Retention strategies to ease skills shortages

It is widely reported and well documented that the engineering sector is currently experiencing a skills shortage. EngineeringUK confirmed this in a 2015 report that stated  a year-on-year increase of firms reporting difficulties in finding suitably qualified graduates, rising from 12 to 19%. The Government is striving to improve this by 2022 and is working to attract individuals into the sector.  This approach is already seeing progress, with applications for engineering higher education courses increasing by 5.5% in the last year alone. 

Similarly, ‘Tomorrow’s Engineers’ is a careers programme led by EngineeringUK and the Royal Academy of Engineering to promote the benefits of a career in engineering to every state funded secondary school in the UK. It is hoped that this initiative will improve awareness on the subject and ultimately inspire children to strive for such a career. 

It is clear that deliberate steps are being taken to improve the skills shortage problem but all approaches will take time to yield results. Until this happens, employers in the sector should be implementing simple staff retention strategies to ensure existing talent within the sector stays motivated, happy and valued. 

Health & safety training 

Implementing health and safety training, equipping workers with such skills and enabling them to take a proactive role in their wellbeing will boost worker motivation as individuals will feel well looked after by their employer. Productivity will also be boosted and the number of overall incidents in the workplace will be reduced.  Reduced incidents will lead to less employee absences, saving the organisation time and money and avoiding needing to recruit to fill gaps (and potential skills shortages) in the workforce. 

Staff retention strategies 

Money alone does not retain employees and it is important to understand the range of retention strategies that can be implemented by employers. The ethics and values of a company, the day-to-day running of the company and the physical environment in which people work all contribute to how employees feel about the business. People will want to stay in a job if they feel settled and comfortable. This positive attitude will also mean employees promote a strong brand image when they are not at work, ultimately attracting more skilled professionals into the company. 

Recognising the importance of direct line management and identifying how each employee is treated will ensure the correct procedures are being implemented and that any issues are dealt with. Asking individuals why they work for the business and what could possibly be improved will further enable any problems to be resolved. Having a good relationship with an employee is absolutely critical if they are to stay in the business.

Personal development

Support strategies ensure that employees have everything they physically need for a role including equipment and knowledge, and providing this with a level of trust and confidence will also increase job satisfaction. Self belief grows quickly when extra responsibility is given and will also make these workers more loyal to the company.  

Tailored employee growth strategies encompass personal and professional growth. The right employees will be keen to acquire new skills to improve their worth in a company, furthering offsetting skills shortage issues. Regular appraisals will allow for open and honest discussion on realistic development and progression, and identify training needs that will enhance the employees already strong skillset.  

Finally, staff retention levels could be improved by implementing flexible working hours. Offering personalised perks and advantages of staying at a company will make it extremely difficult for employees to consider a move. 

As a result of Government initiatives and the work of organisations such as  EngineeringUK and the Royal Academy of Engineering, we can hopefully look forward to an influx of youth in the engineering sector that will eliminate the skills shortage. Until then, the onus is on employees to work hard to retain staff with the right skills already within the business. Britain’s economy absolutely needs a successful engineering division and achieving this at the moment must start from a drive within the sector keep the workforce happy.