This pandemic brought along a lot of firsts for all of us. Employers had to adjust their daily practices to adhere to new regulations, while others had to close their doors entirely for a period of time. For manufacturing companies, there were a number of lessons learned during the pandemic. Here are several things manufacturing companies have changed in the post-pandemic environment.
Investing in Your Staff is Important
One of the biggest obstacles manufacturing companies faced during the pandemic was high turnover rates. Many people found that they would earn more money by staying home and collecting unemployment. Others simply did not feel they were valued enough by their employer to risk getting seriously ill going to work. Because of this, employers have had to place more focus on investing in their staff.
Some of the ways employers have shown their employees that they are valued are by offering increased wages and better benefits. Employees are looking for better health coverage and paid time off if they were to fall ill.
It is also important to invest in your staff through their personal and professional development by offering programs to help them educate themselves. Some employers have done this through financial counseling programs to assist employees in dealing with money problems post-pandemic. Others have focused their development programs on professional learning to help their employees have the knowledge they need to further themselves in the industry.
Recognition is Necessary
Another key thing many manufacturing companies learned during the pandemic is that recognizing the efforts of their employees is extremely important. This doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Verbally recognizing your employees’ efforts is a great place to start. You may also consider extending benefits like bonuses or a Friday off when goals are met. Either way, providing recognition is necessary to reduce turnover and make your staff feel valued.
You Need to Be Adaptable to Change
The manufacturing industry underwent a plethora of changes throughout the pandemic. There were new regulations and rules they needed to adhere to. The companies that will succeed will be adaptable to change and be organized when communicating with their staff. This means you need to have good systems of communication with your staff and ensure every change that is happening is communicated thoroughly.
Human Resources is Key
That being said, a solid HR department is key when it comes to rolling with the changes. Human resources will help communicate with your staff when it comes to changes in benefits packages, workplace procedures, health and safety, and scheduling. Some companies needed to beef up their HR to be more effective in communicating with their staff members. Others have enlisted the help of staffing agencies to help them with HR communications.
Be Prepared for Crisis
No matter what, your company needs to have a plan and be prepared for the next crisis. The pandemic caught many people and businesses off guard. Having a plan for how you might deal with similar situations in the future will be key to staying in business. It will also limit the risks for your business if things are shut down again.
Building Trust Leads to Productivity
Building trust with your staff is important. They need to know their employer will take care of them when the time comes. Additionally, they need to know that their employer cares about their well-being and will do what is necessary to ensure safety. These things will help instill more trust and ultimately lead to higher productivity rates.
Be More Proactive in Hiring
Many manufacturers found that they needed to be more proactive in their hiring efforts. More specifically, employers need to have a plan to cover workers who need time off. For many companies, this has been solved by adding temporary or contract employees to the payroll to fill in the gaps.
Contact Top Notch Personnel Today
Working with a staffing agency like Top Notch Personnel is a great way to be more proactive with your hiring. Our professional recruiters can meet with you and discuss your hiring needs. Then, when a position comes open, or you need someone to fill in, you will have the assistance you need in no time.
