Employer branding in a manufacturing plant – best practices

Employer branding in a manufacturing plant is essential for attracting and retaining skilled workers in a competitive market. Effective employer branding strategies in manufacturing allow organizations to build a positive image of the company in the eyes of potential employees and strengthen the commitment and loyalty of current teams. What steps should be taken to make a manufacturing plant an attractive place to work?

Employer branding in manufacturing companies encompasses all activities undertaken by employers to create a positive image. Building a good employer brand allows manufacturing plants to attract and retain the best talent. An impeccable reputation also translates into cooperation with contractors and investors. It also works the other way around – an employer with a poor image may have problems with high employee turnover, which will result in a decline in process efficiency indicators and further loss of reputation among potential job candidates.

It is worth remembering that even the most attractive employer branding activities will be useless if a manufacturing company does not take care of three issues that are fundamental to employees:

• adequate remuneration;
• appropriate training for the job;
• provision of the tools necessary to perform tasks properly.

How do Polish companies view employer branding activities? According to the report Employer Branding in Poland 2023 prepared by the HRM Institute, 33% of Polish companies consider employer branding to be an important issue, while for almost half of the organizations surveyed (49%) it is an important issue but not a priority, and almost one in five companies do not consider EB to be an important issue at all. Employers focus most on building their brand outside the company (59%) and inside the company (42%), as well as on internal communication. Only 22% of companies have a clearly defined strategy for shaping their employer image. Another 27% of respondents are refining their strategy. Over 50% of respondents do not have an employer branding strategy in place.

Building an employer brand in a manufacturing plant can be directed at both candidates (external employer branding) and current employees (internal employer branding). In both cases, various activities are undertaken to create a favorable image of the employer.

Internal employer branding in the manufacturing industry is responsible for creating a friendly workplace for current employees that offers opportunities for development. In an era of fierce competition among industrial plants, employees expect more from their employers than just a steady salary paid on time. EB activities aim to minimize the risk of employees leaving their jobs and reduce staff turnover.

Internal employer branding activities in a manufacturing plant may include, for example:

• a carefully planned onboarding process
• mentoring programs for new and current employees
• regular training and clearly defined career paths
• opportunities to acquire new skills and internal promotions
• a friendly work environment based on open communication, respect, equality, and tolerance
• constructive, regular feedback
• team-building events
• attractive employee benefits
• employee satisfaction surveys
• the opportunity to engage in CSR activities
• ensuring a good work-life balance for employees.

It may seem that manual workers in factories are easy to replace. However, replacing committed, experienced, and skilled employees is not that simple, and it also entails a number of costs. Why is it worth taking care of employer branding in a manufacturing plant?

Employer branding in the manufacturing industry allows companies with a good reputation to attract and retain the best talent. Manufacturing plants often face the problem of a shortage of skilled labor. According to the Talent Shortage in Poland report prepared by ManpowerGroup, as many as 74% of organizations in the industry and raw materials sector feel a talent shortage in the labor market. The most sought-after soft skills among candidates are: analysis and critical thinking, adaptability and stress resistance, problem-solving skills, active learning and insight, and initiative. An employer who cares about their image receives more applications from competent candidates, which reduces recruitment costs and time.

Reduced employee turnover also contributes to lower costs. A production plant that cares about EB builds good relationships with its employees. Identification with the company’s values increases loyalty. Low turnover reduces the costs associated with recruiting and onboarding new employees and ensures that knowledge and experience remain within the company.

A good atmosphere and a sense of appreciation improve employee engagement and motivation. A friendly atmosphere in the workplace translates into higher productivity and better quality of work.

A good employer reputation translates into how the company is perceived not only by job candidates, but also by potential contractors, customers, and investors. Manufacturing companies known for caring for their employees will enjoy greater trust within the industry, which will attract new opportunities for cooperation.

Creating an employer branding strategy in a manufacturing company requires understanding the expectations of candidates and current employees. In addition to applying generally known practices, it is worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the target group. In the manufacturing industry, this refers to blue-collar workers, i.e., people who perform physical labor. According to the report Expectations of manual workers and challenges for employers created by Pracuj.pl for representatives of this group, the attractiveness of an employer is primarily determined by adequate remuneration (70% of respondents), an attractive location (66%), and job stability and security (36%). The podium was completed by benefits and non-wage benefits (29%), interesting tasks (13%), and organizational culture (10%).

Companies operating in the manufacturing industry should focus on building an image of a safe, trusted employer that provides attractive working conditions.

1. Monitor the salary market in your industry. Ensure that you offer an attractive base salary and give employees the opportunity to earn bonuses for excellent work. Also consider employee benefit programs.
2. Make sure you have an appropriate advertising and recruitment campaign. Create an image of an employer who emphasizes job stability and the safety of their employees.
3. Conduct a clear, professional, and well-organized recruitment and onboarding process. Implement tools that will allow you to standardize procedures and plan career paths for employees in different positions.
4. Provide employees with free transportation to the plant. Manufacturing plants are usually located in areas far from the city. Offering free transportation may be the deciding factor for a candidate who is unable to commute to work on their own.
5. Invest in employee development. Build career paths and help employees gain new skills through courses and training.
6. Ensure reliable communication at all levels of the organization. Provide quick access to key information about changes through meetings, notice boards, or online platforms.
7. Be open to your employees’ needs and involve them in decision-making processes. Encourage HR representatives to talk directly to employees, introduce employee suggestion programs, conduct surveys, and collect feedback. Most importantly, don’t just listen, but also take action—whenever possible, implement employee suggestions. A sense of appreciation and importance will boost the morale and engagement of the entire team.

A strong employer brand helps retain employees whose skills and experience have a direct impact on productivity and production quality. Implementing a planned employer branding strategy demonstrates awareness of changes taking place in the competitive manufacturing market and allows companies to maintain a stable position and impeccable image.

Bibliography:

https://hrminstitute.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/23REBWPL.pdf;
https://www.manpowergroup.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Raport_ManpowerGroup_Niedobor_Talentow_2023-1.pdf;
https://wyzwaniahr.pracuj.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/raport-oczekiwania-pracownikow-fizycznych-i-wyzwania-dla-pracodawcow-02.04.pdf.