MANUFACTURING TIDBITS
Transforming the Manufacturing Hiring Process
By Patrick O’Rahilly As the manufacturing industry is poised for rapid growth over the next 24 months, hiring the best workers once again becomes the top challenge. As the workforce is vaccinated and reshoring the supply chain becomes a clarion call for industry, finding the right people with the right skills forces plant managers, operations managers, and HR managers to find new and innovative recruiting strategies. FactoryFix is an online platform that matches vetted manufacturing workers with companies seeking specific skill sets. This platform sets a new standard in how small to mid-sized manufacturers hire talent across the U.S. This is not simply a version of other online job boards or recruiting services. FactoryFix is actively growing its unique talent pool of manufacturing professionals, technicians, and experienced labor. This is accomplished by providing additional value to manufacturers beyond simply suggesting candidates. Providing a personalized career coaching experience for manufacturing personnel enhances and coordinates optimal professional development.
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Manufacturing Outlook / March 2021
The platform is quickly becoming an invaluable recruiting tool for executives within the manufacturing sector. The technological advancements accelerate speed-to-interview and hire; this translates to a lower cost per hire and access to a vast network of qualified candidates. The post-COVID manufacturing hiring paradigm Unlike overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), which measures the degree to which equipment is utilized and output maximized, the number one constraint in the post-COVID paradigm is hiring qualified workers. Today’s factories are operating at an average of 76% capacity utilization, linked directly to staffing issues. Job openings occur daily and without cultivating a pipeline of qualified and skilled workers lost productivity and throughput will result. Unfilled positions generate terrible OEE data as machines go idle. The U.S. factory capacity utilization rates are evidence that the traditional means of hiring for these in-demand industrial positions are not up to market requirements.