In the dynamic supply chain and logistics industry, the power of an agile connected workforce can’t be overstated. Employee engagement drives productivity, reduces turnover and makes individuals feel valued.
Business leaders that equip their teams with the tools to stay connected can prevent burnout, help employees remain committed to their work and drive long-term success. Let’s dive into the power of a connected workforce and how you can improve engagement and productivity in your organization.
The State of Employee Engagement and Productivity in Supply Chain and Logistics
Disruptions from COVID-19, lack of warehouse space, industry consolidation and an ongoing labor crisis have been challenging for supply chain and logistics businesses and employees alike.
Across the industry, companies have seen significant decreases in work quality, employee retention, revenue and morale.
With nearly half of facilities struggling with labor shortages, it’s more important than ever to help current employees remain engaged. There are four main factors to consider when determining how connected employees feel about their organization.
- Job satisfaction
- Commitment to the company
- Alignment with goals and values
- Energy toward work
Gauge where employees stand by having them take a survey and use the insights to create a plan of action. If employees are feeling stressed, try offering flexibility in work location (e.g., a hybrid schedule) or discourage working after hours by pausing email notifications outside the workday.
Prioritizing employees’ well-being will help them feel connected, inspire productivity and prevent the increased costs of a disengaged workforce.
Understanding the Connected Workforce
A connected workforce effectively uses employees’ unique skills to power and thrive as a cohesive team. It emphasizes accountability, promotes continuously improved performance and leverages an organization’s existing processes and technology to succeed.
Businesses promote teamwork and collaboration in many ways, but one of the most impactful strategies is leveraging a connected workforce solution. Innovative platforms make it easy for factory staff to resolve day-to-day production issues, monitor workflows and view progress with real-time data and analytics — continuously keeping employees informed and engaged.
The most effective workforce solutions will seamlessly integrate into an organization’s workflow. Solutions that integrate with existing ERPs, CRMs and HR systems promote seamless communication and keep data management simple.
Improving Employee Engagement with Connected Workforce Solutions
One of the most impactful ways to foster engagement is to provide employees with the technology they need to succeed. Advanced workforce solutions seamlessly integrate into each department in a factory to provide real-time updates and support continuous communication throughout the day.
When frontline workers can monitor live activity and find fast solutions to issues before they become significant problems, they develop a sense of ownership over their tasks and remain more engaged with their role. Furthermore, the ability to track daily targets, performance and throughput can motivate those who thrive on immediate feedback.
In the modern workforce, mobile accessibility is paramount. When organizations equip their teams with proper technology to support each role, they can increase employee engagement by 74% and reduce staff turnover by 32%. Ensuring your connected workforce solution is user-friendly and intuitively incorporated with daily processes and collaboration efforts drives significant impact.
Enhancing Productivity with Connected Workforce Solutions
Streamlining and automating manual tasks and processes minimize downtime by enabling early problem detection and supporting fast solutions. The right connected workforce solutions can increase productivity by 29% and save up to $1.4 million in labor costs.
Collaborative workforce platforms also increase productivity by providing enhanced training and tools to give employees a voice. When organizations leverage technology to promote learning and real-time communication, they can build a strong foundation in which everyone can participate in solving problems and pave the way for growth.
Furthermore, such solutions make data-driven easier. These automated insights improve visibility and are a valuable tool that helps leaders set performance benchmarks and pinpoint room for improvement. Managers who use performance indicators to recognize achievement, promote growth and keep everyone informed inspire their team to improve and stay more productive over time.
Tips for Implementing Connected Workforce Solutions
Selecting the right technology for your organization will depend on your industry. Here are five tips to keep in mind when searching for and implementing your connected workforce solution.
- Choose an innovative solution
- Ensure the solution integrates into day-to-day processes and company culture
- Properly train your workforce
- Promote collaboration and problem-solving with real-time updates
- Leverage performance indicators to motivate productivity gains
No matter where employees work, they need a digital identity. The right technology will help everyone stay informed, connected and inspired to succeed. So, do the research to find a solution that benefits every department in your factory and pipeline.
Potential Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Connected workforce solutions offer countless benefits but aren’t without their challenges. Here are a few problems that may arise and ways you can address them.
Employee resistance to change: While some may hesitate to adopt new technology, you can position the changes as empowering tools to promote training and development.
Integration can be time-consuming: To avoid a drawn-out implementation process, look for a platform with support to help ease the transition. Ideally, it should be able to perform with or without any integration with popular business systems.
Data privacy and security: To protect against data breaches and sensitive information, choose a platform that uses encryption, complies with necessary regulations and offers robust access controls.
Cost and resource constraints: Investing in a connected workforce solution can be costly. To mitigate the risk of loss, select a platform that ensures a positive return on investment.
Scalability: Be prepared to scale by selecting a platform that can support increases in users, data and integrations.
Measurability: One of the best ways to inspire engagement and productivity is by leveraging real-time data and reports. Choose a solution that shows where employees are succeeding and where there is room for improvement.
Connected workforce solutions can transform a business. With the continuously changing labor landscape in the supply chain and logistics industry, the right platform can empower employees to communicate, engage and take their productivity to new heights.
If your organization wants to boost morale, increase employee retention and drive success, a connected workforce solution is likely the all-in-one answer you’ve been looking for.
