Roadmap to Successful Operations Transformation: Prepare Your Team

Part 4 of 5

The first three installments of our five-part blog series A Roadmap to Successful Transformation – can be found here:

Part 1 – Conceptualization

Part 2 – Detailed Design & Program Planning (Pre-Implementation)

Part 3 – Implementation

DLN and Connors Group outlined best practices for concepting and developing the design, preparing the program team and broader organization for the changes ahead, and then managing the actual implementation of the change.

 However, true success comes from more than just implementing technology—it’s about using automation to enhance workflows and maintain a people-focused strategy.

While automation helps alleviate the strain caused by labor shortages, it doesn’t eliminate the need for a skilled workforce. In fact, workers are still crucial for overseeing systems, managing processes, and ensuring operations run smoothly.

Whether updating current operations or designing new facilities, a thoughtful, people-first approach is key – with a solid foundation of labor management. 

Phase 4 is preparing for transformation with a people-centric approach. But calling it the 4th phase is really a misnomer, as it should be executed in a parallel path to implementation activities, and should be completed prior to go-live to ensure a workforce and management staff that is ready to go live.   

Phase 4 – Prepare Your Team

Training and Change Management: Keys to Successful Automation 

Adjusting Skill Sets and Roles

Automation often leads to a shift in required skill sets. New roles may emerge, and existing ones may need to adapt. Businesses should assess their teams’ current capabilities and identify skill gaps. Targeted training and upskilling are essential to prepare employees for these evolving roles, such as automation maintenance, data analysis, and system optimization. 

Change Management for a Smooth Transition

Training alone isn’t enough—change management plays a crucial role in the successful implementation of automation. Both leadership and frontline workers must be on board to ensure a smooth transition. A structured approach to change management that includes clear standard operating procedures (SOPs), user training, and ongoing communication will help mitigate resistance and ensure buy-in across the organization. 

Preparing for potential post-implementation challenges is key to long-term success. Automation often requires continuous improvement, so companies should focus on coaching, monitoring, and adjusting workflows as needed to maintain efficiency and productivity. 

Operating Efficiently with Automation 

Continuous Monitoring and Workflow Optimization 

After go-live, maintaining focus on visibility and optimization is key. Use real-time data analytics to gain insights into performance metrics, highlighting opportunities for process improvements and addressing challenges promptly.

Transparency and regular feedback further refine workflows, reducing downtime and enhancing human and automation productivity. 

Ensuring Seamless Operation Flow

After automation is implemented, ensuring a smooth operation flow becomes part of the regular operational routine.

Regularly review and refine workflows to ensure that all technologies are integrated effectively, preventing bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Continuously optimizing these processes helps sustain operations that are both efficient and flexible, adhering to lean principles to eliminate waste and enhance quality. 

Leveraging Labor Programs for Performance and ROI

Setting Baseline and Targeted Performance

To measure the success of automation, it’s essential to establish a baseline performance metric before implementation.

This allows you to set targeted performance goals that align with your overall business objectives. These goals should be realistic, measurable, and clearly defined to track the impact of automation effectively. 

Tracking and Ensuring ROI

Continuous performance tracking is key to realizing the full benefits of automation. Labor programs should be designed to monitor performance against established goals.

Using real-time data, businesses can identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. A well-structured labor management system will help sustain the desired return on investment (ROI) over the long term. 

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