people work. Some of us are sitting at our desks, some are working in dedicated shopping environments, some are spending time in our warehouses, while others are “in the field,” i.e. on the go, Others meet customers or perform roles that require them to spend time away from the parent body of the company. . Some field workers work in the fields, but usually only if they are farmers or agricultural engineers. However, all these workers need connectivity to play a useful role in the new connected society.
In the past, we might have limited the concept of a hyper-connected worker to anyone within three feet of a desk, but now we need to think of a connected worker as every employee in an organization. That’s why enterprise cloud platform company IFS acquired Poka, Inc. (Poka), a Quebec-based provider of connected worker software.
What is a Connected Worker?
IFS CEO Darren Roos has clarified what the term connected worker means today, saying it’s more than a suite of software applications designed to help workers do their jobs more efficiently. says.
It’s not just a scheduling feature or diary reminder, it’s not just a key performance indicator (KPI) target or sales target alert. This is not the stuff of old time and motion studies, nor is it just business intelligence (BI). ) in a new package. This is because frontline workers are digitally connected, enabling organizations to collect and share critical operational data in real time, enabling insights to be contextually responsive and optimized work. It is a case that leads to the system.
“The connected worker concept is synonymous with the augmented worker because of its direct impact on improving productivity and operational efficiency,” Roos explained. “There is a potential manufacturing skills gap in the United States alone, with 2.1 million jobs that could go unfilled by 2030, so closing this gap is linked to the need for change management and worker empowerment. It’s just as much a need for technology: improved access to information and knowledge means employees can be part of an integrated continuous improvement cycle.”
3 letter acronym
Already known as an Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) company with more assets in the three-letter acronym that span Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Field Service Management (FSM), IFS is a I already had an existing HR executive in charge. (PSO) and manufacturing scheduling and optimization (MSO) technology. Poka will be joining the transcept of his IFS platform to help factory and field workers become more efficient in all aspects of their work, from training and development to troubleshooting.
This capability enables companies to measure productivity across machines and operators around the world and is designed to provide insight into profitability. Poka also provides insights for companies to stay compliant and provide safer working conditions as part of their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals.
“The concept of connecting all employees has historically been overlooked as part of digital transformation efforts,” said CEO Ruth. “not yet, [despite this shortfall thus far, smart companies realize that] Giving employees access to information anytime, anywhere in the factory not only improves the employee experience, but is fundamental to building the manufacturing agility that IFS understands so well. . ”
Ruth and the IFS team have invested trillions of dollars over the last few decades (if not earlier) in companies around the world to enable their back-office (mostly office-based) employees to do their jobs. It reminds me of what I’ve been up to. With a focus on efficiencies, Industry 4.0, and the convergence of the physical and digital worlds to drive automation, companies are now making their factory and field workers smarter, safer, and more efficient. We aim to be able to work effectively.
Founded in 2014, Poka has customers in 55 countries, including brands such as Nestle, Tetra Pak, Mars, Bosch and Rio Tinto. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and international inflationary pressures that have shaken global supply chains, organizations such as: He says he feels he is growing. This is all part of why and where the concept of the Connected Worker is an important focus.
“As the global workforce crisis deepens, more companies are looking to expand their digital factory projects across the enterprise. With the help of our industry experience, Poka will be better equipped to carry out its mission at scale,” commented Alexandre Leclerc, CEO of Poka.
Powering the IFS Cloud
IFS has positioned this announcement as close to news of its bi-annual IFS Cloud releases. The company is committed to delivering adapted technology that supports the mission of the connected worker and others, and most recently enhanced business agility and built resilience in an ever-changing world. , says it focuses on technology designed to reduce risk.
According to the company, IFS Cloud uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and a wide range of automation capabilities to optimize growth by streamlining processes related to people, assets and services. Improvements include improved data quality, automation and compliance. To cite one of several updates that fit the theme of this story, IFS says its platform has been further updated to improve efficiency through enhanced logistics management. It’s enterprise software built to streamline assets between sites and reduce administrative effort for logistics teams and maintenance planners.
“Since the launch of IFS Cloud, we have continuously improved our product in response to customer needs. We’ve emphasized the importance of digital capabilities and connectivity in mobile,” said Christian Pedersen, Chief Product Officer, IFS. “Many organizations have struggled with disruption over the last few years. With this latest release of IFS Cloud, we are empowering our technology to build a composable enterprise for your enterprise, without straying from our strategic priorities. Our expertise lies in helping organizations with the latest technology, as we demonstrate the value that embedding it in their business continues to deliver.”
No more clipboard?
The sum of these efforts is related to digitizing the workforce in every role. While pen-and-paper note-taking may still be practiced in the factories, warehouses, engine rooms of oil rigs, farm fields and forests of the future, the IT industry is clearly committed to ‘durable’. We are focused on putting uber connected devices in the hands of every worker. Or at least make sure you are near such devices and connections.
These devices are designed to: a) send real-time data and alerts to employees, b) capture data from human and machine observations that are recorded on the devices themselves, and c) essentially dictate the operations of the headquarters. Must be connected to backbone. , in the corporate data center and, of course, on the cloud.
Is Clipboard-as-a-Service (CaaS) next? You can count on it.
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