Millennials in Manufacturing

Employee Engagement Strategies for Retaining and Keeping the Next-Generation Workforce
 
As a manufacturing company, you’ve undoubtedly spent time focusing on how to appeal to today’s Millennials. According to an article in Forbes, this generation, which ranges between the ages of 22 and 37, currently account for 50 percent of the workforce and will comprise nearly 75 percent by 2025. Yet, there has been much conversation about how to keep Millennials on the job as they’ve also been dubbed the “Job Hopping” generation by Gallup. Three in five Millennials are open to a new job and 21 percent have changed jobs within the past year. 
 
Part of the reason is reportedly due to low on-the-job engagement – some are simply showing up and tuning out. So, what can you do to ensure you are not just attracting but also retaining talent?

Harvard University says that employee engagement efforts are critical with this generation and companies need to look at the workplace holistically and be willing to stick with change for the long haul.  
 
The biggest hurdle may be changing perceptions. Unfortunately the manufacturing industry still gets a bit of a bad rap. Some research even suggests Millennials have specifically ranked the industry as their ‘least preferred career destination.’ Ouch. Time to up the game and show Millennials what the manufacturing industry is made of.  
 
Here’s some tips on how to increase employee engagement aimed at Millennials:
 

1. Go high tech – It’s time to shed the perception that manufacturing is a dirty and undesirable field and embrace technology. This isn’t Grandpa’s gig and Millennials – as one of the most tech savvy generations – need to understand that. Place emphasis on technology relative to IOT, advanced robotics, data analysis and artificial intelligence and ensure workers understand that they can help be the change by recommending process improvements that adopt new technology.

 

1. Enhance company culture – Ensuring you have a good company culture where leadership makes employees feel welcome and a part of something bigger is critical for Millennials, suggests Forbes. Make it clear what you stand for – if the work space is fun, flexible and seeking creative thinkers, then look for Millennials who would thrive in that environment. They demand an experience that is worker powered and enables them to feel a sense of purpose in what they do.

 

1. Highlight income potential – Many Millennials assume manufacturing isn’t the best career choice because they aren’t fully aware of the earning potential. But, according to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the average U.S. manufacturing worker is earning $77,506 a year.

 

1. Encourage work-life balance – Work-life balance ranked second of top factors important to Millennials in the workforce based on a study conducted by US News & World Report. They're interested in jobs that allow them to maintain their preferred way of life. That means companies might need to offer flex schedules or part-time opportunities.

 

1. Tout training opportunities – Millennials like change so offer ongoing training and educational opportunities to keep them engaged and so you are cultivating your company’s next leaders. Invest in updated methods that appeal to them such as e-learning, gamification, mobile and social learning platforms. 

 
The result of implementing some of these employee engagement strategies will impact your bottom line in innumerable ways. Not only will you have higher levels of employee satisfaction and morale, you’ll experience more profitability, sales productivity and output quality.  ​