by Kylene Zenk

As the manufacturing industry continues to transform and the need for new talent swells, manufacturers cannot afford to lose focus on nurturing their talent pipelines. With 4.6 million jobs to be filled over the next decade, there’s an immediate need for manufacturers to reshape the employee experience to match the needs of the future workforce. If not, they risk losing them to other careers and industries.

According to new research from the Workforce Institute at Kronos, Generation Z is characterized by their desire for schedule flexibility, face-to-face interaction with managers and teams, and employers who support work-life balance.

Manufacturers must understand this talent pool’s expectations and develop a work environment to inspire them. Here are five initiatives to create a people-centric culture that will help attract and retain this next-generation workforce.

Invest in Your Community

To inspire Gen Z, manufacturers must look beyond meeting the expectations set by young workers today to also anticipate the wants and needs of tomorrow’s workers — i.e. those in middle and high school.
By generating interest and inspiring all generations with community events and opportunities for collaboration, manufacturers can be one step ahead. Here’s how:

• Engage with local schools by sponsoring STEM activities or coordinating plant tours so that students can see the ins and outs of advanced manufacturing.
• Launch a community-wide training program to encourage hands-on educational opportunities.
• Don’t overlook the opportunity to engage the existing workforce. Leaders should establish mentorship programs within their organizations that can build a channel to combat the skills gap by transferring knowledge from experienced employees to newly hired talent.

Meet Technology Expectations

Outdated workplace technology is a nonstarter for Gen Z: One in five would not consider working for an employer that didn’t have technology up to par with today’s digital standards, and one in three actively seeks a working environment equipped with the latest technology. Their expectations around digital enablement are matched by their thirst for work-life balance through schedule autonomy: About 30 percent say they would never tolerate being forced to work when they do not want to, being told they cannot use vacation days when they want to, or being made to work back-to-back shifts.

It’s more important than ever to adopt intelligent and mobile workforce technology that allows employees to swap a shift in real time without manager approval or update their schedule preferences without pushback. It’s all about empowering employees with technology.

Embrace Ideas for Improvement

With Industry 4.0 technologies on the rise, manufacturers seeking to revolutionize the way they operate will need the innovation and critical thinking of an engaged workforce to make it a reality. Employees are working in operations every day, which means they have ideas for innovation and reinventing daily business processes. So, what can manufacturers do? Collaborate to innovate: Listen to employees. Give them space to develop those ideas on their own. Be willing to take risks while encouraging employees to do the same.

Show Employees You Value Them

The average employee spends a ton of their time at work—why not make it an enjoyable place to be? Small things make big differences in how employees view their employer if you understand what motivates them. The Workforce Institute finds that 32 percent of Gen Z-ers crave performance-related recognition from managers, and in fact will use this as a basis for how they measure their success at a company.

On top of that, the vast majority of Gen Z-ers (93 percent) want to be rewarded at work for a job well done. Cash is king, naturally, but they also appreciate public recognition by senior leadership—perhaps being named shift MVP or employee of the month. Recognizing everything from small wins to big milestones will go a long way in driving employee retention.

Trust Employees, Be Transparent

Good things come when leaders trust their employees, and vice-versa. Building a culture of trust and reliability is dependent on both employees and managers having the data they need to make good decisions and deliver great results.

The rising Gen Z workforce expects open and flowing communication. They want frequent check-ins with their manager related to performance and professional development, and 43 percent would opt for feedback in real time rather than during a scheduled performance review. Hold managers accountable for giving Gen Z the regular feedback they crave to promote trust and transparency.

Wrapping Up

The next frontier of advanced manufacturing is upon us, and industry awareness makes a difference in changing the perceptions of those who are unlikely to associate salaried work (79 percent), AI and machine learning (76 percent), or modern workplace technology (75 percent) with a career in manufacturing. However, once armed with knowledge about the industry’s surging growth, strong economic outlook, and availability of high-paying jobs, a Kronos survey found that 67 percent of parents would encourage their child to learn more about career opportunities in manufacturing.

Prioritizing the employee experience will help, not hinder, manufacturing’s digital transformation. When organizations create an atmosphere where people love to work, it’s a gamechanger: Work life is more fulfilling for employees, managers feel more connected with their teams, and the bottom line naturally benefits from an engaged and more productive workforce.

Only by inspiring the next-generation workforce can organizations create an equally inspiring next-generation manufacturing industry.

Kylene Zenk is the director of the Manufacturing Practice Group for Kronos Incorporated. | Copyrighted 2019. Informa.

In spite of all that 2020 presented the shortline industry, Association companies who participated in a membership survey reported that the chief threat to their profitability was an inability to attract a skilled workforce.

The only other issue that broke apart from the pack of industry worries was the ag economy, and it garnered a feeble response compared to the challenge of staffing your operations.

