How can we go about creating loyal employees in manufacturing?
The first step we can take is to talk about loyalty. Ask yourself: Is there such a thing as loyalty in the workplace?
The Truth About the Current State of Employee Loyalty
One of the falsehoods is that management teams are starting to buy into (but should not) is that younger generations – like millennials and Gen Z – have no sense of loyalty to any given employer. There is this idea that they will go work for anybody – that if they do not like you today, they will find a job elsewhere tomorrow.
The truth is that most Gen Z employees say they plan to work for any current employer for up to six years. It could be longer if the right tactics are in place. Share on XFor example, 44% of employees who thought their company was horrible at delivering, maintaining, and incorporating feedback into improving the workplace were planning to leave the organization. Compare that to only 28% who said that the organization did a good job of providing and acting on feedback.
This data tells us that rather than blaming the employees for their lack of loyalty, there is a lot more going on.
The Link Between Employee Turnover and Loyalty
There is a concept in our training where we talk about self-fulfilling prophecies. For example, let’s pretend I am the leader or company in this scenario. The self-fulfilling prophecy says that whatever I feel about the team is reflected in the way I treat them; my team’s true feelings are reflected in how they treat me.
If you believe in self-fulfilling prophecies, the test is: Would you say there is a mixed bag of performance across your organization, departments, and shifts?
Most of the time, the answer is yes.
In this case, you might want to think about the mindsets those leaders follow and how it shapes the way employees absorb information.
Creating Loyal Employees Through “Investments”
We worked on a case where a client company felt they could do nothing about a supposed lack of loyalty from their employee base.
The truth is the team members did not feel the organization was loyal to them; they felt that management saw them as numbers. The turnover rate was already high at this point. Management was getting tired of having to constantly onboard and retain people.
We remedied this by suggesting that the organization show its loyalty to the team.
They have since started investing in the humanities, training team leaders to build more positive attitudes with team members, increasing engagement, and providing more training and development for their employees.
Employees reciprocated this kindness. For example, they showed up more. They also displayed more punctuality. Naturally, the turnover rate decreased.
Tips for Creating Loyal Employees in Manufacturing
Now that we have discussed the role of loyalty in job turnover rates, let us talk about a few tips for creating loyal employees in manufacturing:
Tip Number 1: Treat People with Respect
When you talk down to people or make them feel that they are insignificant, there will be this sense that they will rebel against you or the organization. Yet, if you treat people with respect, they are going to say, “Hey, this place gives me a fair shake. They treat me respectfully, and I feel good about working here.”
Tip Number 2: Ask for Input and Act on It
When you ask team members for ideas and solutions to problems, they get invested in the solution. As a result, they become genuinely invested in and loyal to their organization.
That does not mean that you must incorporate bad ideas. Ask for input from others and try to incorporate that into your action plan. Employees will see that you care about what they have to say if you do so. It will make them loyal to the organization and you as the leader.
Tip Number 3: Create a Positive Environment
If people are going to get bummed out and respond negatively about where they are working now, then maybe they should take a job elsewhere and see if it is any better.
How does this relate to loyalty? Simply put, do not be negative, be positive. Say, “I do not think I will find a better deal than what I have here.” That is upbeat!
Successful leaders are positive. Share on XThey are not just cranky and negative all of the time. So, when you create a positive environment, people may think, “Hey, I want to be a part of this. I want to stay a part of this and be a part of that success.”
How Creating Loyal Employees in Manufacturing Affects Leadership Skills
Once you have learned more about creating loyal employees in manufacturing, you might be wondering what comes next. Naturally, you will end up realizing that there are many other skills that front line leaders need to be more effective.
That is where our Front Line Leadership program comes in! We have a great three-day program that is available in English, French, and Spanish.
We help build great leadership teams in your organizations.
Better yet, we can help you do so either on-site or with our state-of-the-art virtual training studio! Whether you are visiting in person or using our multi-camera studio, with engaging leadership training.
It is the kind of training that gets implemented and makes a lasting change in your organization.
It all starts with a conversation. You can get started by going to our website at uniquedevelopment.com or by reaching out to us through one of our social media channels.
Once we have that conversation, it does not matter how we connect. What matters is how we start working and partnering with leaders to create high-performing organizations that people love.
