Around the globe, organisations face a challenge when it comes to truly creating an inclusive workforce. The phrase ‘inclusive workforce’ here indicates integration of individuals with disabilities (special abilities), amongst others. This challenge becomes even more complex with jobs in and around the production-lines and manufacturing units.
Data shows approximately 73% of employees remain employable only two years after medical rehabilitation. Companies must proactively adapt work environments to ensure sustainable inclusive conditions. To achieve this, adapting to Digital Assistance Systems may prove revolutionary.
What Are Digital Assistance Systems?
Digital assistance systems include a broad category of technical tools, designed to streamline workflows, helping employees with disability to contribute productively, with ease. Some of these technical tools may include visual instructions, auditory cues, and intelligent solutions leveraging IoT and Machine Learning (ML) to structure and guide tasks.
How Do Assistance Systems Support Employees with Disabilities?
Digital assistance systems offer substantial benefits in assembly and production environments. Worker guidance systems, for example, visually break down tasks so that employees can carry out work accurately and independently. This reduces stress and the risk of errors and allows employees with disabilities not only sustain their job roles but excel in it. Taking these measures are necessary because in 2023 alone, 117,000 initiatives for workplace inclusion were documented in Germany, with 52% related to job creation or retention.
Further, leveraging digital assistance systems brings in benefits not only for the employees, but for the organisations as well. With minimum error and a thorough real-time analysis, the product quality improves significantly. Digital assistance systems are not merely tools but pivotal technologies for creating a sustainable efficient workplace. According to McKinsey & Company, digital assistance systems can increase productivity by up to 30% and reduce error rates by up to 50% (McKinsey & Company, 2021).
Dropslab Technologies develops such systems and has been a part of social projects (like INCLUREG) concerning workplace inclusion for people with disabilities.
Dropslab Technologies: A Platform for Inclusion in Production Environments
Solutions from Dropslab Technologies can help integrate employees with disabilities into production and manufacturing. Through our digital assistance systems like Droplslab Sense and Dropslab Core, we help adapt workflows to the needs and capabilities of the individual. For example, with Project INCLUREG, we have successfully introduced technologies like computer vision, machine learning, and IoT to help organisations employ specially abled people, creating an accessible and efficient work environment.
Real-time worker guidance is one of the key features of the Dropslab platform, using intuitive visual instructions and immediate feedback. Features such as pick-by-light sensors and Augmented Reality (AR) provide clear, understandable task directions, ensuring accurate execution of complex tasks. Simultaneously, the system monitors each process step against predefined standards, automatically identifying deviations and errors and initiating corrective measures, all in real time. Fraunhofer IAO research proves such digital systems are effective in raising productivity and promoting the integration of people with disabilities (Fraunhofer IAO, 2022).
Dropslab’s ability to integrate smoothly into existing workflows sets new standards for workplace inclusion and efficiency, especially in the manufacturing environments.
References:
- Fraunhofer IAO, 2022: Study on the Effectiveness of Assistance Systems in Assembly.
- IAB, 2023: Institute for Employment Research Study on Workplace Inclusion.
- McKinsey & Company, 2021: Study on Productivity Improvements through Digital Assistance Systems.
- World Economic Forum (WEF), 2022: Report on the Benefits of Inclusive Workplaces for Innovation.