Companies large and small have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are learning to protect ourselves and our businesses, but not without sacrifice. Social distancing controls contagion, but it interferes with the collaboration and communication within teams that is critical to productivity.
As difficult as the recent past has been, opening up to more activity in the coming months will bring a new level of pressure. Pent-up demand can bring a flood of new orders, straining production operations while not all employees are back to work. Being efficient will be the key to success.
In this new working environment – the “new normal”– productivity will have to increase. More must be done with fewer people. Physical interaction and contact must be reduced between staff on the shop floor. To succeed, manufacturers will have to convert inefficient processes and wasteful work routines to more efficient digital systems.
Digitizing processes and communications have already helped companies improve efficiency while navigating COVID-19 protocols. But this recovery will require even more creative solutions. Supervisors will need new technology to interact with workers, to answer questions and to monitor productivity. Workers must have immediate access to information, messaging and alerts that keep them productive. Companies must also be able to confirm the health status of their employees as they begin each shift.
There are difficult challenges coming and meeting them will be crucial to success. Notiphy and its budget-friendly, SaaS-based, paperless process and connected worker platform and ready to help management and workers meet any demands that our rapidly changing business environment will bring.
Bob Wise, CEO