Creating a Cutting-Edge Culture Inside Your Company
Even if a resurgence in U.S. manufacturing is driven by some nostalgia, the reality is considerably more futuristic. The fabrication of large durable goods is increasingly roboticized. And precision machine tools are crafted on finely calibrated and ultra-specialized devices that require years of schooling to master. All of these are controlled through computer interfaces.
Just as factory equipment has become more computerized and is constantly adapting to market requirements, HR systems have seen similar advances. This evolution has contributed to record productivity in the U.S. and brought the nature of manufacturing into what has been (prematurely) called “The Post-Industrial Age.”
Even HR software has evolved into Human Capital Management (HCM) software. Employees are no longer considered a “resource” like steel or oil, but a critical asset contributing to the company’s capitalization. By managing personnel through an HCM platform, manufacturers can attract and retain the skilled professionals they need, empower them to achieve maximum productivity, and strategically connect the shop floor to the corner office to help even leadership do a better job.
Because a full-featured HCM integrates every aspect of employee engagement, we’ll just touch on a few features that were rarely seen in yesterday’s factories.
Welcome Aboard
The first concern of many manufacturers is finding and hiring the skilled professionals they need. In May, 2025, the unemployment rate in the manufacturing sector was 3.6%, considerably lower than the 4.2% rate for the overall economy. The overall economy also showed there were only 96.9 unemployed workers for every 100 job openings in the U.S. In other words, the competition for qualified workers is significant.
That makes recruitment all the more critical for manufacturers looking to grow their business or fill skills gaps. This is one strength of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) as part of a HCM platform. Hiring managers and HR can collaborate on job postings which can then be fed directly into the most popular job boards. When candidates respond, the system will accept their resumes and automatically parse them for easy evaluation.
Once hired, the system welcomes them and helps automate the documentation and onboarding so the entire process can move quickly and smoothly. This frees HR and management to focus on the individual, personalizing their welcome, and getting them into the mix. The sooner a new worker feels like a contributor, the happier they are.
The entire process feels both sleek and warm, and makes the company feel like a place the best people will want to work. Exactly what new candidates entering the workplace want to see and feel.
Clocking In is Out
Workforce Management (WFM) might sound like another name for HCM. But it is, in fact, just one component of a full-featured system. WFM includes time-tracking which can look nothing like punch-clocks.
Proximity sensors or badged entry can integrate access controls with time-tracking. This ensures better security and record-keeping accuracy. Time-tracking data also flows (or should!) into the payroll package, eliminating friction and stress from payroll runs. Better WFM modules include a mobile app for field personnel like sales, installers, or service to check in and out.
As for scheduling, a total integration with employee profiles, pay rates, and PTO schedules, helps shift schedules to practically build themselves. The system ensures the right skill sets are on duty when needed while avoiding unnecessary overtime. Even the scheduling of PTO is a few clicks for requests and approvals.
This frees management to only deal with exceptions, which are limited. The smart, digital dynamic feels truly modern, giving every organization the glow of a cutting-edge company. This is the new reality of factory work.
Assembly Circles, Not Lines
Quality Assurance (QA) should apply as much to people as it does to products. Performance reviews are where that happens in today’s workplaces. But the criteria need to be more than widgets-per-minute output, Quality matters even more than quantity, and the opportunities for personal development through training are greater than ever.
A complete HCM enables 360° performance reviews that bring in coworkers and other stakeholders along with managers to give employees the most nuanced perspective possible on their workstyle. And it’s not just a one-way process. Today’s performance review process can be a dialogue with employees empowered to help find their way to their full potential.
This underscores the fact that employees are assets to modern companies, not simply a resource. This fosters dedication to the company and mitigates employee turnover. The records of these exchanges also document labor law compliance and the character of the workplace. In the event such records are needed, they will put the company in the best possible light.
Shop Floors Without Walls
This employee-centric approach is especially critical in today’s modern manufacturing landscape. Around three-quarters of manufacturing firms in the United States have fewer than 20 employees, and 93% have fewer than 100. This generates a community dynamic that the right HCM software can promote and amplify.
Employee self-service is one such feature. By giving employees a company portal to manage their own accounts, they feel a greater sense of belonging and ownership. This also increases the efficiency of reviewing pay stubs and tax records, benefits election and administration, PTO requests, and more. The more employees can do for themselves, the fewer clerical tasks fall on your administrators.
The comprehensive integration of employee data also gives executives the information they need to make better strategic decisions. Leadership is always going to be removed from the nitty-gritty of even the most tight-knit company culture. Patterns in the reporting can help them decide where to focus their attention. And the hard data behind those toplines will let them be more surgical in their planning.
In a way, this lets companies give their employees as much detailed attention as they give to the products they make and the customers they serve. This is the true nature of modern manufacturing. It is also the kind of company where today’s talent and skilled professionals want to work.
Namely HCM: The New Way to Make Things
These are just some of the capabilities a HCM platform brings to the workplace. Besides elevating the atmosphere on the shop floor, a connected workforce also lifts the company’s back office and administration.
The Namely HCM platform is designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. With the guidance of its parent company, Vensure Employer Solutions – one of the largest privately-held HR technology and services companies in the world – Namely brings a unique understanding of real-world usage to the product.
Namely: The New Way to Make HR Hum
Whether you manage a single facility or multiple sites across states, Namely scales with your team, giving you the confidence to build a more resilient and efficient workforce.
