Operator 4.0: A Tech-Augmented Human Worker

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Hallelujah: Industry 4.0 lives more than ever before! The robot made its entrance. More and more devices can communicate with each other. Production costs go down, production speed goes up and the old-fashioned factory is quietly transformed into a smart factory.

In the factory of the future, the full focus will be on the operator – your employees. They are the center of attention. They are the beginning and end of every delivered product. And they remain the central factor within your company. You can read about why and how you’re supporting workers in this blog.

The importance of operator 4.0

We call them “tech-augmented human workers” or the operators of the future. Those who keep the production process fully running in order to maintain the quality and quantity of your products. We all agree: this requires more and more technical knowledge and expertise. A challenge for every production company.

There is no doubt: the new way of working is digital. Many companies are already moving with this new trend. They are transforming their production team into technical experts who are able to carry out first line maintenance and repair first line failures. The classic job as an operator disappears and transforms into a new profile: Operator 4.0.

Who is operator 4.0?

The endless desire for customization and choice is growing. Customers can choose more options on their products which means that companies will have to produce smaller series and less of the same. As a result, assembly processes are becoming very complex and stressful for operators.

The future demands a new type of operator. In addition to simple tasks, this operator will also be able to operate complex machines. He has technical insight and abstraction skills. They have relevant experience, are extremely communicative and can be deployed flexibly.

Lifelong learning is perhaps the most important form of digitization in a factory. If engineers want to improve machines, they need the input of your operators because they operate the machines on a daily basis and have all the knowledge. So communication is one of the most important competencies an operator needs to have.

But in fact, it is more important than ever for everyone to learn as many digital skills as possible. Tablets and apps allow you to stay up to date and guide operators towards the digital workplace.

Techno-stress

All well and good, but how harmful is this to the physical and mental health of your employees?

Do you recognize it? Then do us – and your operators – a favor. Involve your workers in the introduction of new technologies and digitization on the shop floor. And opt in full for clarity, with internal communication.

All this technology makes your operators’ lives a lot more pleasant. At least, that’s the idea. But there’s also a downside: the effect of technology on people often causes stress, we’re talking about technostress.

Aspects of technostress:

Dealing with technology 🤳
Use of new technologies in the workplace. Mental load when learning new technology.

Training or support 🎓
Training during the implementation of new technology. Do operators get enough support?

Involvement in the workplace 💬
The extent to which you involve employees in changes. Do operators feel involved?

Junior or senior profile 👷🏽
Older vs. younger employees.

New tasks require new skills. Sure. But also training, involvement and clarity. Operators often don’t receive training when introducing new technology. However, employees who did receive training, they feel better at work and are less insecure.

With a solution like Azumuta, we can reduce physical and mental strain and give operators more autonomy and time for more relevant tasks. There is room for personal development.

Digital operator support… what?

Despite digitization, the human brain is becoming the most important asset in the workplace. But the complexity of production processes is increasing, while the supply of technically trained personnel is decreasing.

That’s why our golden tip: go for digital support on the production floor with a tool like Azumuta. And we promise you a physical and digital solution to make human and machine work together. This ensures that production companies remain competitive in an industry 4.0 world.

Interested or want to know more?

And what about you? Are your operators ready for the future?

Enabling the right tool will take you a long way. Azumuta is the perfect starting point for companies starting with operator support. And the fun thing is, you have everything at hand, in one central tool.

Curious what Azumuta can do for you? Contact us and try it out!

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