How to keep your manufacturing employees engaged

Keeping employees engaged is critical for any business, but it can be especially difficult in the manufacturing industry. Many may not see the direct impact of their work. Engagement is becoming more important as low job satisfaction and high employee turnover hit the manufacturing sector, resulting in a talent shortage that is leaving millions of jobs unfilled. Luckily, there are several things you can do to keep your workers interested and motivated.

Make employees feel valued and listened to

Making sure that your employees feel valued and recognized should be one of your top priorities. One way to do this is to ask for feedback on a regular basis. This can be done through employee surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one meetings. Regularly asking for employee feedback shows your workers that you care about their wellbeing and experience at your company. It also gives you a valuable opportunity to improve how your organization works based on accurate insights.

Addressing employee concerns goes hand in hand with asking for feedback. After collecting data from your employees, make changes in a timely and responsive manner. If there are issues with working conditions, health and safety, pay, or benefits, make sure to address them as soon as possible.

Raise awareness about work benefits

Many employees are unaware of the benefits and perks that their employers offer. However, manufacturing companies often provide a variety of other benefits, including training, assistance programs, and flexible scheduling. Research shows that these benefits are highly valued by employees, with 68% ranking flexible work arrangements as one of the main reasons to stay at a company.

Employees who are familiar with their work benefits are more likely to use them, which leads to increased job satisfaction and higher retention rates. Keep your workers informed by holding informational meetings, distributing printed materials, sending regular email updates, and creating an online benefits portal.

Help employees develop their careers

Manufacturing employees are keen to learn new skills and grow professionally. Studies indicate that 2 out of 3 young employees are motivated to stay at their current employer because of training and career development initiatives. This shows that promoting upskilling and career advancement can give you a competitive advantage in today’s tough talent market.

Make sure your employees are aware of any training and career assistance that you offer. Managers should hold regular meetings with employees to discuss opportunities for training and advancement. Additionally, you can share information about training and development programs through employee newsletters or intranet sites. Finally, human resources staff should be available to answer any questions that employees may have about growing within your company and leveraging organizational support.

Invest in mentorship programs

76% of US workers believe mentorship is important, meaning a well-structured mentor program is a powerful tool in engaging manufacturing workers. Manufacturing employers can use mentors to keep existing employees’ skills sharp and develop young talent. A mentorship program can also help engage long-term employees by giving them a chance to share their knowledge and expertise with others.

In addition, the mentorship program can be used to improve the onboarding process. By helping new employees get acclimated to the company culture and expectations alongside a mentor, you create a highly personalized and welcoming onboarding process that integrates workers from day one.

Bonuses, especially if you're currently offering sign-on ones to new hires

One way to help reduce turnover and keep employees engaged is to offer bonuses. According to recent studies, bonuses rank in the top 10 factors for job attractiveness in the labor market. Bonuses can be given for meeting production goals, having a good attendance rate, or referring new employees, and are a popular method for showing employees that their efforts are appreciated.

Sign-on bonuses are also commonly used in manufacturing to sweeten the deal for prospective employees, so it’s important to offer incentives to existing employees, too. Failing to do so could lead to talent fleeing to competitor companies. For hard-to-fill vacancies, consider referral bonuses. These encourage current employees to spread the word about open positions, making your life a lot easier when it comes to talent search.

If your manufacturing company is struggling to hire, retain, and engage talent, Adecco can help. Our workforce experts have years of experience improving how manufacturing companies operate, even in times of crisis. Contact us today to find out how we can transform your organization.