Three quarters of manufacturing workers in the UK (73%) are not concerned about their jobs being automated in the future, according to a study undertaken by YouGov and commissioned by global technology company SafetyCulture.
The Feedback from the Field report of frontline employees and managers paints a picture of a manufacturing workforce which sees the positive impact of integrating technology into the frontline.
Fewer than a third of manufacturing workers (30%) are concerned about the impact of new technologies like AI in the future.
Increased automation may be perceived as a way to resolve frustrations with current technology used in the sector. Nearly two-thirds of manufacturing workers (64%) aren’t fully satisfied with their tools and IT at work. Of these, two-fifths (43%) say they’re unfit for purpose and 37% find them too dated.
Automation could also be seen in the frontline as a solution to skills and labour shortages. Three-quarters (71%) of manufacturing workers believe skills and labour shortages will present critical issues in the industry. Of these, a third (31%) believe these issues are already causing critical issues in the sector.
There is a generational divide, with younger manufacturing workers more worried than older workers about the impact of automation on their role. Half of these Gen Z (53%) workers express concern about automation compared to only 13% of Baby Boomers.
Case study – Donaldson Timber Systems
Businesses like offsite timber frame manufacturer Donaldson Timber Systems (DTS) are investing in ways to improve skills, capacity, efficiency and safety. Recently DTS invested more than £10m in robotics lines at its Oxfordshire factory, as well as switching quality checks from paper to mobile-based apps and automating data in its backend software.
Rod Allan, managing director of DTS, says: “As a business, we need both highly skilled people and new technology like automation in order to keep up with demand.
“We’re excited about what modern methods of construction mean for our colleagues, as it is revolutionising the operations process. Robotics in our facility makes this a less physically demanding role, so we can hire a wider variety of people to work in our factories, helping to plug the current skills gap.
“These efficiencies also provide an opportunity to increase production, creating more positions in time, and allowing us to redeploy people to more value-added roles.
“We’ve also hired people with an automation background from the automotive and engineering sectors to ensure we upskill our teams and are making the best use of our new capabilities.”
Donaldson Timber Systems is one of 17 companies in the 163-year-old Donaldson Group, which operates from 45 locations throughout the UK and employs over 1,500 people.
Alex Brooks-Sykes, SafetyCulture’s lead for UK & Ireland, adds: “It’s a positive surprise to see such optimism from frontline employees on automation, which can often be perceived as a bane for workers.
“The reality is frontline employees are dissatisfied with their current workplace tools and IT – with our research estimating that outdated and unfit tools cost the manufacturing industry more than £2.86bn every year.
“The frontline reaps the benefit of better technology, and businesses can benefit from improved efficiency, better risk management, and enhanced training.”
SafetyCulture’s annual Feedback from the Field report is one of the largest studies of frontline experiences and perspectives across many critical industries, surveying more than 10,000 workers worldwide, of which more than 2,000 are in the UK. The company’s workplace operations platform is used by more than 18,000 UK organisations, including Donaldson Group, ArcelorMittal Construction, and Mobile Mini.
For more information and to download the report, visit safetyculture.com/feedback-from-the-field-time-for-change
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