In April 2024, the BMA convened a select roundtable of bathroom manufacturers and recruitment organisations to better understand the challenge of how to recruit and retain talent in the bathroom manufacturing sector.
Delivered under Chatham House rules, the conversation covered business culture, employee benefits, upskilling, and apprenticeships. Recommendations, advice, and solutions were identified in many areas, including:
- The skills challenge and attracting the right talent
- The challenge of staff turnover and retention
- The importance of culture and employee benefits
- The middle management and upskilling from within
- The challenges regarding apprenticeships
The roundtable highlighted that addressing the succession gap is an urgent challenge, and businesses should be open-minded when recruiting from other sectors. Collaboration with all bathroom manufacturers for a collective effort to create a vibrant future is crucial.
The culture of a company was also highlighted as a priority in order to retain talent, and organisations must consider employing people in junior positions to allow them to learn about the company’s culture and needs.
The roundtable participants recognised that offering flexibility, working from home, mental health, and menopause support will continue to be a requirement for retention purposes if competitors offer similar benefits.
A summary of our findings is now available to read here.