A 6-Step Manufacturing Guide to Workforce Management and Communication
Communication is the key to any successful relationship, including our workplace relationships. In manufacturing, in particular, workers require company messaging to be transparent, streamlined and accessible to be effective, supporting them to navigate heightened change and disruption. Akin to your vehicle’s navigation system, great workplace communication helps manufacturing teams to avoid wrong turns, making sure they’re not going in circles. With Workforce 4.0 on the rise, a byproduct of Industry 4.0 defined by human-machine collaboration, revolutionising how we work, a strategic, comprehensive communication strategy can act as your internal GPS, supporting team alignment and helping to steer them where to go next.
Our annual report, The Current State of the Global Manufacturing Workforce in 2025 and Beyond, confirms that although an improved communication strategy ranks high on the priority list for leaders, only 16% currently use communication and collaboration technology. This apparent disconnect between theory and action must be addressed, as it appears that communication strategy and integration of innovative workforce solutions are often an afterthought despite both being the very key to unlocking productivity and employee engagement. Particularly, if the significant skills gap within manufacturing is to be filled by the younger generation, who desire transparent, authentic communication and access to it in a way that suits them.
Streamlined, Authentic Messaging Keeps Workers Motivated and Attracts Talent
Workers, especially Gen Z, crave authentic communication. Genuine, transparent messaging acts as an engagement booster, can unite teams, and even contribute to revenue growth. According to Gallup, the increased productivity of engaged workers could add $9.6 trillion to the economy if all workers worldwide were fully engaged. Unfortunately, the same study found that global employee engagement fell by two points to 21% last year, indicating we’re going in the reverse direction of increased engagement. But leaders could turn this around.
Employee engagement starts from the top down with leaders who support a comprehensive communication strategy, and even though only 16% of our respondents currently use communication and collaboration technology, decision-makers said that’s about to change. The majority (75%) of leaders say they plan to invest within the next three years, and 32% will invest even sooner, within the next 12 months. Worker disengagement can be avoided through collaboration and streamlined, authentic communication, allowing workers to connect whether in the field on their smartphone or in the office on their laptop.
Championing Worker Autonomy: Scheduling Flexibility Benefits Both Employees and Employers
Along with streamlined communication, efficient workforce strategies and tools are needed to limit worker frustration stemming from lacklustre processes and technology that doesn’t work. All workers, but especially Gen Z, have little patience for technology that doesn’t live up to expectations to streamline their tasks and if they’re deskless, offering ease of scheduling. In manufacturing, an industry that thrives on competent shift workers and operational efficiency, modern workforce solutions are required, featuring self-service tools and flexible scheduling to boost the business’s employee value proposition to attract and retain skilled workers.
Seamless timekeeping emerged as critical for our leaders, given that many workers in manufacturing are deskless. The majority (76%) recognise its vital importance and will invest in the next three years, while 72% of organisations are budgeting to invest in time and attendance systems, proving how essential leaders see effective workplace solutions. Additionally, 31% of leaders recognize the value of streamlined scheduling because it empowers employees by allowing them to control their shifts, initiate shift swaps, and manage their time off, contributing to an elevated work culture, one that has happier, more engaged employees.
A 6-Step Guide for Workforce Engagement Success
All workers need and deserve to feel connected to their organisation and their teams. They need to have access to critical comms and workforce solutions that improve their employee experience and not take away from it. These solutions have the power to allow them to connect to something bigger than themselves supported by people-centric leadership and robust workplace culture. These steps can support this:
- Refresh your communication strategy: Modern messaging is transparent and authentic. It should also be accessible to all, boosting the effectiveness of employees, but also builds trust and contributes to multi-generational worker retention.
- Invest for impact: Invest with your people in mind in multi-channel communication tools that are beneficial for all workers, including deskless employees, supporting worker development and helping all workers to stay informed and engaged.
- Lead with tech: Realising the potential of Industry 4.0 requires technology that supports collaboration and strengthens your employee value proposition that appeals to talent and helps you retain them.
- Gift autonomy to workers: Give teams what they want through self-service tools to manage their shifts, swap schedules, and request time off with ease, offering new levels of self-sufficiency.
- Take control of scheduling: Incorporate cloud-based scheduling systems to optimise labor distribution and align tasks with skills and operational needs. This can also result in cost savings.
- Cut costs through automation: Automation offers array of benefits and in terms of attendance and payroll processes, you can eradicate errors, cut admin time, and control unplanned overtime costs.
In terms of cutting costs for European manufacturers, the ADP WorkForce Suite capabilities can create combined benefits of up to €8.9 million EURO (organisations with 5,000 employees), €89.3 million EURO (50,000 employees), and up to €178.6 million EURO (100,000 employees), highlighting the significant savings and effectiveness of workforce solutions.
Workforce 4.0: Navigating Your Business to Better Communication and Worker Engagement
To successfully support workers through disruption while embracing Industry 4.0, a robust, people-centric workforce strategy supported by technology is needed, as without one, manufacturers will likely fall behind. A comprehensive approach, however, can act as your North Star, supporting team alignment and supporting them as they work toward meeting business objectives. This strategy, complemented by the right-fit innovative cloud-based platform, offers employees the self-sufficiency they desire, as well as flexibility and autonomous time management. But this platform not only meets employee demands but offers manufacturing leaders advanced features like scheduling, time management, and employee experience that can enable companies to optimise their labor costs and reduce overheads.
Savvy leaders must answer the call to provide their Workforce 4.0 with independence, convenience, and elevated control over their schedules, or they will not retain their talent. Workforce solutions can support them in this critical mission.
Explore the full report findings and discover how workforce management software can future proof your manufacturing organisation.
