Talent exists in every level of an organization. Identifying and cultivating them at every level is key to the long term success of your organization. Coaching your office employees seems like an obvious fit. It may feel less intuitive for those Blue Collar folks. Why should you Coach them?
Well to begin with, leaving anyone out causes resentment. Departments or cohorts that are being treated differently aren’t going to feel invested in their jobs and won’t be as productive. Blue Collar workers have spoken up loudly to be heard and not dismissed, especially in the last few years. They’ll actively seek out organizations that strive to include them.
Blue Collar workers are becoming fewer and farther between. It’s harder and harder to find quality folks to take these jobs. According to SHRM and Beauru of Labor Statistics, recent economic trends have made all types of jobs harder to fill. Between 2018 and 2028, Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute estimate there could be up to 2.4 million manufacturing jobs that are unfilled.
How are you going to attract the workers you need? How will you stand out from all the other companies desperately casting their nets in a scarce pond?
By giving them the same treatment you would to White Collar workers.
These aren’t the unskilled laborers that Blue Collar workers got a reputation for being decades ago. Today’s Blue Collar folks are skilled tradesmen in their fields and we rely on their expertise daily. They’ve had to become increasingly familiar with complicated technology to run those manufacturing floors or build those products. Recognizing this hard work and commitment through full inclusion in a Coaching process will give these employees the recognition they deserve. It creates an opportunity to cultivate their talent, ensuring they become invested in your organization and continue to contribute to it for years to come.
Catalytic Coaching is more than a path to climbing the ladder. Some workers don’t want to climb any ladders. We’ve often seen Blue Collar workers that are perfectly happy in their work and aren’t interested in taking on additional responsibility. The Coaching process gives these folks the chance for open communication with their manager that may otherwise be difficult to do. It’s hard to talk to your boss on the work floor in front of all the other people there. Asking for a meeting may make them stand out.
A Catalytic Coaching session gives the worker the ability to bring up anything they need to address with their manager in a private, but documented way. For example, Steve can’t work overtime shifts for a while because he’s helping to care for his ailing dad. He’s not one to share much personal info or ask time for himself, but a one-on-one conversation with his manager is exactly what he needed. That’s facilitated for him, taking some stress away. Now his manager is aware and they can document it through the forms in case any questions come up later. Steve feels heard and appreciates the support.
Some Blue Collar workers are used to the old style of performance reviews. A dry check the box approach that didn’t really do anything for them. Can you remember anything actually awful they did in the last year? I don’t know, probably not, a year is a long time. Ok, then check Satisfactory and why are we even doing this?
That’s not really documenting anything. It certainly doesn’t give them any real acknowledgement of a job, well done or otherwise. Busy managers may have noted other things to address in the moment, but didn’t have a great way to make any notes about it or give that person individual feedback. Hopefully you don’t have to terminate that worker and they get upset about it. An angry former employee with a record of “Satisfactory” in a law office spells so much headache and cost.
Using Catalytic Coaching, managers have an opportunity to acknowledge a Blue Collar workers contribution with a guided form capturing specific examples. Then they can give direct guidance to that team member through the Focus Areas. Even if a Focus Areas stays the same, the documentation and conversation makes everything clear. It’s also a chance to present them with a challenge. Training new hires, showing management how they improved their output, or building on skills they already have are all excellent Focus Areas for Blue Collar workers.
With the Development Plan in place based off these Focus Areas, both the manager and the worker know there will be quarterly check ins. This marks progress in their goals and facilitates stronger communications.
Have you heard about how Sekisui SPI busted through their production cap? They were told they’d only produce 17 million lbs per year and was able to reach 20 million! The ONLY thing they changed was adding Catalytic Coaching!
As we move into the competitive future, organizations that stand out for their inclusion and appreciation of their Blue Collar workers won’t have to fear a labor or skills shortage.
Why should you use Catalytic Coaching with your Blue Collar workers?
All together. Treating all your employees equally in all things will ensure a cohesive and productive work environment throughout your organization.
Open Communication. Providing regular one-on-one meetings between managers and their team members facilitates private opportunities for conversations. Now important and potentially sensitive information can be shared without bringing additional stress.
Protect everyone. Catalytic Coaching’s forms have been designed to facilitate ongoing conversations and capture vital information, protecting both the employee and the organization.
Cascade company goals. Using Focus Areas to guide company initiatives, support the continuation of a job well done, and skills growth is vital for both White and Blue Collar workers.
Get the edge. To remain competitive in a tight job market, organizations need to make the Blue Collar workers feel seen and heard. Even if we’re in a mini industry recession now, being ready to attract the best when you need them will give you the edge you need when you need it.
Garold (Gary) Markle is the creator of Catalytic Coaching and author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review. He brings real world experience from 17 years in HR leadership, over 23 years in Senior Leadership, and over 20 years of teaching organizations how to cultivate their leadership and ditch their detrimental performance reviews for a proven Coaching process.
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