July 2024: Safety, Interviews and the Skills Gap

By: Connie King , Workforce Development Director, PMA

Keep Calm and Sparkle On

I find fireworks fascinating. How do they cram fuel, oxidizer and some other special chemicals into such little packages and know what amazing display of light is going to happen when they’re sent up into the sky? First invented in China, fireworks made it to Europe in the 13th century and were later brought to the Americas by the European settlers. While their creation was puzzling to me, over time they have become an elaborate and mesmerizing show on my “not to miss” list each year.

Then I saw on LinkedIn, our friend Jake Hall posted How Fireworks are Manufactured, stating, “It is estimated that over 400 million pounds of fireworks are used this year in the United States. However, most fireworks are not manufactured locally, and I think this video shows why.” I now see a little more behind the curtain…and why Jake stated what he did. Take notice of the safety challenges we would probably face.

As we hit the peak of the summer heat, July brings around more than celebratory fireworks, a nice long weekend and backyard barbeques. With it can come downsides…sweltering floor temperatures, vacationing workers, storms, equipment strain, supplier disruptions and seasonal demand shifts can all impact your business.

What to do? Plan ahead using data, schedule maintenance and upgrades strategically, manage inventory and supplier relationships, implement flexible staffing, keep your workers safe and comfortable in high temperatures, and embrace technologies that can help smooth out seasonal variations.

With this, everyone can spend a little more time safe and relaxed…perhaps sitting on a blanket in the city park on the 4th of July wondering, “how do they cram fuel, oxidizer and some other special chemicals into such little packages and know what amazing display of light is going to happen when they’re sent up into the sky?”

Brace Yourself – 10 Prospective Questions You May be Asked by Your Next Interviewee

We’ve all interviewed before. Remember those questions that made you shake in your shoes, or when you walked away wondering if you nailed it or failed it? What about now that the shoe’s on the other foot? As the interviewer, are you prepared for the questions the person sitting on the other side of the table has for you?

Let’s try a few…

1. What training programs or professional development opportunities will be available to me in this role?
2. What expectations do you have in my first weeks and months at the company?
3. How will you measure my successes?
4. What has the turnover been like in this role to date? (OUCH! That’s a tough one!)

Everyone is getting the interviewee ready for the role. See all 10 questions from their side.

From the Door to the Floor – Solving the Skills Gap

The manufacturing skills gap in the United States could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, according to a new study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute. The average U.S. manufacturer is losing an estimated 11% of its annual earnings (EBITDA), or $3,000 per existing employee, due to the talent shortage. Recruitment and perception contribute to the challenge, but the truth is that companies need to adapt their current training strategies to prevent losing “tribal knowledge” (what’s built through years and years of experience by those on the job) that is slipping out the door as we see a vast number of baby boomers retire, and they need to adapt to new generational learning preferences.

What’s a key component of closing the skills gap? Training. What’s involved? Create better training programs. Companies think they have formal training, but in reality, many rely on unofficial training such as shadowing, non-standardized knowledge transfer, and poor classroom training methods with potentially low comprehension or retention.

Read more on the strategies for upskilling with better training, and “tribal knowledge”—the dangers of losing it and strategies for capturing it.

Effective Employee Development Plans

Expanding on the previous topic, employee development plans go a step further in closing the skills gap by providing your employees with the opportunity to enhance and develop their skills, knowledge, confidence and abilities, while increasing their engagement and job satisfaction (maybe changing the two- to three-year job retention to more!). These plans have numerous benefits for all involved…the employee and your organization. Employees who see career paths are less likely to leave and have increased job satisfaction and improved confidence. For you, employees are more likely to be engaged and committed, performance improves and their enhanced skills help you be more competitive.

I won’t lie. It’s a process. But it’s worth it. First, begin by assessing the employees’ development needs, then create their goals and create their plan. Next is plan implementation, followed by measurement, and then…maintenance. Overall, employee development plans help contribute to your organization being known for its culture of learning, and more importantly, how employees contribute to that culture.

Find out how to here.

Strategies to Increase Productivity on the Floor

When tough times arise, do you lower costs or do you prioritize employee experiences? What if you could do both?

According to recent research*, 89% of companies have reported that the lack of digitalization for factory worker processes has had a medium-to-high impact on their overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Yet only 37% of companies have made significant progress in implementing digitalization on their factory floors, despite 82% of respondents prioritizing it.

Often, leaders cite “lack of know-how, skills and talent” as the top barriers to improving factory floor processes. But the need to improve is crucial. What are the four top strategies to digitally connect your workforce and drive efficiency? Lower costs by removing paperwork and manual processes, achieve optimal manufacturing performance through increased productivity, attract and retain talent, and drive continuous improvement.

Find out how here.

HR Leader’s Toolkit

Need a little help maximizing your impact as an HR leader? Why recreate the wheel when there’s so many great resources out there! Grab 15Five’s 2024 HR Leader Toolkit with access to a strategic calendar, tech handbook and an outcomes flywheel worksheet.

Three Components of Human Leadership

In 2024, leaders today need a new approach. Gartner found three components of human leadership and their impact on core leader responsibilities—authentic, empathetic and adaptive. What are they and how do they add up to human leadership? Read the eBOOK.

Two Quick Fixes to Help You Get Organized and Make Life Easier

1. Employee Development Plans: 4 Winning Steps to Engaged Employees: If launching an employee development plan seems overwhelming, BambooHR broke it down so that you can take it one step at a time. Don’t miss a step with the full checklist (examples and ideas included!)
2. Turnover and Onboarding Calculator: So, is it cheaper to keep a problem employee or hire a new one? The answer, once again, is that it depends. If the sum of the costs and benefits of hiring a new employee are better than the sum of the costs and benefits of keeping the old employee, then it’s totally worth hiring someone new. The cost of employee turnover can be very high, but problem employees can have toxic effects on your company. It’s definitely worth going over those costs in comparison to turnover costs. Gallup estimates that the total cost of employee turnover is?one-half to two times?the employee’s annual salary. This depends on the empty role that has to be filled and varies a lot depending on the industry. Calculate the costs.

Have questions or topics you want to learn more about? Contact a member of PMA’s workforce development team: Connie King , Mary Onders Pramik , Dean Phillips , DTM SME? or Scott Rieg .