Issue27
trends inautomation
Compass
18
–
19
“Now is the time to focusonengaging
your employees.”
GaryWyles,ManagingDirector of FestoTrainingandConsulting
Manufacturersarealreadysuffering
enough, so this is likely tocause further
problemswithskillsand recruitment. 82%
of employerssaid theirorganisationswere
suffering fromaskillsshortagewith just
underhalf (46%) stating that thesituation
hadworsenedover theprevious twelve
months.
Themanufacturing industryneeds tostem
the tidal flowof losingpeopleandshore
up their internal ranks, quicklyand
effectively. Findingskilledemployees is
difficult enoughso the firstpointof call is
tomakecertainmanufacturerskeep the
staff theyhave.
Whendiscussing recruitment and
retention, the issueof remuneration
always raises itshead.Daniel
Karpantschof, International Consultant,
recentlyspokeat theRoyal SocietyofArts
andhasproducedasuperbvideo ‘How
Motivation isdrivenbyPurpose–andnot
Monetary Incentives’.Hedrawson
researchwhichshows thatmonetary
rewardsonly lead tobetterperformance
whenemployeesareengaged insimple
andstraight-forward tasks. For employees
whoare inskilledpositionsandundertake
conceptual or creative thinking, using
monetary incentivesactually leads toa
decline inperformance.
There ismuch tobepositiveaboutwith
renewedconfidence in themarket.Now is
the time to focusonengagingyour
employees, retaining them for the long-
termandproactively looking to recruit.
Otherwise,manufacturerscouldwitness
morewintersof discontent.
Tips foremployee retention
1. Paint aclear andexcitingvision
for the future. Employeesstay
longerwhen theybuy into the
futureof thebusinessandare
excitedabout theopportunities
for theirowngrowthand
development.
2. Leadersandmanagersneed to
makesure that everyemployee is
clear abouthow their role
contributes togrowthand
success. Changingbusiness
objectives intopersonal
objectivesandmeasuring these
continuouslycanachieve this.
ToolssuchasaBalancedScore
Cardworkparticularlyeffectively.
3. Assessyour Employee
Engagement strategies.
Improvingemployeeengagement
isa long-termstrategybut it
increasesproductivityand
enablesorganisations togrow
faster andmoresustainably.
4. Recruitment isoften reactive. A
person leavesand there isamad
dash to finda replacement. It is
farmoreeffective toput inplace
astrategy that continuously
looks forhighly talentedand
skilledemployees.
5. Engagedemployeesare thebest
advocates for your company.
Motivate them to refer and
recommendyourorganisation
toothers.
6. Market yourself externallyasa
company that isgrowingandhas
aclear visionofwhere itwants
tobe.
7.Thebest staffwill alreadybe in
employment andarenever those
proactively looking for aposition.
Tempt them tobe indirect
contactwithyou.
8.Besensiblewithyour job
descriptions.Becausewesuffer
fromaskillsgap, there isa
temptation tocombine rolesand
responsibilities. After all, having
onepersondo twopeople’s jobs
makes financial sense.
Unfortunately itwon’thelpyour
recruitment and findingsomeone
withabroadskill set across
diverseareaswill impedeyour
recruitment andcandamageyour
reputationasanemployer.
TheWhitePaperonEmployee
Engagement canbedownloadedat:
-
solutions/employee-engagement/
