How to Tailor an Employee Rewards Program to the Manufacturing Industry

Over recent years the manufacturing industry has faced increasing pressure from both at home and abroad. Global competition, the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortage of skilled workers mean that companies are having to work harder than ever to attract and retain the very best talent. The other issue facing the manufacturing industry as a whole is worryingly low levels of employee engagement. According to one report by Gallup, manufacturing employees are the least engaged of all fields surveyed, with only 25% saying they feel engaged at work. So how do manufacturing companies overcome record low engagement while standing out from an increasingly competitive crowd? The answer lies in using employee reward and recognition software to create a tailored program that doesn’t just celebrate your best performers but helps to shape the culture of your entire organization. 

Recognition and rewards are key to boosting employee engagement 

Given the challenges that manufacturers are facing, it’s vital that they take action to make the industry more attractive to both existing and potential employees. Ensuring that your people feel valued is crucial, but this goes far beyond offering higher pay packets and better benefits. 

One of the best ways to boost employee engagement in manufacturing is through recognizing and rewarding your people’s efforts. Done right, an effective program won’t just improve your employees’ experience and boost morale, it can also encourage high performance, reduce turnover and ultimately benefit every aspect of your operation. 

Perhaps most importantly, however, an effective employee rewards and recognition program can help to build the kind of culture that companies strive for. That’s because modern employee rewards and recognition software enables organizations to go beyond company-wide shout outs and employee of the month awards, to instead customize their programs to reinforce the kind of culture they want to create. 

Click here to see how we helped to revolutionize employee rewards at manufacturing giant Marmon/Keystone. 

How to customize your own employee reward program 

HR professionals within manufacturing face unique challenges as they attempt to evolve their company cultures and better engage employees. 

The pace of change within the industry is rapid. Not only has COVID-19 meant that the entire industry has had to adapt to the new normal, but constant technological advances have changed the workplace as we know it. Add into this a laser-like focus on safety, productivity and professional growth - and the size of the task facing organizations becomes apparent. 

But here’s where using employee rewards software to customize your recognition program can help. And if you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a couple of suggestions to help you customize your own employee rewards for the manufacturing industry.

Safety awards

Workplace safety is a key concern for manufacturers who invest significant time and money to ensure the health and wellness of their employees. But protecting your people isn’t just about having the right safety plans in place, it’s also about having the right culture. The key is to make safety something to aspire to, something that is at the forefront of every decision made by every employee. 

This is where custom employee rewards and recognition can really shine. Your custom awards can take multiple forms. They could be ongoing monthly prizes that reward consistency, or on-the-spot awards that recognize singular acts of safety. Whichever path you choose the key is to help reinforce safe behaviour and encourage participation in safety initiatives. 

Training incentives

With nearly a quarter of skilled workers set to retire over the next decade, manufacturers need to find a way to replenish the human capital that’s crucial to their success. Faced with an impending skills gap the solution isn’t just to offer your people a path to professional development, but reward them for following it. 

Whether they are recertifying or completing a training course, rewarding your employees’ professional achievements is a great way to keep them motivated. Gifts, prizes and financial incentives are all effective at keeping your peoples’ eyes on the prize. Peer-to-peer recognition can also be a powerful tool, helping you to build a culture where your employees celebrate each others’ success - driving your entire workforce forwards in the process. 

Recognizing exceptional customer service

As in many other industries, customer service plays a vital part in manufacturers success. Without it relationships deteriorate and sales disappear. But rewards and recognition can help your organization take its customer service to the next level. 

By recognizing staff who provide a great customer experience you don’t just reward them for their actions, you help to incentivize this kind of behaviour. Do it publicly, as part of regular company meetings and communications, and you embed this across your entire organization. This puts customer service at the core of your business, helping your people to connect the dots between their own efforts and the company’s success. 

Employee rewards software that’s here to help 

Creating custom awards can be key to boosting employee engagement, improving your safety record and building a culture of professional development where your people strive for success. And the best thing about them is they are easy to set up, especially if you adopt employee reward and recognition software like BucketList. 

Bucketlist’s employee rewards platform is customizable to your business, making it easy and fun for managers to recognize and reward your peoples’ milestones, achievements and hard work. 

To find out more visit https://bucketlistrewards.com/product. Alternatively, you can contact us for a free demo to find out how Bucketlist’s employee reward and recognition software can help you keep your workers happy and engaged.