How can you succeed as a plant operations manager in an automated environment?

1 Understand automation trends and benefits

Automation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It can take different forms and levels depending on the industry, product, and plant. As a plant operations manager, you need to understand the current and future trends of automation in your sector, and how they can benefit your plant's performance, profitability, and competitiveness. You also need to be aware of the potential risks and drawbacks of automation, such as cyberattacks, maintenance costs, and human error.

2 Communicate and collaborate with your team

Automation does not mean that human workers are obsolete. On the contrary, it means that they need to work more closely and effectively with automated systems and machines. As a plant operations manager, you need to communicate and collaborate with your team, from engineers and technicians to operators and supervisors. You need to ensure that they have the necessary skills, training, and support to operate, monitor, and troubleshoot the automated equipment. You also need to foster a culture of innovation, feedback, and continuous improvement among your team.

3 Optimize your processes and workflows

Automation can improve your plant's efficiency, quality, and reliability, but only if you optimize your processes and workflows accordingly. As a plant operations manager, you need to analyze your plant's data, performance indicators, and feedback to identify areas of improvement, waste, and bottlenecks. You need to implement lean and agile methodologies to streamline your operations, eliminate redundancies, and increase flexibility. You also need to leverage automation tools and software to automate tasks, workflows, and reports that can save time and resources.

4 Embrace change and innovation

Automation is constantly evolving and advancing. As a plant operations manager, you need to embrace change and innovation, rather than resist or fear them. You need to be open to new ideas, technologies, and opportunities that can enhance your plant's capabilities, productivity, and value. You also need to be proactive and strategic in planning, implementing, and evaluating automation projects and initiatives. You need to align your automation goals with your plant's vision, mission, and objectives.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?