Most of the big challenges affecting UK manufacturing right now are putting additional pressure on HR Leaders in the sector. Designing great long term people strategies, focusing on learning and development, and deploying the latest wellbeing initiatives are taking a back seat for a lot of HR Leaders, due to a number of key issues affecting the sector.
What are the key challenges affecting HR Leaders in UK manufacturing?
There are a number of common challenges affecting HR Leaders in the UK manufacturing sector. Some directly affecting the HR department, and others are more strategic where HR Leaders play a major role in supporting a positive outcome.
- Talent retention and acquisition. The war for attracting and retaining good people is affecting most sectors within UK manufacturing. Recruiting and retaining engineers across all disciplines, and roles with specific technical skills are the most challenging. HR Leaders are feeling the pressure and having to think of new ways of recruiting to secure the future of the business.
- Mental health and wellbeing. More than 1 in 7 UK adults are reporting their mental health as either bad or the worst it has ever been. With stress and mental health issues at a worryingly high level in the UK, this is affecting absenteeism, productivity and the general culture and feeling in businesses.
- Uncertainty and job security. Market uncertainty is affecting the majority of the UK manufacturing sector, which is causing many businesses to hold onto their cash and not invest or place orders. Businesses are destocking and holding back on capital equipment spend until they can see some light at the end of the tunnel. This is forcing some manufacturing businesses to make redundancies, but even those that are not people are worried about their jobs.
- Adapting to change and culture. Many HR Leaders are feeling the need to better manage change and help people in the business to adapt to new norms. Technology, automation, remote working, and DEI and just a few of the forces affecting people’s roles and the culture of the business. The manufacturing sector is not adapting fast enough, and HR Leaders are feeling the pinch of the barrage of change that has been thrust upon the sector of the past few years.
Trying to mitigate the challenges of high stress levels, retaining your best people, uncertainty about the future and a growing skills issue is taking up most of the day-to-day activities for a lot of HR professionals in the manufacturing sector. Having the right support infrastructure is a must during times of rapid change.
What are the major things affecting the HR role in your manufacturing business?
Support for Modern HR Leaders in the UK Manufacturing Sector
For HR Leaders that want to be on the front foot and tackle these issues head on, the Manufacturers’ Alliance has a support network of peer-to-peer learning groups, and 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring to help you through this phase of change.
Our HR Leaders Peer Groups meet on a 4-6 week basis, and are a safe and confidential platform for sharing issues and gaining support from other HR Leaders in the manufacturing sector on a similar journey to you. Rather than go it alone, you have a team of like-minded HR professionals that want to help you succeed and are on your agenda.
You can request details of the HR Leaders Peer Group here
Join us for a free taster at one of our next HR Leaders Peer Group meetings:
- 19th June – Rakem Group, Bury
- 24th July – Cucina, Manchester
You will be surrounded by other HR Leaders that are facing similar challenges to you and have a can do attitude to moving things forwards. Take this opportunity to take a step back and learn what other like-minded HR professionals are doing to tackle the big issues in the manufacturing sector.
Contact us and attend a free taster at one of the meetings above. We look forward to seeing you there.
