Managing Automation - November 2007 - (Page 41)

outsourcing and downsizing in manufacturing, these younger workers want some control over their employability. Thus, they are actively demanding skills training and education that will make them marketable for subsequent positions. Perhaps their primary requirement is achieving better work/life balance than previous generations, who historically gave everything to their job in exchange for a reliable paycheck. “Manufacturing has historically been a ‘pay your dues’ environment, which is something that Generation Y can’t relate to,” says Leah Reynolds, national practice leader for generational change for the Manufacturing Practice at Deloitte Consulting LLC and one of the writers of the study. “While the boomers are company people, “The younger workforce expects a more Xers are extreme opposites and aren’t loyal to anyone. technically oriented environment, and Gen Y is a swing back to the self-service kiosks are a necessary part of middle — they’re not opposed to being loyal as long as the that.” — David Erickson of RedPrairie company gives back to them. better opportunity and additional job flexibility. That requires some pretty major rethinking for “Traditionally, you’d show up with a high-school manufacturers and that’s where workforce maneducation or less and a strong back, and go to agement tools can help.” work in a factory,” says Stacey Wagner, managA host of workforce management software tool ing director of the Center for Workforce Success, a vendors has emerged. The list includes Kaba Washington, D.C.-based non-profit affiliate of the Workforce Solutions, Kronos Inc., RedPrairie Corp., National Association of Manufacturers. “Most don’t Oracle Corp., and Ultimate Software. Their tools understand that today’s manufacturing jobs are provide a range of capabilities that can help manall about entrepreneurship, creativity, and clean ufacturers more effectively manage and cater to rooms instead of dirty hands. With automation their workforce, and include scheduling engines making everything more sophisticated, fewer peothat deliver flexibility to employees who want a ple are required, but they need stronger skill sets.” say in shift selection. They also feaThe manufacturing landscape, indeed, presture self-service portals that let ents a very different picture than in the past: workers handle their own basic HR Only 41% of the manufacturing industry workadministrative tasks — for examforce in the United States is directly engaged in ple, time-off requests or overtime WHAT APPEALS TO GEN Y production; the remaining 59% are engineers, IT monitoring — without dealing with The needs of Generation Y are different from professionals, mathematicians, and business propaper forms or waiting around for baby boomers or Gen Xers. This new workfessionals, among other roles, according to a HR professionals who might not force demands the following: recent Deloitte Research study, “Managing the be accessible during off-hour shifts. ● Long-term career development and multiTalent Crisis in Global Manufacturing.” And even All of the workforce manageple experiences within a single organization today’s assembly-line positions require multiment platforms provide some sort tasking and problem-solving skills along with of employee portal, through which ● A sense of purpose and meaning in work some experience with math, engineering, and workers can handle their own af● Availability and access to mentors across real-time decision-making, the study finds. fairs on their own schedules. Krothe company nos’ Workforce Central Suite, for DUES? WHAT DUES? ● Work/life flexibility example, lets workers do everyBesides needing new skills, younger manufacturthing from plugging in their pre● A tech-savvy work environment (for example, access to online problem solving ing workers bring new attitudes to the job. Unlike ferred hours to automating tradiand learning tools) their baby-boomer parents or grandparents, Gen X tional types of time-off requests and Y workers have grown up with a sense of enso managers are kept in the loop ● Open social networks that embrace open and honest communication titlement and are not oriented to the hierarchical and can facilitate approvals. The organizational structure that has characterized same capabilities are in CyberShift Source: “Managing the Talent Crisis in Global Manufacturing: Strategies to Attract and Engage Generation Y,” a Deloitte most manufacturing environments, experts say. In Inc.’s 3G toolset, so employees can Research global manufacturing study addition, because they’ve seen the direct results of initiate time-of f requests from themselves in the same boat. Demand for information and job flexibility from a new generation of workers and the need to reverse negative perceptions of manufacturing as a dead-end career choice are prompting companies to rethink their HR practices and make themselves more appealing to young job seekers. At the same time, as baby boomers, used to more traditional, punchthe-clock manufacturing roles, near retirement, companies must do more to capture and pass on their knowledge while getting more creative about attracting younger workers. Moreover, global operations and an increased service orientation are upping the ante, forcing manufacturers to reach out to a higher-skilled workforce, which demands generation gap Photo courtesy: RedPrairie Corp. 41 November 2007

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Managing Automation - November 2007 Contents Take 1 Mailbox SAP's Business ByDesign to Validate On-Demand Model for Enterprise SW Portfolio Management Specialist Losing Ground to Rivals At Incor, It's Time for Some Deep Breathing Can HART, ISA Get Together on a Wireless Spec? Mesa Tries to Help Improve Plant Metrics Notes Cover Story: The Digital Factory Special Report: Breaking Down Walls Integration: Dreaming of One ERP Industries: Locking onto Cyber-Security Transformation: Not Your Father's Time & Attendance Program Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - November 2007

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