Every year, thousands of companies around the globe hire millions of fresh graduates, welcoming them into their organizational fold and teaching them the ropes.
Honestly, on-the-job training might be the most underrated way of learning.
Remember Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom?
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
So, if this way of education is such a game-changer, why do manufacturers have a love-hate relationship with it?
Here's the problem: traditional training methods often disrupt production, pulling employees away from their workstations and causing dreaded manufacturing downtime. And that’s no small issue—industrial manufacturers lose $50 billion annually to unplanned downtime.
But fear not—there’s a solution: digital signage.
By delivering training content through digital displays scattered across the facility, employees can pick up new skills in bite-sized sessions throughout their day.
No need to abandon their workstations or halt the assembly line.
Downtime Isn’t a Word in The Digital Signage World
It takes your employees 24 minutes to refocus after getting distracted? And since distractions pop up every few hours, they’re losing around 2.1 hours per day just trying to get their groove back.
These distractions include traditional training methods like seminars or workshops.
The result? Valuable manufacturing downtime and a productivity nosedive. Not ideal.
So, if you want to impart comprehensive training to your staff to help them understand what they can do better and how to get about it without eating into their productivity, here's what you need to do: Use digital signage to engage employees in a structured and scheduled learning process.
By accessing these learning modules during brief moments between tasks or while waiting for machinery to be serviced, employees can take advantage of their free time to learn on the go.
This method allows them to learn continuously without interrupting workflow.
Bonus: People learn fast and better when they’re treated with visual information—90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
Curious about how digital signage operates? Learn more about the technology behind digital signage.
Also Read: How to Reduce Labor Costs in Manufacturing with Digital Signage
Using Micro-learning to Increase Employee Skill Development
What do short videos, infographics, and quick training updates have in common? They’re the secret sauce for employee microlearning.
And they can all effortlessly make their way onto your factory floors with the help of digital signage.
Imagine this: employees learning new skills in just a few minutes—without disrupting their workflow or pausing production. Sounds too good to be true? With microlearning, it’s entirely possible.
Microlearning provides a modern approach with concise, focused modules that can be completed in just a few minutes—ideal for fitting into short breaks or moments of manufacturing downtime.
Think bite-sized lessons that are easy to digest and straight to the point.
By strategically placing digital signage throughout the workplace, manufacturers can deliver quick, targeted lessons on the go. These could cover everything from safety procedures and equipment maintenance to new software updates.
And the best part? Digital signage offers a high level of customization.
Choose any form of content and customize it to help employees stay informed and skilled, all in record time.
Moreover, research indicates that microlearning can improve knowledge retention by 17%.
This combination of digital signage and microlearning accelerates skill development, reduces manufacturing downtime, and boosts overall efficiency.
Prepared to enhance your training breaks with digital signage? Schedule a demo with L Squared’s team today.
Track Training Progress with Real-Time Data
Once you securely set up your micro-learning modules, it's time to track the improvements in your employees.
How can you ensure that training programs are truly effective without disrupting your team's productivity?
The answer lies in tracking progress with real-time data.
Now you can identify gaps in knowledge and adjust programs on the digital screens—ensuring training remains relevant and efficient.
You can also provide your employees with real-time feedback to correct mistakes and avoid repeating them in future tasks.
Additionally, this kind of real-time tracking helps minimize manufacturing downtime by allowing managers to pinpoint areas where workers may need additional support.
Pro Tip: Use real-time tracking to identify where employees need extra support. This reduces the need for lengthy training sessions, and enables quick adjustments with instant feedback—getting your team back on track faster.
This approach not only keeps your employee training on track but also prevents unnecessary downtime, improving overall productivity while ensuring employees gain the skills they need.
Also Read: Transforming Industrial Operations with Digital Signage: Production Line and Shop Floor Innovations
Minimize Manufacturing Downtime Through Employee Training
Let's be real: Training can feel like a snooze-fest, and keeping your employees stuck in sessions for hours might be a pure waste of time.
Take Jess, for instance--- a machine operator at a bustling manufacturing plant. Jess used to dread traditional training sessions because it meant:
Stepping away from his workstation
Losing valuable time
Struggling to retain the mountain of information presented in one go
He simply didn't see the value in these sessions. To resolve these problems, the authorities decided to bring in digital signage.
Instead of long training sessions, Jess now learns on the go. For instance, when faced with an overloaded machine, Jess spotted a 3-minute troubleshooting video displayed on a nearby screen.
He watched it during his break, learned how to reset the machine, and applied the knowledge immediately—no need for a scheduled training session or production downtime.
Moral of the story: Digital signage reduces the need for scheduled downtime and keeps employees engaged and productive.
Also Read: Digital Communication Strategies for Remote Manufacturing Teams
Boost Employee Training with L Squared’s Digital Signage Solutions
When we were kids, we would have smaller chapters what would interlink with each other to reveal the bigger picture. That's how we learned.
You could argue that our brains have grown since then, but the reality is that the things we deal with have also gotten more complex.challenges we handle now have leveled up in complexity too.
With new technology and nuanced challenges, your employee training needs to be contextual and immediate.
Digital signage delivers exactly that. It offers real-time updates, delivers microlearning content, and reduces downtime—all without disrupting your workflow.
From displaying step-by-step guides to sharing all the important reminders, digital signage keeps your team informed and engaged directly at their workstations.
Want to see how structured training plans can make a difference? Check out A Plant Manager's Guide to Training New Hires in 30 Days.
If you’re ready to elevate your training strategy with digital signage, L Squared is here to help.
With our customizable digital signage solutions, you can integrate industry-leading tools, go live in under an hour, and receive 24/5 support customized to your manufacturing needs.
Don’t wait for costly manufacturing downtime to pile up.
Reach out to L Squared today and transform your training strategy!
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How do digital boards help with predictive maintenance?
Digital boards display real-time data like equipment performance, usage, and potential warning signs, such as abnormal vibrations or temperature changes. They provide alerts, maintenance schedules, and live updates, enabling teams to address issues proactively. By reducing unplanned downtime and coordinating team efforts effectively, digital boards improve overall equipment reliability and productivity.
2) What are key metrics to monitor for predictive maintenance?
Key metrics include equipment temperature, vibration levels, energy consumption, run-time, downtime percentage, and maintenance history. Monitoring these metrics helps identify patterns indicating wear or potential failures, ensuring timely interventions to minimize disruptions and maintain productivity.
