There’s a lot of uncertainty in 2023. Still, we know that keeping loyal and engaged workers in our manufacturing, fabrication, and production jobs will be a critical step to avoiding a major crisis. Retaining proven workers is the best way to increase your ROI. But there has always been a gap between the expectations of blue-collar workers and the white-collar management team. Here are some ways to create a culture that blue-collar workers respect.
Integrity and Respect
A core value for many blue-collar workers is respect. That means you must lead with honesty and transparency to ensure that your team knows you respect them and their valuable contribution to your business. Without honesty, there will be a built-in distrust of management, creating an “us vs. them” environment.
Feedback Engagement
Opening channels of communication will also be critical for your blue-collar team. You want to provide an avenue for feedback. When you provide feedback to your team, ensure you give them the tools they need to succeed. Be willing to accept input from your blue-collar workers and create action items to make effective changes.
Work/Life Balance
The divide between blue and white-collar departments is never more apparent than in work/life balance. It often becomes a “do as I say, not as I do” situation as blue-collar employees watch management teams get more perceived perks than they do. But a healthy work/life balance is vital to avoid burnout, so make sure you’re setting boundaries and realistic goals.
Building a Strong Foundation
A culture that supports blue-collar workers is one with a strong foundation. It should have a clear mission, expressed core values, and common goals. Blue-collar workers will want to work with a company that shares their value system, which a strong foundation will create.
Do you want to attract top talent? Contact Hutco to see what we can do for you.