Attracting and retaining top-notch manufacturing talent

KI’s Tattoo Screens are among the company innovations designed to help with employee privacy at work.

KI

Following serious disruption of the supply chain and the boom in ecommerce spurred by the pandemic, the U.S. manufacturing sector has been compelled to adapt. A major wave of reshoring is underway. By the end of 2022, nearly 62% of U.S. manufacturers had started either reshoring or near-shoring production. That, combined with a steady stream of baby boomers entering retirement, has created a shortage of skilled labor across all industries. In fact, there are currently more than 9 million job openings in the U.S.

According to Deloitte, a global consulting firm, employers with modern facilities, advanced technologies, growth opportunities and a culture of well-being have the best chance of attracting and retaining top-notch talent. In today’s industrial market, there has to be more than a paycheck on the table.

As a fellow manufacturer and a company firmly rooted in listening, observing and gleaning insights from small to large clients across multiple industries, KI understands the workforce challenge well. Here are some insights to consider in your quest to attract and retain skilled talent.

Regenerative spaces

Creating an environment that makes employees feel comfortable, engaged and valued can help you retain your best talent. People are searching for roles that offer better work-life balance. Adding regenerative spaces that offer privacy, quiet and comfort, such as lounge areas or spaces for personal calls, can help workers step away from work to address their own personal needs or to recharge, reducing burnout.

Imagine an employee needing to speak to their child’s teacher or call a doctor’s office. Offering them a private space within the larger breakroom — think individual privacy pod — makes them feel more comfortable addressing personal needs during their downtime at work. Now imagine that employee trying to make the same calls without that private space in a noisy room that doesn’t offer any privacy. The pictures paint a stark contrast in an employee’s comfort level and their belief that you understand their needs.

Oftentimes the breakroom is an afterthought. By making the time to plan for more regenerative breakrooms, you can incorporate features that contribute to your employees’ sense of comfort and belonging — like kitchen areas that are modern, with comfortable chairs and tables for dining; private spaces for personal calls; charging ports for phones; and relaxed seating to accommodate both individual regeneration and group interactions. You can also consider making regenerative areas shared spaces between front office personnel and personnel from the factory floor to encourage collaboration and inclusion.

Collaborative/interactive spaces

Creating spaces where employees can work and/or learn collaboratively fosters a stronger sense of belonging, which is associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of turnover. Interactive spaces can be used for cross-functional team meetings, job-related training and educational programs that can help employees develop new personal and professional skills and improve their performance at work.

Incorporating meeting spaces where co-workers from the manufacturing floor and the office can interact, ask questions and share ideas can help create a more cohesive team and foster that same sense of belonging that contributes to improved retention.

Growth opportunities

Employers that emphasize training and empower employees to evolve as team members will improve retention in the long term. A Pew Research survey showed that more than 60% of employees who left their jobs in 2021 did so because they had little to no opportunities for growth and advancement.

Training and educational programs can offer more than just employee satisfaction. They can help you cultivate a talent pipeline. As new employees join your team, consider where they might meet your needs five or 10 years from now. If you can anticipate future needs, you can create knowledge transfer programs that pass the wisdom of those approaching retirement to those who can step into their roles.

Insights to consider

Here’s a quick recap of the insights shared above, along with a few others worth mentioning:

• When you modernize your facility, intentionally create spaces that promote regeneration and cross-functional collaboration.
• Create spaces that show you respect and value your workforce and their work-life balance.
• Cultivate your talent pipeline with knowledge transfer programs, training and educational opportunities.
• Form partnerships with technical colleges and local high schools that can help by teaching the basic skills or knowledge you’re searching for.
• Invest in employee training and educational programs with a focus on helping your employees upskill and become more valuable contributors.

Creating an environment that makes employees feel comfortable, engaged and valued can help you retain your best talent.

The bottom line: Create a culture

The talent attraction and retention discussion has been taking place for a while now. Skilled employees in today’s job market have plenty of alternatives to choose from. You can have modern facilities, fair pay, training programs and partnerships with educational institutions, but at the end of the day you have to create a culture of which people want to be a part.

People have to believe that when they come to work for your company, they’re going to enjoy the experience and that it will become an important and comfortable part of their life.

Culture is the whole package: your environment, pay, interactions and, most importantly, employees’ perception of how valuable they are to their team. Make the time to identify what kind of culture you want to create and then take steps to make it happen.

LEED accredited professional Jonathan Webb leads KI’s strategic business unit, serving the business market. He studies workplace trends, uncovers product gaps and develops solutions with the KI team, as well as takes part in advanced workplace strategies.

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