Craft Brewers Retool to Maintain Profitability
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Grand Rapids Open-heart explores surgery reviving formal partnership a arts council ‘game-changer’ PAGE 21 PAGE 9 APRIL 12, 2021 • VOL. 33/NO. 13 • $3.00 SERVING WESTERN MICHIGAN BUSINESS SINCE 1988 www.mibiz.com Gender disparities Drinking Economy in the workforce CRAFT BREWERS ‘uncovered further’ by COVID-19 pandemic RETOOL TO MAINTAIN By KATE CARLSON | MiBiz [email protected] en and women both expe- PROFITABILITY rienced steep declines in employment at the begin- By JAYSON BUSSA | MiBiz ning of the COVID-19 pan- [email protected] demic, but on average, the Mworkforce for men is back to pre-pandemic ooking back on a 2020 plagued by the levels in Michigan while women have left the COVID-19 pandemic, Ed Collazo didn’t workforce at disproportionate rates. sound like a business owner who just The pandemic’s negative effect on work- saw his company’s revenue plummet by ing women is amplified for working mothers, half a million dollars for the year. especially for women L“2020 was a blessing, dude,” said Collazo, of color, according to CEO of Grand Rapids-based microbrewery City a state Women in the Built Brewing Co. Michigan Workforce There is certainly no disputing that top line report released at the revenue for virtually every craft brewery took end of March. a hit in 2020, a year when brewpubs and tap- “Traditionally we rooms were either shut down completely or have been facing this See PROFITABILITY on page 14 issue for a long time, it’s just the pandemic that Also Inside: Fauble is pushing it to the fore- n Craft beverage roundtable, page 10 front,” said Blanca Fauble, chief development n Suppliers see highs and low in pandemic, officer for the nonprofit Michigan Women page 12 Forward. “It’s always been there, it’s just now n Group seeks affordable health plans for craft that it’s been uncovered further.” beverage workers, page 13 Part of the problem is that more women than men are in low wage jobs. Because of the City Built Brewing Co. CEO Ed Collazo. PHOTO BY STEPH HARDING lack of workplace protections that lower wage jobs tend to have, employees in these roles were the most at risk for losing their jobs for longer periods of time during the pandemic. 8-story Spectrum Health development to ‘breathe more life’ into GR district According to 2018 data from the Brookings Institution, close to half of all working women By MARK SANCHEZ | MiBiz the Center for Transformation Spectrum expects to save about $15 “I think it’s certainly going to in the country — 46 percent, or 28 million — [email protected] and Innovation that will rise on a million annually in rent. transform the neighborhood. It’s worked in jobs that paid low wages averaging 4.8-acre site along North Monroe Spectrum Health hopes the going to bring even more life into a $10.93 an hour, while 37 percent of all work- GRAND RAPIDS — The eight-story Avenue and Ottawa Avenue just project will lead to further rede- neighborhood that’s growing now, ing men earn low wages. These percentages office tower Spectrum Health plans east of the Grand River. The $60 velopment and “breathe more life” and I think more development will are even higher for Black and Latina women to build will bring a major new rede- million to $80 million project into the Monroe North business happen as a result of us being there in the workforce, of which 54 percent and 64 velopment and hundreds of employ- will house about 1,200 Spectrum district that most recently saw a than if we weren’t there,” Cox said. percent, respectively, are low wage earners. ees to the Monroe North neighbor- Health administrative staff — exec- former industrial site transformed The center also will house a “(The pandemic) has opened our eyes to hood near downtown Grand Rapids. utive leadership, human resources, into the 246-room Embassy Suites training and a learning center in a a lot of different things,” Fauble said. “From Spectrum Health aims to begin legal and finance — now work- hotel, said Spectrum Chief Financial first-floor meeting space for up to See WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE on page 17 construction late this summer on ing at 26 leased offices in the city. Officer Matt Cox. See SPECTRUM OFFICES on page 3 PERIODICALS Michigan infrastructure planning would Cannabis startups get boost from seek entry to market Biden plan outside of retail PAGE 18 PAGE 16 AWARD WINNER SPOTLIGHT 2021 CRAFT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS DUE APRIL 13 WWW.ABCWMC.ORG/CPOY * MUST BE AN ABC MEMBER TO APPLY NEW CONSTRUCTION: $1-5 MILLION PIONEER CONSTRUCTION: BLACK RIVER BARN PROJECT Black River Barn This unique event venue project was designed as a barn- LOCATION South Haven style building with a semi-rustic exterior, mixing new and BUDGET Confidential old features. The beautiful interior highlights 100-year-old ARCHITECT Interactive Studios barn wood elements on the stairs, tables, and bar. The COMPLETION November 2019 new bride and groom suites were crafted with country-club 2515 ALPINE AVE NW, SUITE C TEAM Project Manager: Jason