The Connected Worker: Enhancing Industrial Productivity
In today’s industrial landscape, tech savvy professionals are redefining productivity standards. These digital natives not only expect advanced technology and equipment in the workplace—they thrive with it. Their eagerness to embrace new tools allows organizations to explore new ways to enhance productivity and provide on-the-job support by delivering information, connections, and digital assets directly at the point of need. Innovations in smart glasses are revolutionizing how younger workers interact with their environment, enabling them to access critical support whenever necessary. The key to creating a successful ecosystem for connected workers is making sure they can easily get the right information—and only the right information—precisely when they need it.
Connected worker solutions like smart glasses are actively being used by leading industrial organizations to ensure their workers are effectively supported with real time guidance and information no matter where in the world they’re based. It’s not technology that’s coming; it’s here now and is being utilized by companies worldwide, big and small. It allows workers to access information more effectively, react more efficiently in downtime events, and learn from experts about parts of their jobs that are not found in instruction manuals.
Instant Real-Time Guidance
Consider a junior engineer who has been hired to replace a retiring worker at a hydroelectric facility in Denver, Colorado. The subject matter expert is at the head office in New York. Available to the worker is a pair of smart glasses equipped with remote support software, allowing connections to subject matter experts (SMEs) across the globe.
To help this junior engineer get integrated faster, the company has granted the retiring worker a phased retirement, enabling them to work from home a few times a week to support less experienced workers on-site. From their computer at home, the SME can connect with the on-site worker equipped with smart glasses at the power plant. Together, they can troubleshoot and problem-solve as if the SME were right there. The expert can see what the user sees in real time, and they can discuss solutions. Most importantly, the user has both hands free to perform whatever tasks are needed as they converse. If they need to refer to instructions, they can call them up instantly, and the information will appear within their field of vision as they perform their tasks.
Where these solutions truly shine is in their ability to provide a scaled impact across the entire organization by maximizing the reach of experts. SMEs can support an engineer in Colorado and then immediately connect with another team member in Boston—all without leaving their home office. What once required a half-day flight now happens in a matter of minutes. By leveraging connected worker solutions for remote support, organizations can utilize their limited expert personnel more efficiently, allowing one expert to assist multiple sites in a single day. This technology is not only enhancing productivity but also lowering operating costs by minimizing travel expenses and the logistical planning required to move personnel around the world.
Accessing Critical Documents on the Go
But smart glasses offer more than just remote support calls. In addition to connecting with experts, they provide instant access to a wealth of digital assets—equipment manuals, procedural checklists, schematics, and even instructional videos. Instead of flipping through bulky binders or searching on a computer, on-site workers can access these resources hands-free, directly through smart glasses. Need to verify a wiring diagram? It's available with a simple voice command or gesture. Looking up a maintenance procedure? Ten images annotated with instructions can be made immediately available to ensure that standard operating procedures are followed when replacing a part.
The true beauty of smart glasses lies in their ability to provide a holistic support system for workers. This seamless integration of instant information access and optional expert guidance transforms the workplace into a supportive environment where workers can confidently tackle challenges. By having all the necessary tools at their fingertips, they can troubleshoot issues, ensure standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed, and make informed decisions independently. This not only reduces the steepness of the learning curve but also minimizes the stress associated with unfamiliar tasks. Ultimately, smart glasses foster an ecosystem where workers are empowered to perform at their best, enhancing individual performance and contributing significantly to organizational success.
The Bottom Line
When we speak of these tech savvy industrial workers, we’re speaking of a segment of the workforce that grew up with the Internet and whose members are for the most part comfortable with new digital technologies. They expect new ways to work. They are accustomed to using digital tools for on-the-job training and communication, and many favor this level of connectivity over a more structured learning environment.
By introducing connected worker technology into the industrial environment, you are equipping modern industrial workers with the tools that allow them to thrive. They can consume knowledge more quickly, respond faster in emergencies, and contribute more to your operations.
This type of technology will help these workers to continue contributing to the bottom line for years, maybe decades, to come. With smart glasses distributed throughout the workforce, you have an internal network of connected workers who can support one another regardless of their geographic location. It becomes a pillar of your company’s digital transformation strategy, and it enhance the technical capabilities of your staff.
Implementing connected worker technology will enable workers to effectively communicate with SMEs, access information instantly, and support their day-to-day activities, thereby creating an ecosystem in which they can thrive. It will allow them to make the important transition into your industrial setting, and gain expertise over time. And one day, they may take a phased retirement and use this technology to help the next generation learn the ropes.
