Cueing in on the war for talent and the next-generation workforce

The Hague, The Netherlands – Afera, the European Adhesive Tape Association, announced the launch of its 62nd Annual Conference, the premier yearly event for the European tape business, taking place in 6 weeks at the Pestana Palace Hotel. Along with key topics on the management agendas of all future-focussed Afera member companies, “the war for talent” and the next-generation workforce will be of particular focus at the Lisbon event.

An event putting decision-makers and innovation drivers in the centre of the tape business

Themed “Making the Tape Business Future-Proof”, including its effect on the workforce, business models, supply chains, sales channels, technology, product development and the application process, the Conference will provide tape industry professionals with the opportunity to interact with tape industry leaders, sales and technology drivers and field expert speakers.

In Lisbon, 150+ participants from Europe and all parts of the globe will meet company delegates from businesses along the entire adhesive tape value chain: tape manufacturers, suppliers (raw materials, machine and packaging), converters, distributors, research institutions, national tape organisations and other international counterparts.

“European businesses cannot assume that tapes will always be used—which is why Afera’s Conference programme is aimed at keeping our technology and market relevant,” commented Evert Smit, Afera president and head of R&D at Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG. “In order to survive, we have to participate actively in building our future, and this starts with co-operating and creating together.”

“How connected you are is how competitive you are,” Afera Secretary-General Astrid Lejeune added. “Afera is that connector with events such as the Lisbon Conference.”

A programme dedicated to identifying trends, facing challenges and finding solutions

The Lisbon Conference working programme will consist of 10 lectures over 2 day working sessions.

This year’s line-up features a topic that has been driving debate among Afera member companies: the war for talent and the next-generation workforce. Many companies are facing difficulties in understanding, attracting and retaining the new generations of employees. How can tape-related companies understand tomorrow’s workforce expectations, needs and aspirations? Christiane Schober, senior human capital consultant at Deloitte Consulting GmbH, will discuss Deloitte’s annual Global Survey conducted among Millennials (those born 1983-1994) and Generation Z (those born 1995-2002) and provide advice on what businesses can do to capture their hearts and minds.

These younger generation employees are increasingly pessimistic about their lives, careers and the world and less trusting of business and political leaders. They are concerned about progressive issues such as climate change and driven by evolving values of travel and helping communities over starting their own families and businesses. “The aspirations of the younger generation may seem contradictory at first glance,” said Ms. Schober. “This is why Millennials are called ‘the generation disrupted’, and in return their behaviour and choices are profoundly disrupting business and society alike.” Read Ms. Schober’s related blog post here.

All topics covered at the Lisbon Conference:

• Demographic change in the workforce: an insight into millennials, a generation disrupted
• Hidden opportunities in market data
• Data-driven innovation unlocked by artificial intelligence
• European and North American tech update and the building & construction industry from a European perspective
• Growing the role of PSA tapes in building & construction and beyond
• Update on the global adhesive raw materials market
• Life, the universe and everything: sustainability and the circular economy
• Bioinspired polymers in medical adhesion
• Man or machine: automation and its impact on future workplaces, skill sets and work organisation in the manufacturing industry
• Hierarchical automatic topic detection for innovation: industry technology and application trends, company and expert detection.

After a business lunch on Day 1, attendees will enjoy networking on a tour around Lisbon by GoCar, electric bicycle, auto rickshaw or speed boat. The working programme will also feature Afera’s semi-annual Technical, Marketing and Steering Committee meetings, Afera’s annual General Assembly, ample time for networking during coffee breaks and lunches, and 2 masters of ceremonies: Afera Steering Committee Member Melanie Lack, business manager of tapes & labels at H.B. Fuller, and Bert van Loon, marketing innovation expert and independent strategist.

Lisbon Conference participants will also get to enjoy cocktails and dinners in the gardens (Casa do Lago) and in the old stables (Cavalariças) attached to the Hotel, as well as at Kais Restaurant. During the social programme, partners will be treated exclusively to tours of Lisbon’s historic centre and the Belém district (including the Jerónimos Monastery), painting tiles at the National Tile Museum and a cooking lesson.

Click here for 2019 Afera Annual Conference programme and registration information.

Click here for 2018 Annual Conference stories, photos and other content.

Click here if you have a question.