How to Engage a Blue-Collar Workforce & Make Them Feel Valued
Blue-collar workers are essential to any labor-intensive business, and many projects would not be completed without them. But Blue-collar hiring and retention are not easy, as attrition is very high. A good way to retain them is by making them feel valued through some employee engagement activities.
"People working blue-collar jobs report lower levels of overall satisfaction in every region around the world," as shown in a Harvard Business Review analysis. Construction, mining, manufacturing, logistics, farming, fishing, and forestry are also forms of labor-intensive sectors.
Retention is indeed a big problem. Foodservice and hospitality, two "new blue-collar" industries, are grappling with it on much larger scales.
Only 23% of blue-collar workers were content with their employer's retirement plans, as per a Gallup poll published in August 2013, which functions as a standard engagement tool for this number of individuals. Blue-collar workers were also unsatisfied with work-related stress and compensation, only 30% and 33% of Blue-collar workers were satisfied with these two facets of the job, respectively. Making blue-collar workers feel important is one of the most effective methods to engage people. This blog will discuss how businesses may engage their blue-collar workers.
The History behind the term "Blue Collar Workers"
People who perform manual labor are described as unskilled, semi-skilled, or skilled workers, depending upon the type of work they do. They are not just the backbone of labor-intensive businesses like construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, auto & auto ancillaries, warehousing, and pharmaceuticals, but they are also the engine of economic development.
Who Are Blue-Collar Workers, and Why Do They Matter?
India has long been recognized as a country with cheaper labor, and global corporations. But this is starting to shift. Ninety percent of industries have cited a significant labor shortage, with access to education systems and state programs such as MNERGA making it even harder to mobilize resources to join sectors at the worker level, reducing output and revenues.
Beyond those subjective factors, there are a few internal ones that have been worsening the issue of employee engagement in blue-collar labor. Low job satisfaction and disinterest are created by factors such as high salary gaps, limited or unsafe work conditions, boring and physically tiring labor with no focus on progress.
To drive real participation, corporations must modify the way they handle blue-collar workers and seek out new engagement ways or reform existing ones.
Simple Ways to Make Workers Feel Valued
Provide opportunities for growth. In industries where there is a skills gap, assisting employees in obtaining the education they require is both encouraging and beneficial to the company.
Provide workers with decision-making authority. It establishes trust and encourages employees to invest in the organization.
Educate workers on how to motivate others. Build leaders from within your workforce and teach them how to lead by example.
Ensure that leadership is accessible. Blue-collar employees must have an idea about their in-charge. Making managers visible and accessible to employees develops a "we're all in this together" workplace culture.
What is employee engagement? How much is it worth?
Employee engagement is a self-motivated endeavor to improve. A personal connection to the company. Motivated employees are 65 percent less likely to leave their companies, have 48 percent fewer mishaps, and are 21 percent more productive, according to research. This leads to a 22 percent increase in profitability, a 6% increase in net profit margins, and a fivefold increase in shareholder returns.
How Can Blue-Collar Workers Be More Productive If They're Engaged?
HRs used to play an important part in employee engagement efforts. However, software and other modern technologies are increasingly assisting employees in remaining engaged. Many Organizations are using software to engage their employees. Software like Emplus, Kazoo, Leapsome, Motivosity, etc., helps to build high-performing teams and drive employee engagement through conducting surveys, AI-driven sentiment analysis, Games, etc.
Considering their health and well-being
According to surveys, this group experiences a high level of stress and health problems as a result of their employment conditions, financial restraints, and lifestyle choices.
Beyond regular medical check-ups or on-campus doctor services, organizations might focus on implementing health and well-being programs. Some businesses have implemented programs aimed at upskilling employees' wives so that they can contribute to the family's income and enhance their standard of living.
Others have dealt with the problem of alcoholism by offering counseling and treatment programs, thereby reducing chronic absenteeism, indiscipline, and loss of productivity.
Understanding the engagement driver for this stratum
It begins with a demographic analysis of this layer, which yields a wealth of data about their lifestyle, expenses, family needs, affiliations, social needs, and fundamental motives.
According to studies, this group places high importance on connections with coworkers, with 72 percent of employees stating that this is the most fulfilling aspect of their employment. This feature can be utilized to construct employment in such a manner that it creates more opportunities for people to interact with one another and fosters camaraderie.
More inclusive rewards and recognition that is related to direct monetization
Employees, either blue-collar or white-collar, have always had the same desire to be recognized and valued. Organizations need to develop more inclusive platforms, where employees get appraised and appreciated on par with managers.
Introduce systems that give them more visibility within the company or allow them to monetize reward points and redeem them for a variety of items. Not to mention the fact that money is a powerful drive for them.
Employees' Upskilling
Another area where participation can be increased is through upskilling and development. Many companies are investing in the higher education of their top performers and promoting them to supervisory positions.
The line manager, HRBP, and the individual are all responsible for the career development of shop-floor employees and staff, according to SiO. There are courses that prepare workers to become trainers and subject matter experts. They get a feeling of personal, job security, and job happiness as a result of these treatments.
At Job Booster we are constantly swerving away from the idea that we exist to only provide candidates with basic jobs. We strive to go above and beyond to ensure that the employers who hire our candidates give fair and acceptable benefits and salaries. We also believe it is important to follow up with our candidates on a regular basis so that they feel valued and cared for. Our candidate-centric strategy for blue-collar hiring prioritizes our candidates' well-being.
