GOAL:
Increasing team retention and achieving organizational business goals by enhancing engagement and motivation among current employees.
SOLUTION:
Engaging internal communication through a cyclical event, the Employee Appreciation Month.
Challenges in the Manufacturing Industry
Retaining experienced employees who are well-versed in their roles is one of the biggest challenges for manufacturing companies. Similarly, motivating them to achieve specific results is crucial. Ultimately, filling recruitment and onboarding gaps requires both time and financial investment, hindering effective achievement of organizational business goals.
Therefore, to become an employer of choice, organizations must creatively approach employer branding strategies and actively address employees’ motivators and needs.
A perfect example of this is Umicore, a global leader in the production of emission control catalysts and an expert in material technology and recycling. As part of increasing team retention and enhancing their motivation, for yet another year, they launched a campaign with our assistance, increasing employee loyalty and helping achieve the company’s business goals.
Increasing Team Retention in a Manufacturing Company
Since the sense of appreciation from the employer and team, along with a friendly work atmosphere, play a significant role in factors that enhance employee loyalty and satisfaction, we decided to reinforce them in internal communication once again. Therefore, as part of Employee Appreciation Day, which always falls on the first Friday of March, for the third consecutive year, we extended its celebration to the whole month.
In this way, throughout March, the company could engage with employees through activities focusing on appreciation.
Engaging Internal Communication
As the primary target group of the campaign was blue-collar workers, we chose the most effective channels tailored to this target group:
- appreciative posters featuring employees,
- gratitude animations displayed on company monitors,
- vouchers for free relaxation at the cinema,
- dedicated mailings and posts on the intranet,
through which we could effectively communicate the message at crucial touchpoints with the target group, including the production floor, cafeteria, and online.
An additional factor increasing the attractiveness of promotional materials was the unique key visual, utilizing professionally taken photographs of employees.
Best Employee Contest
The culminating element of all editions of Employee Appreciation Month was the contest where employees themselves nominated winners in three categories:
- Safety Hero
- Problem Solver
- Best Friend
On one hand, it had an appreciative character, directly impacting the team’s attachment to the employer brand, and on the other hand, it gave employees space as they nominated winners through voting.
Of course, to ensure every participant enjoyed participating, the company provided symbolic gifts to all participants in the contest. Additionally, certificates expressing gratitude were prepared for the winners.
Increasing Production Efficiency
The positive mood generated by conscious appreciation of the team’s work persisted long after the campaign ended. As a result, the company recorded a significant increase in employee engagement and, moreover, enhanced its ability to retain them. Consequently, it strengthened its employer brand, reduced the need to acquire new specialists, and also increased production efficiency.
Is that sounds interesting to you? We are LoveJob – Employer Branding Agency in Poland.
