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Maintaining efficient manufacturing operations is challenging, requiring managers to excel in various areas to help ensure smooth production and engaged workers. Respondents share insights on their daily experiences, highlighting successes, challenges, priorities, and key actions they take to enhance their workplace.
In 2024, 56% of respondents rated morale as high in their company, with 41% stating morale is average and 3% saying it’s low. This reflects an 8% decrease from last year's figure, where 64% rated morale as high.
How would you rate morale at your current company?
The top reasons for high morale among respondents include flexible work schedules (24%), bonuses or higher pay (23%), more paid time off (12%), better tools and technology (10%), and management focusing on listening to staff (9%). Notably, providing flexible work schedules jumped from 6% last year to 24% this year, while paid time off, which was the top reason in 2023 (21%), dropped to 12%.
What's the #1 thing your company has done to create high morale?
Respondents highlighted solving problems (56%), working with technology (52%), and leading teams (46%) as the most enjoyable aspects of their work. This marks an increase in solving problems (31% in 2023 to 56%) and working with technology (from 45% to 52%). Being part of building or creating something with their hands saw a slight decrease from 40% to 34%.
What do you enjoy the most about your work? (Select all that apply)
To create a better work environment, respondents have focused on providing flexible work schedules (22%), better tools and technology (14%), management listening to staff (13%), increased pay (13%), and more paid time off (10%).
Flexible work schedules rose from 7% last year to 22%, while more paid time off dropped from 17% to 10%.
What is the #1 thing you’re doing to create a better work environment?
For those focused on increasing pay, 78% of respondents are offering raises of 5% or higher. Of those, 32% are offering 5%, 33% are offering 6-10%, and 13% are giving raises above 10%. Last year, 79% of companies offered raises of up to 5%, marking a significant shift in 2024.
By how much are you increasing pay?
The most common daily challenges cited were ensuring safety and compliance (16%), managing a diverse team (13%), hitting production targets (12%), and staying competitive (11%). Compared to last year, hitting production targets dropped from 16% to 12%, while managing a diverse team dropped from 16% to 13%.
What is your #1 greatest challenge at work?
The top priorities for respondents include safety (28%), quality control (22%), and production efficiency (14%). Safety moved up from fourth place last year to the top priority in 2024, while quality control saw a significant drop from 44% last year. However, the way priorities were reported changed from "choose all that apply" last year to selecting just one choice this year.
As a manufacturing leader, what is your #1 day-to-day priority?
Sustainability remains a major focus, with 61% of respondents saying it is a higher priority than ever, consistent with last year’s 63%. Meanwhile, 35% say it is a mid-level priority, and 4% say it’s a lower priority.
How is your organization doing at making sustainability a priority?
This year, 65% of respondents said integrating innovative technology is a higher priority than ever, up slightly from 62% last year. Another 33% say it's a mid-level priority, while 2% say it's a lower priority.
How is your organization doing at making the integration of innovative technology a priority?
