The era of smart manufacturing, once characterized by sensors, figures, and robots, is entering a new phase—one led by an empowered workforce. The industry’s focus must shift from automation to enabling frontline workers to thrive in increasingly digital, smarter environments.
The Deloitte 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey reveals that 85 percent of manufacturers believe smart manufacturing will transform factories into more productive and seamless environments. Yet as investment in advanced technologies accelerates, challenges around workforce agility and resilience are also intensifying. The question manufacturers now face is clear: how do they keep frontline teams empowered as automation surges?
Antoine Bisson, CEO of Poka, explores how connected worker solutions will not replace human labor but act as a catalyst—turning smart manufacturing initiatives into engines of growth by enhancing skills, engagement, and performance.
He argues that while the technology trends highlighted in Deloitte’s 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey are important, they tell only part of the story behind truly intelligent operations. From closing the frontline skills gap to keeping human operations at the core—four key takeaways from through the lens of the connected worker:
1. Closing the frontline skills gap once and for all
The Deloitte survey reported that 48 percent of manufacturers find filling production roles increasingly challenging and 46 percent struggle with planning and scheduling talent. It’s clear that workforce demographics are shifting, and manufacturers need to spring into action to optimize talent and potential, all while adapting to new, complex technology systems and workflows.
If smarter manufacturing is boosted by connected workers, staffing challenges can be eliminated, and legacy knowledge can not only be retained but also more easily absorbed by less experienced workers.
Connected worker tools turn workplaces into reactive environments by capturing tribal knowledge and turning those insights into accessible, bite-sized training videos or work instructions for every team member across every role.
By embracing connected worker tools, workforce development can shift from a hindrance to a key driver for manufacturers.
2. Navigating the last mile
Digital investments are increasingly infrastructure-focused, with 41 percent of manufacturers planning to prioritize factory automation hardware, 34 percent on sensor technologies, and 28 percent on vision systems. These tools form the foundation of modern industrial environments. But they create a critical challenge: the last mile.
In IT, the “last mile” refers to the final leg of connectivity between a service and its end user. In smart manufacturing terms, it’s the bridging gap between data generation and frontline production.
Machines today have more crucial capabilities than ever. Machinery can report live performance metrics, provide predictive analytics, and support fault forecasting. But what if these insights don’t reach the surveyor, or the response is delayed or inconsistent? Here, connected worker solutions play an indispensable role in empowering supervisors and driving seamless operations, improving insight access and collaboration.
Here AI and Gen AI hold even more potential in this loop. As more data is captured in structured formats, large language models can help surface patterns, suggest fixes or even create training content automatically. But their true power lies in their ability to support—not supplant—human workers. That’s why the interface matters.
3. Human operations still rule the roost
While digital transformations take over, sustaining competitive edge requires smarter manufacturing priorities. As Deloitte says, 92 percent of manufacturers view smart manufacturing as critical to their competitiveness in the next five years.
This shift is transforming manufacturing into smart manufacturing, moving beyond automation and technological integration alone. But what is often missed as part of “smart” manufacturing is the human element.
Those who do align technology implementation with people and processes see positive impact. It’s no surprise the report finds that manufacturers who have successfully implemented smart manufacturing solutions saw 10 percent to 20 percent improvement in production output, a 7 percent to 20 percent improvement in employee productivity, and 10 percent to 15 percent in unlocked capacity.
Overall, the question is not about the newest machinery capabilities, but the connectivity from person to machine to process—you cannot have one without the other. Smart manufacturing is about people-enabled technology that closes the loop between insight and intervention. For instance, an operator identifying a quality issue can now scan a QR code for a product/ equipment biography, and a short-form instruction video will appear, guiding them to log the fault and notify maintenance efficiently, all while allowing supervisors to work uninterrupted as frontline skill themselves up independently.
4. Agility at the core – even when governance and risk come into play
In an increasingly autonomous environment, governance and risk become pressing requirements. The Deloitte study found that 65 percent of manufacturers consider operational risk mitigation a pressing priority, alongside cybersecurity, workforce adoption, and data management.
As systems scale, so does complexity. No matter the number of factory plant operations, without robust governance systems, the risk of inaccuracies or non-compliant or unsafe practices increases significantly. Again, the essential tool for enabling good governance and risk mitigation is an updated, modernized, and integrated connected worker solution. Here, operating practices can be clearly defined and enforced via digital tools, and ongoing procedures, including training, can be enhanced. Whether due to supply chain instability, geopolitical shifts, or workforce turnover, manufacturing companies must be able to adapt swiftly. With a connected worker platform, practices become universally streamlined, and any changes can be rolled across lines, shifts, and even global sites.
As a result, governance is no longer seen as a constraint but a powerful catalyst for agility and resilience.
Manufacturing success spurred by connected teams
As we move through this new era, smart manufacturing will remain important, but the key imperative for manufacturers is no longer just to automate, but to empower their human workers in these smarter environments. Technology should act as a catalyst—amplifying human capability, not attempting to replace it.
And connected worker tools hold the key to unlock these smarter manufacturing initiatives.
