Labor and Manufacturing: Why Authentic Brands Attract Valuable Talent

Manufacturers across the country are facing the same problem—planning for the wave of retirements of top talent and knowledge within their organizations as boomers leave the workforce. And the competition for new talent is fierce. 

Unlike boomers, millennial and Gen Z workers do not have the same inherent loyalty to their employers. The workforce of the future does not necessarily stay with one company their entire career. 

The cost of continual turnover is staggering. Recruiting, training, off-boarding, and doing it all again a few months down the road is more costly than attracting the right talent from the start. 

With rising odds stacked against them, manufacturers who are investing in authentic brand storytelling are beating their competitors in the race to attract and retain valuable talent. 

Modern Workers Care About Who They Work For

Millennial and Gen Z workers are prioritizing the culture and values of their employers before signing on to a new position. To be willing to invest 40 hours a week, every week of their career, good pay is only one of several factors they consider. 

An attractive company culture is an important tool to appeal to key talent. To demonstrate the more esoteric benefits of being part of their team, manufacturers must share this information in a genuine way through their digital channels. 

Though there are plenty of flashy tech startups with lavish benefits, there is no need to purchase arcade games or relaxation centers to have an attractive company culture. 

Modern workers really just want to know the little things you do to take care of your team and show you care for them as individuals. This could be as simple as having team birthday/retirement celebrations or sending a care package when someone is sick. 

Bigger events, like an all-team outing, are also great opportunities to demonstrate how much leadership cares about the team. Don’t forget, things like tuition reimbursement or extended learning opportunities count too. 

Authenticity Strategically Attracts the Right Talent

Authentically representing the voice and the reality of working for your company will speak to the people who match that kind of work environment. By simply representing yourself in a genuine manner, the people who would best jive with your team will be attracted to what you are sharing. Modern workers want to know what they are getting into before taking a position or even following through on an application. 

Through strategic and genuine storytelling, you will be able to demonstrate what you have to offer and, in turn, valuable applicants will be more likely to take the leap and submit an application. Having clear values and demonstrating them accurately can streamline your recruitment efforts, optimizing the time and efforts of your HR team.  

A great tool you can use to attract valuable talent is demonstrating how you care about your community. Millennial and Gen Z workers care about investing their time and building their career with a team that supports the community. Demonstrating how you give back could be the difference between an applicant choosing to work for you or your competitor.

Keeping the Right People

Being strategic about how to share your company culture will not only help you attract the right kind of talent, but it will help you keep them at your company. 

When your team buys into your company culture and it is backed by the support of leadership, new staff will be more likely to thrive with your existing team, individuals will be more likely to invest their career with your company and, despite being confronted with plenty of competition, your team will be more likely to stay loyal to your company. 

Brand Strategy for Manufacturers

Acuity and Strategy House are teaming up to empower manufacturers to take control of your brand and prepare your company for future growth. In this five-part series, we explore overall brand experience, how to align your brand for your customers, employees, and community. Finally, we share how to set a brand strategy and where to start on your branding journey.