Our top 5 tips to manufacturing recruitment in Australia

In any business, recruiting the right people is essential for success. It’s equally valid in manufacturing. With the right people, you can completely transform your business. But how do you go about recruiting the best talent from around Australia? 

At Synaco by Synergie, our dedicated teams of passionate and trusted recruitment professionals can help find an employee that is not only suitable for your business but will also thrive in your work environment. Our service in recruitment and consulting is second to none, demonstrated by the attention we dedicate to our candidates, listening to all your needs and presenting reliable and quality opportunities that meet your needs.

Here are five of the best ways to massively increase your recruitment success.

Capitalise on new talent

With the global COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Australians from various industries have found themselves without employment. Manufacturing companies can leverage this untapped pool of talent to their advantage. This kind of newly available talent is beneficial for hiring and training entry-level roles that are often difficult to engage.

Serious investment in training and mentorship is the key to avoiding teething issues. Not only should you invest in training for your recruits, but it is also incredibly valuable to train team leaders in managing people from different professional backgrounds.

In this situation, focusing on the recruit experience is most important when transitioning recruits into the manufacturing sector. Through this, you can ensure that these recruits are the best possible fit for your company.

Use social media

Social media is an effective tool for manufacturing recruitment for several reasons. The first of these is reach. In 2019, 35% per cent of people were recruited through social media, with the most effective being LinkedIn. With its 800 million users focusing on professional development, LinkedIn is an incredibly effective recruitment method – no matter your industry. 

LinkedIn is not the only social media platform that has proven effective for recruitment, with Facebook and Twitter also having a broad reach. You can communicate what makes your company unique to a much wider audience by almost any other method of communication. It’s also important not to limit yourself to just one social media platform, as different platforms have different audiences. Research to find out which strategy is most effective and adjust accordingly.

Make use of the talent pipeline

Streamlining your talent pipeline is an essential aspect of your recruitment strategy. It’s vital to build an early pipeline. Partnering with local trade programs and hosting public events to pinpoint the best quality candidates for your business are both effective strategies.

Offering apprenticeships specific to your companies needs is also a fantastic way to funnel the best potential recruits to your business. An in-house manufacturing school and paid apprenticeship program would help to lead candidates straight to your door. With many manufacturing workers aging to retirement age, this can also be effective in combatting the issue of the aging manufacturing workforce. However, don’t confine yourself to one or two of these opportunities – but instead partner with a variety of companies to help diversify your workforce. 

Invest in employee referrals

Don’t be afraid to use the invaluable resource of your current workforce. The use of a structured Employee Referral Program can be an incredibly effective way of recruiting the right people for your workforce. This is a method of finding talented people by asking their existing employees to recommend candidates from their own networks. 

Relatively inexpensive to operate, employee referral technologies can result in high performers who typically manage to last the distance. Approximately one-third of companies say employee referrals are their number one source of quality candidates. Communication with your current workforce is critical for this strategy to be most effective. Making your employees aware of new job openings and exciting company developments means that they are better positioned to communicate with potential recruits and evangelise for your company. 

This also extends to feedback, as your current workforce could have incredible ideas to make the referral process more accessible or effective.

Use career sites to build positive perceptions

Employers that can connect with a modern, compelling employer brand put themselves in an excellent position to recruit successful candidates. To create a strong brand image, you must:

• Highlight cutting edge technologies 
• Offer competitive pay rates and benefits 
• Have an attractive company culture 
• Take pride in the quality of your work 
• Supporting local communities
• Focusing on safety 

If approached correctly, career sites can offer a suitable medium to communicate these tenets of your business to potential recruits. They’re designed to excite, inform, and encourage applications.

Creating effective manufacturing recruiting and onboarding strategies is key to hiring the best possible candidates and improving retention. An excellent onboarding strategy doesn’t end when an employee is hired. Your employees are a valuable asset to your company, and maintaining a positive working environment is key to maximising recruitment and retention. Every company has areas that you can improve. By identifying your weaknesses and finding the best way to strengthen them, you can significantly improve your hiring and employee retention strategies.

Synaco by Synergie is a leading recruitment agency specialising in labour hire in many industry sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, defence and technology, construction, mining and resources. Contact us here to find out how we can help your business.