• Replies 17 replies
  • Subscribers 2 subscribers
  • Views 4484 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related

Moving into a Manufacturing HR role

Mark

Hello,

I've got the opportunity to work as an HR Advisor in a high volume manufacturing company (retail products) with approx 3000 employees. 

I'd welcome any comments or observations about an HR role in this environment as I haven't worked in manufacturing before. My backgroud has been in telecoms / IT as well as Public sector (Local Govt and |NHS) - both in HR Advisor and Business Partner roles. 

Thanks in advance for your comments. 

Kind regards, 

Mark.  

Parents
  • Hi Mark,

    Congratulations on your new role!

    I have been in manufacturing environments now for about 7 years and there's no doubt it's a challenging environment for HR! It's way out of my comfort zone as well but the reality is that if you are confident about your processes, it can be extremely rewarding at the same time. Unlike many other responses here, I work for a small family-run manufacturing company and I'm the only HR person. My role also encompasses H&S/facilities and I think the great value I get from this is that I'm not just seen as someone to go to when there's an HR problem. If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's to demonstrate that you are there to help and support and to make life easier for managers. This last year, our main HR challenge has been the fact that some of us can work from home and some can't. The divide between factory and office workers has always been there and I have had to work hard to show that we understand that we can't treat everyone equally, but we can work together to find a fair way round these issues. I have one manager in the factory who harks back to the good old days when everyone was just told what to do and flexibility wasn't even a word......

    In short, HR work in a manufacturing company is that roller coater cliche where the lows really are low but the highs - when you achieve something, get through to someone, resolve a really difficult problem - are really really high!

    Good luck with the next steps :)
Reply
  • Hi Mark,

    Congratulations on your new role!

    I have been in manufacturing environments now for about 7 years and there's no doubt it's a challenging environment for HR! It's way out of my comfort zone as well but the reality is that if you are confident about your processes, it can be extremely rewarding at the same time. Unlike many other responses here, I work for a small family-run manufacturing company and I'm the only HR person. My role also encompasses H&S/facilities and I think the great value I get from this is that I'm not just seen as someone to go to when there's an HR problem. If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's to demonstrate that you are there to help and support and to make life easier for managers. This last year, our main HR challenge has been the fact that some of us can work from home and some can't. The divide between factory and office workers has always been there and I have had to work hard to show that we understand that we can't treat everyone equally, but we can work together to find a fair way round these issues. I have one manager in the factory who harks back to the good old days when everyone was just told what to do and flexibility wasn't even a word......

    In short, HR work in a manufacturing company is that roller coater cliche where the lows really are low but the highs - when you achieve something, get through to someone, resolve a really difficult problem - are really really high!

    Good luck with the next steps :)
Children
No Data