 |
| Written by Phil Gillard, General Manager, SolutionsPT |
I recently read an article by Mark Davidson on the topic of Manufacturing and the Ageing Workforce. Mark describes the issue of an ageing workforce in manufacturing
industry resulting in the loss of 'tribal knowledge'. He concludes that the use
of manufacturing software can help alleviate this problem.
As an advocate of the use of manufacturing software, I
cannot help agreeing with him; the ability to capture processes in execution
systems, maintenance management systems, workflow, train operators using
training simulators, provide collaboration via remote management and mobile
solutions all has to be beneficial - yet is there still something missing?
We have recently been involved with learning of the differing characteristics of the generations and how this will affect the
way that people will work. I cannot help think that the drive to capture tribal
knowledge in software is a thought process associated with the 'baby boomer' generation (the people who will be leaving industry).
We (the baby boomers)
have characteristics such as idealism, involvement / control, excellence with a
workaholic tendency. You can see how these characteristics will
lead to solutions which take people through a step-by-step process based on
years of experience.
Our successors, Generation X, hold characteristics
including change, self-discovery, immediate gratification, self-reliance,
pragmatism and the ability to survive. As receivers of these systems, I am
not sure that Gen X will make use of this very prescriptive approach in
the most efficient way?
The solution lies somewhere in between - making use of
the tribal knowledge we are able to capture, whilst allowing high levels of 'self
service' in order to satisfy the need for self-discovery.
No comments:
Post a Comment