The manufacturing industry has long been a part of the American economy. While it suffered greatly during the last major recession, the sector ultimately rebounded. Many of the lost jobs eventually returned, which initially seemed like a boon.
However, many manufacturing companies struggle to find and retain skilled and dedicated employees. Engagement often wains for those working in the field, and many younger workers don’t view opportunities in this sector as pathways toward a long and lucrative career.
If a manufacturer is going to overcome these obstacles, there is one thing they need to do. Focusing on building a winning company culture can make a difference, improving retention, and generating more interest in open positions. With an influential culture in place, engagement can thrive.
If you want to learn how to improve your manufacturing company’s culture, here are some tips.
Speak to Your Employees
No one understands the pain points of a role like the person doing the job. That’s why, if you want to come up with a plan for improving your culture, the first step needs to be to speak with your employees. Often, they’ll be able to identify stressors and obstacles they encounter with ease. They can also describe any culture-oriented shortcomings that are harming the employee experience.
Once you identify critical areas for improvement, you can create a functional action plan. You’ll know where to focus your energies to ensure the most significant return, allowing you to facilitate meaningful change in the shortest time possible.
Communicate Openly
Communication is critical if you want to build a positive culture. Employees need to feel informed, so finding pathways that allow information to be disseminated quickly and thoroughly is a must. That way, no one feels left in the dark thanks to the increased level of visibility.
Similarly, striving to make managers available to their team members is critical. If manufacturing managers don’t seem approachable or overly receptive, communication is hindered, and morale drops. Both of these harm your culture, so managers must make themselves accessible to their teams.
Define Career Paths
Most professionals aspire to keep their careers moving forward. If they aren’t sure how to make that happen with their current employer, they may seek out opportunities elsewhere.
If you want to create a positive culture that supports retention, define paths, employees can use to move up. Let them see how the skills they learn in one job makes them eligible for another later. Incorporate training and mentorship programs that allow them to acquire new capabilities that enable them to advance. This approach makes longevity with a manufacturing company seem like a viable career option, ensuring it’s explicit about where their efforts can take them.
All of the tips above can help manufacturing companies enhance their cultures, creating avenues for better recruitment and retention results. If you’d like to learn more about what you can do to attract and maintain top talent, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today and see how our company culture expertise can benefit you.
