The manufacturing industry in the DACH region is undergoing a cultural shift that extends from the factory floor to the executive suite. Traditional top-down compliance and rigid silos are giving way to a digitally driven culture that emphasizes collaborative work. The retirement of experienced skilled workers and the expectations of a tech-savvy generation are exposing weaknesses in the existing system. Connected worker platforms bridge knowledge gaps and foster personal responsibility. Real-time data exchange and transparency are crucial to success. This transformation requires not only new tools but also a positive work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration.
Successful manufacturing companies are driven by dedicated employees, not by machines! Cultural change is transforming the manufacturing industry—from the factory floor to the executive suite
For decades, the manufacturing industry in the DACH region has been characterized by top-down compliance and rigid silos in business processes. Today, the loss of knowledge due to the retirement of experienced specialists, as well as a young, tech-savvy generation of employees demanding digital transparency, is exposing the weaknesses of this isolated environment. To succeed, manufacturing companies must make the transition to a digitally driven culture—one that leverages connected worker platforms to close emerging knowledge gaps and empower employees with genuine autonomy.
“From real-time data exchange to improved transparency for executives—digitally connected work is the catalyst for building the manufacturing company of the future”
says Antoine Bisson, CEO of Poka. This is a cultural shift that extends from the factory floor to the executive suite. After all, the future of manufacturing is driven by engaged employees, not just machines. Digital transformation is entering a new era of “connected work.” In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, too, the urgent need for data exchange and connectivity is increasingly becoming an indispensable prerequisite for manufacturing. For years, manufacturing in the DACH region was characterized by adherence to routines and regulations, as well as an organization based on the division of labor within isolated silos. Communication was limited, knowledge was passed on informally, and responsibility did not lie with employees acting on their own initiative, but with supervisors who enforced compliance with rules. Now a transformation is taking place. On the one hand, there is a workforce retiring and taking their “tribal knowledge” with them; on the other, a new, tech-savvy generation of employees with their own unique expectations. Added to this are new approaches to smart manufacturing that are transforming operational processes. Today, fostering a positive work culture is just as crucial to the success of a manufacturing company as the technology it uses. However, this cultural shift is not just about introducing new tools. Rather, it is about empowering employees, fostering collaboration, and building a system in which everyone has the information and responsibility necessary for success. This concept is known as “Connected Work” and presents its own unique challenges.
Stopping the loss of knowledge caused by a lack of knowledge sharing
The loss of institutional knowledge is a serious blow to manufacturers. Many of them are currently experiencing how important insights leave the company when employees retire. One of our Poka customers noticed that employees informally passed on best practices shortly before their retirement—sometimes at so-called “family gatherings.” Manufacturing companies risk losing operational efficiency if they fail to establish a structured approach for sharing and preserving long-standing practical knowledge. But this can affect more than just productivity; it also has financial implications. After all, one hour of unproductive work time per week due to skill gaps can cost up to €5,100 per employee per year.
Accountability Is Not a One-Way Street
Accountability is an often-overlooked challenge for manufacturing companies. Typically, supervisors are responsible for monitoring compliance with regulations, while operators are not involved in key processes. This lack of transparency in operations leads to low morale marked by frustration, thereby undermining productivity.
Today’s Skilled Workers Expect Openness to Change and Professional Development
Today’s workforce differs from all previous generations in manufacturing. Younger employees expect the same transparency and access to information in the workplace that they are accustomed to in their personal lives. In an outdated factory with obsolete systems, manual documentation, and limited access to work and training processes, new employees quickly lose interest and become disengaged. But there are digital tools that address these challenges and foster cultural change. Through my work with Poka customers—including well-known manufacturers such as Blue Diamond, Nortek, Kimberley-Clark, Bel Group, and many others—I have experienced these challenges firsthand. And I’ve also seen how modern “connected workers” solutions address these issues by connecting employees and fostering a culture of compliance and collaboration on the factory floor. In particular, there are four key areas where connected work can contribute to cultural improvements.
