Essay on Key Challenges in Attracting and Retaining Workforce Sector

This essay discusses the significant challenges faced by the manufacturing sector in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. It highlights issues such as misconceptions about the industry, difficulties in recruitment due to societal perceptions and budget constraints, and the complexities of employee retention in a competitive global environment. The essay emphasizes the importance of technology, training, and strategic HR practices to overcome these challenges, and addresses the need for companies to adapt to evolving workforce demands and compete effectively with other industries and countries. Additionally, it examines the impact of skill gaps and the importance of talent identification and management in fostering a productive and engaged workforce.

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ESSAY ON KEY CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A WORKFORCE IN
MANUFACTURING SECTOR
ESSAY ON KEY CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING AND
RETAINING A WORKFORCE IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

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ESSAY ON KEY CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A WORKFORCE IN
MANUFACTURING SECTOR
It can be mentioned that manufacturers are currently facing big problems when it comes to
recruitment of top tier factory workers. In spite of hiring new employees manufacturers also tend
to retain a few employees who are experienced. Those employees who show flexibility in work
find themselves in a secure position in a company and manufacturers tend to retain them. It is
worth mentioning that with the passage of time the manufacturing companies look forward to
attract next generation employees and retain those who are experienced as well as productive.
However, this has been challenging for many employers and manufacturers. It can be stated that
Technology plays a very important role in the process of recruitment and retaining employees in
the manufacturing process (Chaneta, 2014). Manufacturers constantly face the need to recruit
new employees and retain old employees when they see a vacancy in the workforce due to
retirement of the old employees or due to an increase in the workload (Abzug, R. (2017). In the
context of the present market situation, it can be said that those manufacturing companies who
attract and retain skilled workers generally have a competitive advantage over the other
manufacturing companies in the Marketplace. Such companies are rewarded by efficiency Rapid
turnaround times and nimbleness. Manufacturers and manufacturing companies need to adopt a
strategy which lays down the requirements of the job and provides continuous support through
training of the old employees; so that they can meet the demands of the customers and grow their
businesses at the same time develop the potential of their employees.
Manufacturing unit is developed on the basis of efficiency of labour. This means every unit
needs to employ properly trained and experienced employee to generate larger outcome. So, this
industry should be considered as ever-changing one. New issues are developing every moment to
put hurdle in progress of recruitment in manufacturing industry. Managing disposal by increased
regulation and work pressure on inefficient or indifferent employees leads to developmental
concern related problems. Enhanced competitive visibility is main reason for this issue relevant
to workforce. Entire procedure of recruitment, training, evaluation of learning outcomes from
training and benefits from job makes employee and fresher to be reluctant for joining this
industry.
It is worth mentioning that the manufacturing industry is a rapidly evolving workplace and
amongst a few sectors of economy, which employs so many people. With the advancement in

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MANUFACTURING SECTOR
technology and financial support of other companies HR departments of the manufacturing
companies are required to evolve within the organization and the workforce in order to keep pace
with the change that takes place rapidly. However, Rapid growth in the manufacturing sector is a
boon as well as a bane to the sector. It can be called a boon as it contributes significantly to the
economy of a country and can be held to be responsible for making the country prosperous.
However, there are several challenges that the HR faces in this sector to employ new employees
and retain skilled workforce in order to fully utilize the tremendous potential of this sector. Thus,
it is important to have knowledge about the challenges which are faced by manufacturing sector
in relation to employing and retaining workers (Rosenfeld, 2017). Some of these challenges are:
Shortage of workforce - It can be stated that a misconception lies in the minds of the educated
youth that the manufacturing industry does not involve innovation, sophistication and lacks
competitive wages. The manufacturing industry still suffers from age-old bad reputation of not
having safe clean or progressive work environment. HR of manufacturing companies needs to
address significant loss in human capital despite sustained and rapid financial growth within the
manufacturing sector. HR faces the need to find ways to replenish the loss of human capital
which is needed by every organization.
Challenges in recruitment- Recruiting skilled new talent in the manufacturing sector are effective
in addressing the current workforce shortages within the sector. However, unfortunately some of
the issues faced in relation to recruitment of new employees within the manufacturing sector can
be considered to be deeply rooted in the perceptions of the society about the manufacturing
industry. The nature of the vacant positions in the manufacturing sector limits the number of
potential qualified candidates who can be recruited. The issues in relation to recruitment of
workforce in manufacturing sector have been aggravated by the stagnant budget of recruitment,

