HR Mixtape · 2026-06-09 · 21 min
What does it really take to hire and retain people across a workforce that's part office, part shop floor? Jason Lerner, HR Director at Groundwater Treatment and Technology, has spent his career doing exactly that. He's grown his current company from fewer than 300 employees to more than 500 across six states, and he's cracked the code on attracting, developing, and keeping talent in grey industries, where blue-collar and white-collar work exist side by side. In this episode, Jason and Dr. Shari Simpson dig into the skills gap hiding in plain sight, why Gen Z is more suited for grey-collar work than most people think, and how accountability is actually a retention tool, not a threat. Key takeaways: • Why candidates with non-traditional backgrounds may be your best hire, and how to screen for it in the interview. • How to build clear career paths that satisfy Gen Z's need for growth without overpromising. • Why holding people accountable is one of the best things you can do for your top performers.
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