Employer Brand in Manufacturing

"Why Every Manufacturer Already Has an Employer Brand

(And What to Do About It)"

Some stories stick with you for life.

My first public relations professor, the late great Zoe McCathrin, told a lot of those kinds of stories. One was on the topic of dress codes.

If you can believe it, there was a time when PR professionals dressed ‘up’ – jackets, ties, skirts, etc. when they went into the office. Zoe was telling us PR newbies about the time she learned to always have a back-up…anything. In this case it was a back-up outfit. She had gone into a manufacturing facility for a tour in her Sunday best, dressing to impress the client, when she quickly realized she was out of place. She was overdressed, sticking out and was perceived to be looking down by dressing up.

From that day forward, she always had proper shoes, eyewear, etc. in the trunk of her car. To me, those factory tour basics of safety glasses, steel-toed boots and a hard hat is the only dress code I’ve ever known on the manufacturing floor. What you looked like, how you presented yourself and what you wore never really registered to me. (Although I do admit I like the name tags. Side note: why didn’t we get name tags as ‘white collar’ workers? Sure, we have business cards, but they’re not pinned to our shirts. Did you ever think about that?)

Anyway, I digress. Turns out that in addition to becoming a serious source of couture, trade attire is a unique way to appeal to the next generation of workers.

Your dress code is more than a dress code.

Consider ‘strict’ dress codes have dropped from 30% to 4% and you will realize that manufacturers see this as an opportunity to attract workers and embrace self-expression.

In a recent article titled ‘Ink and Identity in Manufacturing’, featured in Manufacturing Management, a recruiting firm – Gi Group UK – talks about this very topic. A callout none of us should be ignoring:

“With Gen Z and Millennials projected to make up 77% of the workforce by 2030 (Deloitte 2025 survey), flexibility in dress codes and acceptance of self-expression are becoming vital for attracting talent.”

I have written about ways manufacturers should be preparing for the future of labor in previous blogs, first covering the silver tsunami and then in a piece about communicating in a way that Gen Z embraces. This is just as important if not more so – here’s why:

If we are to believe what is being projected about entry level positions going away and traditional white collar jobs disappearing, we need to realize that those potential employees will be turning their attention to…you. And if you are seen as embracing the values and trends that corporate positions have been leveraging for years (culture, wellness, individuality, personal brand) you will have an advantage when it comes to standing out over the competition.

It’s my belief that manufacturing companies are going to see a talent infusion (and therefore a war for that talent) unlike any they’ve ever seen before. From branding, to belonging, to training to self-expression, manufacturers need to be ready for this opportunity.

Time to embrace your employer brand.

You may not have to prioritize employer brand before but it’s a term and a strategy you should familiarize yourself with now. And despite what others may try to tell you it’s a simple concept: 

Your employer brand is simply your reputation as a place to work. 

It's what people say about working at your company when you're not in the room — at the bar or the gym, on the shop floor, or in a text thread with a friend or family member who's thinking about applying.

I’ll take it one step further for the purpose of this blog: it's the answer to the question every prospective machinist, welder, or engineer is already asking before they ever apply — "What's it actually like to work there?"

Think about that when you’re working through a strategy to attract employees.

First – who’s answering that question? (Hint: not you)

Second – what are you doing to make it an easy question to answer?

This is why the subject of a dress code is so critical. Not because your dress code is your brand…but because your dress code is PROOF of your brand.

It’s a new world for manufacturers. And to live in it there are some new ground rules that will help give you home field advantage when it comes to retention, yes, but also turning your employees into your best recruiters.

Want to learn more about your employer brand? (Yes, even if you don’t have one…you HAVE one.) Want to talk about how to leverage it for your next employment campaign? We’re ready to walk you through it. Check the form below or email me!