Finding and keeping good people shouldn’t feel like a never-ending uphill climb—but for most manufacturing businesses, it does. This article unpacks 7 proven, real-world strategies that solve the people problem—without throwing more money at it. From smarter hiring to building a workplace people won’t want to leave, these are practical, repeatable actions you can start using right away.
Why It’s So Hard to Find (and Keep) the Right People Today
Let’s just say it straight—recruitment and retention have become a daily pain for manufacturing businesses everywhere. A full 65% say it’s their #1 challenge, and that number isn’t budging. It’s not because owners and managers aren’t trying hard enough. The reality is the entire landscape has shifted. You’re not just competing with the plant down the road anymore—you’re up against Amazon, FedEx, and even remote desk jobs. The pool is shrinking, and the expectations of workers have changed.
In the past, you could put out a job posting, offer competitive pay, and get a decent stream of applicants. That strategy doesn’t work anymore. Today, workers want more than just a paycheck. They want clarity, respect, growth, and some flexibility—and if they don’t get it from you, they’ll find it somewhere else.
A hypothetical example: Imagine a medium-sized sheet metal fabrication business in Indiana. They’ve had the same job ad up for months. It lists “must be hardworking,” “able to lift 50 lbs,” and “willing to work overtime.” No info about advancement, team culture, or what the day-to-day actually looks like. They’ve burned through five hires in six months for the same position. Not because the pay is bad—but because no one sticks. Why? Because the people they’re hiring don’t fully know what they’re walking into, and the company doesn’t show them why it’s worth staying.
Here’s the hard truth most business owners don’t want to admit: if hiring feels like a revolving door, it’s not just a labor market issue. It’s a systems issue.
Hiring and retention need to be treated like critical operations—just like quality control or maintenance. When it breaks, production slows, mistakes go up, and your best people get overworked. And over time, they leave too.
This is where we need to start looking at what actually works. Not buzzwords. Not HR fluff. But practical moves that real manufacturing businesses can make. Because there are businesses right now—ones just like yours—that have figured this out. They aren’t swimming in talent, but they’ve stopped the bleeding. They’re keeping their best people. And they’re building teams that grow stronger year over year.
The good news? Their success isn’t magic. It’s repeatable. You can copy and tailor it to your shop, your line, your people. It just starts with being willing to look under the hood of your own operation and ask, “Would I want to work here?”
In the next section, we’ll dig into the first solution—getting ruthlessly clear about who you’re hiring and why. Because if you don’t fix how you hire, nothing else sticks.
1. Get Ruthlessly Clear About Who You’re Hiring and Why
Most job descriptions in manufacturing are vague, boring, and all sound the same. “Must be dependable,” “team player,” “good communication skills.” These aren’t hiring criteria—they’re filler.
Start by getting specific about what the job actually is and what success looks like in the role. If you’re hiring for a CNC operator, are you expecting them to run the machine, maintain it, do quality checks, and suggest process improvements? Or just run parts to spec? That difference matters—because it attracts a different kind of person.
Then ask yourself: what kind of person thrives here? Look at your top performers. What traits do they share? Maybe it’s attention to detail, pride in their work, or willingness to learn. Put that in the job description. Be blunt about the job’s realities too. Is it hot? Loud? Repetitive? Say so. The right people won’t be scared off—they’ll appreciate the honesty.
Here’s a quick fix: rewrite your job posting like you’re explaining the job to a friend you want to hire. Be real. “You’ll be running a vertical mill, mostly short-run parts. It’s a fast-paced shop, but the team’s solid and your supervisor actually knows what he’s doing. We train on the floor, not with PowerPoints.”
This isn’t about clever wording. It’s about clarity. Clarity attracts people who are a good match—and repels the ones who aren’t, which is just as valuable.
2. Build a Hiring Process That Filters for Fit, Not Just Skill
Hiring for manufacturing has traditionally been all about experience—how many years they’ve run a press brake, or if they can read blueprints. But in a tight labor market, especially when hiring younger workers or career changers, that’s no longer the best filter.
Instead, focus your hiring process on mindset and fit. A good attitude, work ethic, and willingness to learn are more valuable long-term than someone with ten years of experience who burns bridges or checks out mentally after two weeks.
A hypothetical example: A parts assembly shop in Ohio stopped hiring purely based on resumes. They started doing 20-minute working interviews where candidates shadowed a team member. They looked at how candidates asked questions, handled pressure, and interacted with others. Their turnover dropped by 40% in six months. Why? Because they filtered for the right fit.
