Thermoforming Report

by Keith Brown, President & Owner, Siena Group

As a follow-up to our September Thermoforming Report this month, we posed a few wrap-up questions that we will explore further in this blog. We discussed the philosophy of ‘relentless pursuit’ – specifically as it relates to customers and clients. But how does this approach apply to talent management and retention? What are the trends? 

Finding and Sourcing Talent

I will be honest – there is some art in finding and sourcing talent well. All the usual ways are very effective: networking, leveraging the common platforms of LinkedIn and niche websites, industry shows and conferences, and just constantly being in the thermoforming world. Though I won’t get into these in detail, they are all very important! 

Networking remains the best way to find talent – and always will be! All the other tools are necessary, but leveraging your people to find good people is far and away the best option. A SHRM article, “Optimize Your Hiring With Internal & External Recruiting,” discusses this very thing.  Additionally, “A key takeaway is that maintaining a positive image and [building] strong relationships is crucial in the long run,” says Vince Dunne in his “Why Relentless Work Ethic is Key to Executive Search Success” podcast.

LinkedIn remains the main online tool to utilize. Participating in industry shows (we covered our best recommendations in our Thermoforming Report earlier this year) can be impactful. And, finally, just being active in the industry is always a good thing to help stay in touch with all-star talent.

An interesting article (dated 09.04.2024) from Deloitte discusses hiring challenges in the engineering and construction industry. Even though it isn’t specific to manufacturing, in my opinion, the conclusions they draw and the challenges they describe can apply to the manufacturing world as a whole! One of the data charts included in the article (provided below) reveals an optimistic statistic: investments in manufacturing are up over 140%! 

Plus, the article pretty much nails it when you think about the challenges facing organizations in hiring hourly manufacturing workers:

“Three approaches could be considered for talent acquisition and development that, when used in combination, can help engineering and construction firms bridge the existing talent gap while also preparing for the future.

• Investing in the existing workforce while expanding the horizon to find new, diversified talent pools
• Driving cultural change within organizations to meet the evolving needs of the workforce
• Exploring and leveraging new technologies to augment worker productivity

It is important for organizations to understand the drivers of today’s talent shortage, and how changes in jobs due to technology and automation and the evolving needs of today’s workforce are contributing to this shortage.“

The “art” that needs to be discussed is all about knowing the job and knowing the people… and knowing what will catch their attention. The job title you post is important. Don’t let LinkedIn’s AI dictate a job title! Tune it to attract the kind of talent you want. And please do not write a job description for your job posting! It usually is not captivating. As far as understanding the various types of roles and functions and applying that knowledge to your compelling job posting – well, you may need to tap an external-niched recruiter for that level of expertise! (We know a GREAT one… hint, hint!)

Retaining Your Talent

Even at our best, we will not do this topic justice in this one section. Entire articles, blogs, and white papers are dedicated to it. 

The short version is fairly simple; making it part and parcel to your organization’s culture is not. It takes commitment from senior leadership, buy-in from mid-level managers, and a constant and consistent message throughout.

1. People-First Approach
   • Companies are there to make money. But you can’t make money without people. And those people need to feel valued. Put people first and the results will follow.
   • Pursue this relentlessly, and do not tolerate anyone that pushes against it. Those types of people – whether formal leaders or not – will impact those in their circles. Positive influences matter and avoiding “negative Nellys” is key.
   • Hold safety in the highest regard. Cutting corners and having people get hurt is not putting people first. Moreover, have a zero-tolerance plan for those who bypass safety protocols… and have an injury as a result. Yes, it may feel harsh to walk someone out the door after an injury due to their neglect of safety rules. I’ve done this very thing! I would much rather terminate their employment (after a full investigation to understand all the facts, of course) than have the employee be terminated by the equipment!!!
2. Continuous Improvement Culture
   • First, the word ‘culture’ applies to everything. People-first, positive, safe, great quality products, and more all fall under this one word. It all matters.
   • Second, having a “we can always be better” attitude is huge. It assumes you are already good… and that you can improve. That approach does not just happen – it is learned. It does not come naturally to see things through the “continuous improvement glasses.” The rigorous methodologies that come with a variety of known formal processes – Lean Six Sigma, Agile, PMP, ISO, GMP, and more – work to instill it in the organization. But in my experience, just having those acronyms as part of your work processes does not a continuous improvement mindset make. You must avoid platitudes and slogans and really strive to focus on always improving. It will take time… but it’s worth it!
3. Recognition and Discipline
   • People need to know they are appreciated. Recognize them for doing the right things the right way. This was and is not easy for me. I feel like it is an expectation! But, the longer I live and work, the more I realize that though it may be an expectation in my mind, it is not an overly common approach, nor is it commonly delivered. Be deliberate. Create and use a system so that you are consistent. Be creative and recognize the small and the big things. A simple handwritten note can be huge.  Or giving someone a larger token that is more visible to the organization always works. No matter how you do it, just do it!
   • Consistent discipline is just as important. Allowing someone to get away with things that break down the culture or negatively impact the people is a bigger problem than you know or realize. Work to adjust their attitude via a formal performance plan. If they don’t adjust, then work them out of the organization. Yes, walking someone out who is strong technically or is a good leader of people hurts… but keeping them in place can cause long-term damage if you don’t act.

Wrapping it Up

Overall, finding and retaining talent is a challenge. It takes effort. It requires consistency in your approach. Yes, there are old and new tools that will support your effort (I didn’t even touch on Artificial Intelligence and how it may impact things – but we hit it last November’s blog post), but it is and always will be about people!

At Siena Group, we are your Thermoforming Talent Partner! We’re here to help in any and every way possible! With more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing, hiring & recruiting talent, we bring a greater understanding of the companies we partner with and the candidates we pursue. Let’s Strengthen Your Search!