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ESSAY ON KEY CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A WORKFORCE IN
MANUFACTURING SECTOR
lack of emphasis on recruitment of college graduates and competition with other countries to
constantly fill its vacant workforce. A recent report has shown that 55% of the manufacturers
acknowledge a substantial shortage of workforce in the Research and Development Department
due to the issues and challenges existing in relation to recruiting and retaining employees in the
manufacturing sector. Therefore, it can be inferred that in order to address these challenges faced
by the HR in the manufacturing sector, it is important to compete with other industries especially
startups in order to fill the gaps existing in the workforce (Chaneta, 2014). More importantly the
manufacturing companies or manufacturers need to adopt a market strategy which successfully
communicates and appeals to the college graduates about taking up jobs in the manufacturing
sector due to the innovation and stimulating work.
Retention and attrition of employees- It can be stated that the HR departments of most of the
industries face the critical challenge of retaining highly skilled workers within the organization.
It is worth mentioning that manufacturing companies need to retain skilled workforce due to the
existing challenges faced in relation to recruitment of new employees. Manufacturer companies
also need to minimize attrition. However, unfortunately this industry can naturally be prone to
high turnover rates as employees are drawn to new and more exciting career opportunities.
Manufacturing industry faces difficulty in retaining skilled and efficient employees due to
perception of standard pay, poor work environment, high turnover rates and lackluster benefits.
Global competition - The roles and responsibilities of HR in the manufacturing sector becomes
even more critical and complex due to the significant rise in global competition. In addition to
tight labor market insufficiencies in recruitment and an aging employee base, manufacturers are
also faced with the difficulty or challenge to compete successfully with other companies which
are operational in other countries in order to attract exceptional and innovators. This issue is

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ESSAY ON KEY CHALLENGES IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A WORKFORCE IN
MANUFACTURING SECTOR
further, complicated by the exceptionally low labor costs in countries outside the Western world.
Therefore, in the given context the HR should do everything possible for him to do to increase
output levels and productivity and remain competitive in the Global market. This implies that an
HR must create an environment, which is appealing and engaging and must also aim to
maximize productivity, innovation and commitment of every single employee within the
department.
Company should portray their vision and focus to employee. This affects recruitment process
mostly. Candidates must have knowledge on the technological structure of manufacturing firm
on which they will work later. Competitive advantages of proper recruitment have prolonged
effect on industry.
Retention of employee is also related with recruitment drive of industry. Proper employee
operation in a field can be outlined by recruitment. In case, this purpose cannot be solved
properly an employee engaged in a field lose interest or confidence in the course of his action.
Proper training program in a sector helps a trainee or newly recruited employee to understand
format of task should be performed by him later. That is why training program always needs
estimation and evaluation of knowledge gathered in training period. This helps in identification
of misunderstanding and misleading of work that employee is assigned for. Some other relevant
problems are also identified still in manufacturing sector looking for solution.
Manufacturing sector sometimes misses guidelines provided by supreme authority for
recruitment procedure. Employment generation follows respective prioritize steps like
characterization of employee, task segregation, training, estimation or examination and
employment. Individual steps have some provisions for mismanagement of recruitment process.
In characterization part employer or recruitment board should follow organizational objective for
individual recruitment. Working sector should employ worker who has knowledge in this field.
So, entire process must be based on classification of employee. Task should be identical to
educational knowledge or experience of new workforce. Implementation of proper engagement
procedure can secure these possible tendencies. Training of employee should identify talent for

