As a technology leader, I must admit that making the right investment in new innovations has its challenges. It’s easy to get caught up in the grandiose potential solutions offer, become overwhelmed by the setup, and struggle with employee adoption.

For the last decade, I’ve worked with human-centric industries like manufacturing and warehousing to determine what solutions can not only address business insight needs but also better support their employees. While the manufacturing industry has implemented digital transformation efforts in recent years, where I see the greatest technology gap is among frontline workers.

As the heartbeat of manufacturing, this group needs more intuitive, easy-to-use technology on the shop floor, including communication solutions. In fact, new research by Relay found that 82% of manufacturing and warehousing workers desire improved communication tools. Poor communication on the shop floor can result in many workplace concerns, from workplace safety issues to lost time and inefficiencies.

Workers should be empowered by technology, and I can think of no industry with greater potential for such empowerment than manufacturing. Additionally, with the right technology, manufacturing companies have the potential to address one of the greatest challenges they face today: labor retention and acquisition.

Snapshot: The labor crisis

Many of you have already experienced the effects of the labor shortage and understand this issue is not going away overnight. But the question still remains: What can we do to fix it?

Unfortunately, at its current rate, if the industry continues to grow while struggling to hire talent, Deloitte predicts we could see as many as 1.9 million unfilled manufacturing roles by 2033, a 217% increase from current job openings.

The good news is that there are several opportunities for manufacturing leaders to begin addressing today’s worker shortage and mitigate future labor gaps. Three strategies manufacturing leaders must focus on are engaging underutilized demographics, attracting younger workers, and empowering employees to reduce attrition. The last is particularly crucial, because empowered workers are far less likely to leave their roles. And considering that replacing a single worker can cost six to nine months of their annual salary (meaning a $60,000 role could cost $30,000–$45,000 to refill), companies can’t afford to ignore retention as a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Fortunately, these three strategies share a common denominator: implementing new technologies. Let me show you how.

Bridging the language gap

Manufacturing has a large, skilled workforce that remains underutilized: limited English proficiency (LEP) workers. Nearly 30 million LEP individuals in the U.S. form a demographic that’s highly motivated and knowledgeable. However, language barriers often prevent these workers from reaching their full potential.

Recent research by Relay found that 45% of manufacturing and industrial workers believe language barriers negatively affect efficiency, and 86% cite productivity loss due to communication issues. Given that manufacturing relies heavily on multilingual teams, the time and effort LEP workers spend bridging language gaps leads to lost opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

From a business standpoint, companies lose an estimated $486,078 per year due to language-related inefficiencies, according to Relay. This includes workflow delays, reliance on bilingual translators, and outdated translation tools. Beyond these measurable costs, there are also unquantified losses—missed chances for employee development, process improvements, and even workplace safety enhancements.

While many business leaders focus on the hard costs and ROI of new technologies, some of the most valuable benefits are human. One of my favorite examples comes from a medical manufacturer that implemented AI-powered translation to support its field workers. The goal was simple: to foster better relationships on the shop floor and between employees and management.

The result? Higher retention and an increase in employee referrals.

New technologies, such as communication platforms and wearable devices with real-time, AI-driven translation, can make language barriers a thing of the past. For example, a cloud platform paired with a translation radio device could change the lives of LEP workers. Modern wearables can now first state the message in the original language (so the listener can understand the tone) then immediately use AI to translate it. Solutions like this can fuel greater employee collaboration, problem-solving, and even improve safety.

Language barriers can create an environment where LEP employees feel undervalued, disconnected, and limited in their growth opportunities. By investing in translation tools, companies can better train, integrate, and empower their existing LEP workforce while creating more opportunities for the LEP population at large.

A new generation of workers

A new generation is entering the workforce, and manufacturers must appeal to this talent pool. Gen Z is increasingly drawn to blue-collar jobs, but attracting them requires more than just stability, benefits, and pay; it requires technology.

A survey by Intelligent.com found that 32% of Gen Z respondents plan to work blue-collar jobs, a number that has risen in recent years. Their interest stems from the appeal of hands-on work and macroeconomic factors like rising student debt. However, as digital natives, they expect workplace technology to match the seamless experiences they enjoy in their daily lives.

For manufacturers, Gen Z’s emergence in the workforce offers aid in digital transformation efforts. These young workers are primed to become “super users” of new solutions that improve efficiency, communication, and overall operations. In fact, workers involved in company changes are also more likely to become advocates among their teams in favor of the initiative.

Considering that 70% of change management efforts fail, Gen Z can play a significant role in new tech initiatives, especially among employers who struggle with digital transformation. At a recent Relay user conference I attended, a hospitality customer shared their experience with the implementation and adoption of new tools. They said high turnover, burnout, training gaps, and engagement were major contributors to initiative failures. When discussing as a group, attendees agreed that fostering collaboration, communication, and goal-setting among frontline employees is critical, especially during times of change management.

If properly activated and empowered to contribute to new business initiatives, Gen Z may be the key to overcoming manufacturing’s tech adoption hurdles.

Empowering opportunities

A company’s success is directly tied to its employees. When workers feel valued and supported, retention improves and loyalty strengthens. Technology should first and foremost benefit employees—the business improvements will naturally follow.

Studies show that companies with effective internal communication see retention rates 4.5 times higher than those without. For companies with multilingual teams, enabling communication among team members is especially important. According to Relay’s research, 83% of manufacturing leaders believe employees are more engaged at work if they can communicate with one another. Moreover, 48% acknowledge that LEP workers are less likely to be promoted. Lack of upward mobility often fuels dissatisfaction and frustrations, thus contributing to turnover.

In addition to enhanced communication, modern technologies such as wearables can provide valuable insights that benefit managers and workers alike. Unlike desk jobs, such as sales, where an employee’s output is easily quantifiable, frontline workers’ efforts can go largely unseen. In some cases, we’ve even seen employees questioned about inefficiencies and whereabouts, issues typically beyond their control. One specific example of this occurred in a hospital where frustration arose with the time it took workers to transport patients. Implementing location tracking technology identified that the elevators were the cause of these delays. Having this level of insight empowers employees to advocate for themselves, while management can address the root cause of an issue.

Building a more engaged culture is possible when companies empower its workers through communication, advocacy, and involvement. There are a few tactics employers can implement to increase employee participation. As mentioned, encouraging employees to become super users of new technologies is one method. But ensuring there’s an established feedback loop for frontline workers to communicate directly with leadership is also key. Incentives also perform well among employee groups; recognition programs and awards are popular, while peer nominations can create a supportive and encouraging network among workers.

Stronger communication leads to stronger retention, collaboration, and overall success. As business leaders, it’s up to us to implement the tools, resources and programming that support the success of our employees, and in turn our company.

Becoming an employer of choice

The workforce is changing, and manufacturing leaders must change with it. Employees—whether Gen Z, LEP workers, or seasoned professionals—are looking for companies that invest in them. The key to meeting these expectations? Better communication and technology.

The majority of frontline workers want better technology-driven translation solutions, yet many companies still hesitate to make these investments. The question isn’t if you should adopt these technologies; it’s what’s holding you back?

Manufacturing leaders have an opportunity to create workplaces where employees feel valued, connected, and empowered to grow. By implementing modern communication solutions, we’re not just addressing retention challenges—we’re setting the foundation for a stronger, more innovative future.

Now is the time to evolve. The future of your workforce depends on it.