4 Ways to Foster Cooperation Between Industrial Employees and Automation Technology

The U.S. workforce has serious doubts about the rise of automation. In fact, a 2021 study by Georgia State University found a direct correlation between the introduction of automated technologies in the workplace and a decline in employee well-being and job satisfaction.
As technology advances, workers are increasingly worried about their ability to navigate a fully automated workplace and can feel resentful about being excluded from key business decisions.
Of course, job insecurity remains the biggest concern, but to what extent is automation the job-stealing villain it’s so often perceived as? U.S. manufacturing alone could need as many as 3.8 million new employees by 2033, according to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute. And without significant changes, as many as 1.9 million of those jobs could be left unfilled, placing the industry under enormous strain.
An automated workforce could take on the sector’s unwanted and unfilled jobs, addressing the growing talent gap and allowing human employees to pursue more exciting and fulfilling industrial careers. On the surface, it’s a logical — and very attractive — solution. But readying the industrial workforce for an uptick in automation demands sensitivity, patience, and careful planning.
Here’s how to facilitate good relations between human employees and the automated workforce.
1. Training and Development Programs
Industrial workers with niche skill sets can be wary of automation if they worry that they lack the technical skills and subject matter expertise to work effectively alongside automated tools or progress their careers by moving into other areas of the business.
When industrial businesses invest in education, training, and upskilling programs, they make room for their employees to embrace automation. A focus on education provides opportunities for workers to gain an understanding of the technology and the benefits it brings, as well as learn new skills and, in the longer term, take on additional responsibilities.
Training and development programs also help employees to feel more valued and encourage business-wide collaboration. It’s not uncommon for technology implementation to lead to business silos, which see tech-literate employees readily embracing change while those who are less confident in the realm of automation detach themselves altogether.
As business leaders prepare to introduce new technologies, conducting a “training needs” assessment can help identify likely skills gaps and determine how best to address them. Some effective training methods include instructional webinars and videos, one-to-one and group training sessions, workshops, written training materials, mentoring, and simulation training.
It’s also important that industrial businesses share their training roadmap with employees, foster a culture of continuous learning to help their employees keep up with technological advancements, tailor training programs to suit the goals of individual workers, and solicit employee feedback.
2. Transparent Communication
Around 80% of organizations state that their top technological goal is hyper-automation, which describes the total end-to-end automation of as many business processes as possible.
When business leaders pursue this goal aggressively, and without properly communicating their long-term vision, it can alienate employees, provoking more fear and resistance towards automation.
To counter employee cynicism and build genuine trust around automation, it’s important to communicate clearly and transparently with the workforce. What short- and long-term changes should employees expect and how will the business effectively support this transition? Will new roles be created based on the need for some employees to work more closely alongside the automated workforce? What additional training will be provided?
Employees should also be allowed to voice their concerns, ask questions, and share feedback, before an implementation begins.
Not only does a transparent approach result in happier and more productive employees, but it also enables industrial businesses to make the most of their investments. After all, automated technology cannot function without the input of skilled employees and their knowledge of day-to-day business operations.
3. Collaborative Working Environments
Industrial businesses can achieve a bigger return on investment (ROI) by driving meaningful collaboration between newly implemented automated systems and their human workers, with both parties learning from and supporting one another.
Automated tools can help human employees work more efficiently and decrease safety risks by allowing them to outsource their most repetitive or dangerous tasks. Human input is also essential to automated technologies reaching their full potential – the technology depends on inputs from industrial workers, who possess expertise, experience, and, perhaps most importantly, a human touch.
Several industrial organizations are experimenting with collaborative workspaces. This includes the use of automated ergonomic material handling equipment, which uses robots and computerized devices to optimize the interactions between manufacturing workers and their tasks, tools, and environments. These systems help reduce physical strain, prevent injuries, enhance productivity, and promote safe movement. Ergonomic cranes can lift, move, and handle heavy products and components, while conveyor rollers speed up the movement of products and components between different areas of a manufacturing facility.
Cobots (collaborative robots) are another fast-expanding segment of industrial automation. These machines are designed to interact directly with human beings and can carry out tasks such as packing, palletizing, labeling, assembling, and checking product quality.
4. Continuous Feedback Loops
The priorities and goals of industrial organizations are continuously evolving, as are the technologies available to support them. With this in mind, automation in the industrial sector must be an iterative process, sustained with the input and feedback of workers across every division and at every level of the business.
Aside from providing critical business insights, establishing an inclusive feedback loop makes employees feel heard and valued, alleviates their fears of being replaced by machinery, and ultimately improves output and morale.
A multi-pronged approach to gathering feedback is essential and could include feedback forms, focus and support groups, workshops, Q&A sessions, and technical support sessions. This process also presents opportunities for organizations to celebrate their automation successes and the employees behind them. It’s worth emphasizing the importance of human worker input and recognizing and rewarding individual contributions.
Image credit: Chokniti-Studio/Shutterstock
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