4 min read
Finding and retaining talent continues to be a struggle throughout the manufacturing industry. More experienced workers are approaching retirement. Some younger generation job seekers consider manufacturing a less desirable industry for building a career. Vocational training decline has reduced the number of young workers who have the technical skills required for positions. Unfortunately, this talent drought occurs at a time when the industry needs workers who can keep up with new technologies.
But there is hope. Modern-day manufacturing advances in technology have the power to attract and retain next-generation workers who will play a key role in developing the tech-savvy workforce. Hiring enough talented workers to meet your company’s needs requires insight into why technology is so important for attracting and maintaining top talent and understanding how to use it to your advantage.
Recruit Next Generation Talent with Technology
Technology offers a valuable tool for identifying, attracting, developing, and retaining talented workers. Techniques such as sophisticated recruitment tools, personalized learning platforms, and performance analytics catch the attention of job seekers looking for the right job in manufacturing’s technology-driven work environment. Remote work capabilities and data-driven decision-making offer a highly engaging work environment for those who want to use their diverse skill sets to full advantage. More manufacturers are focusing on matching the right people with the right jobs by making artificial intelligence (AI) a growing part of their business. Along with other technologies, this cutting-edge tool helps deliver an employee experience that retains top talent and collaborates with technologies to build a culture of ongoing learning and development.
Furthermore, AI-enabled recruitment platforms allow manufacturers to display your job postings to the best candidates who match your criteria. Additional recruiting tactics include hosting virtual job fairs, using social media platforms to position your company as a technology-focused brand, and encouraging your employees to speak highly of your tech stack.
Retain Your Best Talent
Keeping top talent working for you requires more than good pay, career advancement, and medical and retirement benefits. Talented workers want an environment that offers opportunities to innovate, improve efficiency via automation, and explore new technologies to further advance the company’s products, capabilities and bottom line.
Driven to get the best out of complex projects, processes and products, talented workers feel more satisfied when buying and using the latest technology is at the forefront of a business’ strategy and vision. Combining technology with quality IT support maximizes productivity by enabling workers to devote more time to tasks that provide value and measurable returns for the business.
Talented employees also value flexible environments supported by solutions and cloud-based tools that help them stay on top of technology trends. When manufacturers equip workers with the proper tools to provide the best results, they signal to talent that they value job satisfaction and keeping up with changing technology.
Make Smart Technology Decisions
Part of sustaining an environment filled with tech-savvy workers involves making smart technology decisions. AI has quickly become a must-have technology throughout the industry. Its ability to integrate with other software and technologies, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), propels operational excellence, accelerates revenue growth, and simplifies customer experiences – three areas that talented workers constantly strive to improve.
AI enables smart decisions by analyzing real-time data from sensors and machines on the factory floor, allowing manufacturers to identify inefficiencies and predict potential issues. Analyzing large datasets to identify patterns and make predictions enables manufacturers to make data-driven adjustments to optimize production processes, allocate resources, and improve quality control, ultimately leading to faster, more informed decision-making and enhanced overall efficiency, all of which excites talented employees.
AI easily integrates with ERP, one of the most vital technologies for the manufacturing industry. Not only does ERP move parts through the shop floor faster, but it also enables talent to produce nearly 100% quality and on-time delivery, and track labor, inventory and job costs with remarkable accuracy. Equally important, the continual advances in ERP technology drive talented workers to enhance their skills and improve operational efficiencies, benefiting both your company and your customers.
Drive Technology with AI
AI drives hungry workers to optimize their skills and performance. This AI-focused approach involves personalized training, identifying important skill gaps, and creating learning experiences to overcome the gaps. The results are better workforce development, saved time, and improved productivity within shops of all modes and sizes.
One of AI’s most valuable features in manufacturing is providing machines with the ability to learn from experience so they can take over tasks performed by humans. This requires computers to understand Natural Language Processing (NLP) so they can interpret and manipulate human language. AI-integrated ERP software takes inventory management to a new level by predicting demand, identifying slow-moving products, and automating order fulfillment which can reduce inventory levels by up to 50%.
Additionally, some new developments integrating AI into ERP are pushing the industry to look at new ways to simplify production processes. One example is AP Invoice Automation, which decreases the need for data entry and AP processing by letting the AI engine read incoming invoices and drop the data into the system and automatically process those invoices. Removing the mundane everyday tasks makes for a more enjoyable every day for your most talented individuals.
AI chatbots automate time-consuming manual tasks and answer common customer or employee inquiries, without human intervention. Answering questions related to orders, product availability, and technical specifications reduces the need for manual labor, improves customer satisfaction and cuts costs. On the shop floor, AI chatbots in large manufacturing plants provide real-time data involving workload distribution, production capacity, and maintenance issues. Having a resource for employees to get questions answered without relying on others makes them more agile to handle the next job quicker than ever.
Manage Talent with Technology
Understanding the many ways technology influences talent management is essential for manufacturers to compete at the highest level and sustain a dynamic workforce.
Getting the most out of your talented workers revolves around using AI and data-driven decision-making to make informed and objective decisions. These technologies provide a deeper understanding of employee potential, performance, and development needs by analyzing various metrics and data points. From there, you can identify trends, predict the future needs of talented workers, and devise strategies to manage talented employees and optimize your workforce efficiency.
Utilizing the power of technology-driven data allows you to anticipate gaps in critical skills, identify high-potential individuals, and develop a more precise understanding of how to develop cohesive team dynamics. Relying on data-driven insights rather than intuition-based approaches ushers in a new era of strategic, evidence-based talent management.
When you begin to treat technology as a strategic partner instead of just a tool, you will be on the road to places you never thought your business could go.