Engaging automation
The role of employee engagement in successful automation projects
G
ary Wyles, Managing Director of
Festo Training and Consulting,
discusses the people and
organisational issues that arise
when an organisation starts thinking
about an automation project.
There’s no argument that automation can
increase efficiency and effectiveness.
Often though an automation project can
have deep reaching consequences for the
people internally in an organisation. This
impact can be so hard that the loss of
productivity negates the benefits of
automation, leaving businesses to
wonder what on earth made them start
down this road in the first place.
The usual scenario is that the board
decides that automation of manufacturing
processes is something that needs to be
undertaken. The strategy is drafted and
ratified. The machinery is specified. Now,
all that’s left to do is let the staff know
what’s happening.
Left too late
In our experience this is the main
stumbling block of business strategies.
Engaging employees is left till the last
minute. Managers then wonder why when
the financials add up and it seems like
common sense, that employees just don’t
seem to ‘get’ it. Few employers engage
their employees in formulating the
strategy perhaps because in the UK there
is a very simple equation. Automation
equals job loss. Even Wikipedia highlights
that its main purpose is to reduce the
need for human work. Is it any wonder
that the employee reaction is not at all
enthusiastic when announcing the
strategy to automate?
Discussing the importance of Employee Engagement