Blue collar workers are the key driving force for future development. In many industries such as construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, agriculture, transportation and warehousing, the blue collar segment is absolutely key.
Organisations need to utilise the skills of blue collar workers in order to achieve better integration and collaboration to reach common goals. These workers are an important aspect of corporate culture, and management will face shortcomings if they do not recognise this.
There has always been a certain connotation that blue collar workers are deemed less intelligent or not as glamorous as white collar office workers, however, many jobs in this sector still attract highly driven and smart individuals. Manual competence entails its own set of skills and knowledge that can work wonders for an organisation.
For society to flourish, organisations need people skilled in an array of professions to ensure the health, safety and the comfortable living of everyone. Blue collar workers have essentially built our civilisation and often their professions are overlooked and not given the respect they deserve. In many cases, it’s likely that those deemed as white collar workers, will not have the slightest idea on how to construct or maintain the infrastructure and machinery many of the community heavily depends on.
Having a strong, engaged blue collar workforce can essentially enhance productivity and efficiency. Having respect for this sector will also keep employees committed and loyal to the company. In turn, this will decrease absenteeism, turnover, quality incidents and safety incidents, amongst others.
To boost engagement in this sector organisations should have suitable working facilities and conditions, including adequate rest periods and health and safety. Fair wages will also ensure a quality of life for employees. Another preconception is that office workers earn more than blue collar staff, but this is simply not the case, with construction and engineering work having a high wage.
With the rise of technology and automation, blue collar workers face an increase in competition which could lower engagement. Organisations should ensure on-the-job training is available and offer a change of routine and tasks to help the employee feel up-skilled and committed to the job at hand.
Additionally, to increase productivity in blue collar employees, managers should engage and communicate with them on a regular basis. Having a fully integrated team who respect each other will boost employee potential, enhance peer communication and build trust. As a result, this will help get any work-related issues solved quickly and efficiently and aid motivation to succeed.
Ultimately, having a skilled blue collar workforce is more prominent than ever and realising their importance is key in our economies continued growth. If you are currently looking for a job within the industrial, driving, catering, commercial or engineering Industry, please do not hesitate to get in contact with one of our consultants at Selective Group on 01235 462 900.
