Insight: The performance boost manufacturers need is already on their payroll

Manufacturers are turning to automation and technology to increase output, while underusing the talent in their workforce. Unlocking that potential takes more than good intentions or standalone initiatives, says Emily Willis, Head of People & Programmes at Springboard. It requires focused personal development to build confidence and a strategy for creating a more inclusive workplace.

We’re told not to judge a book by its cover, to not make snap judgements based on first impressions, but most of us still do. Take the recent Forbes article, why women are losing ambition at work. Many will have seen the headline, formed an opinion and moved on. Those who read the article, however, will have seen that the decline in ambition wasn’t a lack of personal motivation, but linked to companies no longer investing in women’s development or progression.

That one detail shifts the focus away from individuals and towards the conditions they work in. It’s a reminder that the environment someone is in fundamentally shapes how much they contribute, how engaged they feel, their sense of belonging.

Most companies have people who could be contributing more if they were given the space and opportunity to do so. People who see better ways of doing things but don’t feel able to speak up. People capable of taking on more responsibility but aren’t asked or don’t yet see themselves as ready. People with great ideas who don’t feel they have a voice.

The way for individuals and organisations to achieve more is sitting in plain sight, but it gets ignored. Meanwhile, manufacturers continue to say their biggest barrier to growth is a lack of available talent.

The same pattern can be seen elsewhere. Shared parental leave was introduced to support a more equal sharing of caring responsibilities, yet uptake remains extremely low more than a decade later. While the gender pay gap still exists, it makes little sense for a higher earner to sacrifice pay for a lower earner. Without addressing the structures underneath, initiatives like this will continue to fall short of their ambition.

That’s why personal development can’t sit in isolation, disconnected from the values and behaviour that define how a company operates – hiring practices, progression pathways, decision making and leadership style. The outcomes may be positive for individuals, but the wider organisational impact will be limited.

The gap between saying and changing

We still see development treated as a box-ticking exercise. A programme is introduced, people attend, feedback is positive and then the organisation continues as before. The structures that determine who gets seen, who gets heard and who progresses remain unchanged.

Companies need to take a more integrated approach, connecting learning and development to their wider business strategy and linking it to how people are recruited, how they’re supported once they’re in the business and how decisions about progression are actually made.

This is increasingly where our work begins. Before a programme is delivered, we work with organisations to understand their needs, challenges and objectives. The more closely development is aligned with the wider business strategy – whether its improving employee engagement and wellbeing, creating a more inclusive workplace, supporting CPD or building a diverse leadership pipeline – the greater the impact for both individuals and the organisation.

None of this means personal development programmes are unimportant. While organisations work to address structural barriers, people still need space and support to reflect, to recognise the value they bring and build the confidence to act on it. That is particularly true for women.

Too often, the conversation starts from the assumption that women need fixing. They don’t. The women we work with are already highly capable and delivering results. They are already balancing competing demands at work and outside it. What’s missing is the opportunity to fully explore their aspirations and develop strategies to navigate a society that lags behind modern expectations.

Supporting people while systems catch up

Development programmes alone won’t dismantle systemic inequalities, but they can equip people with the skills and tools to manage them more effectively while they do exist. The Springboard Personal & Professional Development Programme for Women was created with exactly this in mind. It offers a structured, supportive space where participants can step back from day-to-day pressures and better understand who they are, what they want and how to get there, guided by expert facilitators who have walked similar paths.

What makes the programme so effective is the emphasis on reflection. Our facilitators don’t provide answers so much as ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and help participants recognise strengths they may not have fully seen in themselves.

Delivered through a series of workshops involving practical exercises, peer learning and guest speakers, the programme focuses on the whole person, not just the employee. It covers communication, goal-setting, resilience, boundary-setting, networking and self-advocacy, with a strong focus throughout on applying learning in work and life.

The impact is often immediate and tangible. We regularly hear from women who have gone on to secure promotions or apply for opportunities they previously believed were out of reach. One participant recently told us they had been ready to resign due to a difficult period at work and, through the programme, she found a different way of approaching the situation, rebuilt her confidence and decided to stay. Stories like this are not unusual.

A ripple effect that drives positive change

One of the most powerful aspects of the programme is the community it creates. Human beings are wired for shared experience, and it’s often only when we hear someone else’s story that we understand what’s possible.

When participants come together, they quickly realise they’re not alone in what they’re dealing with. Over time, those connections become deep relationships that continue long after the programme ends, creating a ripple effect. This is where programmes move beyond individual development. As participation increases, so does the flow of ideas, a shared language and everyday behaviours that shape how people work together.

We see this reflected in improvements to productivity, retention, engagement and absence, alongside innovation, creativity, change management and problem-solving. We see stronger collaboration, better communication and a greater willingness to contribute ideas. We see people setting healthier boundaries, managing pressure more effectively and performing more consistently. These changes may start with individuals but they gradually shape wider culture.

That is one of the reasons why companies continue to invest year after year. More than 250,000 women in nearly 50 countries have now completed the programme. Many organisations begin with a single cohort and then expand their investment after seeing the impact spread across participants, departments and sites.

Success comes when systems and people align

From the organisations we work with, we can see that real, lasting transformation comes when structured development is aligned to a strategy that addresses the systems, behaviours and cultural norms that shape opportunity. Neither works as effectively without the other.

Development programmes help people recognise their value and step forward with confidence. Organisational change helps ensure that confidence has somewhere to go. Together, they create a more inclusive workplace where people can contribute fully, talent is retained and potential is properly realised.

Manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money searching for talent. In many cases, the capability they’re looking for is already inside the business. The challenge is environment. Companies need to create the conditions that will unlock what was there all along.

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Find out how Springboard can support your workforce development needs here.