or management roles. “Prior to and during the COVID pandemic,” said Steging, “we had frequent inquiries about career paths and the potential for advancement, even though we were not specifically recruiting for supervisory or manager positions. Recently, however, we’ve seen a shift in candidates – toward valuing stability and skills development more – which is right in line with what we are seeking.”
Lasanen described what Dynamic Group has observed. “Candidates today are highly motivated by opportunities to gain new skills and advance their careers,” she said, “and they seem to be seeking this growth at a faster pace than in the past. This eagerness is exciting because it reflects a new workforce that is engaged and ready to learn.” Dynamic Group offers robust opportunities for skill development, particularly through its apprenticeship program, which allows employees to develop expertise across various departments. “Beyond apprenticeships,” said Lasanen, “we also identify employees interested in career advancement through our performance conversation process, where they can express their goals for growth. This emphasis on skill-building and advancement aligns well with what today’s job candidates are seeking, making it an essential part of our recruitment and retention strategy.”
Retention
Holding onto good help is as important as attracting it in the first place. All the recruiting ingenuity in the world is for naught if a company cannot retain its employees. “At Dynamic Group,” said Lasanen, “retention starts with leadership accountability; employees value leaders who follow through on their intentions and promises.” She stated that for employees, being heard and acknowledged is crucial, as is providing flexibility when employees need it. “Whether it’s time off or simply being understanding on a tough day,” she said, “compassionate leadership fosters loyalty.”
Another key strategy at Dynamic Group involves being open and giving honest feedback. “Even difficult feedback,” she said, “when delivered kindly and constructively, helps employees feel valued and builds trust.” The company prioritizes timely conversations rather than waiting for formal reviews, addressing issues as they arise while celebrating wins and accomplishments along the way. “This proactive, transparent approach,” said Lasanen, “creates a healthy culture that helps us keep employees.”
“At Prestige Mold,” said Steging, “maintaining employee engagement is valuable for retaining highly motivated individuals. We know that it is key to provide internal and external resources for development and to present challenges regularly that result in a sense of achievement.”
Some companies have changed their workforce retention strategies in light of the wave of retirement by Baby Boomers. This, fortunately, has not been a problem at Prestige Mold. “We haven’t been impacted by this,” said Steging. “Our succession planning is regularly addressed.”
Dynamic Group has made changes. “About a decade ago,” Lasanen said, “Dynamic Group proactively addressed the anticipated retirement wave by establishing our apprenticeship program for mold builders.” The program spans three to four years and offers students or recent graduates in the field an opportunity to gain hands-on experiences across all Dynamic Group departments, including custom and production mold building. “During this time, our leadership team recognized the invaluable knowledge of our veteran employees and encouraged them to become mentors,” Lasanen explained. “Many of our highly skilled employees nearing retirement embraced the challenge, sharing their expertise and preparing the next generation of mold builders. This mentorship has created a strong legacy of knowledge transfer and significantly softened the impact of retiring employees.”
The company also has reached out to retain or bring back retirees. “We offer flexible work schedules for those who are open to continuing in a part-time or consulting role,” Lasanen said. “This allows us to retain their expertise while providing them with the flexibility they may desire post-retirement. These strategies have helped us preserve the brain trust of our experienced team members while preparing for a strong future workforce.”
Dynamic Group has changes in the works. “In 2025, one of our primary focuses will be on developing leadership plans for employees who are interested in growing into leadership roles,” Lasanen explained. “This initiative represents the first step toward implementing tailored development plans for a broader range of employees across the organization. By providing clear pathways for leadership growth, we aim to foster engagement and retain employees who are eager to progress in their careers.”
At the same time, Dynamic Group wants to acknowledge and celebrate its employees who value consistency and reliability over rapid advancement. “Not everyone wants to climb the career ladder at a fast pace,” said Lasanen, “and that’s okay. These steady and dependable team members are just as critical to our success as those who seek leadership roles. Recognizing the importance of stability and consistency as a form of development is a key part of our retention strategy. By balancing opportunities for growth with recognition of every employee’s unique contributions and goals, the company hopes to create an environment in 2025 where all team members feel valued, supported and motivated to remain with Dynamic Group.”
More information: www.dynamicgroup.com, www.prestigemold.com