Physical safety is a priority for manufacturers, yet we continue to see high incident rates of injury in the industry. In 2020, there were 373,300 total cases of nonfatal injuries and illnesses recorded in the private manufacturing sector according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, of those 36% had days away from work and 29% had days of job transfer or restriction.  Injuries can occur due to equipment failure, yet an often-overlooked contributing factor could be our biases and the immediate recipient of our bias is our employees.

Last month, I had the opportunity to observe a leadership development training at a manufacturer. The difference between this training compared to others I’ve observed is that this training was facilitated in Spanish.

Some challenges for manufacturers in 2023 continue to be recruitment & retention and meeting customer expectations, especially as customers are asking about your social responsibility.  These challenges have led to high turnover, inability to meet production demands, customer loss, and lack of market expansion.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments are falling by the wayside. What was once a priority has turned into an annual check-the-box competency training for some. Unfortunately, annual competencies are not enough to drive change, create inclusion, and foster engagement. Below are 6 tips to assist you in your DEI journey.

"There is only one way to look at things until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes." - Pablo Picasso 

Good company culture cultivates engagement and innovation. Research shows that workplace innovation leads to significant and sustainable improvements in organizational performance, employee engagement and overall well-being.

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd two years ago, many organizations and companies made commitments to racial and social justice. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices were created and DEI officers were hired. But have they been given the resources they need to succeed? Have they been given the teams and leadership buy-in to make real change happen?

This is an original blog written by Guthrie Blechman, Lead Consultant at Holistic Index.

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

Many manufacturers have struggled for years to hire qualified workers. The outlook is for more of the same. With an aging workforce, emerging new technologies requiring more skilled talent, and the continuing decline of trades education in high schools and community colleges, an estimated 2.1 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled in the U.S. by 2030.

Words can mean different things at different times. It is easily confusing to understand the words diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and their relevance to manufacturing. So, let’s clarify some of the common words. But first, the reality is that manufacturing has been introducing diversity into the workplace for decades, Rosie the Riveter exemplifies how six million women joined manufacturing in World War II. Jump forward to 2022 and the workforce is ever more diverse as demographic shifts reshape the workplace.

As we navigate past the pandemic, companies are facing the effects of the “great resignation.” Diversity and inclusion are no longer a nice to have, but an essential part of a company to thrive and grow. Research has proven over time that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices contribute to organizational success, such as 70% more likely than their peers to capture new markets or 25% more financial returns above the national industry mean for companies that are top quartile for gender diverse executive teams.