In today’s competitive job market, it can be difficult for a manufacturer to retain its top performers. What perks really matter?
You want your employees to enjoy coming to work, share in your company’s vision and love what they do. That is easier said than done, however. In almost any job, tasks can become mundane, routine becomes monotonous and the initial excitement of a job can fade.
The best manufacturing companies continuously engage their employees through lifestyle, respect and ongoing learning and career advancement.
Top-tier tech companies like Google and Apple have revolutionized the perks that employees enjoy in order to attract and retain their elite workforce—offering everything from free food to unlimited time off.
While your company may not have the means that Google has to offer your employees every perk, you can offer the perks that really matter to them and increase job satisfaction.
Here are a few suggestions:
Healthy Living
Encouraging healthy lifestyles among employees makes great business sense. Aside from salaries, employee healthcare tends to be a company’s biggest expenditure, so it’s in a company’s best interest to have healthy employees. According to the Wellness Council of America, a company sees a $24 return for every $1 invested in wellness programs.
We have implemented healthy living initiatives like weekly yoga classes with 85% employee participation. After yoga, SolidProfessor employees reported feeling more relaxed and energized. We also upgraded to adjustable desks that can be used as standing desks. One SolidProfessor employee even works on a treadmill to keep active and engaged! Company perks like gym memberships, massage therapy, or offering ergonomic chairs and keyboards can go a long way to making happy, healthy employees.
Compassion and Respect
Simple concepts like treating employees with compassion and respect can so often be overlooked. Perhaps most of all, employees appreciate when they feel their employer is listening to them. Making it clear that you value your employees—their ideas and feedback cannot be underestimated. Schedule “Feedback Meetings” where employees are free to offer suggestions to their supervisors and managers. Perhaps create a committee, composed entirely of employees, whose sole purpose is to make your company a great place to work—with the support and blessing from the powers that be.
We’ve created a Culture Committee that has been instrumental in bringing employees together to plan fun social events and make improvements around the office. The committee also serves as the “voice” for employees to feel that they are being heard. It has worked wonders for us. The best part is, compassion is contagious. When you care about and listen to your employees, that sentiment is reflected back to you and repeated among others—thus helping the entire company.
Opportunity and Learning
One of the best ways to keep your employees is by providing them an opportunity to advance themselves. Encourage ongoing learning and professional development. Provide employees with the resources they need to improve their skills. Allow your employees to take classes to help them grow in their role, either online, or on-site at a school.
Provide a clear path for advancement, showing employees that by working hard and performing well, they will be rewarded. Nothing can be more demoralizing than the feeling that you are in a “dead-end” job. When your employees see great opportunities, they will work hard to earn them.
Luke Smith is the Director of Operations at SolidProfessor, an e-learning software company that is one of the Best Places to Work in San Diego, Healthiest Companies in San Diego, and Fastest Growing Companies in San Diego.
