It’s no secret that the factory labor market is changing. With factory automation becoming more prevalent, the skills gap is widening. While unemployment is currently low, skilled labor is not necessarily hyper-abundant in the current workforce. This can be a major issue for businesses who need to fill vacant positions quickly, but are also competing to grow their operation’s output through automation.
Operators need to get creative in how to solve this issue. There simply doesn’t exist enough available skilled labor to operate the automation found in modern factories.
Here are three ways to help address the skills gap in your factory:
1. Training programs
One way to help offset the effects of the skills gap is to create training programs within your factory. This can be done through on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or even online courses. By teaching new employees the factory’s specific processes and procedures, you can help ensure a smoother transition into the factory labor market.
Not sure where to start? Check out our step-by-step guide on building out a training program around factory automation.
2. Hiring incentives
Another way to help address the skills gap is to offer hiring incentives. This could include anything from signing bonuses to tuition reimbursement. Just make sure you’re posting the incentives where potential employees are sure to see it. Your prospective employees may not all be on LinkedIn, so you may want to consider more local ways of promoting these incentives.
By offering these types of incentives, you can attract a wider pool of candidates who may be interested in working in your factory.
3. Flexible work schedules
As more businesses become hybrid/offer more flexibility, another way to help address the skills gap is to offer flexible work schedules. If you’re willing to organize shifts in a creative way, you’ll likely be able to widen your prospect pool. Remember, the labor market does have options that were never available before. It’s up to you how you’ll adapt your business to be able to compete for prospective employees.
Offering flexible work schedules could be a major selling point for prospective factory workers.
The skills gap in manufacturing is only going to continue to grow as factory automation becomes more prevalent. By taking proactive steps now, you can help ensure your factory is able to adapt and thrive in this changing landscape.
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