1. From Compliance to Personal Responsibility
Employees at manufacturing companies should not just follow instructions—they should be actively involved, well-informed, and take ownership. For this reason, connected work shifts responsibility from supervisors to employees. When employees are responsible for their processes, they perform better. Through connected work, production employees can digitally document and share best practices. Based on this knowledge, they can take the initiative to resolve problems on their own. This increases efficiency, improves processes, and boosts productivity—thereby contributing to a proactive workforce. Compliance processes are also affected by the introduction of artificial intelligence. By the end of 2026, more than 70% of large DACH companies are expected to be using generative or predictive AI in at least one core process. The key distinguishing factor, however, is not the adoption rate but rather compliance readiness. This is particularly true given that the European Union’s AI Act has made rules and governance an integral part of the innovation cycle for AI implementations. Enhanced accountability is a crucial step toward fostering a positive work culture. Personal responsibility in production drives innovation, as employees become more physically and mentally engaged. They no longer rely on monotonous regulations in rulebooks but proactively contribute operational suggestions. The result: Compliance issues and training sessions are no longer a burden for employers and employees!
2. Collaboration on a Whole New Level
In many factories, work is traditionally carried out in isolated areas, leading to communication gaps between shifts, teams, and locations. As a result, information can get lost during exchanges, and best practices remain confined to individual teams instead of benefiting the entire organization. These missing connections lead to inefficiencies, slow down innovation, and make it difficult to roll out improvements across multiple locations. While hands-on work is an important way to learn and reinforce knowledge about workplace tasks, it can also create bottlenecks in knowledge retention. Connected work, therefore, captures insights in real time by digitally documenting manufacturing processes and procedures. In this way, knowledge is stored, shared, and made universally accessible. Instead of relying on instructions from above for process improvements, these can now emerge directly from the production floor. Employees actively contribute their ideas for solutions to the challenges they face firsthand.
3. Real-time data is essential for collaboration
All of these measures on the production floor should be coordinated based on real-time data and analytics, not on assumptions. Thanks to the digitization of dashboards and knowledge-sharing tools, support is available to manufacturing employees at all times. According to Deloitte, productivity increases by an average of 22% when front-line employees use digital technologies to boost performance. However, the impact extends beyond efficiency, as it also drives innovation. A more connected and digitally oriented way of working enables more efficient problem-solving and fosters a culture in which employees feel supported and empowered. Continuous improvement is at the forefront of this approach. The digital database serves as a central, easily accessible hub through which operators, supervisors, and engineers alike can access stored information. This ensures that everyone—regardless of time, person, or location—has access to the same detailed information. This allows transparency, clarity, and continuous learning to take place unhindered across the organization. With a real-time database, collaboration is no longer limited to a single location. Through networked work, employees can easily share best practices across locations. This leads to improved standardization and more effective problem-solving throughout the company. This fosters a culture of collaboration in which teams work together to drive continuous improvement.
4. Beyond the factory floor, one thing is certain: Cultural changes are definitely not top-down initiatives!
Cultural transformation is not just about the employees on the factory floor. It extends to all levels of the corporate hierarchy, including senior management. When leaders actively collaborate with their employees, the culture shifts from top-down enforcement to a shared commitment to improvement. Transparency is an essential component of this transformation. Ultimately, every technology investment stands or falls on human behavior. This is particularly relevant for manufacturing employees, as automation and AI are reshaping their workflows. That is why decision-makers in the DACH region place special emphasis on collaboration. By 2026, nearly seven out of ten companies will introduce mandatory programs to teach AI skills or retrain their employees. This reflects the clear recognition that digital maturity is not only a technical matter but also a cultural one. Through connected workflows, executives and plant managers gain real-time insight into manufacturing operations. They can track the progress of training and process improvements and identify areas where teams are struggling. This enables them to make data-driven decisions and proactively address issues before they escalate. This kind of direct transparency empowers leaders to drive cultural change and ensure that company-wide initiatives are aligned with both operational requirements and long-term business goals.
The Future of Factory Culture with Connected Employees
Manufacturing isn’t just about machines—it’s also about people. It’s about rethinking factory culture and making the shift from mere compliance to personal accountability. Connected work platforms are not just a tool but a catalyst for change. They ensure that critical knowledge is retained within the company and foster a consistently positive culture among a changing workforce. The future of the manufacturing industry belongs to those who empower their employees to succeed!
