Manufacturers can sometimes think their business revolves solely around the product. However, people are what make manufacturing possible. Now there’s a way to provide Human Resources training and upskill an organization’s entire workforce.

Human Resources is at the heart of every manufacturing operation. According to a study conducted by Bamboo HR, onboarding matters so much that over 50% of employees who had a poor onboarding experience think their company is doing poorly overall.

The American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor survey reported that 60% of employees think employers are to blame for the skills gap. Additionally, 90% think employers could do more to teach in-demand skills.

Having an HR manager with a strong understanding of career development programs and the skills to engage the workforce is critical. This properly trained HR employee will have a dramatic impact on recruitment and retention. The highly competitive manufacturing industry makes it difficult to retain and recruit qualified individuals. Having an HR staff with the right skills will make a tremendous difference in the ability to find and keep those critical employees.

Training and Professional Development

Many business leaders will assume offering training and professional development opportunities for manufacturers is a challenge. The thought of including education and training for HR staff may sound overwhelming. There is a way for businesses to provide training in both these areas. The New Jersey Manufacturing Entension Program Inc. (NJMEP) is here to help manufacturers. Now, in 2020, NJMEP will provide professional development courses focused on supporting Human Resource staff.

Find Training and Professional Development Programs for Manufacturing Professionals

Human Resources is a complex department. People are a manufacturer’s most valuable resource but also the most dynamic. An HR professional requires a host of skills to ensure personnel has all the support they will need to conduct their job effectively and efficiently.

10 Critical Skills for Human Resource Professionals in Manufacturing

• Change Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Identifying Employment Issues and Risks
• Workforce Engagement
• HR Policies and Procedures
• Industrial Communications Skills
• Ability to Present Information
• Problem Solving
• Team Building
• Time Management and Goal Setting

Business owners that want a workforce prepared for whatever situation comes their way, must invest in their people. Finding that perfect hire is exceptionally rare. There are so few individuals that have the exact experience needed, and passion for a company. A business can instead create their ideal employee.

Investing in a person’s professional development can have a massive impact on that individual’s impression of a business. They will want to do more. They will put those skills to use.

Manufacturers benefit greatly by upskilling their HR department. Those individuals have new skills and loyalty improves. Having an HR staff that will put those new skills into action is invaluable. Trained staff can handle interoffice conflict, build effective teams, and employ the countless other HR skills effectively throughout an organization.

2020 will be the ideal time for manufacturers to upskill their workforce. NJMEP is adding human resource training to the already wide variety of courses available. In addition to the manufacturing skill-based courses, businesses can enroll their HR staff in workshops that cover the 10 critical skills listed above, along with many more.