CHICAGO, June 2, 2003 – “Whatever you’re doing now to keep great employees is not enough,” Dr. James Harris said in a June 2 keynote address at the annual GATF/PIA • NAPL Sheetfed Pressroom Conference in Chicago. Harris, an internationally known speaker, author, executive consultant, seminar leader, and successful businessman, told the audience of printing industry professionals that “53% of U.S. workers plan to voluntarily leave their jobs within five years, and 98% of human resources executives admit their companies need to do a better job of employee retention.” Harris presented a six-step process designed help companies find and keep top-notch employees who will drive their organizations forward: Understand your core culture; align people, services, and processes to that core culture; profile your current great employees to see what common characteristics they share; implement proven, best practice steps for recruiting and retaining great employees; and assess your recruiting and retention programs to see where improvement is needed. “When you set about to find new employees, don’t think in terms of merely filling slots,” he said. “Instead, look for people who will drive your culture. The first step in doing that is to determine and define what your company’s culture is—what’s important to it. Without doing that, you’re at a loss because if everything is important, then nothing is important.” Dr. Harris’ keynote address was one of many highlights of this year’s GATF/PIA • NAPL Sheetfed Pressroom Conference, which presented informative seminars, general sessions, and workshops for about 350 attendees. Sponsored jointly by the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) / Printing Industries of America (PIA) and the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL), the GATF/PIA • NAPL Sheetfed Pressroom Conference is known for providing in-depth information on the fundamentals of running a sheetfed pressroom and for putting those basics in a strategic context to help printers grow their businesses. Next year’s Conference is scheduled for June 2004 at the Marriott O’Hare, Chicago.