Today’s manufacturing companies require new solutions to maintain safe, adaptable, and well-connected teams across their frontline workforce—and that begins with modern tools for communication in manufacturing.

By using technology to improve the way manufacturing teams communicate with production workers, management can improve worker safety, boost overall efficiency and agility, and shorten the time it takes to deliver vital information down the chain. Improved communications with frontline workers can also reduce employee turnover and keep your workforce engaged and tuned in to what’s happening in the company. 

This ebook will identify the different roles that frontline manufacturing workers have, the challenges of effective communication, and how theEMPLOYEEapp’s customizable technology can address these challenges.

What Are Manufacturing Communication Solutions?

There are many different communication solutions for manufacturing companies. This includes many traditional employee communication tools and channels such as intranets, email, and printed materials to supplement in-person, manager communication.

But in recent years, there has also been a rise in use of mobile technology, specifically to allow manufacturing companies to reach and engage with their employees in their plants and facilities. This mobile technology includes employee apps and texting.

How Do You Communicate Effectively in a Manufacturing Environment?

There are several best practices for effective communication in manufacturing environments. Because you want to maintain the continuity of a safety culture, keeping phones and distractions off the line is key. That said, you can make the best use of technology for when employees aren’t on the line (e.g. break rooms, before they come to work, etc.).

Here are some of those tactics:

• Improve your targeting. Because you have multiple shifts, it’s important to target information to each shift at an appropriate time for them. Your third shift will likely miss that early morning push notification, for example. So, try to stagger important, operational messages to be sent to each shift at the right time.
• Talk to your line workers. Employees on the floor are going to have needs, opinions, and helpful feedback. Tap into that insight by using employee surveys and talking to them regularly.
• Focus on line manager communication. Managers play an important role on the plant floor. They keep your employees safe and informed. But they aren’t always the best communicators. Don’t neglect training them on how to be more effective at this part of their role.

What Our Guide on Manufacturing in Communication Includes:

• What manufacturing workers need from a comms solution.
• Manufacturing employee personas, including their main communication challenges and best practices for reaching them.
• How to maintain a Safety Culture while using a mobile app for communication.
• Benefits of mobile apps for internal comms.
• A real-world example of how one of our clients has used our app to elevate communication at their company.
• Tips for evaluating technology partners.