Smart Technology’s Impact on Industry
Advancements in technology have always made industry change and grow. In more recent years, the integration of smart technology throughout different sectors of industry has caused an immense shift in how labor is distributed and focused. Because of this, it’s increasingly important to support the employees who help work through these changes and growth, and it’s vital to build systems for that support.
What Is Smart Technology?
Smart technology is something that different industries are seeing integrated increasingly into their processes. While big companies like Amazon and HP may seem like obvious places where smart technology should be used, other industries, like machining and manufacturing, are additional areas where smart technology is being integrated effectively. Smart technology analyzes large amounts of data. With the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning, awareness is brought into machines. That means technologies can adapt to changes rapidly, in real-time, and optimize operations for the needs of customers and processes. What this means is that fewer human resources are needed to run many areas where previously massive amounts of employee labor were required.
Revolution: Industrial vs. Human
Technology today changes so rapidly that sometimes it can be hard for the public to keep up. However, employees working at companies that employ smart technology are required to stay up to date with swiftly shifting operations and must be able to think on their feet now more than ever. Efficiency has always been key, and smart technology makes logistics, manufacturing, and supply chains these systems even more efficient
While these technologies can adapt to immediate changes in both factories and client needs, they still need human labor to oversee operations. Just like the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries shifted how goods were made, and made human labor less physically intensive, so too does the usage of smart technology change any already less labor-intensive industries to being more technology-based. Humans, however, are the common denominators in both situations, and no matter the optimization, it requires human labor to create and integrate these new systems.
Support Systems
It’s easy to know what machines and technology need to continue operating properly: support. The same can be said for the employees who monitor, develop, and maintain these systems. Employees are integral to the smart technology revolution, just as they were to the industrial revolution, and having systems in place to support them is vital to the success of these changes.
Those in the workforce now need to be able to adapt quickly to these changes and accept that the different industries in which they work will continue to adjust in ways that previous generations would likely consider break-neck. Workers need to be skilled today in a way they didn’t have to be even 50 years ago and ready to embrace changes daily. To continue to support the growth of businesses, it’s especially important to support those workers who are making the change possible. Smart technology can create systems that are efficient to help to offer support to these workers. Offering new smart solutions will help to empower the employees who help businesses to adapt and grow in the face of changing technologies.
IVM offers smart solutions to support not only inventory management but also provide employees with the critical equipment they may need to perform their roles effectively. From smart lockers to vending machines, IVM’s smart solutions work for a variety of industries, including retail, technology, industrial, healthcare, and education. Learn more about how IVM can help offer efficient support for your business.
