This year, Leicester City FC made history by winning the Premier League with odds of 5000 to 1. This came as a shock to many, but some will remember a similar situation back in 1995 when underdogs, Blackburn Rovers, became Premier League champions.
A lot has changed since Blackburn won the title. A whole new generation has been born and this year, they will enter the workforce. To ensure manufacturers don’t miss out on this new talent, they need to change the way they market themselves. Employees fresh out of university or college have never known a time before smart phones or social networks, so if you aren’t clued up on the latest technologies, you’ll miss out on this digital generation.
Younger generations understand the importance of social channels for corporate branding, customer service and internal communications. Instead of clamping down on social media, manufacturers need to find a way to enable its safe and effective use in the workplace. Manufacturers also need to make the most of social platforms during the recruitment process. Whether it’s searching for candidates on LinkedIn, or promoting your latest job vacancies on Twitter, you’re more likely to be noticed by younger generations than if you were using job boards or newspapers to advertise.
60 percent of the class of 2015 said they would prefer to work at a company with a positive social atmosphere and earn a lower salary, than make more money in a position that is less enjoyable. Over recent years, we’ve seen an influx in manufacturers introducing health and wellness programmes for their employees. As a first step towards better company culture, this may be too costly. Simple changes such as encouraging staff to speak up when they have family obligations, or are struggling to deal with their busy schedule, create a sense of respect between employer and employee.
Manufacturers need to account for the digitally gifted candidates that are entering the jobs market. Members of the younger generation expect the same modern technology they have been using at home and during their studies, when they enter the workplace. To ensure they don’t miss out on new talent, businesses should adopt more progressive, disruptive technologies – such as mobile devices and analytics platforms. This could improve collaboration amongst office staff, with analytics and cloud computing in particular allowing for remote working.
The emergence of wearable technology in manufacturing is also appealing to the younger generation, but it might be hard to get older workers to adapt. Give newer staff members the opportunity to partner with a member of the older generation and share their digital skills. This way, they are given the responsibility crucial for engaging younger generations at work. It will also prepare the whole workforce for the digital age. In 1995, only one per cent of the UK population had internet access. Fast forward to the present day and the UK total sits at 89.8 percent. It’s time for manufacturers to prepare for the next generation.
