Insight on Manufacturing

24 | /INSIGHT ON MANUFACTURING • Januar y 2020 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m Separating yourself from the crowd INSIGHT FROM ... MELINDA MORELLA-OLSON, director of strategic engagement for Imaginasium M A N U F A C T U R I N G M A K E S up almost 12 percent of our nation's economic output and economists are still (mostly) bullish on the future of manufacturing. But with 2 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled nationally over the next decade, the optimism that comes with growth is overshadowed by the challenge of filling open positions. In states like Wisconsin, where unemployment is extremely low, manufacturers need to focus on how to bring more workers into their companies. With this very real war for talent, businesses must step up how they market their employer value proposition (EVP). Simply put, an EVP defines how a company wants to be perceived by its employees. It embodies the company's values and ideals and is a fundamental step in defining an employer brand strategy for talent acquisition. An employer brand answers questions like: "Why do they do what they do?" "What kind of impact are they making in the world and on customers?" "What kind of a culture do they promise?" Simply posting a job opening and hiring one of many applicants doesn't cut it anymore. The way we recruit, attract and retain employees has changed. For our customers, we all know that service, quality and price are not unique differentiators. In the same way, salary, benefits and job security are simply table stakes in the workforce game. Employees expect their experience with their employer to mirror the experiences they have with their favorite consumer brands. And just as consumer brands offer a strong customer value proposition, that requires companies to develop a strong employer value proposition if they're going to compete. Elements of a strong EVP • Goes beyond salary and traditional benefits • Is truly authentic • Is more than a ping pong table or beer tap in the lounge • Describes what an organization stands for and offers its employees • Is what motivates, inspires and engages employees Develop your employer brand, tell your story Think of your employer brand in similar terms as a customer-facing brand, only instead of selling your products, you're selling someone a reason to commit their future to your company. Like any branding, it's about getting into your customer's (in this case, your employee's) head and seeing the world through their eyes. Speak to potential employees about the things they care about, not the things you care about. People need purpose, so make sure they see yours. Sure, your company might only make a widget, but that widget might go into a piece of equipment that helps people all over the world grow food. Or into an ultrasound machine that allows parents to see their unborn baby for the first time. An employer brand is the story of why you do what you do and how working for you will feel. 10 steps to get you started: • Get HR and marketing working together. HR is critical to recruitment and retention efforts. They own the employee experience. Marketing leaders are masters at telling stories and motivating people to act. It's not surprising that the most effective employer brand success is achieved when an empowered HR rep and an empowered marketing rep are aligned in moving the project forward together. • Start with research. • Review current internal communication and recruitment materials. • Conduct employee engagement surveys. • Conduct competitive research. Who are you competing with for talent? • Engage in a discovery session with representation from a variety of departments to uncover your EVP. These sessions are most

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