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initiative identification of employee. Authorization and restrictions of recruitment can have a
negative influence in recruitment too.
Concern of authority sometimes shifts its focus entirely on production unit. Thus they engage
multiple workforces who have no knowledge on following sector. This could have bad influence
on employees as well as freshers who aims to join this unit. Skip of steps in hurry can also affect
recruitment procedure. Entire unit must abide by the regulations for recruitment. According to
Fleacă, Fleacă & Maiduc (2016), full time activity does not show any positive effect if
operational management of recruitment is done in improper way. Employee pushes his limit in
hard time of company which is frequent in manufacturing industry if he has respect to his job
and organization he is engaged with.
Every organization should mark talent of employee in personified way. Every individual has grip
on a specific field. Recruiter should use talents of worker in advantageous way. Industry must be
concerned of the way an employee can generate more labour because the entire employee do not
possess same proficiency in same field. Their experience and productivity should be enlisted by
company for engagement of bona fide worker in particular sector. Talent identification can help
a manufacturing company to work on progressive management of employee. Promising attitude
towards supervisor and management authority is gradually developed in this way. Deficiency in
talent identification affects proper nurturing of his expertise. Planned structure of manufacturing
organization ascends growth of outcome and thus put effort to achieve competitive edge in
commercial industry.
Discussion on talent of employee can be beneficial in nourishment of talent. Company can
engage individual employee who is proficient in his field. More involvement in the sector he has
expertise can sharpens that individual’s knowledge on subject. In other way, it helps that
employee to gather experience on his job what is important in some fields or task. Management
of talent can only be possible if manufacturing organization have idea on talent of a particular
individual. Talent of an employee gradually sharpens on frequency of availability of
technologically advanced training. Acquired mastery in advanced method simply makes him a
bit different than general employees.
Lack of knowledge on opportunities one can enjoy in a field is huge problem employment and
retention process in manufacturing industry. It can be said that ‘Skill gap’ is major problem in
workforce recruitment process. Skill gap can be defined as a person has incomplete knowledge

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on the topic he learnt. Most of the employee engaged in today's commercial world suffers from
this difficulty. For example in technical industry most of engineers passes out by studying their
coursework which lacks proper implementation training or internships. As visioned by Hejase et
al. (2016), technical training strengthens practical knowledge and grip of an individual on
subject. Institutes provide only theoretical information on the subject but technical background
needs to have theory oriented knowledge on the section he is learning or have learnt.
Paucity of technical knowledge arises when there is a gap in the blending of theory and practical
based knowledge. Interest on subject is dependable on practical knowledge as it is based on
implementation of theory that a person learns in entire educational session. Variation of findings
is a major challenge in recruitment and retention of workforce in manufacturing organization.
Interest of training solves issue of mismanagement in manufacturing unit. Apprenticeship is very
important for this reason in retention of employee in an industry. Unfilled jobs are result of ‘Skill
gap’ which lingers in manufacturing industry until a proper technical training program is
introduced in this field.
Training of employee makes core structure of manufacturing industry. Engineering talent survey
helps to find burning issues of an industry. So, framework on engineering should be constructive
and strict. Though it has minute scope for unpleasant issues to grow in a company engineering of
industry helps to solve cases on severe damage of backbone of manufacturing unit causing
revenue lost by shortage of outcomes. Weak industrial engineering of a firm lessens its overall
manpower. As narrated by Lowe (2014), decrease in manpower makes it harder to provide
sufficient output in short time. Manufacturing unit always do not prepare backup for this
situation. Therefore adverse effect ruins reputation of company. This sequence can deteriorate
employee’s motivation and interest to work in this area.
Damaged engineering structure of a manufacturing unit hampers reputation of industry in
market. Market value is thereby affected. Entire situation makes utter negation impression in
customers mind which makes a sudden decrease in order thereby the entire structure demolished
sooner or later. Manufacturing industry ignores proper presentation of engineered structure
which sometimes implies as malfunction in engineering of company which results the same as
previous one. Negative impression of company does not attract new workforce to join or retain in
that field. Even migratory get demotivated in case of joining manufacturing sector. Engineering
of a company can be diversified for providing solutions to disadvantages.

