Sourcing Solutions – Flexibility Approaches for Production Workers
As part of the MI’s efforts to promote innovative solutions to workforce development challenges, we recently convened a working group of 17 companies to discuss approaches to providing flexibility for production workers.
Why it matters: Among workers in many industries, 42% say flexibility is as or more important than pay, according to recent research conducted by the MI.
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Nearly 50% of manufacturing employees cite flexibility as a reason they stay with their employer, with 63.5% reporting that they would look for more flexibility in their next role if they were to leave their current company.
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Our recommendations: Based on the working group’s discussions, the MI proposes these guidelines for manufacturers searching for the best way implement workplace flexibility.
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Identify your ideal outcome whether that’s increasing the number of applicants or reducing turnover and absenteeism. Assess baselines so you can track progress after implementation.
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Define your company’s workplace flexibility philosophy, ensuring it accounts for the full range of employee types in your organization, as well as their constraints and needs.
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Determine what flexibility options your company would like to test by assessing your company’s production needs and employee priorities.
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Map out a communication strategy to introduce your flexibility options to supervisors and production workers alike, accounting for potential impacts on production processes and training for policy implementation.
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Measure your progress. Design a system before implementation. Track results and compare to your baseline.
To dive deeper into the MI’s recommendations and learn more about how other companies are approaching this topic, read our latest white paper.
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Stay tuned: The MI is planning a Solution Series workshop in early 2024 to support manufacturers in determining the best approach to flexibility for their needs. Find out more here.
