One in four manufacturing workers is 55 or older. As these 4+ million Baby Boomers near retirement and take key skills with them, many companies are trying to close the skills gap by recruiting younger and less-experienced workers to take their place. Investing in the younger generation is critical, but there is an additional solution you can tap into immediately:
Reduce turnover among Baby Boomers by making your working environment more supportive of their health and safety.
How reliant are manufacturing companies on Baby Boomers?
According to the Manufacturing Institute, more than 90% of 2,800 surveyed manufacturing companies say they benefit from the skills of their 55 and older employees. Nearly 50% say they benefit “to a great extent.”
Baby Boomers bring valuable skills and experience, high character and work ethic, and leadership qualities to an industry that relies on all five traits to succeed. They also play an important role in succession planning – the training and growth of younger/newer manufacturing workers.
With more than 4 million Baby Boomers in the 16-million-and-growing manufacturing workforce, their role in the success of your company’s past, present, and future can’t be overstated.
What are your employees standing on?
Why are Baby Boomers leaving the manufacturing workforce?
Health is the number one reason for early retirement, reports the Center for Retirement Research. This is especially true in a field like manufacturing where employees work long hours, stand for extended periods of time, and often operate heavy equipment and products.
Other reasons Baby Boomers are leaving the workforce include wages, benefits, and a mismatch between personal and organizational values. The latter can also be tied to employee health, as a main frustration is workplace culture/work environment. Company X may have a mission and product dedicated to building a better world, but if their workplace doesn’t match the messaging it rings hollow.
Which layout better supports the health and safety of your people? On the left, broken tiles, curling borders, peeling tape, and exposed cement. On the right, a single custom mat designed to fit. Non-slip, ergonomic support throughout the work area.
How can you create a workplace that improves health?
Premium anti-fatigue mats reduce employee fatigue and joint impact by 30-50%. They provide a balance of comfort and support that stimulates blood flow. The ergonomic qualities help reduce chronic neck and back pain, as well as lower extremity issues that come with standing for long periods of time.
The custom AcroMat 100-1 Series mat above was designed to last 3-8 years and comes with a 2-year full replacement warranty for material and workmanship. The 100% nitrile rubber doesn’t break down over time, meaning workers experience the anti-fatigue qualities for the entire lifespan of the mat.
Beyond the ergonomic properties, the 100-1 Series can be customized to any shape and size with our online mat building tool, AcroSketch.
Overcome Turnover Concerns by Looking Inward
Manufacturing companies are bringing jobs and production back to the U.S. in record numbers to reduce reliance on vulnerable global supply chains. With production demands soaring and 2+ million jobs predicted to be unfilled by 2030, more than 80% of manufacturing leaders say recruitment and retention are their biggest challenges in the years ahead.
As you make plans to combat the growing labor shortage, make sure you have a workplace that prioritizes health, safety, and productivity. This will help you keep the valuable workers you have while supporting recruitment of the ones you need.
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