Cloud adoption projects can help manufacturers save time, effort, and money. In 2020, around one-third of UK manufacturers had adopted cloud computing services. Most would have taken advantage of well-known benefits such as increased productivity, accessibility, reporting, data security, and decreased operation and IT costs. However, if you consider cloud adoption for your manufacturing company, your employees must play an active role in this process.

Rather than adopting changes and notifying employees, they need to get included from the beginning. This article will help you find how you should involve the employees and support them at every step of the journey. You can understand how to support your employees, avoid pitfalls, and so on because you would not want to get this process wrong by investing all this money or losing people.

Putting people first in cloud adoption projects

Guy Sorrill is the director of consulting at Sysdoc. A company that provides experienced teams to help with business and technology change projects, particularly those in the manufacturing sector. He claims that medium-sized manufacturers can add 10% to the cost of a technological transformation project – amounting to hundreds or millions of pounds – by moving forward without first obtaining employee support. “You can put any technology in the cloud or on someone’s PC, but if they don’t see the value of utilizing it or how it will help their work, you may struggle to realize the advantage of your investment,” he continues.

How and why businesses prioritize technology over people

The transition to cloud technologies can be a significant organizational change involving numerous teams or departments. Some employees may see it as a minimal danger because they have been working in the same way, unchallenged, for years. 

A significant risk arises when some manufacturers disregard these issues and the potential consequences for people’s jobs. According to Sorrill, business owners are so eager to save money that they make changes and then wait to see how their employees react. Some manufacturers also neglect to implement a clear change management plan for saving money, which can be a false economy on critical projects.

However, migrating to the cloud without incorporating your team may negatively impact your project. People are the lifeblood of any company, and a happy workforce is 12 percent more productive. If you lose your employees’ trust and, if they vote with their feet, you may soon discover that the costs of recruitment and retraining are considerably expensive. Therefore, to sustain the employees, you must support them where necessary. 

Five common issues faced by manufacturers starting on with the cloud adoption projects:

1. Lacking leadership support: One of the biggest mistakes you can make as the CEO of a manufacturing company in a tech project is failing to provide your or your management team’s support for the employees. Set an example and champion the initiative to your employees; otherwise, they will be resistant to a potentially disruptive change.

2. Not having a clear vision: Any cloud technology solution must meet a specific business need. Technology is a facilitator, but it is rarely a magic bullet. And if you do not use caution, you could find yourself responsible and accountable for a wasteful and unproductive project.

3. Lack of planning: Shifting to the cloud may modify your company procedures and organizational structure. Plan to manage these sensitive areas while maintaining morale and keeping the project on schedule and within budget.

4. Failing to involve the people: If you fail to explain changes to your staff and forget to involve them in the process, you may find that some become on principle opposed to the project and refuse to cooperate, which can substantially affect the progress and outcomes.

5. Insufficient investment in change management: Many big manufacturers have widely implemented change management, but some smaller enterprises still regard it as fluffy and not business-critical. According to Sorrill, the fewer money manufacturers spend on change management, the more likely cloud transformation project will fail.

Why should you prioritize people and culture?

Failure to engage and support your employees might have significant consequences for your bottom line. According to Sorrill, one company asked him for help after failing to engage its leadership or adopt change management. This approach resulted in significant employee opposition and an 18-month prolongation of the technological roll-out. That equates to 18 months of extra spending and 18 months of unrealized cost savings. This incorrect strategy can increase the overall cost of the system by 10% and can put leaders on the defensive, resulting in a loss of trust from their employees.

Four strategies to have a successful cloud adoption project

1. Have a robust vision and plan: To assist in engaging the entire workforce, obtain employee support for the project from your senior management team at the beginning of the project.

2. Communicating with your employees: Companies should explain to all employees why the change is necessary, the benefits of the project, and how they intend to reach their target. Create an open and transparent culture in which individuals are comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns, and suggesting improvements to changes that may affect their jobs and day-to-day operations.

3. Prioritize training: Consider developing an online course to teach people how to use your new technology. This method will allow people to learn at their own pace while avoiding the tiredness and logistical issues in classroom-based learning. For the best outcomes, personalize the training to the needs of different teams inside your company. However, if you believe that in-person training is the best option for your company, go that path or perhaps combine the two. Also, ensure that training is a continuous process rather than a one-time event.

4. Consider having support: Your expertise lies in running a manufacturing company, not delivering technology change projects. It may be worthwhile to explore obtaining further employee support to ensure long-term success. It could entail bringing the necessary expertise in-house, upskilling your employees, and ensuring that changes are managed on an ongoing basis.

Due to the pandemic, UK manufacturing enterprises have just undergone one of the most significant operational transformations in history. As the cost of materials rises because of disruptions, many businesses are refocusing their efforts on lowering operation costs. It is an excellent opportunity for forward-thinking manufacturers to capitalize on cloud technologies. Always ensure that your company has a clear plan and measures to avoid various issues. Also, ensure that your employees are provided the support they need and involved at every stage of the process.

Author’s Bio:

Deepali Daiya is a communication expert who excels in understanding customer needs. She writes powerful sales scripts and articles with very high conversion rates. Currently, she is associated with Sage Software Solutions, a leading distributor of high-quality ERP and CRM systems to small and mid-sized businesses in India.

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