BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Six years without a lost-time incident in a plant running stamping, machining and final assembly sounds improbable. At Magna’s Sterling Heights, MI, division, it’s the result of a deliberate focus on people, daily engagement and a few unconventional ideas.
On paper, many manufacturing facilities are high-performing operations, but research shows that even in the most well-run environments, frontline workers don’t always feel engaged, empowered or confident in their day-to-day performance. So where are manufacturers getting the workplace right, and where are they falling short when it comes to how employees actually experience the plant?
CHICAGO—Manufacturing workers report higher loyalty to their employers than other frontline workers but also signal challenges tied to workplace enjoyment, physical strain and confidence on the job, according to new research from JLL.
