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Top Trends in Today’s Manufacturing Workforce
Industry Week recently posted their report “Top Trends in Today’s Manufacturing Workforce: Why Finding and Keeping Talent is More Critical Than Ever for Business Growth.” Senior-level managers and executives in the manufacturing industry were surveyed. Of the 362 surveyed, 86% reported that they are growing at or beyond projections.
However, those same managers stated that the largest threat to their continued growth is attracting and retaining a smart, engaged workforce.
The study went on to share the four areas that leaders will find as critical to finding the talent to grow their businesses, especially with 50% of the workforce being made up of millennials by 2020.
- People want to be a part of a strong, supportive culture with a clear line-of-sight to leadership and organization vision. Communication ranked at the top factor impacting workplace culture. A company of any size can leverage technology to increase communication and collaboration.
- People want to work on meaningful projects with great equipment and exciting technologies. The younger workforce expects collaboration platforms, innovation, and new ways of doing things in their jobs. Companies that provide a clear perspective on how these workers are making a difference in the company’s success will strengthen the employees’ connection to the work and each other, ultimately improving retention.
- People want to have opportunities for personal and professional growth and a clear path to advancement. Overall, the younger generations wish to be in a work environment that includes: events that foster relationships and celebrate success, flexible time-off, voluntary overtime and part-time, robust training and professional development, involvement in business planning and decision-making, and being in locations where they wish to live.
- People want to enjoy the state-of-the-art features and benefits of employment. Economies of scale dictate that it is easier for a larger company to offer attractive benefits and a variety of options that can woo attractive talent. However, smaller companies can offer flexibility, freedom, opportunities to move into a higher-level position faster, and greater access to leadership and high-stakes projects.
Finding talent will be more critical than ever for a successful manufacturing industry as we move into the next decade. It’s time to dismantle the perception of a “dirty and dangerous” job and form a vision of state-of-the-art and forward-thinking when manufacturing is discussed.
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