American manufacturers are turning away from lucrative businesses because they can’t attract or retain enough skilled workers. Productivity declines when there are not enough qualified employees, and the situation convinces, or forces, many employers to lower their hiring standards while canceling profitable contracts.

The Jacksonville Business Journal, for example, recently reported that the Atlantic Marine Holding Company in Florida has missed millions of dollars in new business due to lack of productivity based on too few employees. As alarming as it may sound, the incident is not isolated. Companies in the manufacturing sector are experiencing significant shortages and abandonment rates that directly affect the bottom line. In fact, a recent survey by the Institute of Manufacturing, the Washington, DC-based research arm of the National Association of Manufacturers, revealed that 90% of manufacturers report a moderate to severe shortage of trained production employees and qualified.

5 Proven Ways to Attract and Keep Quality Employees

To overcome this challenge, manufacturers must take a vigorous and proactive approach.

Here are 5 ways to attract quality employees and retain the ones you’ve already trained:

o Use dynamic marketing techniques.

Posting a dry job description is no longer enough to attract good candidates. Don’t view hiring opportunities as mere job offers, instead approach them as an advertising campaign. Use the experience and creativity of your marketing team and employ direct response writing techniques to improve your response rates.

o Offer job candidates a unique and exciting experience.

Set yourself apart with recruiting guidance videos, testimonials from satisfied employees, opportunities for candidates to meet your CEO, or by making the interview process fun and interactive. After an interview, people should desperately want to get the job because of the culture you present to them.

o Take advantage of the growing pool of talent in the Hispanic population.

Companies are struggling to find enough bilingual workers to meet the demand of a growing Hispanic customer base. Growing your Hispanic employee demographic may take a bit of work, but it will pay off big. Start by building a bilingual recruiting staff, do appropriate advertising, and develop partnerships with local ESL (English as a Second Language) programs at colleges and universities.

o Remember the platinum rule: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Employee benefits don’t have to end with insurance. Your total benefits package should include a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional vehicles to offer employees the types of benefits they will value and appreciate.

For example, an employer might negotiate free dry cleaning pickup or gym discounts and then pass them on to grateful employees. High-end benefits may include on-site childcare or medical clinics. Whatever your strategy or budget, the goal of an employee benefits package should be to improve morale, increase loyalty and attraction, and earn high worker satisfaction ratings.

o Institute a Wellness Program.

A NASA study found that employees who participate in an exercise program average a 12.5% ​​increase in productivity. Healthy employees are happier, take fewer sick days, and are more focused and productive. And national statistics show that employers save three dollars for every dollar they invest in a wellness program. In other words, if you don’t have a Wellness Program, you’re not only losing good employees and productivity, you’re missing out on an investment with a proven 200 percent return.

A recent investigation by the National Association of Manufacturers revealed that more than 30 percent of manufacturing companies in the United States have good jobs that remain open due to a lack of qualified applicants. This should come as no surprise, as the Bureau of Labor and Statistics has reported similar trends affecting virtually every industry in the nation.

When MetLife conducted its 2007 national survey, employers were asked what they most hoped to achieve by offering benefits to workers. A large majority of respondents cited “retaining employees” as their top priority, ranking it above cost savings. After all, it may cost money to provide attractive benefits, but the investment is only a fraction of what it costs to attract and train new workers.

The choice is yours: you can spend time and money to strategically ensure your success, or you can continue with the status quo as your profits, profitability and future business decline, along with your skilled workforce and manufacturing productivity. As labor shortages continue, buck the trend and attract top talent by starting programs that not only counteract attrition, but also get your satisfied employees talking and recommending your company to their friends and colleagues.