Written by Eli Castruita, David Galvan, Brett Gatesman, and Jim Lamphere
The manufacturing industry has undergone a profound transformation over the past century, shaped by technological advancements, globalization, and changing economic conditions. From the early days of handcrafting products to today’s high-tech, automated factories, the evolution of manufacturing has continued to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. As the industry transforms, the manufacturing skills required for workers to succeed within these roles have also changed.
Skills for manufacturing jobs shift
The main result of the evolution of manufacturing is the shift in how the human element is used in the industrial space. And while some of the required manufacturing skills are newer, many fundamental competencies remain the same and have simply shifted in how they’re employed.
With the introduction of mechanization and assembly lines in the early 20th century, workers were tasked with ensuring that mass-produced goods met quality standards. Attention to detail was one of the most important manufacturing job skills for employees to possess as it helped them to identify defects. Later with the rise of lean manufacturing principles, attention to detail evolved into the ethos of quality circles and continuous improvement. More commonly referred to as ‘kaizen’ in the manufacturing sector, it requires employees to not only identify defects, but encourages them to make suggestions for how to improve processes.
Another skill for manufacturing jobs that has evolved is teamwork, which became a point of emphasis as the importance of communication and collaboration on the manufacturing floor led to self-directed work teams. As individual workers were more empowered to make decisions ‘where the work is done,’ the skills of critical thinking and problem solving also became more prominent. As factories became more automated and added computerization, successful workers were those that were computer literate and comfortable with the human machine interface (HMI).
Job analyses remain a constant in the manufacturing industry
While the required competencies needed in manufacturing may shift, this only emphasizes the continued importance of a tried and true practice – a detailed job analysis that identifies the skills, abilities, and aptitudes that are critical for success in the manufacturing environment. During that process, facilitators ask questions internally like: “What are the attributes that drive success in your particular manufacturing workplace?” “What skills are transferable across workstations or job assignments?” “What processes are likely to change in the near future and how will these changes impact employees in that space?”
In a World Economic Forum Future jobs report, employers estimated that 44% of workers’ skills on average were expected to change over the next few years. This has led manufacturing employers to ask, “What do we need from our employees to be motivated and effective workers? What new manufacturing skills will they need to acquire in order to adapt to technological and workplace changes?” In response to that quick pace of change, ability to learn, adaptability, and continuous learning have become cornerstones of success for the new industrial employee.
Using skills-based hiring in manufacturing
So how does this impact your hiring practices? When it comes to talent management in manufacturing, employers are changing how they assess potential job candidates. Traditionally, manufacturers (and most other fields) leaned mainly on previous experience – despite a study by Iddekinge and colleagues that found prior job experience is a poor predictor of job performance.
As a result, many employers have started utilizing a skills-based hiring approach when it comes to hiring manufacturing employees. While assessing skills is not a new concept, manufacturing employers are seeing that job-related skills (e.g., quality control, machine operation, following standardized work) and transferable skills (e.g., adaptability, teamwork, problem solving) do a better job of painting a rich picture of candidates, leading them to deprioritize prior job experience. Approaches to hiring and employee development that put skills first ultimately lead to a workforce that can better adapt to the changes within manufacturing.
The power of ‘industrial athletes’ and physical skills for manufacturing jobs
Despite the evolution of manufacturing that has taken place, one area that has remained a constant priority for many employers is the importance of including a physical component in their selection process. While it is true that the industry is becoming more automated and information process oriented, it is equally true that for many organizations, the manufacturing process still entails a substantial degree of physical effort.
Whether it be manual dexterity to use tools, the stamina to be on one’s feet all day, or the physical flexibility to move about in different workstations, physical manufacturing skills have withstood the test of time. In fact, one of the recent developments in the workplace has been the introduction of the concept of the ‘industrial athlete,’ which treats workers like a pro athlete in terms of physical prep, aiming to focus on preventing injuries through training and wellness programs while viewing demanding jobs as a sport requiring physical fitness.
Including a physical component in your candidate selection process measures manufacturing skills that are critical for success and collects insights about a candidate that are not easily acquired through other types of assessment measures. At the same time, it also gives candidates a realistic job preview of what the work truly entails. This has been a best practice in the selection world for quite a while, with the idea that:
- Candidates will be more satisfied post hire if they understand more about what they will be doing on the job.
- Candidates may self-select out of the hiring process once they have a better understanding of the alignment between their preferences and the realities of the role, thus saving both the candidate and the organization from the repercussions of a bad hire.
One of the common themes that Talogy hears from our manufacturing customers is how often potential candidates have no concept of what it means to work in an industrial environment, especially regarding the physical demands of the job. As a result, adding a physical simulation or assessment into your selection process offers benefits to both candidates and organizations, providing a realistic, tactile experience that meets the needs of both.
The evolution of manufacturing presses on
To recap, the evolution of manufacturing has seen a shift in which competencies are prioritized and how they’re utilized, an introduction of skills-based hiring practices, and a renewed emphasis on the physical components employees need to possess. What does this all mean in terms of its impact on workers and organizations? It emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of this work and subsequently developing selection procedures that are job-related and relevant to the specifics of the organizational environment. While there are many workplace trends that are having an impact, it is worth pointing out that there are a plethora of manufacturing processes at different stages of advancement. It is the role of selection experts to be cognizant of this variety when building selection systems and avoid applying a ‘one size fits all’ approach when identifying necessary manufacturing skills.
Despite these nuances, there is still a fundamental manufacturing skills profile for successful employees to possess. Organizations need people who can solve problems, work safely and reliably, and collaborate effectively with others to accomplish goals. It is Talogy’s role as selection system advisors to understand the business of manufacturing, and to help organizations find talent with the necessary skills to meet the growing and ever-changing demands of the manufacturing industry.
About the authors: Eli Castruita is a Program Manager based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. Eli manages a team that designs, develops, implements, and supports production simulation assessments. As a Consultant, he managed the implementation and ongoing support of client selection systems including automated testing, web-based applicant tracking, work simulations, behavioral interviewing and motivational fit assessments. Prior to working as a Consultant, Eli led several large-scale start-up projects implementing hiring processes in the U.S. and Canada. Eli earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
David Galvan is an experienced professional specializing in the development, design, and support of assessment simulation solutions within the manufacturing sector. With a deep understanding of operational processes, David helps organizations optimize their hiring operations and boost overall productivity. By crafting realistic simulation models, he empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions, minimize risks, and ensure seamless production workflows. David’s expertise in supporting these assessments also allows him to continually improve and refine future projects for even greater success.
Brett Gatesman, M.A. is a Consulting Manager with Talogy. He works with clients, particularly in the manufacturing sector, to implement and maintain large-scale selection and development processes. Often, implementations include job analysis, analysis of hiring and assessment metrics, and validation. Brett also enjoys tackling organizational issues through data visualization.
Jim Lamphere, PhD, has expertise and experience in designing, developing, and validating selection and assessment systems. He has extensive experience managing large, complex selection and assessment system projects. He has developed a wide range of assessment tools and techniques including work simulations, interviews, psychometric tests, and assessments to support projects such as these. Jim is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
