Today is World Sleep Day – a day for promoting the importance of sleep and good sleep health.
As a go-to source for all things bedding, we know how important sleep is for health and well-being, and we’re proud to create quality products that help you sleep well. While using good products is an important part of sleep hygiene, there are additional things you can do to get a better night’s rest. Check out these 20 sleep tips compiled by the Sleep Foundation.
And as we head into the weekend, go ahead and hit that snooze button once. . .or twice. 💤
Today is International Women’s Day, a day to recognize and honor the women at Leggett & Platt and around the world.
This year’s global theme is “accelerate action.” Accelerate action emphasizes the importance of working decisively toward equality. At the current rate, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity.
Leggett & Platt is accelerating action through W:ISE, which was founded in 2022. Since then, membership has grown to more than 200 people from 10 countries. W:ISE has hosted guest speakers, coordinated company-wide networking events, and created a mentorship program called Circles.
We admire and appreciate all women who enrich our company through their hard work and leadership. And, for every employee who has served as a partner, ally, and advocate for gender equality, we are grateful for you.
On this Employee Appreciation Day, we want to express our gratitude to our teams across the world.
Every day, you do great work together, showing up ready to give your best for your teams and L&P. Thank you for your contributions, dedication, and resilience. We appreciate you!
Our L&P Automotive branch, Schukra Berndorf, is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that boosts productivity and promotes a great culture. The branch has a diverse mix of cultures, with employees from Austria, Germany, Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, Armenia, Hungary, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovakia, China, and many more.
We spoke more with Frauke Radl, Human Resources Business Partner, about how the branch focuses on inclusion and empowers women.
You have employees from across the world. How do the diverse cultures enrich the branch?
Each employee contributes unique perspectives and problem-solving approaches, enhancing our team’s creativity and effectiveness. This exposure to different cultures improves cultural intelligence and fosters an environment of tolerance and respect. These elements create a strong foundation for a positive and productive work environment. We are rocking every challenge in our manufacturing department.
Girls’ Day 2024 at Schukra Berndorf
We also have many women employees at our branch.Based on our experience, women excel in dexterity and reliability. Part-time working mothers are particularly efficient, well-organized, and determined. Women bring unique skills and attention to detail to the workplace, essential for ensuring quality and precision in manual tasks.
Our workstations are designed to meet women’s ergonomic needs, providing increased comfort and significantly reducing the risk of injury.
Why is it important to get more women involved in manufacturing?
Women offer unique viewpoints and problem-solving approaches, which can lead to more innovative solutions and improved decision-making.
The manufacturing industry often faces skill shortages. Encouraging more women to enter the field can help fill these gaps and ensure a steady supply of skilled workers. Increasing the number of women in manufacturing provides role models for younger generations, inspiring more girls to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Last year, you held Girls’ Day, inviting young students to the branch to get an inside look at manufacturing careers. Where did this idea come from?
Girls’ Day, commonly called “Take Your Daughter to Work Day,” originated in the United States. In recent years, this concept has gained popularity in Europe. Girls’ Day aims to encourage girls to explore different careers and provide new insights into the world of work.
The branch will host Girls’ Day again in April 2025. What do you hope the students will gain from this experience?
Our goal is to show girls that we are a great employer and, with a shortage of skilled workers, encourage women to pursue technical careers.
Thank you to the team at Schukra Berndorf for empowering women and paving the way for future generations of women in manufacturing!
Looking for a new opportunity and a place to grow? Join us today!
As a diversified manufacturer, you’ll find rewarding careers that cover many disciplines and call for your unique skillsets and experience. Plus, we offer learning and development opportunities to grow your personal and professional skills and an inclusive culture that is continuously evolving.
We encourage you to stand out and help make our company even better!
From taking on new responsibilities to learning new skills, our team members have shown dedication and commitment to their careers. This month, we’re sharing some of their stories related to professional growth.
Katelyn
Katelyn Pierce started at Leggett & Platt in 2016 as a Treasury Analyst in the Corporate Finance Department, focusing on the domestic side of Treasury including bank account management and working capital initiatives. In 2021, she was promoted to Advanced Treasury Analyst, where she took on more responsibilities, including gaining a better understanding of the international side of Treasury and facilitating liquidity management.
Katelyn recently became Financial Development Program Analyst within Investor Relations as part of the Financial Development Program. This new program at L&P is designed to help develop critical financial skills and relationships while gaining a deeper understanding of our company. The program includes rotations in Investor Relations, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Corporate Development, each lasting 12 to 18 months.
Katelyn credits much of her career growth over the last nine years to excellent mentors and her own moral compass.
“I have been lucky to meet some extraordinary women who have guided me throughout my journey at Leggett. They have shown me that it’s ok to put myself out there and be my own advocate. In addition, I’ve always tried to act with honesty and integrity in everything I do.”
