Since the beginning of the pandemic, the way in which businesses operate has been turned on its head. Whether that meant all employees working remotely or needing to introduce more robotics to a manufacturing facility, we can all agree that the pandemic has been a catalyst for change in our working environments.
For one Welsh manufacturing company, Manufacturing Wales, the pandemic pushed their automation plans forward by 2-3 years. Such colossal changes to their plans had a huge impact on the efficiency of the company, but what does this mean exactly and what impact did this have on its employees? Let’s discuss.
As a result of the pandemic, social distancing measures and self-isolation rules have presented numerous challenges for businesses, most notably frequent staff shortages. Automation may be a solution to this issue, which is great news for businesses but can be a major worry for some employees. The fear that robotics and automation could lead to redundancies as machines replace people has been the topic of many of our recent articles.
However, in the case of Manufacturing Wales, the introduction of automated systems did not impact their staff numbers. Instead, the move to automation allowed the business to invest in new ventures, which led to new opportunities and a chance for many of their workers to develop new skills. This upskilling comes from the need for people to operate computer-controlled machinery as a result of the shift to automation.
In addition to upskilling staff, this change also meant that Manufacturing Wales became more efficient and could offer more products for their market in a quicker time. As a result of this, the business became much more competitive as a manufacturer.
If you are interested in learning more about the world of automation, we have a range of articles for you to browse through here. Alternatively, to learn more about how we can help your business to implement automation systems, contact us today on 01926 411 544.
