More than 45% of frontline manufacturing workers surveyed by Parsable across five countries say that the opportunity to work in a more modern, digital environment would be part of their decision to leave their current employer. This includes providing mobile technologies, such as a smartphone or tablet, to help them do their jobs better.
“Now more than ever, it's clear that frontline manufacturing workers want and deserve digital technology that helps them do their jobs better, across all generations, but particularly among the digital natives that will be critical in filling the manufacturing labor gap,” says Lawrence Whittle, Parsable CEO. “Providing mobile-based digital tools and on-the-job learning opportunities in the formats Millennials and Gen Z are accustomed to using will be necessary if manufacturers are to attract and retain new talent to these important roles.”
From Parsable:
More than 45% of frontline manufacturing workers surveyed by Parsable across five countries say that the opportunity to work in a more modern, digital environment would be part of their decision to leave their current employer. This includes providing mobile technologies, such as a smartphone or tablet, to help them do their jobs better.
“Now more than ever, it's clear that frontline manufacturing workers want and deserve digital technology that helps them do their jobs better, across all generations, but particularly among the digital natives that will be critical in filling the manufacturing labor gap,” says Lawrence Whittle, Parsable CEO. “Providing mobile-based digital tools and on-the-job learning opportunities in the formats Millennials and Gen Z are accustomed to using will be necessary if manufacturers are to attract and retain new talent to these important roles.”
From Parsable:
- 81% of respondents still rely on paper-based processes to follow instructions and/or keep track of their work.
- Across countries, 55% of respondents aged 18-24 and nearly half (49%) of those aged 25-34 say access to technology factors into career choice vs. 25% of those aged 55 and older.
- U.S.-based frontline manufacturing workers are more likely to leave companies in search of digitally enabled workplaces (53%) vs. 43% of workers in Germany, France, Spain and the U.K. combined.
- For those whose companies have provided new digital tools, workers believe the biggest benefit is increased safety (33%).
“The pandemic and resulting labor shortages have made it clear that agility across value chains is imperative. Companies that do not have a plan to implement new technology or rethink how they hire, train and upskill employees will be at a considerable disadvantage,” says Whittle. “Empowering the humans at the heart of manufacturing and production with digital connected worker tools will make supply chains – and the overall employee experience – so much stronger at a time when it’s most important.”
