The State of Hourly Employees: How to Attract Younger Generations to Manufacturing

Millennials and the overall topic of generational differences have become common conversation topics in nearly all workplaces looking to hire. This makes sense since job candidate pools are now largely composed of millennials and Gen Z. So if a company has a vacancy, chances are good that a member of these younger generations will fill that role. For several industries, this does not necessarily create additional difficulty in hiring, although, for manufacturers and other trades, it can be more challenging.

Skilled trades (electricians, carpenters, welders, plumbers, etc.) have been reported as some of the most difficult job types to fill in the United States (and the rest of the world is having trouble, too). Indeed ranks Construction Laborer as the second most difficult job to fill overall and Electrician as the third.

This has led to the creation of a skills gap in the production and manufacturing sector that has been widening over the past few years. Is the connection between the millennial- and Gen Z-laden candidate pool and the talent shortage a coincidence? Maybe, but maybe not.

Attracting High School Graduates to Manufacturing

How to Recruit New Manufacturing Employees

• Job clarity – Millennials and Gen Z grew up in a world where the norm of constant information was established. If you cannot provide clear, concise information, then candidates are likely to move on. On top of that, if the information provided is misleading or too vague, then this is particularly jarring when the job starts. Your hiring process should be descriptive, but most importantly, realistic. If your company’s work environment is reasonably dirty, loud, or physically taxing, don’t shy away from it. 

• Benefits – Providing some form of employee benefits can serve as a big motivator for applicants, especially if they are freshly on their own and starting their adult lives. Benefits are often reserved for ‘proven’ employees who have a track record with the company, but having something available upon employment (or very soon after) can differentiate your company from other employers. 
• Overtime – Don’t be surprised when new hires are not jumping over one another to work overtime. Millennials, Gen Z, and the workforce as a whole tend to prefer work-life balance over a larger paycheck. This can be viewed as laziness from the employer’s perspective, but it may be a difference in values as opposed to an outright refusal to work overtime. This is not to say that all new employees will refuse overtime, but it is more common than in the past.
• Work culture – Each workplace is different, even for jobs that are repetitive. If your company does something special for holidays or has company picnics, be sure candidates know this information. If your company does not, then consider implementing something relevant to your business needs. Workplace culture is increasingly more important to job applicants as they look for work features outside of just pay and benefits.

Creating a Positive Candidate Experience for Manufacturing Candidates

Author Bio

Brett Gatesman is a Consulting Manager for Talogy based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He provides expertise for clients as they implement new hiring processes and assessments, as well as best practices on the various aspects of pre-employment screening. He also facilitates the analysis/reporting of personnel data as part of test validations and client-specific scenarios.