Manufacturers call for skills shortage support programme

Gary Wyles, Managing Director of Festo Ltd, says: "A lot of Government and public support for the skills shortage is focussed on apprentices and training the next generation of talent. This is much needed, but equally, employers need help at management and leadership level.

"To handle the skills shortage as it is now, manufacturers need to undergo continuous change so we can adapt quickly. What we cannot do as a sector is stand still. At times we need to take enormous risks such as investing in new technology to improve productivity and keep ahead of world competition. Further support programmes to help alleviate lack of skills and train our people to deliver and cope with change are definitely required."

Over half of the respondents to the People and Productivity Survey 2015 said their organisations undergo change frequently or constantly. Yet, while the majority feel they are well equipped to effectively manage change projects, over a third of business leaders feel they are ill prepared with little or no formal training. Nearly a quarter say they frequently experience downtime and reduced profitability as a result of the skills shortage.

The survey shows that communication is an essential element to any change project. Over three-quarters say that their senior leadership team communicates well or very well, while nearly a quarter say that communication is poor. They also report that over a third of their workforce are not motivated to embrace change.

Managers are the lynchpin when driving and delivering a successful change projects. The research shows that, in general, managers set a good example. However, 19 per cent say that their managers rarely or never lead by example. For managers to effectively communicate change with employees on the organisation's behalf, they need to adapt their management and communication style.

It is difficult for manufacturers to instigate change, as due to the current climate, the initial response for 64 per cent of employees is one of fear and surprise. Also, a large proportion of those surveyed feel employees disengage when the senior management team fail to answer the "What's in it for me?' question adequately, offering no personal reward.

Key statistics - People and Productivity Survey 2015

A survey of 95 respondents in middle to senior management roles in manufacturing and engineering carried out by Festo Training and Consulting and Work Management.

• 84 per cent of businesses suffer from a skills shortage in 2015, compared with 75 per cent in 2013
• 66 per cent of respondents said that experienced engineers are prone to skills shortages
• 81 per cent believe government support and public commitment would help alleviate skills shortages
• 23 per cent say they frequently experience downtime and reduced profitability due to skills shortages
• 55 per cent of respondents undergo change frequently or constantly
• 30 per cent of leaders feel they are ill equipped to effectively manage change
• 23 per cent say their senior leadership team communicates poorly
• 25 per cent of employees are resistant to change
• 60 per cent say fear of the unknown is the main reason for resistance to change
• 42 per cent say lack of personal reward is the main reason for resistance to change
• 23 per cent of employees say they are given a compelling reason for change
• 19 per cent say managers rarely or never lead by example
• 23 per cent say managers rarely or never adapt their management and communication style
• 36 per cent of managers say their people are not motivated to embrace change projects

Download the full research report from www.festo-didactic.co.uk/research. More information on the organisation and the training and consulting services available can be found at www.festo-didactic.co.uk.