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MANUFACTURING SECTOR
To cope up with challenges derived from diversification of workforce in manufacturing industry.
Workforce diversity has negative impact on work field as well as providing some positive
impression on organization. In the words of Tablan (2015), diversification of culture is
introduced in employment option by recruiters. It encourages creativity of worker on their
respective sector. Workforce diversity introduces alternative perspective to worker rather than
their own. It broadens physical and mental ability, class orientation and ethnicity among
employees. Promotion of dignity among employees can affect entire workforce. Respect among
employees changes from job basis to cultural that promotes tension in employees. Less labour
can be provided by each employee for relaxation of workforce. Innovation by presenting new
idea in organizational management purpose can have prolonged effect on workforce recruitment
in manufacturing industry.
Ethics of individual culture is followed and valued by every working personnel. Potential for
growing respect to others varies in this section. Personal prejudice variation makes one employee
to work with another having another belief. This process affects outcome of manufacturing unit.
Existing structure is found to have some problems in brotherhood or joint venture in employed
section. Negative and indifferent attitude towards other employee leads to an investigation. In
considerable portion of reports of harassment makes management of manufacturing industry to
spend time on solving these issues which they could use on some fruitful purpose. It also can be
categorised under concerns relevant to human resource.
Human resource management plays huge and influential role in recruitment procedure.
Management of organization recruits a human resource management section for taking care of
individual employee. Every employee has some special concern that differs from one another
which can only be solved by human resource management. They have power to maintain equity
and amicable ambience in the entire manufacturing factory. A problem regarding systematic
management has direct influence in outcome of that particular organization. Main job of human
resource management group is to adjust employee’s mentality and potential in the industry. They
take notes related to performance and reliability towards company. Manufacturing unit always
face commercial pressure in marketing. So, proper and efficient human resource management is
needed in this particular for employee’s positive mental influence towards organization.
Controlled management and regular updating is sometimes not maintained by manufacturing
industry. Opportunity related views should be shared by human resource management bench

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MANUFACTURING SECTOR
with employees for encouragement. As argued by Sommer (2015), racial diversity and their
effect sometimes under-presented by this group which affect badly for manufacturing industry.
Employees of industry need appreciation for their work which could be help in improvement of
performance and engagement of workforce in organization. Diversity in recruitment and
employee selection procedure could be at zero tolerance level. Integration among different
employees of different sector should be under close observation of resource management team.
Vulnerable social issues could be avoided in this way.
Performance of individual employee should be marked by management department this helps in
improvement of rank in company. Entire section of recruiter group marks all the progress a
person did or is doing in his work period. Marking and promotion encourages an employee and
his coordinates to pay more heed and labour to the section them working on. In the words of
Bhamu & Singh Sangwan (2014), verification module mismanagement makes loss in retention
of workforce. Employee always want to get paid in order he is providing labour to manufacturing
firm if this process is not followed in effective way it could make that individual to choose
another firm over the present one for his workforce. Encouragement can be processed in another
way like arranging entertaining events for employees. Active participation in this event could
mark as serious concern of worker for company.
Presentation of this event should be on the way that employee found his value in manufacturing
process. As visioned by Van Rhijn & Bosch (2017), indifference towards employee can make
them select another firm for employment option. This generally distracts other employees too.
They may go for recruitment portal for other company. Individual organization sometimes fails
to adopt this policy. So, the entire project of manufacturing unit can be affected by giving rise to
a period of crisis in workforce recruitment.
Lean manufacturing is an issue of employee management in complex module of job. Well being
of an employee cannot be maintained sometime by the management authority. This situation
gives rise to relationship problems in employee and members of management board. According
to Sharma, Dixit & Qadri (2015), outcome maximization can give rise to situations of
mismanagement in potential towards demand. In this situation manufacturing industry loses
growth of functioning. In appropriate resources provided to employee can hamper recruitment
growth of manufacturing industry. Fewer work forces generate fewer outcomes deviating entire
revenue generation process. As portrayed by Fullerton, Kennedy & Widener (2014), lean

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manufacturing negatively affect physical and psychological health of employee. It deteriorates
competitiveness which gives rise to problem in retention of employee.
Manufacturing industry is growing every moment in globalization of business. A business
development program should have sufficient workforce for innovative and effective idea
implementation. Therefore, manufacturing industry needs to employ more labour in different
sectors of industry. Recruitment procedure fails to have proper implementation by assimilation
of challenges in present system. Engineering, training and estimation of learning’s from training
are the portals from where a unit can face challenges. Engaging proficient employee in proper
sector can avoid these problems to get created in manufacturing unit. Talented employee in some
fields are not be given priorities which results in lack of attention on the field they are working
on. Improper technical knowledge on fields can lose mark of organization to be chosen by
recruiters. Retention of experienced employee can be formulated by assay of performance and
improvements of company. Recreation and relation with employees can solve this complication
in manufacturing industry.

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MANUFACTURING SECTOR
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