You have employed a series of creative strategies to find the right people, but in the spirit of bringing you more, we call upon the expertise of Amy Elise Humphries with Driven Digital. She offers you these tips on turning your company’s website into a powerful recruitment tool.

This article also appeared in the digital Ag Innovator magazine sent to members last week. Find it at .

Step One: Create a Careers Page

Careers pages are becoming increasingly important as a hiring tool. They account for 94.1 percent more hires than they did four years ago. A stagnant careers page with dated job postings, broken links, old news, and outdated content can result in good candidates leaving your website.

Kristine Sexter, an expert in manufacturing workforce development, suggests manufacturers market job opportunities on their website with the same focus they bring to marketing their products. It is an entry point to the opportunities and the culture.

Consider too that everyone who might look at the careers page, and strive to design it as a resource in which they will see themselves as a fit regardless of their gender, experience level, or ethnicity.

Step Two: Make It Mobile-Friendly

If your careers pages are not mobile-friendly, you are missing qualified candidates. Today, 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone, edging higher than those with a desktop computer. Job seekers use mobile devices, and companies can recruit more competitively when they accommodate that preference. In the manufacturing industry alone, 53.8 percent of job seekers apply on a mobile device.

Step Three: Simplify

Job seekers are committed to finding a job but are limited by time. Sexter advises: “Do not bury, nor make it difficult, for right-fit talent to find a list of your current openings and apply for them.”

A hard-to-use application process will shape how applicants see you as an employer. They will not hesitate to abandon an application process that is difficult, especially if they have an alternative available. Provide a simple way for them to upload their resume.

Research suggests that reducing the time it takes to complete your application by 10 percent can increase your applicant pool by 2.3 percent for mobile job seekers.

Step Four: Showcase Your Culture

Why should someone want to work for your company? Job seekers today want to know more about a company’s culture and reputation. You need more than a list of openings and responsibilities to hold their interest.

Share your company story with compelling content that distinguishes your organization. Post photos of the company picnic, your employee of the month, longtime employees, retirement parties, etc. Highlight your employer brand with information on company growth, benefits, job training, and community stewardship—anything that might resonate with the people you want to attract.

“Employees feel greatly honored when they know that their achievements are placed prominently on the main website for the whole world to see,” Sexter says. And, “research shows that customers, and potential customers, greatly want to do business with companies who value their workforce.”

Amy Elise Humphries is the marketing coordinator at Driven Digital. The company, which has been a member since 2018, specializes in building websites for manufacturers. Learn more at .

The campaign—Technicians for Tomorrow—seeks to familiarize parents and educators of middle and early high school students with the benefits of a career as an equipment service technician and inspire their children and students to explore these careers by focusing their skills at an early age.

The campaign features videos and a suite of other materials to be used across social media platforms and more traditional media channels. Dealers can customize the content and use the campaign to bolster recruitment efforts in their own communities.

The effort geographically targets communities with farm equipment dealerships.

The videos feature interviews with professionals in service departments and dealership management, breaking down perceptions of what the job is and what it entails.

“EDF wanted viewers to relate to the people in the video, envision themselves in their roles and feel that the profession could provide them with a well-paying and rewarding opportunity,” the group said.

The campaign also seeks to emphasize that “a career as a service technician is incredibly rewarding: not only is the job itself challenging and engaging, but it is also highly valued by the farmers who rely upon their services. In this way, service technicians are respected and appreciated in their communities more than ever before.”

The Foundation intends to continue its campaign for the next five years by following students as they complete high school and enter the workforce.

The Association is seeking new ways to support members on this front. As a first step, we want to hear what’s working where you are.

Admittedly, on some issues, sharing best practices means compromising a competitive edge. We wouldn’t expect it. But in strengthening your communities’ workforces, you strengthen the industry. Have you:

• Found a winning formula through training partnerships with government or schools?
• Had success using social media?
• Introduced high-impact workforce retention strategies?
• Heard a speaker on this topic that might awaken new ideas?
• Seen or heard an especially compelling message that tackles the perception of jobs in manufacturing?

If so, we would, as always, appreciate hearing about it. Contact Matt Rice at (314) 720-4234 or Matt@FarmEquip.org.

“It is an enormous challenge,” said Vernon Schmidt, executive vice president. “There is not one answer, but the Association is committed to helping the industry send the message that these jobs offer outstanding opportunities. We are committed to providing practical tools that will help you in your communities.

“This is the value of an organization like ours, bringing together people to solve problems,” he said. “Until we are together again, we will do it this way.”

The Association has contributed $28,000 over two years to support teachers pursuing training that will help them equip high school students with skills for careers in farm equipment.

