Malcolm James
CEO, Sharing in Growth
Manufacturing companies should recognise the importance of people development. It’s an investment that creates workforce agility and gives businesses a competitive edge.
“All companies must be resilient,” says Malcolm James, CEO of business transformation experts, Sharing in Growth. One way to achieve resilience is through agility. “Agile workforces have the ability to foresee problems, react to them quickly — and, crucially, think of challenges as opportunities to do things better in the future,” he explains.
People development strategies
However, to become truly agile, a business may have to fundamentally change the way it operates. Malcolm argues that the most sustainable and effective transformations occur when a business puts its people first. This includes engaging and motivating them with development strategies to help them reach their full potential.
He says: “People are the most important asset in any business. However, some UK SMEs are unwilling to invest in people at the level and scale that’s required for them to achieve double-digit growth.” For example, if companies in the manufacturing industry pour investment into machinery but forget about people development, it can harm their agility and, ultimately, competitiveness.
People might be fearful of change,
but actually, human beings seek
creativity and change.
Investing in people to increase confidence and capabilities
Sharing in Growth has helped many manufacturing companies build resilience and agility through people development. Yet, as every business is different, Malcolm warns that this is not a ‘copy and paste’ process. Every transformation programme is unique to that business, as the DNA of the business is created through the Senior Leadership Team’s personalities and behaviours.
“The first thing we do is listen to senior leaders to understand the vision, mission and values of their business and build a three-to-five-year STRAP (Structured Requirements Analysis Planning) strategy,” he says. “When the business’s purpose is clear, the next step is talking to its people, at all levels, about ways they can contribute to it. Once they’re engaged, our transformation coaches work with them to grow their confidence and capabilities.”
Creating change for long-term success
Change doesn’t have to be a painful process, although the common perception is that people don’t like it much. “I disagree,” says Malcolm. “People might be fearful of change, but actually, human beings seek creativity and change.”
It’s a two-way street because transforming your business by investing in people with learning and upskilling is a career boost for employees — and helps protect your interests over the long term. Malcolm says: “If your workplace is creative and exciting and your workforce is curious about seeking knowledge and keen to experiment and embrace change, it’s a way to future-proof your business.”
