Using Technology To Support & Develop The Careers Of Manufacturing Staff

August 13 2022 - A good HR team plays an important role in retaining employees in the manufacturing sector. The average employee turnover rate in the manufacturing sector is 17.6%, which is higher than the UK average of 15%. By supporting manufacturing employees in their roles and using technology to help them develop and progress their careers, HR professionals can build a solid and happy team of workers. Here are some key things you should do.

Health and safety

Workplace accidents are common in the manufacturing industry. Every year, there are 3,100 major injuries, 4,100 injuries that contribute to at least seven days off work, and 22 fatalities. Having good health and safety training shows manufacturing employees that you care for their wellbeing. It will also improve retention rates as employees won’t see regular accidents. Using virtual reality (VR) health and safety training lets employees practice processes in a safe environment. Employees are also up to 60% more likely to remember the training compared to traditional health and safety teaching methods. From a business point of view, VR health and safety training is more cost-effective as employees can go through the same scenario as many times as they want without it costing any more than a VR headset and a training program. This is beneficial to employees as it increases their confidence and could even encourage them to want to develop their knowledge further and take on a role in health and safety.

More productive

Productive employees are more likely to want to develop their careers in your manufacturing business and give good results. Automated solutions for manufacturing companies, such as belt conveyors and pallet conveyors, can make the manufacturing process more efficient. These types of systems can be integrated easily into a business and can even improve health and safety in the workplace. Research has also found that happy employees are more productive than unhappy ones, so HR teams need to focus heavily on increasing workplace satisfaction. Employee engagement software can be used by HR to thank manufacturing employees for their hard work. Employees can also use it to recognize a colleague that’s done something great. This is a great way to boost morale and make workers want to work their way up the career ladder.

Develop knowledge

73% of UK employees feel that their employer takes no responsibility for their career development. If manufacturing employees feel this way, they’re more likely to quit their jobs than those that don’t. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the best tools HR teams can use to develop employees’ knowledge and support them to progress within the company. AI identifies training and skill gaps on an individual basis. Every employee gets treated as an individual which promotes inclusivity and leads to happier workers. AI can also be used to identify the workers most likely to succeed in other roles in the manufacturing business. Reskilling can then take place to prepare the worker for the next step of their manufacturing career.

Manufacturing staff often feel unsupported at work and this is why staff turnover in the industry is so high. Thankfully, HR professionals have a range of technology at their hands that can help develop the careers of these workers.

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