Engaging and Retaining Manufacturing Employees
Companies are shifting their business operations in many directions. Some are offshoring certain operations while simultaneously bringing other activities back to the United States. Now more than ever, companies are looking at a wide variety of factors beyond labor costs, including the availability of quality employees with the intrinsic desire to contribute to a greater purpose.
More manufacturing jobs are returning to the United States, and many workers are on the edge of retiring. This has created a skilled workforce issue in the United States. It is crucial to offer the current workforce opportunities to grow, learn, and contribute.
At Hytrol, we continuously look at these opportunities, refining career paths for every position in our organization. We map out critical skillsets and develop those skill sets through equipment training, technical training, and soft skills training—we even offer personal financial management training to our employees.
The details of these opportunities may look slightly different at your company, but the end goal is the same: to create an environment of growth and innovation in which employees are encouraged to bring new ideas to the table and master their skillsets. It is important to foster a culture of opportunity for current and future employees; to do so, we should keep the following aspects in mind.
- Set SMART goals.
A crucial component for success is a clearly-defined mission. It is important to set objectives for both individuals and departments that are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. At Hytrol, we want to know that our employees understand the bigger picture and how they play a role in Hytrol’s overall purpose. This is critical in creating our culture of growth and opportunity.
- Foster an innovative atmosphere.
You cannot force creativity, but the right setting can put the team in the mindset for developing innovation. By establishing an environment built on servant leadership, passion, and communication, we set the parameters for success.
- Build cohesion.
Having a shared vision helps an organization to run smoothly. We do encourage different perspectives and opinions, but focus on team members who align with our culture.
- Leverage the strengths of individuals.
Hire people who are passionate about what they do. By building off the strengths of each individual, this last point becomes very easy and the team as a whole becomes stronger.
By creating a sustained and dynamic career path for team members, Hytrol encourages active participation and a culture of ownership. Employees choose to provide a quality product or service, because they feel valued. At Hytrol, we are committed to creating a culture of longevity and passion, where employees can thrive through the promise of work-life balance, innovation, and engagement.