Eight Onboarding Do’s and Don’ts for Manufacturers

By Bill Remy

American manufacturers are dealing with a talent crisis. With over 40% who say hiring talent is their biggest challenge and the 90-day turnover rate reaching 30%, it’s no wonder companies are struggling to meet their production goals.

The problem isn’t that people don’t want to work. It’s that so many companies are failing to deliver a solid onboarding program that makes people want to stay.

Here are some do’s and don’ts for creating a successful onboarding program that supports a strong company culture, increases productivity and decreases employee turnover.

Do set reasonable expectations. It can take months for a new hire to become proficient at machine operation or assembly tasks. A good onboarding and training program should take at least 90 days before you evaluate their performance against standard KPIs.

Don’t silo onboarding to HR. HR teams are there for payroll and benefits enrollment and culture acclimation, but when it comes to job skills, that has to happen on the shop floor. Combine classroom instruction with hands-on training for maximum efficiency.

Do train the trainers. Don’t assume seasoned operators are naturally good at teaching. Implement train-the-trainer programs that designate mentors to serve as instructors and arm them with teaching tactics to optimize instruction.

Don’t put new hires on the line and walk away. Working alongside experienced operators may make new hires feel intimidated or afraid to ask questions if they don’t understand something. Instead, supervisors should provide ongoing support through regular check-ins to make sure trainees are getting the instruction they need.

Do create standard work. Trainers are only effective if they’re working from an approved protocol; otherwise, they may not communicate process and procedures correctly. Create standard work, and make sure it’s well-documented and easy to understand for any skill level.

Don’t ignore culture. More than a third of new hires quit in the first 90 days due to poor company culture, so making them feel welcome and included is important. Make culture training a part of your onboarding process to help new hires become familiar with things like common acronyms and workplace expectations, including how to handle issues or conflicts and how to earn recognition.

Do understand the market. The workforce has changed. People don’t work on their own cars anymore and few have industrial experience. Many come from the retail and hospitality industries where they’ve never had to read blueprints or schematics. Have reasonable expectations about their baseline skill level and plan for training in areas seasoned employees probably take for granted.

Don’t ignore work hardening. Manufacturing can be physically taxing, and if you’re not prepared or conditioned for it, it’s potentially injury-inducing. Help new hires get physically fit for the job with stretching and exercises in a controlled environment before putting them out on the shop floor. Otherwise, they’ll be worn out and may not return after the first week.

Successful onboarding is more than just signing a few papers and stepping up to the production line. With careful planning, thorough training and ongoing support, new employees—and the companies who hire them—will be much more efficient, productive and profitable.