Today's manufacturing and industrial professionals and companies are also part of that history. In fact, it's an interesting time for productivity, particularly from a human resources perspective:

Workplace productivity is more important than ever
Employee well-being is a critical concern for many organisations
HR leaders have realised that these two things are closely linked

Discover more about these three facts and the key insights they teach about the correlation of employees wellbeing and the workforce productivity in this article.

fact 1: employee productivity is more important than ever

Here are some facts about the requirement for increased productivity experienced by almost all businesses globally. Particularly in manufacturing and other industries where remote work is less of an option.

more demanding customers

Customers are less likely to wait for what they want or need because of big box stores, major online sellers, and an instant gratification culture fed constantly by the internet.

tighter budgets

Customer demands for greater value, increased competition, fewer resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic and external factors have forced many businesses to tighten belts. A Gartner report in May this year indicated that CFOs were actively cutting costs, with some aiming to cut spending by 39% in Q4 of 2022 if inflation persists.

If you're working with less money, you're not alone. But if you're like most of your competitors, you can't let resource issues stop you from producing.

talent scarcity

Getting good people into your workplace on a consistent basis has always been a challenge. In the wake of the pandemic, hiring the talent you want is harder than ever as companies around the world compete for top talent as economies reopen and recover.

These are just a few in a long line of facts that all lead to the same conclusion: organisations are being challenged to do more with less. As a result, employee productivity has become more about maximising each worker's input with less.

fact 2: employee wellbeing is a high priority for most organisations

We are no longer living in the era of the original manufacturing lines of the industrial revolution. Workers and their advocates fought for better working conditions over a century ago and, in some cases, continue to do so today.

However, most employers recognise that employee well-being benefits everyone.

Here are just a few reasons why employee wellbeing is a high priority for most businesses today:

healthy workers are present workers

Employees who have good mental and physical health are more likely to show up for shifts on a regular basis. According to a research on health-related productivity loss (HRPL) amongst South Korean workers in 2020, employees suffering from musculoskeletal pain, such as neck or backaches, suffered from productivity losses of up to 15% amongst women and 13% amongst men. Other common causes of HRPL include the common cold, fatigue, and insufficient sleep.

happier workers tend to stick around longer

High employee morale and well-being leads to lower employee turnover rates. Since it costs more to hire a new employee than retain an existing one, that's obviously beneficial for the bottom line. Plus, your tried-and-true employees are typically more productive than someone who is still in training.

people talk when you care about employees (or not)

Your employer brand is your passport along any hiring journey, and without a strong employer reputation, you may be unable to hire high-quality talent. That can leave you straggling behind the competition.

employee wellness is a popular perk

Work-life balance and other positive life perks such as gym membership, wellness screenings, healthy lunch and snacks, corporate outdoor activities and company fitness benefits, are no longer exclusive to the C-suite. Even in manufacturing and similar industries, you may find more job applicants wondering how working for you can improve their life other than providing a consistent pay cheque.

In this year’s Randstad employer brand research, 69% of respondents in Singapore ranked work-life balance amongst the top employee value propositions (EVPs) they look for in an ideal employer. Meanwhile, this was the second most important EVP for Malaysian respondents (70%) and the most important EVP for Hongkongers (60%).

As you can see, addressing your employees' well-being indirectly addresses several issues associated with productivity in the workplace. That includes attendance, employee morale and your ability to hire and keep the right people. But the ties between your staff's wellbeing and productivity go much deeper.

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