We have undertaken this joint industry initiative with the Equipment Dealers Association and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

“This is a tool that provides not only a financial incentive for teachers but an opening for shortline companies to cultivate relationships with educators who will ultimately supply well-trained candidates for employment,” said Executive Vice President Vernon Schmidt. “Scholarship recipients can become part of a broader partnership in which our members go into classrooms and students go into manufacturing plants.”

The $2,000 partial scholarships support teachers in two categories: mechanical systems in agriculture and agricultural power and technology.
Participating teachers will take classes over the summer through the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), a multi-year approach to agricultural science education. The National Association of Agricultural Educators manages the CASE initiative.

During the CASE Institute, teachers spend 80 hours working through lessons in the yearlong curriculum and learning how to deliver those lessons.

Take a look at the list of 2020 scholarship recipients. If you see a teacher from your community, we can help you reach out and begin a partnership.

• Nicole Abel, Waitsburg, Wash.
• Emily Anderson, Bainbridge. N.Y.
• Casey Beavers, Dardanelle, Ark.
• Janae Bickhart, Dayton, Va.
• Breanna Bregel, Fargo, N.D.
• Steven Clodfelter, West Salem, Ill.
• Adam Corum, Bridgeport, Wash.
• Lacie Darnell, Kingman, Kan.
• Jessica DeVries, Burlington Flats, N.Y.
• Todd Dezellem, Brewster, Wash.
• Bo Downing, Manhattan, Kan.
• Shawn Duncanson, Sunnyside, Wash.
• Rachel Easdon, Iuka, Kan.
• Nikki Fideldy-Doll, New Salem, N.D.
• Edward Franklin, Tucson, Ariz.
• Claire Geiger, Alhambra, Ill.
• Cheyenne Holliday, Andale, Kan.
• Will Johnson, Sublette, Kan.
• Alyssa Lewark, Kimball, Neb.
• Anna Lukert, Paxico, Kan.
• Jessica Lynn, Clinton Township, Mich.
• Ryan Maiden, Burbank, Wash.
• Jonathan Meyer, Herington, Kan.
• Brian Meyer, Huntingburg, Ind.
• Jessica Moore, Garfield, Wash.
• Lindsey Palmer, Hamilton, N.Y.
• Cassandra Perrin, Coopersville, Mich.
• Steve Russell, Ellensburg, Wash.
• Doug Sahr, Albert Lea, Minn.
• Elizabeth Sanderson, Clarksville, Ark.
• Hank Sharp, Bakersfield, Calif.
• Kasey Sims, Mountain View, Ark.
• Ashley Tonn, Enterprise, Kan.
• Maya Wahl, Endicott, Wash.
• HaLee Walter, Odessa, Wash.
• Brian Welch, Madisonville, Ky.

Please reach out to teachers in your community and encourage them to apply. They can find the application at .

The deadline is Feb. 29.

This Association has invested $14,000 in the scholarship program for two consecutive years as part of a joint industry initiative that includes the Equipment Dealers Association and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

“This is a tool that provides not only a financial incentive for teachers but an opening for shortline companies to cultivate relationships with educators who will ultimately supply well-trained candidates for employment,” said Executive Vice President Vernon Schmidt. “Scholarship recipients can become part of a broader partnership in which our members go into classrooms and students go into manufacturing plants.”

The $2,000 partial scholarships support teachers in two categories: mechanical systems in agriculture and agricultural power and technology.

Participating teachers will take classes over the summer through the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), a multi-year approach to agricultural science education. The National Association of Agricultural Educators manages the CASE initiative.

During the CASE Institute, teachers spend 80 hours working through lessons in the yearlong curriculum and learning how to deliver those lessons.

Since its inception, the CASE curriculum has helped more than 2,500 teachers achieve certification to teach its classes. However, only about 90 of those certifications are in equipment-specific courses. These scholarships are designed to change that by supporting two programs with a machinery focus. Seize this opportunity to support your local educators and build your workforce.

The application closes Feb. 29. Find the link to apply at , and share it with your local teachers!

The partial scholarship awards are part of a joint industry initiative that includes sponsorship from this Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Ag Sector Board and the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA).

The groups supported the scholarships in two categories: mechanical systems in agriculture and agricultural power and technology.

The scholarships are valued at $2,000.

Participating teachers will take classes over the summer through the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), a multi-year approach to agricultural science education. The National Association of Agricultural Educators manages the CASE initiative.

CASE currently offers 10 courses that prepare students for careers in agricultural engineering. Students are immersed in inquiry-based exercises that emphasize the math and science of agricultural mechanics and engineering.

During the CASE Institute, teachers spend 80 hours working through lessons in the yearlong curriculum and learning how to deliver those lessons.

“In this tight labor market, this is an opportunity for manufacturers to partner with educators to build that talent pipeline,” said Association Executive Vice President Vernon Schmidt. “Please, spread the word about this scholarship.”