powering digital transformation with stronger engagement · corp (idc) predicted that global...

Powering Digital Transformation with Stronger EngagementUsing IoT technology to drive more productive, safer workplaces

CorvexSafety.com

Current State of Digital Transformation

Real Worker Engagement

Powering Engagement with IoT

Integrating Lean, Quality and Safety

The Corvex Platform

Table of Contents

BUILDING WORKER POWERED COMMUNITIES // CORVEX 2019

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Manufacturers are Facing Massive DisruptionToday’s manufacturers are absorbing impacts on multiple fronts. Market forces are creating massive competitive pressure, requiring organizations to find ways to be more productive. Customer feedback has become transparent, making quality even more important as a critical success factor. And a new generation has entered the workforce seeking daily purpose, demanding a safer work environment, and most importantly, craving to be heard.

Technology is an important enabler. No one can deny the positive impacts of IoT, AI and smarter

factories. Organizations, however, need to use that technology to maximize what always has been, and will always be, their most important asset— the worker.

At Corvex we know workers are the solution. By giving workers a voice, they will be more productive, safer and happier. This white paper will help manu-facturers understand how to engage workers in a way that drives results straight to the bottom line—and why worker-powered organizations will thrive into 2020 and beyond.


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84% of digital

transformation projects fail.

PulsePoint, 2018


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Manufacturers are spending extraordinary amounts on digital transformation projects. International Data Corp (IDC) predicted that global spending on digital transformation would surpass $1.1 trillion in 2018 alone. More than a third—over $333 billion—has been spent by manufacturers on applications, connectivity services, and IT services as manufacturers build out their digital platforms to compete in the digital economy.

Despite the amount of dollars being thrown at the problem, statistics from research by companies like Pulse Point and others report abysmal failure

rates for these efforts. Although executives surveyed in a report sponsored by Dell stated over a quarter of their budget would be allocated to digital transformation, 89% admitted there were “significant barriers” to reaching their goals for digital transformation.

But the news isn’t all bad. Manufacturers continue to learn as they “fail forward” within these digital transformation projects. As we become smarter, both with our technologies and our strategies, we’re learning that one crucial asset has been ignored. That asset is the worker.

Current State of Digital Transformation


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Strong processes that address lean, quality and safety are a requirement for manufacturers. And supporting the operation with the right technology is crucial to success.

But the single most important factor in whether an organization will grow—or fail—relies on two things:

1. A worker connected by IoT technology delivering real-time, predictive, proactive data that makes the workplace better.

2. Management that uses that information wisely.

New technologies like IoT, Smart PPE and sensors enable this new vision of an engaged, empowered workforce, but the technologies do not create these workforces on their own. Organizations must embrace digital transformation from a human perspective, connecting workers to an overall framework that fosters real-time communication, stronger data management and a safer, more productive team.

“ 70%of employees ranked being empowered

to take action at work when a problem or opportunity arose as an

important element of their engagement.” Society for Human Resources Management, 2016

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As studies reveal the impact of engagement, it’s

become a buzzword not just within the manufac-

turing industry, but globally among most industries.

Unfortunately many engagement programs fail

because they’re based on traditional management

practices that were created more than 100 years ago.

Those practices are based on supervision, compli-

ance, process and in some cases, distrust. Although

they worked well in the time of the industrial revolu-

tion, today’s worker has evolved. Today, people want

to be self-organized, motivated and plugged into the

operation. Not simply told what to do.

Real Worker Engagement

“Real engagement is not something that can be forced, or created with a management program.”

Joe O’Brien, Corvex Founder


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Real engagement is not something that can be

forced, or created with a management program.

Real engagement is a natural by-product that happens when each worker feels they have a voice, not only in their own daily tasks, but in the direction of the team and the overall operation.

Fortunately, the technology exists to support this type

of collaborative, worker powered environment. Smart

PPE, sensors and IoT provide the framework in which

workers can and will report data that is invaluable to

the organization, whether it’s an unsafe situation, a

recurring problem that’s hampering productivity, or

poor quality leaving the assembly line.

Real-time communications technology transforms

not merely the worker, but the entire workforce. IoT

and Smart PPE are only effective when they’re

designed to help achieve several important goals.

For example, we know that the next generation of

workers needs to feel comfortable and happy in

their environment. They must feel appreciated as a

vital member of the team. And they need to believe

they have a voice. It’s when these objectives are

achieved—above and beyond the implementation of

the actual technology—that the worker becomes

genuinely connected. When an organization’s most

important asset—the workforce—is engaged via a

real-time, continuous loop of communication, individ-

uals become part of a connected framework that

powers leaner, higher quality and safer organizations.

“Engaged employees look out for the needs of their coworkers and the overall enterprise, because they personally ‘own’ the result of their work and that of the organization.”

James Harter, PhD, Harvard Business Review, 2018


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Unfortunately, a large component of failure for digital transformation is the mindset that technology, and specifically software, should be focused on transac-tions. Historically that has meant reducing the amount of paper used. Today, it seems to translate to reducing the number of humans involved. Although AI and other technologies work well to automate lower valued tasks, the cries of a “Robo-geddon” within manufacturing are far-fetched. Companies need to adopt new technologies and management strategies that drive not only a culture, but a community of high performance. In other words—a worker-powered organization.

Manufacturers seeing real change are driving worker engagement at all levels through more consistent touch points. They are focused on long term worker-powered strategies and experiences designed to drive retention and increase satisfaction. Simply put, having an environment that truly invests in its workers so that they are motivated and engaged results in innumerable benefits not just for employees but for the employer as well.