Nyhuis style details. GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49544 Superintendent: Clinton Vanderkolk ABCWMC.ORG ADVERTISEMENT WELLNESS AND THE HOME OFFICE Experts weigh in on tactics for health and wellness while working from home icture the perfect home office: sprawling wooden “There’s an old saying that ‘It’s better to eat Twinkies desk, latest high-definition monitor, plush leather with friends than a salad alone’,” Edwards said. “This means Pchair, and of course, that perfect built-in bookshelf as that the quality of relationship with others and ourselves a backdrop for Zoom meetings. has a greater impact than following dietary rules. The salad Though pleasant, this vision is far from reality for is obviously a healthier option (but) a shared experience most people working from home during the COVID-19 with trusted peers is the healthiest option compared to pandemic. More likely are long hours spent at improvised experiencing something alone.” workstations — laptops on stacks of books, the kids’ old crafting table or a dining chair. Meanwhile, children play in Employers’ role in wellness the background or attend virtual schooling, spouses work shoulder-to-shoulder. Employers have adopted a variety of tactics to promote This new reality of working from home can be chaotic, social interactions among their employees and ease mentally draining and unhealthy. the burden of the pandemic. Lyng and Wong, both MiBiz recently hosted a free webinar with occupational occupational therapy students at the Chan Division to software to track employee activity and monitor their Though the COVID-19 pandemic has forced both therapy practitioners Anita Joy Edwards, Kara Wong and for Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at activity at home. While these programs can be effective employers and their workers to adapt in unfamiliar and Sydney Lyng of health consulting firm GIG Design LLC the University of Southern California, noted some from a profitability perspective, they also easily blur the uncomfortable ways, incorporating wellness techniques to discuss the importance of wellness in mitigating the companies host virtual happy hours. Others hold “health lines between clock time and personal time and risk total and strategies into daily life can help everyone improve physical and mental toll of working from home. circles” – meetings among peers in a safe environment surveillance of their employee and the employee’s family. their physical and mental health. Even with a dedicated home office, working from home where they can openly discuss challenges they face in the “Using such technology is heavily cautioned,” Lyng GIG Design offers top wellness tips for employees who in the COVID-19 era has created myriad health challenges. new work-from-home environment. Outside of promoting said. “It’s crucial to not only request explicit consent from are working from home. The wellness consulting firm Increased chair time has led to weight gain, chronic pain, social interactions, some companies also issue stipends or employees but also weave privacy preserving features into also offers a variety of health and wellness services for depression and other adverse impacts. Endless Zoom bonuses related to health and wellness. the design of their technologies.” employers, including an employee wellness survey and calls and increased screen time have led to digital eye However, the speakers indicated the most essential follow-up consulting services. strain and anxiety. And unclear work-life boundaries have thing employers can do for their worker’s wellness is to Personal Tactics yielded longer hours and increasing burnout. According listen, empathize with their employees’ concerns and GIG Design is a team of health consultants who help to a study from staffing firm Adecco, social burnout from troubles, and above all, remain flexible. On a personal level, Edwards and the other speakers noted individuals achieve their personal, health, and wellness the pandemic is estimated to cost the global economy “There’s a positive correlation between flexible work that individuals can take small actions throughout the day goals. Our approach is client-centered and process-oriented approximately $323 billion annually. schedules and proactivity,” Wong said. “It’s important to promote physical and mental wellness. in order to create the best potential for long-term success Experts believe the work-from-home transition fueled for companies to avoid setting very stringent schedules Incorporating micro-breaks, standing and stretching, that sticks. Visit www.gigdesign.me. by COVID-19 will become a regular part of professional life and deadlines. The emphasis on clock time can cause performing squats or other aerobic exercises once an hour, in the future. As such, both workers and employers alike unnecessary stress on employees and encourage a and placing the printer away from the desk, are all ways need to adopt wellness practices to keep everyone healthy company culture that may not be beneficial.” being people can intersperse physical activity through the Find the webinar recap in the long-term.