It’s no secret that retaining employees in the current job market has become increasingly difficult. It’s especially true when looking at the manufacturing industry, where turnover rates can be high. So what should you do as an internal communicator or HR professional in a manufacturing company? There are several ways to retain manufacturing employees. We tell you some of the most effective strategies below.
#1
Give Manufacturing Employees Competitive Compensation and Benefits
One of the biggest reasons employees leave their job is due to dissatisfaction with their pay and benefits. To retain manufacturing employees, companies should provide competitive compensation packages that match or exceed industry standards. What does this include? A few things you could include in your process is a regular salary increase, bonuses, and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. What’s more is that companies can offer flexible work arrangements when needed, and help manufacturing employees better balance their work and personal lives.
#2
Invest in Your Manufacturing Employees
Just like any other employee, manufacturing employees want to feel valued and want to see a growth path and opportunity within the company. That’s where your development initiatives come in. By investing in employee training and development, you can help manufacturing employees expand their soft skills, hard skills and general knowledge. The bonus? Their increased knowledge will automatically add more value to the organization. Such development initiatives for manufacturing employees can include offering in-house training programs, paid courses, or tuition reimbursement for continuing education.
#3
Create a Positive Work Environment
A positive work environment can have a significant impact on the morale and motivation of your manufacturing employees. Ways to foster a positive work environment include: promoting open communication, recognizing and rewarding employee accomplishments, and encouraging a sense of teamwork and collaboration. What’s more is that as an internal communicator, you can provide manufacturing employees with opportunities for socialization. Some examples include company events and team-building activities. It could help by building relationships and a sense of community among manufacturing employees who are otherwise generally more isolated from head office and often work in silos.
#4
Highlight a Growth Path for Manufacturing Employees
Just like any employee, manufacturing employees too want to feel like they have opportunities for advancement within the company. This is often not the case for seasonal workers, but more specific to full-time manufacturing employees. Your company can provide these opportunities by creating a clear career progression path and offering promotions, transfers, and other career advancement opportunities. As an internal communicator, you could include a process that makes sure to provide regular performance feedback and coaching for manufacturing employees. This could be a moment to help these employees understand their strengths and weaknesses and work on areas for improvement.
#5
Encourage Manufacturing Employee Involvement in Decision-Making
Inviting manufacturing employees to participate in decision-making processes can help them feel valued and understand that their opinions matter. Being on the frontline, they could have a perspective that’s very different from that of their team leaders or head office. How do you go about it? Include regular employee surveys and suggestion boxes, as well as opportunities for manufacturing employees to contribute their ideas and opinions in meetings and other forums.
In a nutshell, there are many different initiatives that companies can take to retain manufacturing employees, but being strategic and implementing processes is key. Some ideas include: providing competitive compensation and benefits, investing in employee training and development, and fostering a positive work environment. These strategies can also help with building a strong, dedicated workforce that adds value in return. By implementing these initiatives, you can reduce turnover rates, as well as improve overall productivity and employee satisfaction.