Facing a Recession Manufacturers Need Connected Tools
Within the manufacturing industry it is believed that inflationary
pressures are making a recession more likely within the next year. This
presents yet another challenge for manufacturing and supply chain companies, on
top of the already deep skills gap and worker shortage.
Senior management need to be aware of the importance of technology during this time.
Tools such as connected workforce platforms which digitally connect frontline workers to
the people, information & systems are needed so that they can execute standard
work processes more efficiently.
Increase Visibility into Frontline Workers and Gain Valuable Data
Companies in the Manufacturing & Supply Chain industry are heavily investing in top industry
technology, however many of the basic technology such as getting work
instructions off paper and into a digital format, are still very much lacking.
Continuing to be reliant on outdated paper-based procedures and excel spreadsheets to
track work will result in the loss of valuable data that could be collected and
analysed to quickly improve efficiencies.
Data from connected worker solutions such as Nvolve allows manufacturers to take quick action and fix problems or scale operational best practices across teams and sites, and has become a crucial competitive differentiator. During an economic downturn, this is more important than ever.
Keep Frontline Workers Agile During Uncertainty
As teams evolve, technology can help train up workers of any level quickly and with confidence. For example, one of the largest brewing companies in the world needed to fix a lack of work standards across facilities. Procedures were still paper-based, and the company didn’t have visibility into the work being done. This caused gaps and various inaccuracies in the information being shared.
By implementing connected worker technology, the company digitized standard operating procedures (SOPs) that provided all workers with clear, step-by-step instructions on how to conduct work and training across all breweries. The real-time data ensures work is being carried out effectively and safely. The company is also able to capture best-practices knowledge in a digital format, so that any new workers can be brought up to speed quickly.
Frontline Workers Want Digital Tools
The manufacturing workforce is currently made up of four generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Gen Z). Four generations mean manufacturers are having to manage different sets of expectations in the workplace. Digital natives stepping into manufacturing roles often have different technological needs than older workers nearing retirement. But one thing is true across all ages: Frontline workers overwhelmingly want more digital tools on the job.
If a recession becomes a reality, it will become even more important for companies to make sure the workers they have are happy. These workers are increasingly asking for access to technology to help them do their jobs better. It’s on manufacturing leaders to make the tools a reality.
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