A negative perception of what it’s like to work in manufacturing is a big reason why employers find it hard to fill their manufacturing jobs with qualified employees. Uncertainty about “fit” and about long-term opportunities, too, are contributing to this talent shortage. To help attract and retain good workers, HR and hiring managers can leverage recruitment software to educate job seekers about the realities of modern manufacturing, to test applicants for desired and necessary skills, and to help new hires and current employees advance in their careers.
What Candidates Don’t Know About Manufacturing Jobs
Today’s manufacturing jobs defy lingering stereotypes of being “dirty, dark, and dangerous,” and manufacturing environments in the USA are highly regulated, with many resembling clean labs. Additionally, this industry provides career opportunities at just about every level of education and training, from high school diploma or GED to doctorate, with salaries varying by role and expertise. Many high-paying manufacturing jobs tend to be very specialized and can be challenging to fill. But entry-level jobs, too, are taking on new dimensions: because of increasing automation, employers are looking for people who have advanced technology skills.
Humans already work alongside robots at some companies. But the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend in manufacturing, thanks in part to restrictions on working conditions and the number of personnel who could be on the floor at any one time (a challenge for an industry that often requires people to work in close physical proximity to each other), as well as slowdowns and COVID-19 outbreaks that reduced the number of workers on the floor.
Even with this shift toward increased use of automation, however, many manufacturing firms still lack enough human workers with the right skills. By using the right software and virtual tools to implement four key functions, HR professionals can help their organizations attract, hire, and retain the manufacturing talent they need.
Comprehensive Talent Assessments
More and more employers are conducting pre-employment testing as they realize it can boost both productivity and retention. For example, Gallup research has found that when companies hire candidates who perform in the top 20 percent of such assessments, those organizations enjoy noteworthy bumps to productivity and profitability (17 percent and 21 percent, respectively), as well as dramatic decreases in absenteeism (41 percent), turnover (59 percent), and safety incidents (70 percent).1
Although certain job skills, personality traits, and levels of math ability and literacy are essential, employers in the manufacturing industry also need employees who have “soft skills.” Testing companies have addressed his need by coming out with tests that measure talents such as problem solving and critical thinking. Many applicant tracking system (ATS) products can integrate those results, thus streamlining the use of such assessments in the hiring process.
Video “Employment Previews”
One effective method for overcoming negative preconceptions about manufacturing careers is to show prospective candidates what working in the field is actually like. Employers have often invited entry-level talent for tours of their manufacturing facilities, but during the pandemic social distancing made those kinds of tours more challenging to pull off.
One way to give potential workers a taste of what working at a company is like is to have current employees create video testimonials that can be easily incorporated into career sites, job descriptions, social media posts, text campaigns, and e-mail. Organizations can use these videos to spotlight employees and mobilize brand ambassadors to share stories and convey the company’s culture. A skilled welder or a manufacturing engineer might talk about what they do on the job, for example, and explain how they got to where they are and what they enjoy most about working for the company.
Recruitment Chatbots
Real-world job fairs are another recruitment tool that was put on hold during the pandemic. Much of the business world pivoted to the use of virtual tools instead. Recruitment chatbots can be especially effective at nurturing job seekers who haven’t yet decided to apply to a company. They can be customized to answer frequently asked questions, help job seekers fill out application forms, schedule interviews, or fulfill whatever other function the organization needs. Interactions between job seekers and chatbots can happen on a 24/7 basis, and during work hours recruiters can jump in and out of conversations and follow up with candidates who seem promising.
Advancement Planning
Videos and chatbots can certainly help boost engagement during the hiring process. But to retain qualified employees, a company must also maintain that engagement after they’ve been hired. One study found that employees are more likely to stay with a company when there is a “strong alignment between their career goals and management objectives,” “visible career tracks,” and “training and development opportunities.”2 In other words, employees who stick around are engaged because they see room to grow professionally there.
Advancement planning showcases employment growth opportunities. Historically, manufacturing companies have invested much more in such programs for salaried employees than for hourly workers. But even before the pandemic, this pattern had started to change, and software tools reflect this growing trend toward developing internal talent. The right ATS can transfer employee information seamlessly to a company’s human capital management software; it can also enable employees to see the best-fit roles and new opportunities on internal career sites, as well as leverage chatbots to recommend open opportunities based on an employee’s talent profile and tenure.
An Effective Toolbox
HR professionals and hiring managers have an ever-growing set of great recruitment and retention tools at their fingertips. By leveraging these tools, the manufacturing industry will be better positioned to bridge the skills gap so it can find—and keep—the talent it needs.