Productivity is coming increasingly under the spotlight, particularly when discussing the future of manufacturing. Yet for an industry defined by precision, output and tight margins, its meaning is far from simple. The challenge is to increase production while ensuring efficiency and quality are working side by side – but there isn’t a simple one-size-fits-all solution.
Particularly in a time of progressing artificial intelligence and advanced automation, manufacturers are grappling with even more pressure to boost output. These tools can strengthen operations, yet they cannot transform them alone. A more effective approach takes a wider view, looking beyond output to consider quality, resilience and how the whole operation fits together. Redefining productivity in modern manufacturing will be key to sustainable growth.
Using AI to its full potential
AI is reshaping manufacturing in a myriad of ways, but its implementation needs to be strategic and targeted. Otherwise, organisations are at risk of wasting investments on technology that won’t actually bring significant productivity gains in the way they are expecting.
As highlighted by Josef Al-Sibaie, COO at Syspro, AI can have the most impact when applied to the most basic and routine tasks. “Productivity in UK businesses is often limited by how much time is spent on repetitive admin tasks, rather than finding solutions to more complex issues,” he says. “AI is starting to change this by speeding up how quickly teams can move from a problem to a workable solution, whether in planning, analysis or day-to-day operations. In effect, it gives employees an additional layer of support, shortening workflows and enabling faster progress from intent to outcome.”
“The real opportunity here goes beyond efficiency”, he adds. “As routine work is automated, employees have more space to focus on critical thinking and more creative problem-solving. Unlocking that potential depends on leadership giving employees the freedom to experiment with AI, explore use cases relevant to their roles and build confidence through hands-on use”
However, he understands that there are still barriers to address: “Alongside ensuring that employees business-wide have the technical skills to utilise AI to its full potential, knowing when to trust, challenge or refine outputs is also critical. Given that knowledge now sits at everyone’s fingertips, it is the ability to synthesise actionable insights from this knowledge that will truly differentiate. Without those capabilities, productivity gains will be limited. Companies must define clear business objectives and measure the impact that AI has on achieving them, whether this is through reduced hours spent on a task, fewer human interventions in a process or lower error rates. These quantifiable proof points will serve as clear reminders of why AI is so powerful and drive continued excitement throughout organisations.”
Don’t crack under the pressure
Despite many already implementing and seeing benefits from AI, manufacturers must also ensure that it can hold up when things inevitably go wrong. This is something recognised by Paraic O’Lochlainn, VP of eMaint, a Fluke Corporation Brand. “The real enemy isn’t throughput; it’s variability: unplanned downtime, supply chain disruption, inconsistent maintenance execution, hard‑to‑find information, and critical expertise walking out the door,” he believes.
O’Lochlainn argues that: “The mistake isn’t moving too slowly on automation – it’s trying to automate everything at once. When technicians spend more time searching than solving, productivity breaks long before capacity does. AI should remove friction, turn asset data into instant answers, manuals into actionable guidance, and frontline input repeatable execution.”
It’s no longer just about doing more with less; particularly in high-stakes environments, productivity can be boosted by enabling skilled staff to perform consistently across all operations, at all times.
Focusing on the frontline
However, new technology isn’t the only driver for productivity. Focusing on people can have just as much of an impact, if not more. Mark Williams, Managing Director EMEA at WorkJam, sees the importance of investing in employees themselves: “Some of the biggest efficiency gains in manufacturing are found in the people on the frontline, and in giving those people exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.”
“The reality is that onboarding still absorbs weeks of effort and significant cost yet many new hires take months to reach full productivity”, he says. “Managers are stretched across shifts and sites, often repeating the same training or correcting the same gaps. By giving workers access to precision-targeted, consistent communication and learning, the burden on managers is reduced and they are free to spend more time where they have the greatest impact. When frontline teams can learn, communicate, and act in real time, productivity flourishes.” He emphasises the importance of having consistency across all teams, not just focusing on speed alone.
It’s clear that those who will pull ahead in the industry are the ones that truly understand what productivity depends upon. By taking a multifaceted approach and implementing new technology alongside supporting existing employees to excel in their current roles, organisations can feel confident in boosting their output.
