Training, upskilling and reskilling employees to use new technologies is a top workforce priority for industries including transportation, logistics and field services.
Samsara’s 2023 State of Connected Operations Report found more than half (56%) of physical operations leaders in the UK and Ireland in 2023 are planning workforce investment.
The data, which surveyed 300 physical operations leaders in the UK and Ireland, also shows that 79% of these leaders are planning to invest up to £1,200 per employee to boost workforce development this year.
This comes as physical operations leaders identify major skills gaps among their employees:
- 54% say they’re lacking safety and knowledge skills, such as compliance regulations, health and safety management, safety standards, and safety auditing and training
- 53% said digital skills, including the ability to use digital devices, applications, and networks to access and manage information
- 53% cited sustainability knowledge and skills, such as environmental data collection, carbon accounting, and regulatory expertise
To overcome the skills shortage, leaders are planning to invest heavily in digital technologies over the next 18 months. Around two-thirds (64%) plan to introduce digital workflows to guide employees through their day-to-day tasks, 62% want to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) for employee coaching, and 53% plan to use augmented reality and virtual reality.
The benefits of this investment are cited by those organisations already using technologies to train and upskill their employees, with 53% experiencing higher employment retention rates. Half are also seeing increased levels of employee engagement and 47% have noted a substantial increase in employee productivity.
Philip van der Wilt, SVP and general manager EMEA at Samsara, said: “With training and upskilling employees a clear priority for physical operations leaders in the UK and Ireland, investing in new technologies to boost workforce development has never been more important.
“Technology creates opportunities for new roles in physical operations, innovative solutions to address safety, and increased potential for revenue and net new jobs through safety and sustainability initiatives. Tech should be at the heart of key workforce initiatives within the industry, as organisations look to retain employees and attract new recruits.”
To read the complete Samsara report, please click here.
