Continuing workforce issues have leadership looking for manufacturing workforce recruiting strategies. In fact, 38% of manufacturing executives report that attracting new workers is their top production workforce priority this year.
In this first post in a two-part series, I will cover the latest on recruiting new workers to the manufacturing sector. The next part, on worker retention, will post next Monday.
As you can see in the chart above, the manufacturing sector lags other sectors in finding workers. With open positions unfilled, manufacturers face mounting challenges.
Manufacturing used to have a competitive advantage when it came to attracting entry-level workers. That’s no longer true in many geographic areas.
To increase hiring success, find ways to show that what makes manufacturing a desirable entry point.
Think of posting a job as marketing. You’re marketing your company to prospective employees. Posting a job description will not be enough to get the applicants you want.
As with other marketing, you need to provide evidence for your claims. Credible employee reviews will build trust.
Connect with community organizations that serve your target populations. Tell them about opportunities with your company.
Prepare an elevator pitch about why working for your company is a great career move and share it widely.
Employers may be posting outdated position descriptions from an era when it was an employers’ market. Every requirement is costing you applicants. Revisit requirements for applicants and remove anything that isn’t necessary.
I hope this has been a helpful summary. Deloitte and Industry Week provide more in-depth coverage on manufacturing workforce recruiting strategies. And you can share your thoughts and experiences with us. Connect with us on LinkedIn or Tweet us. We’re always happy to talk.
–parin
Managing Partner
With over two decades of experience, Parin leads an expert demand-generation agency, StratMg, that helps industrial manufacturing clients achieve unambiguous and quantified organic sales growth across the US, EMEA & APAC.
Parin has built & positioned StratMg to be a value-added marketing services provider that strives to create a culture of quantified sales-driven marketing initiatives leading to sustained business growth through channel management, diversification, new customer acquisition and retention strategies and tactical execution.
