In a tough economy, you’d think it would be simple to find the employees you need. But organizations are finding that high performing employees are difficult to recruit because with their skill set and experience, they have many choices about where to work. Add to that the treat your existing high performing employees will be recruited by other companies, and you have an even greater need to find and keep talent for your manufacturing organization.
How can you effectively hire and retain the right employees?
Competitive compensation
Although many aspects play a factor in considering a job, compensation is a big one. Companies that pay a higher salary are saying that they value the work done in that job. In the manufacturing industry, the talent pool is limited, so you need to look at the upper end of the compensation spectrum if you truly want to make good hires. And don’t just look within the manufacturing industry for wages, because many potential recruits are also looking for work in other industries.
Remember, too, that compensation must include benefits — companies shouldn’t skimp here because if you can’t even attract potential employees to your door, you’ll never be able to get them inside.
Company vision
Today’s employees want more. They want to do productive work and feel an emotional connection to the company’s mission, and they want to know that the company cares about their well-being. While this attitude is often attributed to the younger generation of workers (Gen X), it’s also true for older Baby Boomers who are looking toward retirement.
Having a clear company vision, being able to express it and getting potential employees to buy into it are effective ways to get employees interested and engaged in your company for the long term.
Reliable reputation
“Unringing” a bell is hard work, and so is repairing a damaged reputation — look at Amazon. Known for its online prowess, it also became known last year as a dangerous place to work when the temperature in its warehouse climbed above 100°F, and multiple employees suffered heat-related illnesses. But rather than proactively eliminating the problem, Amazon hired more ambulances to wait outside the warehouse to take collapsed employees to the hospital.
News travels fast. Social media means a misstep by a company becomes very public and very damaging at lightning-fast speeds, and potential employees will mentally cross you off their list. Spend adequate time making sure you do the right things—not only because they are right but also because they will guard your reputation in the long term.
The list of ways to attract potential employees to your organization can go on and on. But these three essential elements generate a positive impression, and without them, potential employees won’t even give you a second look.
With his distinctive, direct and oft-humorous approach, “recovering attorney” and long-time business and executive coach Paul Glover bares his knuckles to present 76 strategies and tips to thrive in the Knowledge Economy in his new book, WorkQuake, published by Round Table Companies. The blogger for FastCompany.com coined the term WorkQuakeTM of the Knowledge Economy to capture his unique insights and tools to implement organizational change in the knowledge economy. Paul’s writing has been featured in The Business Edge, Vistage, Manufacturing.net, and Food Manufacturing. He is based in Chicago.
