How Manufacturing Companies can Build a Positive Company Culture

They say employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. It could also be said that employees don’t leave jobs, they leave toxic company cultures.

According to a Gallup State of the American Workplace Report, 75% of manufacturing workers are disengaged at work. In fact, the manufacturing industry, according to the Gallup report, is the least engaged occupation in the U.S.

Why does this matter? Studies show that disengaged employees are less motivated, more likely to call in sick, or less likely to stay with a company for the long-term. In the manufacturing industry, less engaged or motivated employees can take shortcuts, and that can lead to mistakes or workplace injuries.

What does company culture have to do with this? Company culture, according to The Balance, “is the personality of a company. It defines the environment in which employees work. Company culture includes a variety of elements, including work environment, company mission, value, ethics, expectations, and goals.”

Poor company cultures lead to lower employee morale (which leads to more turnover), less trust in management, and over time, this leads to less success for the overall business.

So how can manufacturing companies engage employees, make them feel valued, and build a positive company culture? Start with these five strategies:

1. Encourage Work/Life Balance

Manufacturing employees work long and hard shifts. Some work overtime and/or six days a week. It’s hard to take care of life outside of work when spending so much time at work. Manufacturing leaders should be sure to create a culture where employees are encouraged – and not chastised, for taking time off for personal needs – whether for a doctor’s appointment, to leave early for a child’s sporting event, or to tend to any other personal business that just happens in life.

Companies with poor company cultures have strict time-off policies, or managers who frown upon workers missing half a shift on a Wednesday. The quickest way to disengage staff is to keep the reigns so tight they feel guilty for using their well-earned vacation time. Communicate with employees, let them know you value/respect their personal life, and make work/life balance a priority.

In the long run, the employee will actually likely work harder in return because they know management has their back. When the entire staff knows this, they too will pull together to pick up for that person when they are out, creating a closer-knit “team” covering for each other.

2. Communicate Often

Manufacturing leaders need to keep manufacturing employees informed. This is easy to do, and cost-effective, because most of the things that can be done are free. Managers should be sure to hold weekly or bi-weekly meetings with individuals. What’s going on with them? Do they have questions/concerns? New ideas? Challenges? Discuss this in these meetings.

Employees want to be heard. Even if things don’t change, letting employees express their concerns or ideas creates a more engaged workforce. It also helps managers/employees get to know each other better and close the gap between “manager” and “employee.” Then, encourage leadership to have team meetings. Get the greater group together and talk. Host a lunch (paid for by the company if possible) and use it to discuss any workplace issues/concerns, or new projects, and/or use it for personal time. Perhaps you don’t even talk about work, but instead, just hang out for that 30 minutes or hour, as a team. This can help build camaraderie that leads to a better-engaged workforce, and a better company culture.

Another simple and cost-effective (it’s free!) way to motivate and inspire staff is to simply walk around the floor and say hi to employees. Using their name is even better. When company leaders/managers walk around the floor in the morning and say “hey Jill, how’s it going today?” with a smile, employees remember that. Be positive, energetic, and personable. No one wants a leader who instills fear in employees. Smile – it will pay off!

3. Encourage Training Opportunities

Employers who encourage employees to take training classes, learn new skills, and/or take on new duties, are showing that they care about their personal development. So, whether on-site or off-site, encourage employees to always be learning. Present them with opportunities to learn new skills.

Once they have developed new skills, give them the chance to apply them with increased responsibilities. Providing training for your staff shows you’re invested in the employee’s future, and that you want that future to be with your organization.

4. Recognize employees for a Job Well Done

If an employee does a good job, be sure to recognize them. Recognize them in front of team members, at the monthly team lunch, or in the company newsletter. Employees want to feel appreciated and recognized for the work they do, and they like it when others in the company learn about their accomplishments.

If you can give a bonus via things such as tickets to sporting events, concert tickets, gift cards to restaurants, or anything else that fits that person, department, or company “culture”, it will be appreciated that much more. When others see this, they too may strive to be recognized, leading to a more engaged and determined employee.

5. Create a Team Environment

One way to bring a company closer together is to ensure that the many different departments in a manufacturing company understand the role each plays in the organization. The men and women on the floor may not ever interact with the salesperson. The engineers creating products may not understand how marketing is promoting company products.

Every company has unique personalities and duties within each department. Create opportunities for these team members to learn about each other’s work. Engineers can show what they are working on, perhaps showing the team on the floor what could be coming down the road. Sales could provide updates on key clients and how the products they are selling are making an impact, and the team on the floor could have office staff, IT, and sales learn about the equipment they use each day to do their job.

When people understand the role of the people within the company, they feel part of the bigger picture and understand how it all comes together. It may not create new work friendships, but it can create a better understanding of what each department does, and even get departments to talk to each more, or ask how projects are going, which over time, creates a stronger bond, better team environment, and more engaged employee.

All of this leads to something every manufacturing company wants: A more positive and engaging company culture. Looking for a new opportunity? Check out some of the current roles we’re hiring for at Reliable Resources.

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