Skills Gap or Culture Gap? How Manufacturers Can Evolve to Attract Talent
Our industry faces a growing chasm between our current capabilities and those we need to thrive. At the same time, we fail to attract young, innovative minds.
At its core, this is not a skills issue. It is a generational and cultural issue.
To address it, let's first blast a few stereotypes.
The simplistic Millennial Vs Boomer narrative that has become pervasive in media is of no use in understanding skills and cultural dynamics in manufacturing. The "older" side of the generational divide is now vastly made up of technologically competent, flexible, and resilient Gen Xers. And 2024 is the year Gen. Z outnumbers Boomers in the US workforce. Gen. Zers came of age during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have only known remote education and working from home. For them "The Office" is a dystopian sitcom their parents talk about.
Here are 3 culture shifts to consider:
Younger employees with valuable skills don't want to be pampered and treated differently. They want to be bona fide members of a group where everyone is treated with the same high standards. Perks for new hires with desirable skills won't solve the culture gap. Anything offered to Gen. Z employees should also be available to and adopted by all. Legacy employees need to take mental health days too.
Creative young minds take more risks and make more mistakes. They are overall more agile, and able to learn and adapt. Agility is arguably the key skill required across functions for a bright manufacturing future. So let's give young teams responsibility and allow them to fail and learn fast.
Manufacturing careers have something unique and valuable to offer to a younger generation of workers. Manufacturing activities carry more tangible meaning than most tech work. Manufacturing companies are more likely to create a real sense of belonging and community. Manufacturing jobs can be located in smaller cities with affordable houses and good conditions for family life than many Gen. Zers currently crave.
By closing the culture gap, we make our industry not just a viable option, but a desirable destination for innovative and driven individuals. The future of manufacturing depends on our ability to adapt not only our technologies but also our mindsets.
