Getting, keeping Gen Z in manufacturing

Gen Z workers are taking jobs less for compensation and more because of:

43% - Relationships with coworkers

41% - Chance to do meaningful work

38% - Workplace flexibility

#1 reason Gen Z workers say they’re planning to leave jobs in manufacturing:

Lack of career development, advancement

Steps to retain

Start off right – Gen Z employees are especially likely to leave during the initial 90 days. Retention levels rise as candidates better understand the work they’ll be doing and when new hires get mentoring to help them adjust.

Turn managers into leaders – Once Gen Z workers are settled in, their attrition risk can rise if they sense they aren’t likely to advance.

Meaning matters – Connecting their work to something bigger than themselves is especially important for Gen Z.

Rethink how jobs are structured – Technology transforms tasks that once required people on site and digital advances are making many more roles ripe for change, expanding manufacturing’s appeal for more Gen Z workers.

Invest in career development – Employees who opt into a company’s career development program are more likely to stay with a company. Challenges can be solved quicker and employee experience improves.