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Productivity is a critical focus within industry . Businesses of every size , operating in every sector , are continually seeking to improve the efficiency with which goods are produced and customers served . currently facing a major hiring crisis that can be seen replicated across the globe . Plus , research outlines that 33 % of businesses reported a lack of technical skills as hampering their productivity efforts .
Terry Smagh , Infor Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan
Increasing productivity posits huge opportunities – such as increased profits , greater investment in labour costs and business growth . It ’ s no surprise productivity is positioned to be a top priority for CEOs in 2025 .
Despite this urgent drive for productivity , only a small percentage of businesses are managing to move the dial . There ' s a clear , growing gap between leaders who have made meaningful improvements , and those stuck in the productivity quagmire .
Breaking down the productivity barriers
Businesses face myriad challenges around driving productivity . Each comes with its own complexities , impacted by everything from business size to sector .
Businesses must find a way to overcome these hurdles if they want to start improving productivity . Some are already doing this successfully – and enjoying significant business benefits as a result . For those who are struggling to make meaningful gains , reflecting on the actions of their more successful peers should be a significant source of interest .
It ’ s a business imperative to kickstart digital automation , with benefits such as greater efficiencies becoming a critical driver of success in an increasingly volatile market . y
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Obsolete equipment and technology : Reliance on outdated machinery and a lack of technology adoption can block the path to productivity . With increasing maintenance costs and ever-slowing run-times , a cumulative effect can worsen the impact over time . Supply chain disruptions : Whether it ’ s raw material shortages , transportation delays , or geopolitical instability , the list of external factors that can impact industrial business is ever expanding . Regulatory compliance challenges : Keeping pace with regulatory changes takes up a significant amount of time and headspace , absorbing critical resources and stopping teams from amplifying output . The skills gap : Hiring and retaining talent is increasingly difficult – with US manufacturing
The productivity opportunity
To drive tangible and effective productivity gains , businesses need to take a two-pronged approach .
The first driver , physical automation , has been underway for over a century . Whether it ’ s investment in robotics or machinery , businesses already understand that completing physical processes with machines is a sure-fire way to get more done , faster , and with less resources . But because most already have this in place to a significant extent , there isn ’ t huge scope to make further headway .
To really ramp up productivity , businesses will need to embrace the second prong : digital automation .
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