As the demand for skilled trades continues to grow, many companies are struggling to find qualified candidates to fill their job openings. The skilled trades shortage is a growing problem, and companies must find effective ways to attract and retain skilled labor. 

In today's modern manufacturing world, traditional skills that emphasize more analog controls and machinery are being outpaced as automation in the workforce rises. With this new shift – automation and artificial intelligence (AI) being at the forefront – the future workforce needs technological know-how to keep up with the evolution of work.

After losing an estimated 1.4 million jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, the manufacturing industry is struggling to hire back entry-level and skilled workers alike. Additionally, almost 25% of the manufacturing workforce is 55 or older. As these Baby Boomers retire – taking their experience with them – there aren’t enough people entering the trades to fill their positions.

Company culture has a profound impact on employee engagement, morale, productivity, and overall business success. Classic research by Kotter demonstrates that when cultures are more effective, organizations see payoffs in revenue growth, retention, and net income.

Finding skilled trade workers right now is no easy task, given the ongoing shortage of skilled workers. As an employer, your job description isn’t “recruiter” or “HR manager.” But not having enough workers to keep up with production is a major problem that needs solving—and this blog does just that. 

Finding top talent in the trades is getting harder and harder as the skilled trades shortage continues. That said, employers must be intentional about employee retention to keep their best performers. In this blog, we answer several questions about the cost of replacing an employee: