Manufacturers today face a rapidly evolving workforce landscape, where the traditional ways of capturing, sharing, and applying knowledge are no longer effective. According to LNS Research, manufacturers report that frontline workforce turnover has reached an all-time high, leading to:
- A 75% reduction in average worker tenure, meaning companies must constantly onboard and train new employees.
- Increased hiring churn and “green-on-green” training, where inexperienced employees train other inexperienced employees, leading to productivity loss and quality issues.
- Negative impacts on operational performance, as 84% of manufacturers report that losing experienced workers has directly hurt their efficiency.
With these challenges, manufacturers cannot afford to rely on outdated training methods like static manuals, job shadowing, or inconsistent on-the-job training. Employees need real-time access to critical operational knowledge to prevent errors, reduce downtime, and maintain consistency in production quality.
This is where Connected Process Control (CPC) solutions provide a transformational approach—enabling manufacturers to capture, standardize, and transfer knowledge seamlessly, empowering workers when and where they need it most.
A Personal Experience: Why Real-Time Knowledge Matters
When I worked at a manufacturing plant, I experienced firsthand how lack of access to real-time knowledge can impact production.
I often found myself guessing through tasks simply because the right information wasn’t readily available. Instead of having digital guidance at my workstation, I had to rely on the “tribal knowledge” passed down by a handful of workers with varying levels of experience—which led to errors, wasted materials, and unnecessary rework.
This experience made me realize that even the most skilled workers need immediate access to accurate, up-to-date information to perform their jobs effectively. And for new employees, having structured, real-time guidance can mean the difference between success and costly mistakes.
Connected Process Control solutions help solve these challenges by embedding real-time process control, automated alerts, and interactive work instructions directly into manufacturing operations—empowering employees to follow best practices effortlessly and with confidence.
How Epicor CPC Improves Knowledge Transfer and Operational Excellence
Epicor CPC bridges the gap between knowledge and execution, so that that workers have instant access to process instructions, alerts, and best practices, all within their workflow.
Key Capabilities of Epicor CPC:
- Digital Work Instructions and SOPs—Provides step-by-step, interactive task guidance, minimizing training time and helping ensure consistent process execution.
- Automated Process Alerts—Detects deviations from standard procedures and triggers immediate corrective actions, preventing defects before they occur.
- Smart Tool Integration—Connects with IoT-enabled devices to provide real-time feedback, reinforcing best practices without supervisor intervention.
- Connected Workforce Enablement—Ensures that operators receive live updates and process improvements, eliminating outdated manuals and reducing reliance on tribal knowledge.
- Process Compliance & Standardization—Captures real-time process deviations and operator performance, allowing manufacturers to ensure compliance and continuously improve workflows.
The Limitations of Traditional Training and Why Real-Time Knowledge Transfer is Essential
Most manufacturers still rely on outdated training methods, including:
- Job Shadowing and Peer Training—Can be inconsistent and highly dependent on the quality and availability of experienced workers.
- Paper-Based Manuals and SOPs—Often outdated, inaccessible on the shop floor, and difficult to reference in real-time.
- One-Time Training Sessions—Employees often forget what they learned if it’s not reinforced through continuous, on-the-job guidance.
With Epicor CPC, companies can move beyond static knowledge transfer to dynamic, real-time process enablement. Instead of relying on one-time training, CPC helps ensure that employees always have access to the most relevant, up-to-date process knowledge, right when they need it.
The Competitive Advantage of Real-Time Knowledge Management
Manufacturers that invest in Connected Process Control solutions gain a significant competitive edge by:
- Reducing Training Time and Costs—With digital work instructions, new employees can become fully productive faster.
- Supporting Compliance and Standardization—Automated alerts and real-time SOPs enable every operator to follow best practices.
- Minimizing Errors and Rework—Smart process alerts catch mistakes before they happen, reducing scrap and improving product quality.
- Improving Workforce Retention—Employees feel more confident and capable when they have the tools to work efficiently and accurately.
- Driving Continuous Improvement—Capturing real-time process data allows manufacturers to identify inefficiencies and optimize production over time.
The Future of Manufacturing: Digital Knowledge Transfer and Continuous Learning
The manufacturing industry is evolving rapidly, and companies that fail to modernize their knowledge transfer strategies risk falling behind.
Why Manufacturers Must Act Now:
- Workforce turnover isn’t slowing down—Companies must prioritize structured knowledge transfer before more expertise is lost.
- Digitized process control is redefining manufacturing efficiency—Early adopters of real-time process control will outperform those still relying on static training methods.
- Real-time workforce enablement is the new standard—Employees expect modern tools that guide them through tasks and help them make better decisions.
Connected Process Control solutions are at the forefront of this transformation, enabling manufacturers to empower workers with real-time process intelligence, reduce errors, and future-proof operations.
Key Takeaways:
- Epicor CPC transforms knowledge transfer by providing real-time work instructions, automated alerts, and process compliance tools.
- Manufacturers can minimize errors, improve efficiency, and enhance workforce engagement by integrating real-time process controls and connected workflows.
- Companies that invest in digital process control will gain a competitive advantage in quality, efficiency, and workforce productivity.
The Time to Act is Now
As manufacturers adapt to workforce challenges and technological advancements, investing in Connected Process Control solutions is a key to building a resilient, knowledge-driven workforce.
Epicor Principal Product Marketing Manager
Andrew Robling is a Principal Product Marketing Manager at Epicor, where he leads the development of innovative solutions for the manufacturing industry. Andrew was educated at Princeton University and is based in Georgetown, Ontario.
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