June and July are the annual college entrance examination season, which is a key node for millions of students to choose their future career path. But for industrial manufacturing, attracting young people to join the industry, learn relevant skills, and eventually encourage them to return to the “factory” seems to be a constant problem. With the rise and spread of robotics and artificial intelligence, technology is reshaping related industries. So how can the use of technology and automation in manufacturing help companies attract and retain talent? What key role do human resource managers play in this process, and why are they needed to lead this change?

Written by Lotte Sodemann Sørensen, Vice President of Human Resources, UAO

I grew up in an industrial environment with the roar of machines, and my father was the head of a large brewery in Denmark. In my childhood memories, I witnessed the hard physical work of the workers on the production line, which undoubtedly put a heavy burden on their physical health.

IOR810-P-HB-IOR-80010000 The risk of injury is always hanging over workers. With the gradual application of robotics, the working environment has also been positively changed, and it can also improve work safety and create better career development space.

Today, robot automation technology has developed to a new height, and technological innovation is advancing at an astonishing speed. In large manufacturing enterprises, automation has become a core component of the production process. But for many human resource managers, robotics is still a relatively unfamiliar field, often accompanied by misunderstandings and biases. In fact, robotics can not only create a better working environment for companies, but also play an important role in attracting and retaining talent.

As practitioners in the human resources industry, we need to keep up with the development of this technology. Because the problem of labor shortage and skills mismatch is still a big problem for our daily recruitment. But the rise of robotics has given us a new way to address this challenge.

Let your employees grow

Human resources teams generally recognize this: robot automation can not only make up for the shortage of labor, but also improve production efficiency and ensure high standards and consistency of product quality. Robots, as we all know, are particularly suited for tasks that people don’t want to do or aren’t suited for humans to do. At UCO, we usually classify Dull, Dirty and IOR810-P-HB-IOR-80010000 Dangerous jobs as 3D jobs. When we automate these tasks, we can not only improve worker safety, but also reduce physical injuries.

Investing in technology is an important part of building an attractive work environment. Not only does it help employees improve their personal skills, but it also makes the company more attractive as an employer. This is especially critical for younger workers, who need to understand that jobs in manufacturing are safe and fulfilling, and offer rich opportunities for career growth and advancement.

Young workers use collaborative robots to start automated jobs

In addition, by implementing strategies such as cross-training, developing personal development plans and career planning, combined with continuous updating of technology and equipment, we are able to greatly enrich the skill pool of our employees. The deep convergence of technology, automation and digitalization in manufacturing is making work more attractive and challenging. At the same time, staying on top of production technologies and motivating employees to familiarize themselves with these new technologies and industry dynamics are key strategies for creating a consistently attractive work environment.