We may be fascinated by robots and the promise of AI, but we’re far from a fully automated experience—if we ever get there at all.

Powering Engagement with IoT

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Most organizations are either overwhelmed by too much data or experiencing a complete data drought. The digital transformation of the worker can help alleviate these situations as long as they are fully connected and engaged both in the task at hand, and in performing that task in the safest way possible.

Rather than picturing a world with robots completing a continuous loop of information, envision instead a connected, worker-powered environment where humans, equipped with the right technology, are the primary drivers of data.

“When you think about it, many workers within a manufacturing operation have been there over a decade, maybe even 20 years or more. Who better to tell us when something isn’t right?”

Ted Smith, President and CEO, Corvex


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Manufacturing operations still rely on lagging indica-tors to drive improvements. Week-old reports, classroom training and audits typically occur after the issue has already happened. In many cases, they do nothing to alleviate the problem because the worker is disengaged in a process that is old, tired and ineffective.

Building productivity through lean processes, driving quality throughout the entire product lifecycle, and creating safer work environments all require the

same thing—information. Instead of data that reports what’s already happened, worker-powered commu-nities deliver data that can be used to make not only proactive, but predictive decisions. An added bonus is that as workers see their information not only reported, but acted on, they become even more engaged to improve the overall productivity, quality and safety of the entire team. Rewards, recognition and other behavioral science tactics help boost this growing sense of empowerment.

Integrating Lean, Quality and Safety


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LEAN

Whatever the preferred approach to lean, the primary focus is to accelerate value while mini-mizing waste. Yet most companies fail to capitalize on the greatest source of information and contin-uous improvement available—the worker.

With the right technology, workers can report opportunities in real time. Managers can prioritize and address acute issues rapidly. Leadership can review areas of concern, detect patterns and identify opportunities for greater improvement with the highest ROI. The result is a feedback loop of continuous improvement that engages everyone—from the worker on the shop floor to the CEO—as real change and real results happen in real-time.

QUALITY

Quality is at the top of the list when it comes to critical success factors within organizations. And yet most still rely on customer problems—when it’s far too late—to identify and correct issues with quality. IoT, the right platform and strong processes can engage the entire workforce in the quality process. This means defects are captured before they become part of the final work product through realtime worker feedback. Patterns that may contribute to poor product quality may be identified not months later, but literally as they occur.


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SAFETY

Not only are we asking workers to perform incredibly difficult jobs, we’re often asking them to put life and limb on the line every day. Yet as technology has advanced, our methods to keep workers safe and minimize workplace hazards have not evolved. Many manufacturers still rely on traditional methods like meetings, routine inspections, and even paper reporting processes to keep workers safe.

Just as we’ve seen with quality and lean processes, safety metrics have focused primarily on lagging information, attempting to prevent problems based on what has already happened. From flagging the potential for unsafe environmental conditions to transmitting and receiving real-time information regarding an actual hazard, worker-powered safety can further engage each individual in their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of their teammates.

“Productivity improves by 20-25% in organizations with connected employees.

That kind of increase in productivity has potential for revenues amounting to $1.3 trillion per year.

McKinsey Global Institute, 2018


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The daily experience of the average worker has become increasingly complex. With ever-increasing responsibilities and a broadening scope of their jobs, workers are still being treated as they were a century ago. They’re heavily supervised, not empowered to make important decisions, demoti-vated and stressed. Many business strategists are claiming that these “low level” jobs should simply be handed over to AI as factories become “smarter.”

Many people seem captivated by robotics and the potential for tasks to be performed by AI with little

to no human involvement. But in order for robots to do anything, they require tremendous amounts of data and information.

With current advances in technology, real-time data regarding safety, quality and productivity can literally be placed in workers’ hands. From sensors built into protective equipment, to mobile communi-cation devices that let workers give real-time input, it has never been easier to share data, making workers an essential, connected component of an efficient and safe operation.

A Worker Powered Mindset

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When workers are given the ability to share their input, the entire organization benefits. Connected workers are happier, more engaged, more productive and more comfortable in their workplace and with their jobs. They have a stronger sense of belonging to a team that includes coworkers and management. They have a voice that is not only heard but answered. That continuous interaction is the true test of a fully connected workplace that is driving digital transformation forward.

“With Corvex I can report problems right away. And give a heads up when I see something that might cause an issue down the road.”


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The Corvex Connected™ Platform is the first IoT solution that uses IoT technology to create a more engaged, more productive and safer workforce through real-time information sharing.

Site Awareness: Whether delivering critical information about high-risk zones or PPE usage, the Corvex platform offers a wide range of data to keep the workforce productive and safe. The Corvex platform drives operational excellence based on five key components:

Hazard Elimination: Corvex provides a worker-powered Observations Solution that delivers powerful, key risk indicators so management knows what’s really happening on the ground.

Communication: The Corvex platform protects the safety and well-being of

workers by receiving and delivering infor-mation immediately.

Smart PPE: Personal, protective equipment is integrated into the Corvex platform delivering real-time data to improve produc-tivity and quality, and reduce safety risks.

Worker Engagement: Corvex empowers workers to play a major role in ensuring a better work environment that creates bottom line results, driving engagement through the roof.

The Corvex Connected™ Platform can be deployed in a diverse array of industries in ways proven to accelerate productivity, reduce waste, and improve safety all through the power of a motivated, engaged workforce.

The Corvex Platform


Corvex Executive BriefThe Corvex Connected™ Platform is the first IoT solution that puts the power in the hands of workers, creating a more engaged, more productive and safer workforce through real-time information sharing.

Learn more at Corvexsafety.com

Contact [email protected] (651) 294-2130

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