Unfortunately, a large component of failure for digital transformation is the mindset that technology, and specifically software, should be focused on transactions. Historically that has meant reducing the amount of paper used. Today, it seems to translate to reducing the number of humans involved.
Although AI and other technologies work well to automate lower valued tasks, the cries of a “Robogeddon” within manufacturing are far-fetched. Companies need to adopt new technologies and management strategies that drive not only a culture, but a community of high performance. In other words—a worker-powered organization. Manufacturers seeing real change are driving
worker engagement at all levels through more consistent touch points.
They are focused on long term worker-powered strategies and experiences designed to drive retention and increase
satisfaction.
Simply put, having an environment that truly invests in its workers so that they are motivated and engaged results in innumerable benefits not just for employees but for the employer as well. We may be fascinated by robots and the promise of AI, but we’re far from a fully automated experience-if we ever get there at all.
Most organizations are either overwhelmed by too much data or experiencing a complete data drought. The digital transformation of the worker can help alleviate these situations as long as they are fully connected and engaged both in the task at hand, and in performing that task in the safest way possible. Rather than picturing a world with robots completing a continuous loop of information, envision instead a connected, worker-powered environment where humans, equipped with the right technology, are the primary drivers of data.