This doesn’t mean you ignore technical skills—but you prioritize traits that actually lead to long-term success in your environment. Train for skill. Hire for fit.
3. Make Day One Count—Your Onboarding Might Be the Real Problem
Most manufacturing businesses spend more time tuning a machine than they do onboarding a new hire. That’s a huge mistake. The first few days set the tone for everything that follows. If day one is disorganized, confusing, or feels like no one cares, don’t be surprised if that person quits within weeks.
Fix this by creating a structured, repeatable onboarding process—even if it’s just one page. Walk them through the shop, introduce the team, explain what success looks like in their role, and assign a buddy for their first week. Give them small wins early. And tell them, “We want you to succeed here.”
A simple improvement: One small business started giving new hires a printed “Welcome Sheet” that laid out the first week’s plan, who to ask for help, where to find tools, and what the company values. It wasn’t fancy—but it made new employees feel like someone had thought about their success. That alone can improve retention more than a 50-cent raise.
4. Don’t Just Pay More—Make the Job Worth More
Money matters. But after a point, it stops being the reason people stay. If a competitor offers $1 more per hour, and the only thing keeping someone at your business is pay, you’ll lose them.
Instead, ask: what makes your shop a place worth staying? Is it respect? Is it flexibility around family schedules? Opportunities to learn new skills? Clear paths to promotion?
Example: A small Texas machine shop with 20 employees didn’t have the budget to pay top dollar. But they started cross-training everyone, gave quarterly skill bonuses, and showed a clear path from operator to lead. Turnover slowed, morale improved, and they filled three supervisor roles from within in under a year.
When people see a future with your business, they stop scanning job boards.
5. Treat Your Best People Like Gold—Because They Are
Retention starts with keeping the great people you already have. This sounds obvious, but too many businesses ignore their top performers because they’re “low maintenance.” That’s a mistake.
Top performers are often the first to leave if they feel unappreciated or overworked. Make it a point to check in, recognize their effort, and ask what they need to keep doing great work.
Even small gestures help. Let’s say one of your welders just finished a month of overtime to hit a customer deadline. A $50 gas card and a handwritten thank-you note from the owner might mean more than a formal award ever could.
And if someone’s been quietly crushing it for six months—say it out loud. “You’re doing great work. We see it. And we’re glad you’re here.” Recognition costs nothing and pays off huge.
6. Train Your Team Leaders to Be People Managers, Not Just Task Masters
Bad management is one of the biggest reasons people quit—especially in manufacturing. That shift lead who knows how to run the line, but barks at people or plays favorites? He’s costing you more than he’s producing.
Most front-line leaders never got training on how to manage people. Fix that. Teach them how to give feedback, set clear expectations, and deal with problems early. Your shop floor culture is only as good as the people managing it.
Real talk: A production supervisor who creates a team people want to be part of will keep your operation running smoothly, even when hiring is hard. A bad one will burn through new hires like kindling. One Midwest factory realized this and started sending team leads to a monthly “crew leader roundtable”—one hour a month to build leadership skills. Retention across those teams jumped.
7. Stop Guessing—Start Listening
You don’t have to guess what’s frustrating your people. Ask them. And take it seriously.
You don’t need a fancy engagement survey. Just start with, “What’s getting in the way of doing your best work?” or “If you were running this place, what would you change?”
More often than not, the answers are fixable. A broken air conditioner in summer. No clear process for getting parts. Managers who never say thanks. Fixing those problems isn’t always expensive—but ignoring them is.
One small fabrication company added a 15-minute “Friday Feedback” huddle. Anyone could bring up one issue, and management committed to fixing at least one thing every week. The result? People felt heard. And they stayed longer.
3 Practical Takeaways You Can Use Today
1. Rewrite one of your job postings this week. Make it real, clear, and specific. Ask your best employee what they wish they had known before starting—then include that.
2. Set up a 1-page onboarding checklist. Use it to give structure to day one for new hires. Assign a buddy. Show them what success looks like.
3. Ask your top three people what keeps them here—and what might make them leave. Then act on what you hear. It’s the simplest retention strategy there is.
When it comes to hiring and keeping great people in manufacturing, you don’t need gimmicks—you need clarity, consistency, and care. The businesses who win at this aren’t perfect. They just pay attention and make smart, steady moves. And that’s something every business can do. Starting now.