The pandemic has changed many of the ways we work, plus our impression of our jobs, overall. For example, to improve health and safety, many companies sent employees to work from home—and after this experience, many found they preferred it. Work/life balance and mental health are at the front of many people’s minds these days, after shifts in work location helped us realize the value of spending more time at home with loved ones. In short, employees have started to expect more flexibility.
The challenge for light industrial employers
For light industrial and factory jobs, where workers must come into the workplace, flexibility can be more difficult to offer. However, it’s not impossible. You have several options for ways to give your employees more control over their workday, shift, and time off.
Five ways to give light industrial workers more flexibility
Try any of the following flexibility options for your light industrial workforce:
- Add part-time positions. Some of your employees may have decided full-time hours are too much for them, and they would prefer the advantage of shorter shifts. By offering part-time positions, you’ll be able to hold onto employees and continue to get work done.
- Allow flexible hours and shift-swapping. Letting your employees choose their start time is a great way to add more flexibility to the workweek. This helps them accommodate commitments to family, appointments, pets, and more. For example, a later start time can allow a parent to help their child get onto the bus in the morning, or provide time to run errands or attend a doctor’s appointment. Shift swapping allows workers to trade shifts if one fits better into their schedule, an easy way to give employees control over when they work.
- Offer shortened work weeks. Compressed weeks allow employees to work longer hours but fewer days. An example could be working four 10-hour days with Friday off. This can be an attractive option for employees looking for a three-day weekend to spend time with family and friends.
- Give input into time off. Offer paid time off or floating holidays and give your employees a say in when they want to take their PTO. Create a PTO policy to help guide the use of PTO while you continue to ensure shifts are covered. This could include how much advance notice an employee needs to provide before they take time off.
- Ask for input about shutdowns. Many companies decide to close down for a few weeks each year to give everyone much-deserved rest. Instead of simply planning when your shutdown will be, ask your employees which time of year they prefer.
Need guidance?
Your recruiter may have suggestions or ideas for ways to add more flexibility to your light industrial workforce. And if it’s time to staff up, HireCall can help. To learn more about our available staffing services and how we can help you round out your workforce, contact us today!
