Want to be a Workplace that Attracts—and Keeps—Staff?

BY: KATRINA GLOWZINSKI

When our management team learned that the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center made the list of the Detroit Free Press 2018 Top Workplaces, we were very proud. Then we were humbled.

This award not only identified our company’s strengths, but it gave us areas for improvement, based on feedback directly from our staff about what they see as important. Therein lies the true value of programs such as this, particularly in this employment environment where finding and keeping good staff is a challenge for so many businesses. In fact, it’s the biggest issue we hear regularly from our manufacturing clients.

With that in mind, let’s look at some strategies that can improve the overall work atmosphere:

1. Create an environment that workers won’t want to leave behind. Workers are becoming less and less loyal to their employers, a trend that is especially strong among millennials. In fact, 48% of millennials report that they will likely look for a new job in the next three months. How can you keep these workers from leaving? Offering more competitive benefits is one of the most proven ways to keep employees around. Rather than desiring higher pay, employees now are more likely to stay at a company that understands work-life balance, ideally providing opportunities for schedule flexibility, as well as comprehensive health insurance. Including a few of these aspects in your benefits package might make the difference between an employee staying or leaving.
2. Start with leadership. Bad managers are the number one reason employees leave their jobs. Instead of unintentionally driving workers away with ineffective leadership strategies, invest time in learning more about the differing leadership styles and decide which is best for managing your individual employees. By making supervision more personal and unique to each employee, workers will feel more welcome, valued and motivated to perform their best. With this in place, an improved workplace culture will follow suit.
3. Establish proper communication and transparency with employees. The top factor in determining employee engagement is transparency. While most managers assume workers are not interested in what’s going on with the organization, the opposite is true. The more information that is shared, the more invested employees become in performing their responsibilities. Additionally, employees cannot complete tasks effectively if goals and expectations are not communicated to them. This lack of communication can lead to disengagement and disinterest at work, resulting in poor performance. These issues can be avoided by communicating more openly with workers and in ways that connect with them.
4. Prioritize innovation. The industry is changing, with Industry 4.0 technologies now being implemented by manufacturers of all types and sizes, and employees don’t want to work for a company that is falling behind. Bringing in updated equipment or using new ways of thinking, rather than sticking to the mantra of, “that’s the way we’ve always done it,” can generate extra motivation and interest among workers and get them more excited to come to work each day.
5. Invest in your employees. Studies show that employees who receive outside training are more loyal to their employer and less likely to look for a job elsewhere. Helping workers further their training and education can show them they are valued within your organization, while equipping employees with additional skills to bring to their jobs. This essentially is a win-win situation, as workers are more capable of handling different job responsibilities in addition to feeling more loyal to the organization.

As the workforce continues to evolve, workplaces need to change as well or risk having talented employees leave to find something better. Our experts at The Center can provide extra assistance with improving your work environment, from leadership strategies to technological implementations. For more information, visit www.the-center.org or call 888.414.6682.


MEET OUR EXPERT

Katrina Glowzinski, Human Resources Manager
Katrina has been with The Center for 21 years. She is responsible for all aspects of HR for the organization, including recruitment, orientation, and benefits administration. Katrina also oversees  staff performance, performance evaluations, and progressive discipline within the organization. Prior to joining The Center, Katrina worked as an HR consultant at HR Strategies and an HR associate at Market Strategies.




Since 1991, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center has assisted Michigan’s small and medium-sized businesses to successfully compete and grow. Through personalized services designed to meet the needs of clients, we develop more effective business leaders, drive product and process innovation, promote company-wide operational excellence and foster creative strategies for business growth and greater profitability. Find us at www.the-center.org.