The labor market remains tight. If you want to recruit skilled manufacturing workers, you’ll need to find ways to stand out from the competition. Fortunately, there are some easy steps you can take to boost your recruiting strategies. From offering referral incentives to partnering with a manufacturing staffing agency, here are a few things to try.
A Staffing Agency in Texas Shares Top Manufacturing Recruitment Strategies
#1 Offer Skill Development Programs for New Staff
Unfortunately, the manufacturing industry is suffering from an image problem. Many people see it as dead-end work. Those who were previously in other fields often believe that it’s too late to switch to a manufacturing job.
You can address both of these misconceptions by creating strong skill development programs for new employees. Offer hands-on training in areas such as forklift driving and machine operation, along with leadership development courses that prepare staff members to climb the career ladder. Once these programs are in place, highlight them in your job descriptions and discuss them during interviews. The goal is to assure potential new hires that there is a pathway for them, regardless of their previous background.
#2 Emphasize Important Skills on Job Descriptions
Don’t make the mistake of writing up a laundry list of every skill that could be useful on the job. That will only turn away people who could be excellent manufacturing employees but don’t have a lot of experience. Instead, think through which hard skills are actually essential and whether they could be learned on the job. Focus the majority of your job description on transferable soft skills such as teamwork, organization, and attention to detail.
#3 Tailor Social Media Posts for Manufacturing Recruitment
Social media is an excellent place to recruit potential new hires. Post regularly about your company and what it does, and don’t forget to post every new job opening. Use this space to talk about career opportunities, benefits, and how your company supports the local community. These posts can start conversations, as people may choose to comment on them, so be sure to respond in a timely manner.
Think of your social media presence as an opportunity to connect with people in a more meaningful way. Someone may start following you because they enjoy the content you put out. And then six months from now, they may just happen to be looking for a new job at the same time you post about an opening that would be an ideal fit for them. Or maybe they know someone that would be just right for the role. Be sure to post regularly even when you don’t have any openings, and you’ll be in a strong position to get results when you do.
#4 Develop a Strong Talent Pipeline with a Local Staffing Agency
A good manufacturing staffing and recruiting agency can be a tremendous long-term partner. With a specialization in manufacturing, we understand the industry and its unique challenges. We also know the local market and are able to find passive candidates—those who are not necessarily looking for a new job, but would be open to considering the right opportunity. In
addition, we are excellent matchmakers. We take the time to get to know both our corporate partners and the members of our talent pool, and we understand how to find just the right fit.
Manufacturing staffing services also allow you to develop an ongoing talent pipeline. Rather than starting over from scratch every time a position opens up, you will be ahead of the curve. We already have all the information we need about your company and what you are looking for. Just let us know which specific role you need to fill, and we can take it from there.
#5 Offer Referral Incentives for Current Employees
A strong referral program is a great way to bring in top manufacturing talent. After all, your current employees have their own networks of friends and family members. If you trust your workers, you can probably trust their opinions on who might be right for an open role. A two-prong incentive program often works best. Offer something small, like a gift card, for every referral. If the person is hired and stays for 90 days, provide a bigger bonus such as a few hundred dollars on the employee’s next paycheck.
#6 Build Loyalty Among Manufacturing Staff
Of course, you don’t just want to bring in new workers. You also want to avoid turnover as much as possible. It’s expensive and time-consuming to replace a member of your team, not to mention the loss of productivity during the time that the position remains open. So building loyalty is one key to success.
When was the last time you revisited your benefits package? What additional perks could you offer, such as flexible scheduling? Are you providing enough paid time off (PTO)? Talk to your team members to find out their pain points, and see if you can find a solution. For example, if most of your employees have kids, onsite child care could be highly useful. Or consider offering a menu of options and allowing workers to pick their favorite. One person might choose a monthly bus pass, while another may prefer health insurance for their pet.
Also, think beyond the rewards to the work itself and the associated culture. Is it rewarding? Do your employees feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves? Does your corporate culture stress core values such as transparency, honesty, and giving back? Do your workers feel seen and heard? Are you offering clear career paths to those who are interested in staying long-term? All of these intangibles can dramatically boost your retention rates while costing little or nothing to implement.
#7 Increase Quality of New Hire Process
Today’s workers have options. They aren’t going to stick with you through a long, tedious hiring process. Streamline hiring by going back to basics. Most manufacturing roles should require just one screening interview and one full interview. Focus on what matters, and consider writing up a standardized list of interview questions to avoid tangents. Keep candidates apprised at every stage of the process, including when they are no longer in contention for the role.
Reduce bias by using blind hiring software to strip out names, zip codes, and other identifying information before reviewing resumes. Check your job descriptions for language that is gendered or otherwise biased. Train anyone involved in the hiring process on how to actively minimize unconscious bias.
Hiring strong manufacturing talent can be a challenge, especially in a tight labor market. But implementing the steps above will help you stand out from the crowd. Good benefits, referral incentives, and building a strong relationship with an experienced manufacturing staffing agency are just a few ways to keep your facility fully staffed regardless of outside market forces.
Partner with a Top Manufacturing Staffing Agency in Conroe and Bryan, TX to Find Skilled Talent Today
Want some help from one of the top manufacturing staffing and recruiting agencies in Texas with attracting the talent you need? Staffing Texas is recognized as a leading administrative, manufacturing, and skilled trades staffing agency in Conroe and Bryan, TX. Our professional recruiters will help you leverage your EVP and bring in top talent.
Request an employee or contact Staffing Texas today to learn more!