Today’s guest is Meaghan Elwell, Division President of Global Industrials at JLL.

ASSEMBLY: So Meaghan, for day-to-day operations, where are manufacturers getting things right and where are they falling short?

MEAGHAN: Yeah, it’s a really good question. In terms of what we see every day — and our research has proven it — from a productivity standpoint, everything is going well. For the most part, manufacturing frontline workers feel that the way the building is designed, the operations are designed, it enables the highest levels of productivity. From an operational efficiency standpoint, from how you actually get your job done, there are no major issues there, in general terms.

Where we are seeing challenges is in the human element. As much as we look to automation and bringing in technology, at the end of the day, we still need people who are on the ground getting these products out the door, making sure the products are built, making sure the buildings are running efficiently and smoothly so those products can be built and shipped.

From a human element, what we find is many companies have missed the consideration of what people need. Everything from having access to a cafeteria or a place to put their lunch for the day, or a water cooler or coffee machine, to having natural light, to having a place to get a little downtime, access to the outside. All of those things, small or big, when put together, absolutely enhance engagement of people on the ground, which ultimately leads to more productivity.

ASSEMBLY: One of the key takeaways from your research was that manufacturing workers report very strong loyalty and a low intention to leave, but also limited workplace enjoyment and lower confidence in their performance. Why do you think manufacturing employees stay even when they’re not fully engaged, and what should employers read into that?

MEAGHAN: We definitely see that, and it could be for a lot of factors. People stay because that’s their only option, it could be the best job they can get, it could be the only facility in their commutable distance that lets them execute the skills they’re trained for.

But what is missing when we just assume everything’s fine because people are staying is the human element. In our research, we found 52% of manufacturing workers prioritize work-life balance over salary.

What could happen if we don’t get that right, especially if competition is introduced, and all these loyal employees start to leave? We’re also seeing a “silver tsunami” with a massive generation of skilled workers at or beyond retirement age. What are we doing to bring in the next generation, new talent, and avoid destabilizing the business?

At best, when people aren’t fully engaged, there’s untapped productivity. That’s the best-case scenario. The worst case is competition is introduced, or employees move on without opportunities to retrain those coming in behind them. Then you start to lose institutional knowledge and all the inherent experience that creates productivity, even with great attraction and retention programs.

ASSEMBLY: There are a lot of hidden costs to not meeting employees’ needs… 

MEAGHAN: If an employee feels their job is commoditized—essentially identical to a similar role elsewhere—what keeps them? Salary maybe, but frontline workers consistently say work-life balance is very important. From a preventive standpoint, ask your employees what would make them feel great about coming to work every day. Build community, build structure where they feel safe. Psychological safety means they have autonomy and the ability to speak up and provide input.

Recognition is not just saying, “Hey, great job on that thing,” but also recognizing, “How do you feel? How can we support you?” This helps employees feel happier and part of something bigger. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. Many things can engage employees without massive investment.

ASSEMBLY: If you go on Glassdoor and you look up certain companies, and you read the reviews, you can see that the frontline workers in certain companies have similar themes in their postings. And one of those prominent themes is: “I’m just a number. I get a paycheck, nothing else.” How do you address that?

MEAGHAN: It’s not easy. Changing culture is not an easy thing to do. It takes top-down commitment and bottom-up engagement, continually reinforcing and restating your values. Productivity is essential, but culture must recognize that every individual at a company, especially the frontline workers, are the reason for the company’s success.

ASSEMBLY: How do you reach the frontline workers?

MEAGHAN: I spend a lot of time with teams on the ground. I have thousands of people in skilled trades and technicians making sure the buildings operate. I’ve yet to meet someone at the frontline level who doesn’t light up when asked about themselves or is recognized. And I say this all the time, because I did not grow up in the facilities world. I could not do any of their jobs, and the reactions I get when I express pride and gratitude are incredible. These workers have a unique skill set. Every person wants to feel recognized, regardless of position or background. Everyone wants to feel like they’re doing something that is valuable and is part of a bigger mission.

ASSEMBLY: One of the key problems in many organizations, regardless of sector, is that frontline workers feel disconnected from management and corporate culture because they don’t feel that the corporate culture is authentic. How do you fix that issue and walk the talk?

MEAGHAN: Simplest things: bring the community together as a team, maybe first thing in the morning, or sitting together at lunch. There are breaks between work where you can ask, “How are you doing?” or, “Tell me something I didn’t know about you.” There are a lot of relationships and connections that are not being made today that could be made with even the smallest of steps.

Most teams are coming together to talk about safety. But If you feel connected to your people, safety improves. If you care about the person next to you, you work harder to ensure they stay safe. Managers can spend extra time recognizing someone for a great job, calling out something unique they did, or even leave it open for team kudos. Those can be really powerful. People get really excited to have their name acknowledged.

ASSEMBLY: I like the idea of peer recognition, giving kudos. I think it feels a little more authentic than a lot of places and their “employee-of-the-month” programs that cycle through every employee that has ever existed just to be “fair.” I think that’s a good idea. So let’s say you have an environment where there is real authentic desire to recognize people and management truly cares about frontline workers and they want to acknowledge when their workers are doing well… How do you convey that authenticity? What steps do you need to take to actually reach the workers to make them know this isn’t just talk… this is real?

MEAGHAN: I would say the first thing is to ask your employees what motivates them. Compensation is obvious, but also ask about preferences: pizza party, name on the board, other creative things that don’t cost much. Create a task force of frontline workers, not leaders, to lead it. You’ll be surprised at the creativity and peer networks that emerge.

ASSEMBLY: Let’s shift to factors outside employer control, like commute. Your research shows some workarounds for that… Tell us more.

MEAGHAN: Sure… We have seen creative scheduling [to alleviate drivetimes and traffic during our research]… flexible scheduling. Companies use split schedules, longer days with fewer days per week—There are many ways to provide flexibility.

ASSEMBLY: So… one week, six months, one year, and five years from now… What are some actionable steps that manufacturers can take to make their employees feel valued and want to stay?

MEAGHAN: I love how you frame that. First week: ask questions and seek to understand. First month, really. Really take inventory of the current state. Don’t just look at attrition numbers; they don’t tell the whole story.

Next six months to a year: implement low-cost or no-cost changes. Create community, space for recognition, water coolers, or even small touches like plants in break rooms.

Then… over the next five years: with more capital planning, implement long-term projects—lighting, ergonomics, access to the outside, wellness-focused spaces.

Read more about JLL’s research on this topic.