Learning and development are critical for maintenance managers to stay up-to-date with industry trends and technologies. In addition, it helps to improve their soft skills, such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving, all essential for effective management.
If you're struggling with unplanned downtime, aging infrastructure and technology, or analyzing data, you're not alone.
Many European companies face similar issues, such as unplanned downtime and emergency maintenance (90%), aging IT infrastructure and technology (88%), connecting modern assets and analyzing data (76%), obtaining asset data (40%), or connecting older legacy assets and obtaining data (29%). However, as a maintenance manager, you are equipped to help address them.
With the right time and resources, you could stay up to date with the latest developments in the industry and find solutions to these problems. You could implement preventive maintenance strategies to reduce unplanned downtime, upgrade your IT infrastructure to keep up with modern technology and leverage data analytics to improve asset performance.
In this article, we will explore the key trends in learning and development for maintenance managers in 2023. We will highlight the benefits of such programs, the challenges in implementing them, and provide solutions to overcome them.
According to Zippia, maintenance managers with a bachelor's degree earn more than those without. But, as technology rapidly evolves, so must the skills and knowledge of maintenance managers, regardless of their level of education.
Even though IoT technologies are predicted to help create nearly $800 billion in economic value, UpKeep says that roughly 30% of manufacturers have difficulty understanding it. This is where learning and development come into play.
Here are several key trends in learning and development that will help you stay ahead of the curve in 2023.
The use of advanced technologies in training, such as VR and AR, AI, and Machine Learning, is a growing trend in learning and development for maintenance managers. The International Data Corporation (IDC) projects $4.1 billion will be invested in augmented and virtual reality for industrial maintenance by 2024.
These technologies offer immersive, interactive, and engaging training experiences that could help you understand complex procedures and new technologies.
For example, in a safe and controlled environment, you could create interactive and immersive training experiences using VR and AR technologies to simulate complex maintenance procedures, such as equipment repairs or replacement.
Emphasizing soft skills development, including leadership and communication skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, is becoming increasingly important in the maintenance industry. These skills help maintenance managers operate teams effectively, communicate with stakeholders, and solve complex problems.
This trend involves providing ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure maintenance managers have the latest knowledge and skills, like leadership and communication skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Increased focus on safety and risk management training, including equipment handling and emergency response procedures, is becoming more critical in the maintenance industry.
Factories throughout the US are estimated to use about $40 billion of outdated equipment, and up to 30% of all manufacturing deaths are related to maintenance activity.
This training is necessary to ensure maintenance managers can work safely and respond effectively in an emergency.
Integrating data analytics and predictive maintenance training is becoming more critical in the maintenance industry. This training involves equipping maintenance managers with the knowledge and skills to analyze data and use predictive maintenance techniques to identify potential issues before they occur.
According to a source cited by UpKeep, poor maintenance strategies can reduce a company's production capacity by as much as 20%. Because predictive analytics yields a tenfold return on investment and results in savings of 30% to 40%, you should focus on integrating data analytics and predictive maintenance into your routine.
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Mobile learning platforms are gaining popularity, enabling maintenance managers to receive training and access resources even in remote locations. These platforms provide convenient and flexible access to training materials, allowing you to learn whenever and wherever they want.
Implementing learning and development programs can be challenging, particularly for organizations with limited budgets and resources. However, the benefits of these programs are too great to ignore. Here are several challenges you could face and possible solutions:
Lack of budget and resources: In 2021, 42.5% of companies in the US spent 21-40% of their operating budget on cleaning and maintenance equipment/supplies. If you are in a similar situation, you could face constraints when wanting to invest in training programs.
Solution: You can explore cost-effective options such as online training, self-paced learning, or leveraging existing training resources. Also, you could use a percentage of your allocated operating budget for your employee training. New knowledge and skills can help prevent unnecessary wear and tear on equipment, minimize damage to facilities, and reduce the need for costly repairs.
Learn more about Overcoming Common Challenges in Implementing Predictive Maintenance Programs
Resistance to change and low adoption rates: Maintenance managers may resist new technologies or training methods, leading to low adoption rates and reduced impact of training programs.
Solution: You should design training programs with maintenance managers' needs in mind. Your programs should be accessible and engaging to increase adoption rates. It is also important to communicate the value of training and its benefits to the individual and the organization.
Lack of time: According to Plant Services, cited by UpKeep, we know that out of an average working day, only 24.5% of the average maintenance worker's time is spent performing productive tasks, and an estimated 20.9% of wasted time results from traveling to different areas in the facility.
Because of that, maintenance teams may be overburdened with their day-to-day responsibilities, leaving little time for training and development.
Solution: You can explore flexible training options such as self-paced or on-the-go mobile learning to enable you to learn at your own pace and fit training into your schedules.
Inadequate training infrastructure: Your company may lack the necessary infrastructure or resources to deliver effective training programs.
Solution: You can leverage external training providers or partner with other organizations to share resources and expertise.
Difficulty measuring ROI: Your company may struggle to measure the return on investment of training programs, making it challenging to justify investment in future programs.
Solution: You should design training programs with clear learning outcomes and objectives and establish metrics to measure the impact of training on business performance. This can include reduced equipment downtime, increased productivity, and improved safety outcomes.
Ineffective training methods: Traditional training methods such as classroom learning or lecture-style presentations may not be effective for all maintenance managers.
Solution: To make training more engaging and interactive, you can explore alternative training methods such as gamification, simulation-based learning, and virtual reality.
By addressing these challenges, you can create learning and development programs supporting employee growth and overall business success.
Learning and development programs for maintenance managers offer a wide range of benefits, from increased efficiency to enhanced employee engagement. By investing in ongoing development, you can create a culture of learning that benefits everyone involved.
Increased efficiency and productivity: Maintenance managers can improve by developing new skills and staying up-to-date with the latest maintenance practices, leading to better maintenance outcomes and reduced downtime.
Improved safety and risk management: Maintenance managers who receive training on equipment handling, emergency response procedures, and other safety-related topics are better equipped to prevent accidents and mitigate risks in the workplace.
Reduced equipment downtime and maintenance costs: By developing expertise in predictive maintenance and data analytics, maintenance managers can identify potential equipment failures before they occur, reducing the need for costly repairs and minimizing downtime.
Enhanced employee engagement and retention: Employees who receive regular training and development opportunities are more engaged and committed to their jobs, leading to lower turnover rates and higher retention of skilled workers.
Improved job satisfaction and career advancement: Learning and development opportunities can help maintenance managers feel more fulfilled and provide a clear path for career advancement within the organization.
Increased adaptability to new technologies: As technology continues to evolve rapidly in the maintenance field, learning and development programs can help maintenance managers stay up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques, making them more adaptable and resilient in the face of change.
Enhanced customer satisfaction: Maintenance managers can contribute to customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering high-quality maintenance services and minimizing equipment downtime.
Investing in learning and development programs for maintenance managers is critical for ensuring equipment and facilities' efficient and safe operation. By keeping up with key trends, maintenance managers can enhance their skills and knowledge to meet the demands of modern maintenance practices.
Investing in your maintenance teams can improve your bottom line and contribute to the company's overall success.
Get started with predictive maintenance today.
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