The manufacturing industry continues to experience a labor shortage, with the U.S. Census Bureau noting that there may be as many as 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. That’s why more and more manufacturing companies are looking for manufacturing staffing solutions that identify the best workers for their future needs.
To boost your recruiting and hiring efforts, PeopleReady shares our expert insights on how to attract and hire manufacturing workers across a variety of roles. Our manufacturing staffing guide includes:
- Skills and qualities to look for in manufacturing workers
- Top tips for recruiting manufacturing workers to your company
- Ways to ensure a smooth manufacturing hiring process
Skills and qualities to look for in manufacturing workers
No two roles in the manufacturing industry are the same, and each one requires its own set of duties and responsibilities. That’s why identifying workers with just the right skills and qualities for your job openings can greatly contribute to your company’s success. For example:
Strong attention to detail
All manufacturing workers must have a strong eye for detail to complete their assigned tasks. For instance, they may need to read blueprints and follow specific instructions to ensure the accuracy and quality of their work.
Effective communication for any manufacturing environment
Good communication skills are a key trait for all members of your workforce. This enhances your workplace culture, which in turn boosts productivity, increases engagement and encourages workers to stick with your company.
Basic math skills
Your manufacturing workers don’t need a math degree to succeed on the job, but basic math skills are incredibly useful. From production to shipping and receiving and machine operation roles, workers with math skills can get the job done right and possess excellent cross-training potential.
Good strength and stamina
Manufacturing workers will likely spend most of their shift on their feet completing labor intensive tasks such as handling heavy materials and operating machinery. Having good strength and stamina can help ensure that they can handle these tasks effectively.
Ability to adapt and be flexible
Workers who can quickly adapt will be able to hit the ground running and contribute to your team right away. As they gain experience, they might be great candidates for upskilling or reskilling programs, which can further enhance their skillset and strengthen your entire workforce.
Top tips for manufacturing recruiting success
A competitive hiring market plus a lack of available candidates can make it difficult to hire manufacturing workers on your timeline. When you need to fill vacancies quickly to meet important deadlines, it’s crucial to have a solid recruiting strategy in place.
Given our extensive experience in delivering manufacturing staffing solutions, we’ve developed effective methods to attract and recruit manufacturing workers for any jobsite.
Clearly define the job requirements for each role
Clear and detailed job descriptions can help attract applicants who are a good fit for the role, saving time and effort in your hiring process. Your job postings should outline the duties and responsibilities associated with each role so applicants know what to expect.
Promote your company culture online and in job applications
Your social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn can be valuable tools to attract job seekers to your open roles. You might also consider sharing engaging content that highlights the positive aspects of your company culture, such as employee testimonials and success stories.
Use your local network of contacts to find potential applicants
In-person recruiting efforts can strengthen your relationships in the community and develop your company’s reputation. Attending job fairs or events at local colleges and technical schools is a great way to attract potential candidates. These outreach efforts can help get more people interested in your open manufacturing roles.
Ask for referrals from your team members
Your team members often have connections to potential job seekers who might be interested in a manufacturing role. They understand your operations, so they can recommend candidates who are likely to excel and work well with the rest of your team.
Offer flexible staffing options to attract more candidates
Flexible staffing arrangements are another way you can adapt to evolving workforce needs. With staffing flexibility, supplemental or temporary workers can join your current team to support you during busy periods, peak seasons or throughout entire projects. This approach lets you adjust your workforce size as needed, ensuring you can meet important goals and deadlines.
More ways to ensure a smooth manufacturing staffing process
Once you’ve found your leading candidates, it’s time to take your manufacturing hiring efforts to the next level. To ensure a smooth hiring process, you can take the following steps:
Assess candidates for the necessary skills and experiences
Prior experience in the manufacturing industry is always helpful, but it isn’t the only thing to consider when you need to hire manufacturing workers. After all, in some cases, you may not be able to find workers with direct experience in the industry.
Fortunately, many job seekers will have transferrable skills that can benefit your business. For example, those who have worked in construction have good stamina and attention to detail, while former retail workers are often good at staying organized and working in team settings.
Complete thorough screening of your top manufacturing candidates
To ensure you recruit and hire manufacturing workers who are up to the task, conducting a thorough vetting of your applicants is a must. This process confirms each individual’s skills and experience, which helps you assess their capability and reliability for the role.
A solid screening process also ensures a safe and secure environment for your entire workforce. Your candidates should be comfortable handling heavy machinery or other sensitive materials, reducing the risk of safety hazards on your jobsite.
Structure interviews to ask the right questions of your manufacturing job applicants
The interview stage gives you an even better understanding of a candidate’s skills and expertise. Be sure to ask questions that assess their problem-solving abilities and how they handle challenges on the job.
Interviews also provide insight into a candidate’s work ethic and communication skills. Workers who excel in these areas are likely to get along well with the rest of your team. Ultimately, a robust interview process ensures that each new worker is ready to contribute to your business right away.
Create a solid onboarding plan for all chosen applicants
Once you have selected the best workers for your job requirements, the next step is to build a successful onboarding plan. This helps your new workers adjust to their manufacturing roles and makes for a smooth transition onto your team.
A successful worker onboarding plan typically includes orientation sessions to familiarize new hires with company policies and procedures. Additionally, it may involve job training, introductions to other team members, and discussions about performance expectations and goals.
Educate new workers on manufacturing safety procedures and protocols
Making sure your new workers understand safety protocols is crucial when they start a job. When you prioritize safety early on, you keep your workers safe and create a culture where everyone takes safety seriously.
To conduct safety onboarding for your team, introduce them to the safety rules and procedures of your jobsite. This should include providing hands-on training and demonstrations along with regular reminders to keep safety awareness top of mind.
PeopleReady offers manufacturing staffing services for a variety of employers
At PeopleReady, our goal is to make it easier for manufacturing and warehousing employers to hire manufacturing workers or warehouse workers that fit their specific needs. Whether you need to hire production workers, hire shipping and receiving workers, or hire pick pack and ship workers, we’re here to provide the right manufacturing staffing solutions for your business.
Our manufacturing staffing and warehouse staffing experts combined with our JobStack app provide convenient access to our staffing solutions at all times. PeopleReady can provide manufacturing or warehouse workers in a wide range of roles. For example:
- Assembly and production workers
- Forklift operators
- Machine operators
- Loaders and unloaders
- Pickers and packers
- Shipping and receiving workers
- And more!
If you’re wondering “Do you have a manufacturing staffing agency near me?” check out our locations page to get all the details.
