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Marc Ehrenreich, Director of Talent, Learning and Culture, Materion CorporationMarc Ehrenreich has spent his career designing programs that build skills and create growth opportunities across organizations. His leadership philosophy emphasizes practical solutions that remove barriers and equip employees with the necessary tools and support to succeed.
In an interview with HR Tech Outlook, Ehrenreich discussed how building a strong learning culture, reimagining performance conversations and applying employee insights can help organizations strengthen engagement and develop future-ready leaders.
Career Shaped by Curiosity and Growth
My journey began with a passion for industrial organizational psychology. Early roles in instructional design and training management taught me how to build programs that engage employees while aligning training with business needs.
Over time, I transitioned to leadership development, building high-potential programs, facilitating workshops and coaching leaders to strengthen their teams. My time at Safeguard Properties allowed me to design leadership development courses, create a high-potential program and introduce new approaches that encouraged employees to grow beyond their current roles.
Later, I worked at an accounting firm providing career coaching to professionals. Helping them map their goals and navigate opportunities provided me with a deeper understanding of how development paths influence engagement and retention. These experiences led me to Materion Corporation four years ago, where I stepped into a newly created role that reflects our commitment to employee growth.
Today, my responsibilities include managing the learning management system, developing frontline leadership programs, leading engagement surveys and partnering with external experts to keep our learning content fresh. In addition, I also facilitate workshops, provide internal coaching and consulting, and take on various roles to support this position.
Unlocking Growth in a Fast-Moving Environment
Most employees work on the production floor, making it hard to step away for training or access online resources. Many also tend to focus primarily on their current role without considering long-term career paths. Helping them see the bigger picture is a key priority. We redesigned mid-year check-ins to shift focus away from ratings and toward meaningful conversations about progress, goals and career potential. We also encourage employees to think beyond their immediate site or business unit by highlighting opportunities across Materion’s three business units, helping them consider career growth within the broader organization.
Turning Insights into Action
Culture at Materion is something we work on every day. Engagement surveys provide clear insight into employee sentiment. I meet with managers to review survey results, interpret feedback and create action plans.
Fresh learning content is introduced regularly, including leadership development programs and an emerging leader initiative. We embrace pilot projects, adjusting them based on feedback, which keeps us flexible and demonstrates to employees that their input matters.
Preparing for the Future of Learning
The coming years present exciting opportunities as AI is leveraged to personalize learning, recommend timely content and assist managers in coaching their teams. Beyond technology, there is a growing emphasis on developing the whole person. We have explored mindfulness as a tool to help employees stay present and safe, reinforcing our safety culture.
Safety remains a core value, enabling employees to avoid accidents and focus on quality. Managers are encouraged to discuss career aspirations and well-being during check-ins, helping employees feel supported.
Advice for Future Leaders
My advice to talent professionals is to bring passion and curiosity to every interaction. Understanding the business enables the creation of solutions that truly meet its needs. Expand your role beyond traditional HR by gaining credibility through business knowledge.
Treat each program as an experiment with opportunities to learn and improve. Some ideas may not work initially, but they will provide valuable lessons for future efforts. Growth occurs when leaders prioritize development and create opportunities for employees to learn and explore their full potential, resulting in stronger engagement, retention and performance.
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