Views from the Manufacturing Front Line: Workers’ Insights on How to Introduce New TechnologyI N S I G H T R E P O R TJ A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4In collaboration with the University of CambridgeImages: Midjourney, Getty Images© 2024 World Economic Forum. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.Disclaimer This document is published by the World Economic Forum as a contribution to a project, insight area or interaction. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are a result of a collaborative process facilitated and endorsed by the World Economic Forum but whose results do not necessarily represent the views of the World Economic Forum, nor the entirety of its Members, Partners or other stakeholders.Look out for this icon for pages that can be interacted withViews from the Manufacturing Front Line: Workers’ Insights on How to Introduce New Technology2ContentsForewordExecutive summary1 What this report offers2 Before introducing the technology – how to prepare your employees2.1 Communicate the benefits and explain the why 2.2 Explain the decision-making process2.3 Make the bigger picture clear to end users of the technology2.4 Help workers to explore and become confident with the technologies2.5 Include workers in the exchange of ideas2.6 Ensure the pilot group is diverse2.7 Involve workers in risk assessment2.8 Communicate expectations2.9 Balance the business’s local and global needs3 While introducing the technology – how to ensure adoption3.1 Make timelines clear early on 3.2 Cater for diversity3.3 Develop the role of “super user” or “technology champion”3.4 Think contingency3.5 Ensure that effective support is readily accessible 4 Beyond the implementation – how to sustain success4.1 Follow up 4.2 Incentivize and acknowledge success4.3 Carry on and see it through4.4 Beware premature closure4.5 Ensure that the technology continues to be used 4.6 Continue to explore new use cases for technologies that are already in use Conclusion: A call to actionContributorsAcknowledgementsEndnotes45688991011111212131414141516161717181818191920212121Views from the Manufacturing Front Line: Workers’ Insights on How to Introduce New Technology3ForewordHistorically, the introduction of new technologies to the manufacturing industry has represented a key lever to increase productivity and reduce costs for companies and society overall. While some tasks can be fully automated, manufacturers also need to actively augment their front-line workers with technology to support them in their day-to-day activities. This is because fully automated operations are rarely feasible or the most efficient processes, making humans an essential differentiating factor.But without mastering the art of successfull...
