16 MiMfg Magazine January / February 2022
happening on the shop floor . KCS ’ s Cole relays the story of when Szczypienski posted a short video of the team making a sophisticated , high-performance intake for a race motor that caught the attention of another engineer which led to a significant piece of business for the small company . While this is a customer generation example of the power of digital media , Cole believes utilizing social media and video could be an effective talent recruitment tool .
... We ’ re a small company and sometimes folks like not only aspects of the work that we do , the challenges and the opportunity to learn new things , but also working in a smaller shop has its advantages . Part of what I think we do is work to make the environment of our shop one that our employees want to be in . And that helps with retention .
— Gordon Cole • KCS Advanced Machining Services
“ Just in a marketing sense , video is really the growing and preferred way a lot of folks are getting their information . So , I suspect that people who are just surfing around and looking at shops and seeing new things , they ’ d be positively impressed by what they see of us ,” says Cole .
At UFP Industries , they ’ ve invested in more automation while also incentivizing talent through their own business school which offers a two-year business degree for any employee .
Bringing It All Together
While the economic situation in Michigan is a positive one , many manufacturers are experiencing frustration in the lack of qualified talent to fill open positions . If this is your struggle , you are not alone .
Adapting to the current dynamic working culture can go a long way toward addressing talent acquisition for any manufacturer . Businesses have diverse needs which means a wide variety of strategies are available such as offering employee incentives , more flexibility and / or investing heavily in creating a thriving culture . But one thing is clear : Whatever it is you ’ re doing to address the inescapable talent crisis can significantly impact long-term sustainability and future growth . 6
Have a manufacturing story to tell ? E-mail communications @ mimfg . org .
Diversity • Equity • Inclusion
Promoting long-term competitiveness and success of Michigan ’ s manufacturing industry .
Diversity , Equity and Inclusion ( DEI ) is a crucial , transformational element in the workplace as well as within our society . The long-term competitiveness and success of Michigan ’ s manufacturing industry is contingent upon a strong and diverse talent pool . In turn , the ability to attract , engage and retain a strong workforce requires inclusive workplaces and continuous improvement .
Access resources and participate in quarterly workshops through the new MMA DEI Hub at mimfg . org .
Organizations with Inclusive Culture are ...
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2X |
3X |
6X |
8X |
as likely to meet or exceed financial targets |
as likely to be high-performing |
more likely to be innovative and agile |
more likely to achieve better business outcomes |
Source : Eight truths about diversity and inclusion at work , Deloitte Insights