The manufacturing landscape has changed dramatically within the last ten to fifteen years. Many manufacturers are adopting automation and robotics to improve efficiency and increase production.
Despite these advancements in technology, there is still a major shortage of skilled workers needed to operate equipment, monitor systems, and maintain machinery.
Even in more traditional manufacturing environments, many of the workforce’s most experienced employees are nearing or reaching retirement, and taking decades of institutional knowledge with them.
This creates a growing challenge across the manufacturing industry: finding skilled workers capable of supporting daily operations and long-term growth.
That’s why many businesses are turning to online learning.
Also known as e-learning, these digital platforms help manufacturers develop the technical and operational skills their employees need to fill the gaps in their workforce.
The Benefits of E-Learning in Training and Development
Reskilling employees isn’t a new concept. Organizations have used in-person training sessions for decades, but those methods can disrupt production schedules as well as vary in quality.
For businesses, e-learning offers:
Flexible Training Schedules
Coordinating on-site training sessions is difficult for an entire workforce. Production must be slowed or even halted while employees attend the sessions. With e-learning in training and development, multi-shift production facilities can distribute training sessions across shifts. Production downtime is minimized, and employees can complete the training at their own pace.
More Consistent Training
The quality of instructor-led classroom training is heavily dependent on the skill level of the instructor. A major advantage of online learning is that it standardizes training. All employees receive the same information, procedures, and compliance standards, which creates better SOP compliance and quality control across teams.
Better Compliance and Certification Tracking
It can be difficult to track completion with on-site training. E-learning can include testing modules for employees, and provide documented proof of certification. This is especially important for quality assurance teams and training related to ISO or food safety compliance. Certifications are trackable, making it easier to pass future audits.
Reduced Training Costs
On-site training isn’t cheap. Printed materials, instructor costs, travel, and production downtime or overtime costs all add up. Many of these costs can be reduced through e-learning. Training can be scaled for an entire department or organization, and across multiple shifts and facilities. The cost benefits of online learning are significant for small and mid-sized manufacturers needing to upskill their workforce without dramatically increasing their budget.
Faster Employee Onboarding
Employers can accelerate onboarding new employees through online learning. Employees learn standard operating procedures faster, with more consistency across new hires. When manufacturers need to bring in help quickly due to periods of rapid growth or labor shortages, e-learning accelerates the onboarding process.
Continuous Improvement Support
Lean principles focus on ongoing education. With e-learning in training and development, employers can emphasize continuous learning instead of treating it as a one-time event. Skill development and cross-training become expected parts of day-to-day operations.
Employee Development
E-learning offers a major benefit for employees: the potential for more advanced roles and leadership responsibilities. Companies that invest in online training for employees often see improved morale and increased engagement in their workforce. Workforce development initiatives can improve employee retention and reduce turnover.
How E-Learning Supports Long-Term Workforce Development
Online learning isn’t just about making compliance easier. It’s part of a long-term business strategy for building a workforce that is able to adapt and grow alongside new technology.
As robotics and automation continue to become more ingrained in manufacturing environments, employers require employees with more highly developed skills. Those skills must continue evolving as new technologies emerge.
By integrating e-learning platforms, employers can regularly introduce new training modules that upskill their employees. They can learn how to operate new automation systems, advanced machinery, monitor quality systems, and develop leadership skills that increase their value. The new skills employees develop help companies get the full benefit from their technological investments.
Another of the benefits of online training for employees is the ability to cross-train them for multiple roles. Employees who are trained for multiple roles give employers greater operational flexibility. They can be moved between stations as needed to address labor shortages or fluctuations in demand.
Industry-wide, it’s increasingly difficult to find new talent. Investing in e-learning in training and development helps companies retain employees, rather than struggle to replace them. When employers invest in their development, employees feel valued and supported. They also have clearer paths towards advancement and career growth, which reduces turnover for employers.
Developing your workforce offers a competitive advantage that manufacturers can’t afford to overlook. By creating more skilled employees and more flexible teams, you directly increase productivity and quality.
What Matters Most to Manufacturers in an Online Learning Platform
Organizations looking to incorporate online learning into their workforce development programs need to look for more than just a generic catalog of videos.
Employers should look for training content that is relevant to the operational requirements of their industry. The more closely training aligns with your operational needs and production environment, the more value it brings to your workforce.
Another key aspect to look for in an online learning platform is accessibility. Training modules should be accessible from anywhere, at any time. Ideally, they should also be accessible on any device. This helps training work around production schedules, rather than disrupting them.
The platform you choose should also make documenting progress easy. This is a huge differentiator for compliance tracking. Audits become easier to pass when there is an easily verifiable record of employee training and compliance.
As organizations grow, their online learning systems should be able to scale with them. Scalable platforms streamline the process of onboarding and training new employees. They also help with cross-training, and standardize training across facilities in different geographic areas.
How Manex Supports Online Learning for Workforce Development
For over thirty years, The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence, better known as Manex, has helped manufacturers in California improve their performance with tailored guidance and training.
We’ve helped clients launch workforce development initiatives focused on implementing Lean methodologies, while building cultures of continuous improvement.
Manex Learning, our online training platform for manufacturers, gives employers a dependable resource for employee training in areas like Lean and Management Essentials. Our materials are packed with insight from top industry minds, and can be accessed by your workforce at their convenience.
At Manex, our goal is to make online learning an indispensable part of continuous improvement efforts for manufacturers everywhere.
Manex: Leaders in Workforce Development and Training
Digital training platforms are quickly becoming one of the most practical tools organizations can use to keep up with evolving technology and compliance requirements. By providing the tools to upskill and train employees alongside automation, robotics, and other new technologies, manufacturers develop a stronger and more capable workforce.
To learn more about online learning and Manex’s own e-learning platform for business, contact us today. We can help you put the right tools in place to give your team access to the digital training tools that help manufacturers stay competitive. Contact Manex now.
