In this ever-changing economy, retaining reliable manufacturing employees is crucial to maintaining your company’s competitiveness. Losing an employee not only results in the loss of their work output but also the knowledge they have acquired during their tenure with your company. Consequently, you incur additional expenses in searching for, vetting, and onboarding a new employee.
The Manufacturing Institute’s Center for Manufacturing Research, in collaboration with the American Psychological Association, conducted a study on retention practices in the manufacturing sector. Spanning from February to October 2020, the research involved interviews with leaders from 14 manufacturing firms and a survey of 578 employees.
The study identified concerns regarding retaining high-potential workers and skilled labor. Employee retention drivers included job enjoyment (83 percent), stability (79 percent), family-oriented culture (69 percent), and work-life balance (68 percent).
As leaders at your manufacturing company, it’s important to put your employees first. Creating a better environment for them will enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Take a look at some of these manufacturing employee retention strategies and why you should utilize them at your company.
The Importance of Employee Retention
A robust talent strategy is fundamental for business growth. High employee turnover poses a risk to organizational strategies, forcing a reactive response focused on replacing the worker rather than investing in training and developing long-term employees.
Here are some of the benefits of employee retention:
- Strong Company Culture: Employee retention fosters a positive company culture by allowing staff to become intimately familiar with organizational values, mission, and dynamics, promoting a unified workplace.
- Continuity in Institutional Knowledge: Retaining employees preserves invaluable institutional knowledge, offering insights and expertise critical for organizational continuity.
- Reduced Training and Hiring Costs: Employee retention minimizes recruitment and training expenses, as investing in retaining experienced workers proves more economical than onboarding new hires.
- Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Consistent employee presence results in improved customer satisfaction. Employees with a long-lasting grasp on tasks can perform their duties more efficiently and effectively.
How to Retain Manufacturing Employees
Retaining experienced employees is one of the biggest challenges in the manufacturing industry. The average manufacturing employee is rapidly aging, creating an opening for new workers in the field. However, manufacturing companies are struggling to fill these open positions.
To keep your employees happy, you must put them first. Take into consideration their lives outside of work, their personal development, and other long-term goals. If you need manufacturing recruitment strategies, take a look at some of these tested methods.
Hire Using a Specialized Recruiting Firm
A reliable and hands-free recruiting idea for manufacturing is hiring a specialized recruiting firm. These firms help employers save time by carefully vetting potential employees to see if they’re a good fit for your company. By doing this, they ensure that your job listings clearly explain your expectations and attract candidates who have the proper qualifications for positions.
If you work with a manufacturing recruiting firm, you can trust that they have expert knowledge about the industry and will be able to match you with qualified candidates. Hiring a firm like this not only ensures that you will be interviewing top candidates but also saves you considerable time weeding through applications.
Focus on Employee Experience
The long-standing focus on Customer Experience (CX) in marketing has led to the recognition of its significance for business success. However, to ensure growth and success within your manufacturing company, you should also focus on Employee Experience (EX).
While many companies believe they prioritize the EX, oftentimes, they are overlooked, leading to employees quitting prematurely. Manufacturers can enhance productivity by prioritizing recruitment, onboarding, and career advancement. This also contributes to higher attendance, reduced turnover, and improved customer satisfaction.
Offer Job Stability
No one leaves a company where they rapidly develop skills and genuinely enjoy it. When workers feel secure about their jobs, they are more likely to invest time and effort into their roles, contributing to the company’s success. As an employer, you must ensure your employees that their jobs are in good hands.
Job stability reduces the stress of uncertainty, creating a comfortable work environment. This sense of security promotes employee satisfaction, making them less inclined to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Give Employee Recognition
One of the most creative ways to recruit manufacturing employees is by cultivating an environment where they feel valued and eager to work. To do this, it’s essential to create a meaningful employee recognition program.
This means setting up custom occasions that align with your company’s values and goals, and highlighting your employees. Positive reinforcement like this encourages employees to continue with their progress, leading to a better work environment.
Paying attention to analytics is key for a successful recognition program. Strong analytics gives you insightful information about how often these occasions happen and how your employees truly feel about their jobs. Using this information, you can create a more beneficial program for your employees.
Offer Career Development
In an effort to lower the chance of your company losing manufacturing jobs, it’s important to nurture your employees’ long-term goals. Instead of hiring employees who will simply do the work, it’s better to hire workers who have goals within your industry or, better yet, your company.
Foster employee growth with thoughtful long-term goal check-ins. Regular check-ins track progress, reassess goals, and offer crucial support. Simplify professional development by streamlining processes and ensuring easy access to on-site or external courses for skill improvement.
As a manager, you can help with employees’ career development. Work closely with your employees and understand their goals. Then, assist them by helping them find courses or take steps to help their career. Additionally, investing in professional development not only boosts individual growth but also elevates the overall talent within your workforce.
Keep Employees Safe
One of the most important recruiting strategies for manufacturing companies is ensuring a safe working environment. If employees feel unsafe, they are more likely to quit their jobs. To ensure a secure workplace, consider automating safety procedures with software, minimizing human errors, and centralizing safety checklists.
Make it easy for employees to report problems by establishing accessible channels and responding promptly to safety concerns. Swift responses are crucial to prioritizing employee well-being, utilizing centralized tracking systems for accountability. By doing this, you are showing your employees that you truly care about their well-being, making them feel secure at work.
If you need assistance in implementing best practices for recruiting qualified employees for your manufacturing company, turn to our experts at Austin Nichols Technical Search. Our professionals are here to do the time-consuming work for you and set your company up for success.
Contact us today to speak to our industry experts.
