How Manufacturers Engage & Attract Top Talents

With industrial jobs on the rise, manufacturers must overcome the challenges of finding skilled workers in today’s low-unemployment market.

The labor market has undergone a seismic transformation in the last two years. Supply chain disruptions, global economic movements, rising inflations, and changing workplace preferences have all impacted multiple industries and businesses that require qualified workers, such as manufacturing.

According to the most current Bureau of Labor Statistics report, manufacturing employment increased by 32,000 in October and has now back to its February 2020 level. However, vigorous growth in consumer demand for goods and the continuing manufacturing skills gap show why there has never been a need to engage, attract, and keep more manufacturing workers, based on a new analysis from Employ Inc.

Here’s why.

Workers are optimistic

According to Employ research, 65% of manufacturing employees are open to new job opportunities and are actively searching for one or plan to look for one in the coming year. As a result, over the last year, 50% of manufacturing workers have experienced high organizational turnover, resulting in an increased workload for many in the sector.

Industry breakdown:

Workers are more likely to be active for a new job or planning to within the following year.

• Technology: 53%
• Manufacturing: 49%
• Education: 48%
• Retail services: 46%

(2022 Job Seeker Nation Report)

80% also reported that increased workloads contributed to higher stress and feelings of burnout. Although job candidates have complete market control & employee confidence is now at an all-time high, and talent acquisition (TA) professionals must ensure that their organizations are aligned with the dynamic expectations of job searchers’ preferences today.

1. Compensation is a priority.

Many manufacturing workers are driven to change jobs to seek higher compensation. According to the report, 58% of respondents stated that income is essential in deciding whether to accept or reject a job & 52% believe they may earn more by switching jobs.

Although nearly three-fourths of manufacturing workers stated that increased salary is the most important thing their employer can offer, companies should look at other incentives to recruit high-quality talent. According to Employ research, the top employer benefits desired by manufacturing workers are healthcare, 401K programs, family leaves, casual dress code & performance-based incentives. Including these perks and advantages in the workplace can help to attract and keep top talent.

2. Candidate Experience Matters.

Employers can distinguish themselves in a market by offering a positive candidate experience. Because organizations in the manufacturing sector frequently compete in a restricted talent pool, they must seize every chance to stand out. Focus on providing an excellent candidate experience that develops and engages healthcare candidates while showing that the organization values each individual.

How a company handles its candidates reflects how it will treat its employees. For example, 45% of workers said they would only apply to a firm with good candidate experience. As a result, organizations that provide a great candidate experience are likely to be seen favorably by job seekers.

According to the Employ report, the top reason for a unified candidate’s experience in manufacturing workers was “easy to schedule an interview,” followed closely by an easy job request and a short and quick hiring procedure. Workers also cited excellent communication from employers/recruiters as an essential consideration. Recruiters who prioritize the candidate experience will achieve more outstanding results, leading to improved staff retention.

3. Meet Candidates Where They Are.

Many candidates find job searching to be a frustrating & stressful experience. Thus, organizations must change the process to the interests of potential job candidates within the industry. For example, most manufacturing workers hunt for work on online job boards & social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn and by word of mouth. Indeed is the primary job portal they frequent, and 40% believe recruiters should pay less attention to a candidate’s social media accounts. 32% want them to pay less attention to resume gaps.

How recruiters interact with potential candidates depends on the industry. According to Employ data, manufacturing employees are more likely to be open to getting a text message from a recruiter regarding scheduling an interview, with 61% favoring the choice over email or phone call schedule.

4. Speed and Agility Attracts Top Talent.

While building strategies for recruiting talent & a workplace culture that matches the job, seeker expectations will help organizations make hiring more predictable in a challenging market. Companies must also continue to become more adaptable. This can be accomplished by using Artificial Intelligence, chatbots, CRM systems, smart messages, and other innovative talent acquisition technologies to streamline & shorten the hiring process from weeks to days.

23% of respondents changed their industries since the onset of the pandemic.

Organizations also should take chances on a variety of candidate types. According to the Employ study, 23% of employees have changed sectors since the pandemic started. To help adjust to the tight job market, consider outsourcing jobs to freelancing and gig workers.

Last, remove the practices that annoy job seekers & degrade the candidate’s experience. According to data from employers, the most aggravating components of the hiring process for employees in the manufacturing industry were promoting low-paying jobs, not responding to potential candidates, and posting erroneous job descriptions.