By Jenny Baynes, Operations Coordinator for Winning Solutions, Inc.

Within the manufacturing industry, success is measured by productivity. While productivity can be calculated as the ratio of output divided by input, seasoned manufacturers will tell you that true productivity goes beyond just the numbers game. How so?

While a manufacturer may not be satisfied with the amount of output in a production line, pushing for higher output may improve the productivity ratio, but it can also backfire when the quality of the product decreases, resulting in a workforce that makes mistakes, production of defective items, and dissatisfied customers. Therefore, the goal has to be to improve productivity, while also maintaining quality. A huge component of perfecting continual production improvement is properly upskilled employees. But in an industry where there is a drive to avoid anything that interrupts a manufacturer’s flow, is upskilling really that important?

Staff that are inadequately trained have been proven to work slower, produce inferior quality products, make costly mistakes, and even cause accidents that could result in compliance violations. In contrast, well-trained employees maximize productivity, while also ensuring quality, thereby increasing profitability. – Clearly, investing in quality training of employees over time is vital. Let’s discuss four ways to upskill your manufacturing employees for ultimate success.

Culture

To see meaningful return on investment from employee upskilling, a company has to build a culture that values all workers and seeks continuous improvement in not just manufacturing flow, but also their employees. This type of culture can be seen in one of the greatest examples of lean manufacturing, the Toyota Motor Company.

Fully embracing a company culture of continuous improvement, Toyota gives incredible attention to continually teaching employees. The result? – Aside from maximum productivity, the company culture means that upskilled Toyota employees come forward with millions of improvement suggestions per year, the vast majority of which are implemented. Yes, upskilled employees can be a huge asset not just in the work they perform, but in developing ways to maximize a company’s manufacturing operation to be highly productive and highly profitable.

Video Library

Psychologists estimate that people can forget 70% of newly learned material within a day, with additional forgetting continuing slowly over time. This means that upskilling employees requires repetition, not just initial employee training programs.

Video libraries help employees leverage video to access job-specific training or upskilling material anytime that is convenient to them. Since video libraries do not require trainers and are often more compelling learning material than books or on-site seminars, they are a cost-effective tool for an upskilled workforce.

Now, if you already have a video library, don’t be quick to assume that you’re all set. Overly general, worn-out video content created in the 70s, 80s and 90s will not engage your modern workforce. Custom content within video libraries resonates with employees because it’s custom to you, your manufacturing process, and your business. While you may need to consult a professional to help you create content for your video library, it’s a type of upskilling that is a game changer.

eLearning

eLearning is the delivery of learning and training materials by means of digital resources. eLearning can include augmented reality in which holograms are dropped on a real table, computerized simulations, video instruction, skills activities, instructional modules, and other types of experiential learning.

eLearning is a hallmark of properly upskilled employees, and the data proves it. According to e-student.org 2022 E-Learning Statistics, for every $1.00 invested in eLearning, employees are estimated to generate $30 in increased productivity on behalf of the company. Additionally, 42% of companies see an increase in revenue following the implementation of eLearning solutions.

While it may take time to have eLearning components developed in conjunction with the experience of your subject matter experts, the payoff is worth it. To simplify the process, consult with an experienced team of eLearning educational experts versus just one eLearning developer. This will expedite the process and will also create a better final product since it will likely include professional voiceover, quality assurance, and different development techniques that a lone developer cannot fully achieve.

Are you ready to upskill your workforce using modern learning methodologies?

Winning Solutions, Inc. (WSI) specializes in custom eLearning solutions. Our Ph.D.- educated instructional designers can design and develop the items needed to upskill your workforce for the modern world. Visit our website at CustomELearningCompany.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss what we can do for you.