Why Upskilling Is the Best Gift Leaders Can Give Their Teams

Bill Rokos, CTO of Parsec since 1999, has spearheaded the development of Parsec’s manufacturing operations management platform, TrakSYS.

Within the manufacturing industry, digital transformation is still very much a work in progress. Parsec Automation’s 2024 research found that just 32% of facilities have completed their digitalization endeavors. Those who have reached the proverbial other side are reaping the rewards of enhanced efficiency and optimized production. Their preparedness for and adoption of advanced technology has brought them to new operational heights.

One example of this game-changing technology is AI. Between predictive maintenance, real-time analytics, and supply chain planning, it has huge implications for the manufacturing industry.

Generative AI (“GenAI”), more specifically, hasn’t meaningfully hit the manufacturing space yet, but when it does, I believe it will be nothing short of transformational. Teams will be smarter, troubleshooting will be easier, and data retrieval and audit compliance will be smoother. Data-informed solutions will be just a query away.

GenAI is poised to have a monumental impact on the manufacturing industry. And, yes, it will indeed shake up the labor force. Some jobs — especially those comprising rote, repetitive tasks — will change. Some may even be eliminated by GenAI. But with effective leadership and strategic thinking, teams can turn this disruption into opportunity.

Just as the industry evolves, just as individual businesses evolve, employees should be given the chance to evolve as well. As manufacturing leaders look to 2025 and beyond, the best gift they can get their employees isn’t a pizza party or a Starbucks gift card; it’s upskilling.

AI displacement isn’t an “if”; it’s a “when.”

The teams and individuals who, under thoughtful leadership, embrace GenAI will be more prepared for its inevitable maturity and widespread introduction to the workplace.

These talented individuals possess institutional knowledge that contributes in no small part to business continuity and success. Leaders should put forth a good-faith effort to retain these employees and guide them forward. This means showing them how GenAI can (and will) change their jobs and letting them discover its potential firsthand.

As current ChatGPT users are likely aware, even if the tool doesn’t produce flawless results, it serves as a helpful jumping-off point and source of inspiration. Leaders need to help their teams get up to speed and encourage them to play around with prompt engineering and troubleshooting. Workers should be given access to large language models (LLMs), shown how they can help solve problems across fields, and encouraged to experiment with these tools.

From there, it’s about regularly nudging employees to work with GenAI rather than resisting it — or letting it do all the work for them. For example, if a group of developers is stuck on a problem, the team lead might recommend GenAI as a potential avenue for a solution. Or maybe a customer success team is having trouble crafting resonant messaging; GenAI could spin up some thought-starters to make the copy more engaging.

The more comfortable teams feel using GenAI, the better. Leaders can play a big role in helping their teams view the technology as one of many tools in their arsenal.

Leaders should prepare their teams now.

While there is some truth to the oft-repeated warning that “AI is coming for our jobs,” the inevitable disruption won’t happen overnight. Leaders and teams still have plenty of time to prepare and think strategically about what AI will mean for their organizations.

Laying the groundwork now will minimize speed bumps when AI does start creeping into more aspects of daily operations. The best thing leaders can do for their teams is teach them to use AI — specifically GenAI, which is poised to have a significant impact on white-collar workforces.

Of course, leaders don’t bear full responsibility here. As the adage goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Some employees may demonstrate a natural curiosity and aptitude for the technology, while others may be more inclined to resist. What’s important is that team leads do their part in showing their employees what’s possible and encouraging them, to the best of their abilities, to begin to adapt.

As manufacturers look to the next twelve months, they would be wise to remember that the only constant is change. When it comes to advanced technology—especially something as complex as GenAI—nobody knows with certainty where the road will lead. The best leaders are those who guide their teams through uncharted territory, trying their best to smooth speed bumps along the way.