Bridging the Age Gap: Rethinking Manufacturing Recruitment to Attract the Next Generation of Workers

 I've recently had the pleasure of joining the Fountain Advisory Board. Working with that Board has stirred some thoughts about the future of manufacturing and other front-line work, including branding, recruiting and the talent pipeline. Here are some of those thoughts. My deep gratitude to Allie Moore , Elena Solodow , Claire Marcelo , and Michael Smith at Fountain , for their invaluable assistance.

The manufacturing industry is facing a problem: a shortage of qualified workers.

Many factors have led to this situation, but one contributor is the aging workforce. Baby Boomers are retiring, creating a gap in the workforce, widened not only by age but also by skills. 

It doesn’t help that manufacturing work also has an image issue. Negative perceptions may deter younger workers from exploring manufacturing work. Those perceptions are increasingly incorrect. 

The introduction of technology and automation have made images of dusty, dirty, and loud workplaces increasingly obsolete, to be replaced by work that relies on much more advanced skillsets, and offers features that younger workers would find attractive. In our book “Reinventing Jobs,” my colleague Ravin Jesuthasan, CFA, FRSA and I described examples where manufacturing automation transforms human work, making it safer, more mental, and less physical, and increases the value (and compensation) of workers exponentially.

So how can manufacturers address the loss of older workers by effectively recruiting younger job seekers to an industry that might not interest them?  

Understand how Gen Z thinks about work

Gen Z, those born between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s, currently comprises 61 million people, the largest generation in the United States today (32%). 

Who is Gen Z?

Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up in the era of personal technology and the internet. This “always-connected” generation has a unique relationship with the digital world because it’s all they’ve ever known. They are naturally technology-adept, a desirable skill for manufacturers seeking talent. They are often considered to be more socially and politically conscious than their predecessors, and they’re the most diverse generation yet.

What does Gen Z want from their employer?

Gen Z job seekers value transparency and flexibility. They want clear and upfront information about salary, benefits, and culture when they’re considering jobs. Gen Zers are 77% more likely to consider a job posting that mentions “flexibility.”

Gen Zers also are attracted to a positive working culture, one that values diversity and the unique needs of workers, and one that makes them feel they are doing purposeful work. In some cases, they may value work-life balance and personal well-being even more than salary: A Lever report found that 42% of Gen Zers would rather work for a company that gives them a sense of purpose than one that pays more. 

In terms of educational qualifications, 75% of Gen Zers don’t think a college degree is necessary and are more interested in jobs that provide training opportunities and will allow them to work their way up into management roles. 

Attract Gen Z to manufacturing jobs by cleaning up the industry’s image

The image of a manufacturing work environment may have historically included loud, dirty, and unsafe working conditions. But today’s manufacturing jobs offer improved working conditions and rely on constantly upgraded new technology skills that surpass traditional positions. And, actual manufacturing often defies predictions that robots will take over. In fact, with robots, machine learning, and AI on the manufacturing floor, the future of work is to combine humans and automation, not replace humans with automation.

Understand how Gen Z sees your employer brand

Seventy percent of Gen Zers will look at the company’s online reviews as well as their social media presence before applying for a job, and 69% are likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its online presence by replying to reviews, updating their profiles, and sharing updates on the work culture and environment. Because Gen Z is so focused on a company’s online reputation, employers need to make sure their brand is well-represented across digital channels, including review sites like Glassdoor, and social media. 

Yet, attention to employer branding is often focused on non-manufacturing work, leaving manufacturing work with an outdated and often incorrect brand. These days, manufacturing jobs carry the public perception of layoffs and dangerous working conditions, even as demand for manufacturing workers increases. 

Employers should rely on existing employees and their online presence to change this viewpoint. When employees are satisfied and committed, they can serve as brand advocates and leverage their social media followings to promote the organization to prospective employees. Of course, when employees perceive they are not well-treated, their negative reviews can have a negative effect.

Reach Gen Z where they are: Online

Ninety-five percent of Gen Zers own, use, and/or have access to a smartphone, so it’s useful to tap their smartphone proficiency. Yet, manufacturing work frequently relies on older recruitment methods such as job fairs and factory meet-and-greets that are not smartphone-friendly.

How can employers lean into this technology, particularly social media, to reach the Gen Z workforce? 

Gen Z is projected to consistently use platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to communicate, get information, and find and apply for jobs. The recruitment process should use a variety of tactics to reach the right audience via social media, and use a mobile-friendly application process once they’ve caught the applicant’s attention. 

Messaging platforms like WhatsApp allow businesses to engage and hold conversations with applicants, creating a better application experience. Recruitment systems like Fountain integrate with these messaging providers to make the communication process more seamless, often producing significant increases in applicants and qualified new hires. In 2022, more than 23 million applicants that used Fountain to apply for a job identified themselves as SMS-capable, a 13% jump from the previous year. Accordingly, Fountain sent over 223 million text messages via WhatsApp last year. Their data suggests employers sent on average 95 texts per hire, highlighting the need for a reliable messaging system as part of the applicant process.   

Even hard skills assessments that might have previously required in-person evaluation can be moved online, with one of Fountain’s customers implementing a forklift skills verifier as part of the online application process, in addition to the use of video interviews. 

Once you attract Gen Z workers, retain them

It’s not enough just to get workers in the door—recruitment is one part of a “talent pipeline” process that extends from getting candidates’ attention to the methods used to attract, select, hire, onboard, and retain. 

LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky says that the Great Resignation has been more of a “Great Reshuffle” for younger generations—workers have been quitting their current jobs to move to better ones. This trend has been the most noticeable among Gen Z, whose propensity to quit for a better opportunity increased by 80%.

Recruitment processes should reach Gen Z where they spend most of their time and focus on what matters to them, but then the employee experience must deliver on that brand. Training to foster upward mobility, diversity initiatives that help workers of all backgrounds feel included, and flexibility in scheduling and time off help this group of workers feel seen and cared for, which might make them more likely to stick around for the long term.  

Conclusion

Manufacturing faces a significant challenge as its workforce ages and younger workers seldom consider manufacturing careers. But there is an opportunity to attract a new generation of younger and technologically savvy workers, as manufacturing work has changed significantly in ways that make it more attractive to them. However, traditional manufacturing recruitment and retention efforts don’t match the ways younger workers look for jobs, decide to accept jobs, and choose to stay at those jobs.

To tap into this opportunity and close the impending skills gap, recruiters must understand the next generation of workers and rethink their employment strategies using technology, provide non-degree training opportunities, and enhance and promote manufacturing’s positive global and environmental impact. Revamping recruitment in the manufacturing industry is a vital step in securing its future and continued role in the global economy.