In a recent episode of the Manufacturing Executive Podcast, host Joe Sullivan sat down with his business partner of 18 years, Jon Franko, to discuss the pressing issue of finding and retaining talent in the manufacturing industry. Franko, who focuses on the people side of their business at Gorilla76, also hosts his own podcast, The Manufacturing Employer, which he launched in April 2023 to explore the challenges and solutions surrounding this critical topic.

Throughout his interviews with manufacturing leaders, Franko has identified several common threads when it comes to recruiting talent. One of the most significant issues is the skill gap resulting from a lack of exposure to manufacturing career opportunities.

I think for a long time, we just didn’t think about a lot of the opportunities that are maybe in the trades or in manufacturing. I’m looking at an article right now, the headline Wall Street Journal, it was just from two weeks ago, the headline is, ‘He skipped college to become a repairman. He’s on his way to $175,000 a year.’

To address this issue, Franko emphasizes the importance of educating people about manufacturing careers from a young age. He also highlights the need for engaging careers pages on company websites, as many manufacturers are missing out on potential talent due to lackluster online presence.

When it comes to building a great culture within manufacturing organizations, Franko has identified several key factors, including transparency, trust, servant leadership, competitive pay, and challenging work. He also stresses the importance of company owners walking the shop floor and engaging with frontline workers, as well as the genuine embodiment of core values and mission statements.

“Culture isn’t one of those things. You just like, hey, I’m going to go work on culture today,” Franko noted. “It’s a culmination of all sorts of things. Core values, processes, the people, all these different things, but as I was thinking about this coming into the show, I kind of identified like six kinds of talking points, I guess, first transparency. I think that is just massive. It creates trust.”

Throughout his interviews, Franko has encountered several surprises, such as the concept of mistakes being viewed as tuition for learning opportunities and the connection between clean bathrooms and company culture. He has also had the privilege of speaking with memorable guests who have shared their unique perspectives on the challenges and triumphs of building strong manufacturing teams.

For those looking to improve their hiring and retention efforts, Franko offers valuable advice, such as evaluating careers pages from a job seeker’s perspective, being creative in recruiting efforts, continuously improving employee benefits packages, and actively listening to employees’ needs.

In response to the growing demand for assistance in this area, Gorilla76 has developed a Hiring and Retention Roadmap service. This offering includes an employer branding workshop, interviews with recent hires and longstanding employees, and an implementation proposal for improving hiring, retention, and culture-building efforts.

As the manufacturing industry continues to grapple with the challenges of attracting and retaining top talent, it is clear that a proactive and strategic approach to employer branding and culture is essential. By taking these issues seriously and implementing the insights shared by experts like Jon Franko, manufacturers can position themselves for success in the years to come.

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