Strategies

Retention and Recruitment Ideas from the Trenches

By Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, Inside Rubber

At conference and plant tour events held over the last several months, manufacturing company leaders gathered together to share their biggest human resources challenges and hear solutions from other professionals sitting at the table. Why struggle to reinvent the wheel when industry professionals openly share what is working within their organizations? This list is a quick glimpse into the creative ideas being utilized today to solve one of the biggest problems facing the rubber processing industry.

Recruitment

Create recruiting cards in a business-card format that include a QR code linking to an employment application. Employees who hand out cards that result in interviews receive a bonus.

Print beverage coasters with job advertisements and information about the company. Ask local bars and restaurants to use them to generate interest from patrons.

Attract attention at sporting events by throwing company T-shirts into the crowd (or use one of those fun hotdog cannons!).

Build incentives around recruitment by offering additional paid time off (PTO) or travel vouchers for current employees who bring in new employees.

Run a radio advertising campaign targeting a variety of music genres, with ads scheduled during traditional shift change times. Develop a co-op of businesses to share interviewees. An individual who might not be a fit for one business could be a fit for another.

Retention

Gamify the work environment. Choose measurable benchmarks (cycle time, changeovers, etc.) and designate teams that can participate in a friendly competition. Provide incentives to the winning team.

Provide bonus PTO hours for attendance, such as an additional four hours per month for working all assigned shifts.

Pay employees’ cell phone bills as part of their hiring benefits package.

Set up a rideshare program for employees from other areas to make it easier to get to work.

Rethink shift length – for instance, offer four 10-hour shifts rather than five 8-hour shifts – to offer flexibility.

Enter employees into prize raffles for AirPods, gift certificates or vacation retreats based on length of service.

Ask employees to submit ideas for freshening up the break room or another common space – and then implement the top suggestions immediately. Let them see that their input is valued and acted upon. u