Lean Manufacturing Needs Lean HR Manufacturing gets smarter every day. Leading the Industry 4.0 charge, manufacturers have been the early adopters of transformative technologies like robotics, 3D printing, and the Internet of Things. Yet, many manufacturers struggle with the same problem: An outdated employer brand. This exacerbates one of the fundamental obstacles holding back growth and innovation. More than 71% of manufacturers cite the inability to attract and retain employees as their top challenge. To overcome gaps between workforce supply and demand, manufacturers need smarter HR and payroll technology. This eBook looks at five ways manufacturing organizations can differentiate their employer brand with a modern HCM solution.
Challenge 1: Talent Attraction
Today’s manufacturing operations are smart, lean, and sustainable. Still, there’s a lingering perception that manufacturing jobs are dull, dirty, and dangerous. Where’s the disconnect? Talent acquisition leaders only have one chance to make a first impression. Your recruitment process, from job posting to offer letter, is an expression of your employer brand. If that process is disjointed, slow, or bogged down in paperwork, top candidates will apply somewhere else.
Challenge 2: Onboarding
Starting a new job is stressful. Any breakdown in the onboarding process — missed communications, a glitchy app — can send a new hire running even before they start. One in five companies report they have employees who do not show up on day one, while half state that new hires don’t return for day two. Preboarding is a great opportunity to showcase how your company uses technology to connect employees with people and services. A great onboarding experience excites employees throughout preboarding, engages them in your culture during orientation, and prepares them for job success through training and goal setting.
Challenge 3: Skills Development
Artificial intelligence. Digital twinning. Autonomous robots. Manufacturing looks a lot different today than it did a decade ago. And it will look different tomorrow. The skills gap in manufacturing is not new, but the fast pace of innovation may be widening it. Increasingly, entry and mid-level jobs require a combination of technology skills, specialized skills, and “soft” skills. Between the large population of retiring Baby Boomers and an ongoing labor shortage, manufacturers need more than a stopgap solution.
Challenge 4: Connection and Communication
Manufacturers have some inherent obstacles to building a unified company culture. Workers are often physically separated across different production areas and offices on campus, or by multiple locations. They may work different shifts, and many don’t work at desks. Sometimes these silos create an “us vs. them” mentality that further divides your workforce. Deploying tools that empower employees to make meaningful connections can be a major differentiator in a competitive labor market, as well as a boost to productivity.
Challenge 5: Flexibility
Manufacturing jobs offer good pay, health insurance benefits, stability, and a future. But workers today are looking for something else.
In a survey of 600 factory workers, respondents named five top factors they would look for in a new employer:
- More paid time off
- Flexible work schedule
- Management who listens
- Non-monetary perks
- Better tools and technology
While a modern HCM solution can’t grant vacation time or put snacks in the breakroom, it can help manufacturers offer employees more autonomy to manage their work-life balance.
- An employee self-service portal and on-demand payment options offer flexibility, putting information and same-day funds at workers’ fingertips with no added burden to HR or finance.
- Advanced scheduling lets managers optimize shift coverage with role-based and location-based scheduling. Employees can view schedules on their phones and claim open shifts when they're eligible. Not only does this give workers more flexibility, it helps minimize no-shows.
No matter the challenges you're facing in your organization, Paylocity is the partner you need to tackle the challenges of today so you can focus on building a stronger tomorrow for your business. Download our eBook for a deeper dive into how to eliminate your biggest HR obstacles.
