Gallup found that 25% of manufacturing workers are engaged at work. In manufacturing this shows low engagement and create struggling workplace cultures.

The effect of low engagement is resingtions and loss of productivity.

Gallup consultants note that today’s employees expect to be managed differently in the modern era of manufacturing.

Manufacturing companies and factories have not kept pace with the rest of the ever-changing work environment, Gallup consultants note, and this may be an impediment to employee engagement. Those in manufacturing see friends and family not only having flexibility in the times they work , but also observe in them a more empowered workforce where one has greater control over day-to-day decision-making on the job. Manufacturing employees want more of that, but their workplace environment may not allow for that kind of flexibility.

The challenge, then, is for manufacturing leadership to work around some built-in issues and try to make employees feel great about coming to work every day.

What Leaders and Managers Can Do;

• Communicate. Understanding why a company follows a particular process and ensuring that information is properly disseminated are crucial. Another example of good communication is to provide opportunities for customers to visit a particular factory and meet with manufacturing employees. Let the two groups discuss the impact the products have on customers.
• Allow for more control of work. In manufacturing, much of the work is predetermined, based on the nature of the day-to-day process. Each day and hour might be prescribed, with the employee having little say over his or her schedule. Not surprisingly, this could dampen engagement. Great manufacturing leaders figure out the amount of control they can give back to the employees, which allows them some choice in potentially rote procedures.
• Create accountability. Great managers work with employees to establish how “we can all be” accountable to the work. When done right, accountability creates higher engagement. It is important to make sure underperforming employees and managers are held accountable, even in situations where management structures may not lend themselves to performance accountability.
• Make sure people feel like they matter. Perhaps the most important task for a leadership team to figure out — how to make every associate feel like they matter when they arrive at work every day. This includes making sure every employee understands how they fit into the complex infrastructure of their company. For example, bring customers to the plant to speak with employees about the impact of their products.
• Be available, and be engaged. Leaders must be engaged, as employee engagement is a two-way street. Manufacturing managers must be approachable and receptive to employee concerns, and incorporate feedback into enriching future procedures.

In short, to meet organizational needs, leaders have an obligation to coach and develop people. It is not just training, but walking the floor with them, seeing what good practice is, seeing what could be better practice, and giving them feedback on how to move forward. For the present and future, leaders have to get better at coaching and developing others and be intentional in their efforts to do so.