Automation poses opportunity not threat to labour
November 2013
IT in Manufacturing
“If business automation is causing job losses and redundancy of staff, you’re doing it wrong.” So says Alexander Mehlhorn, CEO of software development company Framework One. He was responding to recent reports of automation in particularly the manufacturing sector that have led to mass lay-offs.
“The objective of business process automation is always to remove bottlenecks to growth and increase productivity. Whether you’re in sales or manufacturing, once you increase your output you will need to employ additional resources to service the growing demand effectively, creating new job opportunities.”
There are also significant benefits to existing workers. “An automation solution will ease the strain on certain manual processes, but it makes the need for proper oversight all the more important. A supervisor will need to upskill in order to manage the floor and ensure effective resource allocation.”
According to Mehlhorn, who specialises in developing enterprise-level business process automation solutions using cloud-based platforms, this is where the opportunity for less skilled workers lies. “A packer, for example, may focus on only one activity, packing boxes all day. But with the insight that automation provides to a supervisor, he can allocate certain workers, where there may be an abundance of resources, to a different function. This not only boosts productivity but also enables workers to broaden their skills base.”
Where automation does result in job losses, there are usually some legacy issues that were not adequately addressed, or missed altogether. “Many companies confuse activity with accomplishment. Business process automation will streamline internal processes and often highlight where too many people are fulfilling a single function. However, the objective should not be to lay these people off, but to reallocate them to business processes that require additional resources as the need arises. Any redundancy therefore is simply highlighted by the automation process, not caused by it.”
For more information contact Framework One, +27 (0)21 813 9947, [email protected], www.frameworkone.com
Further reading:
Why choose between Capex and Opex if you can Totex?
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
In a sector marked by cyclical demand, high capital intensity, and increasing regulatory and sustainability pressures, mining, minerals and metals (MMM) companies are re-evaluating how they approach procurement and investment.
Read more...
AI and the smart factory
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Imagine walking into a factory where machines can think ahead, predict problems before they happen and automatically make adjustments to realise peak performance. This isn’t science fiction, it’s happening right now as AI continues to transform how we run industrial operations.
Read more...
Why your supply chain should be a competitive advantage
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The last five years have placed unprecedented strain on global supply chains. Leading companies are turning the challenge into an opportunity to transform their supply chains into a competitive advantage.
Read more...
Why AI will never truly understand machines
Wearcheck
IT in Manufacturing
Cutting-edge technology and solutions powered by AI are embraced by specialist condition monitoring company, WearCheck, where the extreme accuracy of data used to assess and diagnose machine health is paramount.
Read more...
Buildings and microgrids for a greener future
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Buildings are no longer passive consumers of power. Structures of almost every size are evolving into dynamic energy ecosystems capable of generating, storing and distributing their own electricity. Forming part of this exciting transformation are microgrids.
Read more...
Traditional data centres are not fit for purpose
IT in Manufacturing
Traditional data centre designs are falling short, with nearly half of IT leaders admitting their current infrastructure does not support energy or carbon-reduction goals. New research commissioned by Lenovo reveals that data centre design must evolve to future-proof businesses.
Read more...
AI agents for digital environment management in SA
IT in Manufacturing
The conversation about artificial intelligence in South Africa has shifted rapidly over the past year. Among the technologies changing the pace of business are AI agents - autonomous, task-driven systems designed to operate with limited human input.
Read more...
AI-powered maintenance in future-ready data centres
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The data centre marketplace often still relies on outdated maintenance methods to manage mission-critical equipment. Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is powered by AI and is fast becoming a necessity in ensuring both competitiveness and resilience.
Read more...
Powering up data centre mega development
IT in Manufacturing
Parker Hannifin has secured a major contract to supply key equipment for nearly 30 aeroderivative gas turbines powering a new hyperscale data centre in Texas.
Read more...
Building resilient supply chains through smarter e-procurement
RS South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
In a time of constant disruption, from supply chain uncertainty to rising operational costs, businesses that embrace digital procurement are better positioned to stay competitive and resilient.
Read more...
printer friendly version