Building a Stronger Workforce: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Talent in Manufacturing

In today’s rapidly changing manufacturing industry, attracting and retaining skilled talent has become a significant challenge for businesses. Recognising this, Make UK’s Jamie Cater, Senior Policy Maker, and E3 Recruitment recently hosted a webinar that provided valuable insights and strategies to address this issue.

Make UK represents a vast network of approximately 20,000 businesses spanning all manufacturing sectors throughout the United Kingdom. Besides offering valuable business services, Jamie’s team actively engages with policymakers and decision-makers in Westminster and across the country.

Throughout this discussion, Jamie Cater, along with Make UK, aims to provide practical solutions, champion the sector’s interests, and foster a conducive policy framework. By leveraging the collective expertise and knowledge of its members, Make UK remains committed to empowering manufacturers and enabling them to acquire the essential talent needed for sustained growth and success.

In line with the efforts to attract young talent to the manufacturing industry, Jamie highlighted the significance of engaging with schools and showcasing the opportunities available. Jamie stated, ” There is a huge appetite for manufacturing organisations to go into schools and show young people what they’re about and the career and training opportunities that are available, initiatives like Leeds Manufacturing Festival are important for Manufacturers to be able to do that.”

Examining the Current Landscape and Recruitment Challenges

The webinar shed light on the current state of recruitment in the manufacturing industry. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data from May 2023, there were approximately 72,000 live vacancies in manufacturing. However, the number of roles that are becoming hard to fill is increasing, with over a third of positions struggling to find suitable talent. In 2022, the staff turnover rate across manufacturing (excluding redundancies) was 19%. To address this issue, manufacturers have been agreeing on basic pay settlements of around 6% in the first quarter of 2023. In the same period, 82.5% of manufacturers attempted to recruit, but only one in four successfully filled all their vacancies.

Adapting to Industry Trends and Evolving Skills Needs

The webinar highlighted the evolving skills landscape in manufacturing. Automation and digitisation, flexible working, and the focus on achieving net-zero targets and sustainability were identified as key trends driving changing skills needs. Currently, there is a demand for lower-level technical skills, but there is an expectation of transitioning to higher-level skills in the coming years. Digital and green skills were highlighted as interdependent, with digitalisation enabling the adoption of new technologies for decarbonisation. Additionally, social and personal skills, as well as leadership and management skills, were emphasised as crucial for the industry’s success.

Attractive Benefits and Opportunities for Growth

Manufacturers are making concerted efforts to attract and retain talent by providing attractive benefits and opportunities for development. The webinar revealed that the manufacturing industry offers above-the-national-average pay and reward packages. Furthermore, there has been a significant investment in training and development, with 44% of manufacturers increasing their training spending in the last 12 months. A similar proportion has also increased investment in staff well-being. Notably, more than 50% of manufacturers plan to recruit at least one apprentice this year, demonstrating a commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent.

Effective Approaches for Attracting and Retaining Talent

During the webinar, several successful strategies for attracting and retaining talent were discussed. Engaging older employees was highlighted as an effective approach, recognising the value of their experience and expertise. Prioritising health and well-being initiatives was another key strategy, as it contributes to improved productivity, retention, and reduced sickness absence rates. Additionally, manufacturers have recognised the importance of investing in skills, training, and development at all levels. For the new generation of talent, offering purpose-driven work, promoting diversity, and focusing on sustainability have proven to be successful strategies.

With an increasing number of vacancies and the evolving skills landscape, manufacturers are realising the importance of investing in their employees through attractive benefits, training, and well-being initiatives. By adopting successful strategies such as engaging older employees and prioritising health and well-being, manufacturers can build a stronger workforce and ensure a sustainable future for the industry.