Today’s Manufacturing Question Answered – September 16, 2024
By Garry Hojan
Our Solution
A: This is a two-part question. The first part speaks to candidates’ skill sets, and the second part concerns the number of candidates.
Thankfully there is some crossover between the efforts to increase candidate skills and candidate volume.
Strategies to ramp up hiring are listed below in order of short-term to longer-term impact:
- Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Ensure attractive compensation packages. This includes salary and benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and flexible work arrangements.
- Streamline Your Hiring Process: Make your hiring process efficient and responsive. Long hiring processes can deter potential candidates. Keep communication clear and provide timely feedback. Making 1&2 right first saves waste in other activities.
- Leverage Team Referrals: Encourage your current team members to refer candidates by offering bonuses or incentives. Your team often knows individuals in their networks who would be a good fit for the company.
- Utilize Online Job Platforms: Post job openings on popular job boards like Indeed and professional networks like LinkedIn. Even using posters at grocery stores and Craigslist can draw candidates, depending on the position and skill sets required, to be creative. Please make sure to tailor your job descriptions to highlight the skills you need and the benefits of working with your company.
- Host Recruitment Events: Organize job fairs or open houses to meet potential candidates directly. This personal touch can help you find motivated individuals who are serious about working with you.
- Enhance Your Employer Brand: Promote your company culture, values, and growth opportunities through social media, job fairs, and community events. A strong employer brand can attract candidates who align with your company.
- Provide Training and Development: Consider hiring candidates who may not have all the skills but show potential. Offering training programs can help bridge the skills gap and create a loyal workforce.
- Develop Partnerships with Government and Educational Institutions: Collaborate with the Department of Labor and local high schools, vocational schools, and colleges to create internship programs or apprenticeships. This provides students with hands-on experience while allowing you to evaluate potential hires. Subsidies may also be available to increase wages for candidates who increase their skill sets.
While we’re on hiring, retention should be the first priority to keep the need to hire due to turnover to the minimum possible. The cost of turnover is nearly always higher than the cost of retention. If you are hiring for growth, you’re doing something right; kudos.