Katelyn hopes her story inspires others to embrace new opportunities.
“Change is not always a bad thing. I was apprehensive about applying for this position, but once I did, I have had nothing but excitement since. Even though I was initially nervous about the change, it was the right choice, and I am happy to have this opportunity.”
Outside Leggett, Katelyn is a mom and loves playing dolls and coloring with her two-year-old daughter.
Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, a day to encourage doing simple deeds for others and instilling a habit of generosity in our lives.
A recent study found that being kind to ourselves, to anyone else, or actively observing kindness around us boosts happiness. Kindness can be as simple as a smile, holding the door for someone, sending a note of thanks, or even observing kindness in others. Kindness makes the world a better place.
From taking on new responsibilities to learning new skills, our colleagues have shown dedication and commitment to their careers. This month, we’re sharing some of their stories related to professional growth.
Titus
Meet Titus Hefner, Machine Intelligence Data Analyst!
Titus joined L&P in early 2023 as an engineering intern. While interning, he performed inventory analysis, machine reliability analysis, and preventative maintenance support for our Bedding business. He also assisted engineering teams responsible for new cutting-edge measurement machines and worked on designing and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for production. With support from these teams, he became an expert on the machines and served as a resource for training, documentation, troubleshooting, and development.
After a year and a half, he accepted a full-time position as a machine intelligence data analyst. In this role, Titus assists with the creation, implementation, and support of our machine intelligence initiative, which introduces real-time monitoring of manufacturing performance, product quality, and product traceability.
“The most exciting part of my role is being on a team that introduces and stands up a state-of-the-art group of technologies,” says Titus. “I am fortunate to be on a team whose primary interest is the success of its members. Everybody I work with is dedicated to lifting each other up, including those who are just starting their career. Steve Wright, Ryan Middleton, and Randall Wood were all instrumental in helping me find my groove here and giving me the room to grow.“
In addition to having supportive teams, Titus credits his ability to learn quickly for his career growth:
“Rather than trying to amass a large pool of technical knowledge, I focus on my ability to learn quickly. Knowledge comes with time, but learning how to learn is far more important and far more unique of a trait.“
For interns looking to transition to a full-time role like he did, he offers some advice:
“No matter your scope of work, try to be on as many teams as possible. Because I collaborated with more teams than required, I learned new skills and found the role I am in.I never knew I wanted to pursue a career in AI until my manager gave me an opportunity to learn.“
Outside work, Titus enjoys playing the guitar, shooting guns and bows, hunting, camping, and spending time with his blue heeler, Remington. He’s finishing his last semester of undergraduate and preparing for graduate school.
We’re grateful to have Titus on our team and we wish him the best this year!
2025 is your year to conquer your career, and L&P’s very own Christalena Peña, Learning & Development Specialist, is sharing her free resource to help you!
Check OutConquer Your Career
Christalena is the author of Conquer Your Career – a free weekly LinkedIn newsletter that you can use as a go-to guide for taking control of your professional journey.
“This newsletter is my way of making career growth accessible, actionable, and inspiring, so you can tackle your goals with confidence,” says Christalena. “Empowering others to succeed isn’t just a passion—it’s my purpose, and I’m excited to share this journey with you!”
Through personal stories, actionable tips, and practical strategies, Conquer Your Career helps you discover how to step up, stand out, and achieve your goals. No fluff—just real, tactical advice to help you navigate challenges and seize opportunities with confidence. Join a community of driven professionals, and don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and share with friends ready to conquer their careers too!
Christalena Shares Why She Started Conquer Your Career
Christalena Peña
Christalena was once told that she transcends barriers in everything that she does. Since then, she’s worked to leverage every experience to build on the next, shift paradigms, and promote accessibility. Her work experience spans revenue, operations, employee resource groups, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), learning & development, instructional design, social media, individual contributors, emerging leaders, people leaders, and more.
“I started Conquer Your Career because I believe in the power of sharing knowledge to uplift others. My creative energy comes alive when I can take what I’ve learned—through challenges, wins, and everything in between—and turn it into something that helps others break barriers and unlock their potential,” says Christalena.
“Overall, it’s been such a fun and insightful experience for both the subscribers and me. With each article, I am further refining my voice as a writer and thought leader. We have started to form such an uplifting and curious community on LinkedIn, which I appreciate.“
We’re proud of Christalena’s leadership, and we’re grateful she’s helping make career growth accessible to everyone!
This month is dedicated to ensuring the stories, achievements, and voices of Black Americans do not fade into the background. In honor of Black History Month, we’d like to share a few resources and events you can attend to learn more about Black history and achievements.
Every year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) assigns an annual theme to Black History Month. This year’s theme is African Americans and Labor. ASALH will host a virtual festival for Black History Month, which you can learn more about here: Black History Month Virtual Festival.
To learn more about Black history and culture, check out the following five resources:
