Why You Need a Custom Library of Digital Process Knowledge

No worker operates in a vacuum. 

Human output potential is a function of our tools, our training, and our mental engagement.

Your facility has state of the art tools, a new training program, and competitive pay. 

So how do you get buy-in from your partially engaged frontline workers?

A simple yet profoundly effective strategy for doing so is creating a custom library of digital process knowledge.

It’s a surefire system for democratizing information across your workforce. 

Below we will explain why it's critical to ensure every frontline worker has instant access to the information they need, exactly when they need it. 

Reason #1: Check Boxes for Engagement & Productivity

Can you empower employees and boost productivity at the same time? With the right strategy and technology, it is possible. Even for large manufacturing organizations with thousands of workers across multiple locations.

One Dozuki customer in the dairy and feed industry needed to standardize operations across over a thousand frontline workers. Like a lot of enterprise level manufacturers with multiple facilities and scores of different processes and products, their challenge was unifying those locations with a single training unit.

Their team grappled with an outdated “sit and learn” methodology. 

Does that sound familiar? Have you ever attended (or hosted) a manufacturing training program where operators were nodding out in their chairs?

You’re not alone. The Training Coordinator of this company, tasked with overhauling this antiquated system, recognized the urgent need for a more efficient and engaging learning strategy.

Dozuki launched a microlearning approach, offering concise two-minute instructions tailored for the modern workforce. And this helped to dramatically reduce the traditional 13-week training period for new hires. 

The results of the project lead to a 4x of operator training completion rates. You can read more about their story here.

If you want to engage employees long term (while also keeping productivity high), then your custom library of digital work instructions is an essential asset.

According to a recent study from The Manufacturing Institute’s Engagement & Retention, about two-thirds of those under age 25 said training opportunities are a primary motivating factor in their decision to remain with their current employer. 

The relationship between training and engagement/productivity is undeniable. 

Reason #2: Leverage Organizational Knowledge

How employees interact with and leverage organizational knowledge is critical. Every frontline team has local verbiage and nuances for searching for information. Look for patterns. As you organize your custom training library, keep honing your framework. 

Find out which formats are most accessible, distributable, searchable, and editable. Build the library around the language people prefer, and people will feel empowered to access the training when they need it most.

Meet Alex, a quality control specialist, who struggled to find the specific testing procedures for new product lines. The custom library of digital work instructions could change that. 

By observing the search terms his peers used and the formats they preferred—short video tutorials over lengthy documents—Alex reorganized a section of the library. He uploaded concise, easy-to-follow video guides, using the frontline team's local verbiage in titles and descriptions. 

Now, whenever team members search for quality protocols, they find exactly what they need in a format they understand and prefer. 

Reason #3: Enable Upskilling Opportunities

The upside to housing your custom library is, it allows employees to learn independently. They’re given permission (and a platform) to explore skills that may interest them outside of their specific roles.

This is a key part of long term engagement. If an entry level machinist wants to become a shop supervisor and eventually a manufacturing engineer, help them further their education now.

Imagine Sara, an entry level machinist with aspirations of becoming a shop supervisor, was eager to expand her skill set. 

Through the company's custom library of digital work instructions, she discovered a series of modules on leadership in manufacturing environments. With the encouragement of her supervisor, Sara began dedicating a few hours each week to study these modules, applying new concepts in her daily work, and sharing her learnings with peers.

Over time, her initiative and growing expertise did not go unnoticed. Sara was offered a position as a team leader, a crucial step toward her goal. 

The digital library not only facilitated her self-directed learning but also paved the way for her career advancement, demonstrating the company's commitment to employee growth and development.

With these recommendations and vignettes, it’s clear that harnessing the power of digital technology can streamline processes and enhance learning. 

Put them into action, and your frontline workforce will become engaged, efficient, and confident, laying the foundation for sustained success and growth.

In our next post, we’ll switch from why to how, with tactics on executing this practice at your organization.