In just the past few weeks, many companies that we have spoken with are beginning to look forward, toward increasing workloads, rather than focusing solely on the daily challenges of operating during the pandemic. Yet, at the same time, companies are also reluctant to move too fast to bring furloughed employees back full-time, or to open their plants to more onsite workers.
There are two challenges: Needing to do more work with fewer workers and to keep productivity flowing while some production team members and supervisors are onsite and some working remotely. This is when communication becomes a critical tool in a company’s action plan.
But the basic need for any company, to balance profitability and cost containment, remains. How small and efficient a staff does the company need to meet growing demand, without staffing up too quickly and threatening profitability?
Digitizing work documentation and communication capability plays a critical role in addressing these challenges. Digital work documents travel electronically, reducing manual processes and speeding production. Workers can be trained, ask questions and share photos to clarify directions from supervisors who may be working remotely, eliminating time needed for direct physical contact/communication. Saving time means fewer workers do more work, and that in turn directly affects profitability.
According to a recently published report from McKinsey & Company, "Digital Collaboration for a Connected Workforce", "embedding digital collaboration into process workflows can enable faster, better decisions that improve key performance indicators (KPIs) and drive bottom-line value....The first manufacturers to fully capture the benefits of digital collaboration will achieve a significant competitive advantage."
The challenge of how to meet growing demand–and the concern about whether it will continue–will be no less stressful than the challenge of working during the pandemic. But it will be different. Critically, productivity must be supported. The most effective tool to do that is digitizing work documents and putting communication tools directly into the hands of those they most empower: your workers.
Bob Wise
Notiphy Founder & CEO