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training methods like paper manuals
in binders aren’t sufficient. However,
at the same time, today’s managers
don’t have time to provide in-person
demonstrations for hundreds of new
employees, especially when most
of them work at different times.
Training videos allow new employees
to access demonstrations on-demand
through their mobile device and to
easily reference this information as
it is needed.
In addition, providing videos and
modules for a variety of skills and roles
will help create a more agile workforce
and combat employee turnover. For
example, a large retailer with 15,000
employees in their logistics department
recently saw high turnover rates due
to inconsistent work hours. To address
this, they deployed a digital workplace
platform which gave employees the
option to complete additional training
modules and gain certification to
work in multiple areas, including
store recovery, forklift operation and
security. The newfound agility increased
employee engagement and ultimately,
retention. An agile workforce allows
managers to source from within and
leverage preexisting employees who
want to pick up additional hours.
Unify Messaging And
Communication Across
All Employees
A common issue among
manufacturers, especially those
onboarding hundreds of employees at
a time, is a lack of communication
and miscommunication. Historically,
the sector has relied on physical
signage in break rooms to
communicate safety standards,
changes to established procedures,
or social updates. A WorkJam
study found that, among employers
who allow employees to swap
shifts, almost half use paper to
communicate requests to trade shifts
in a break room or other communal
area. Additionally, because certain
employees’ and managers’ schedules
never overlap due to differing shifts,
they may be receiving or delivering
different company messaging,
leading to confusion and overall
disengagement.
While using physical signage to
communicate with employees may
have worked in the past when it was
the only option, today’s manufacturing
employees expect easily accessible
channels of communication not only
with their supervisors, but with their
co-workers as well. With digital
workplace platforms, employers can
provide targeted coaching messages,
employee surveys and social updates
that is accessible to all employees both
in and out of the plant.
When it comes to onboarding
on a large scale, training and
communication are co-dependent.
Manufacturing employers can no
longer hand a new hire a manual,
hold countless in-person training
sessions, and expect employees to feel
engaged. The new on-demand learning
experience not only fulfills employees’
increasing expectations for digital
tools at their fingertips, but also helps
cultivate an agile, engaged workforce
with a positive ROI.
Will Eadie is the VP of Sales and
Strategy at WorkJam.