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complete when a worker clocks in on their first shift, expectations are already misaligned. Getting new hires to full productivity can take months. Supporting that transition with the right tools and feedback loops is crucial to bridging the gap.
Time for change
As the looming retirement wave nears, UK manufacturing leaders must treat this issue with the urgency it demands. The focus shouldn’ t be on simply replacing retirees with fresh faces. Rather, recognizing that the expertise of seasoned workers is a finite resource, and once gone, it won’ t be easy to recover.
If knowledge isn’ t transferred, if skills aren’ t developed with intention, and if support structures aren’ t modernized, the sector risks more than just short-term disruption. Some may see this transition as a threat. But with the right leadership and foresight, it could be a turning point. By investing in sustainable talent strategies, better onboarding, the right technological tools and continuous development, manufacturers have the opportunity to approach this cliff edge fully equipped with the parachute( or glider) they need to come out stronger, smarter, and more resilient. ■
Benedikt Ilg www. getflip. com
Benedikt Ilg is the founder and CEO of Flip, the leading employee platform for deskless workers in Europe. Before founding Flip, Benedikt worked as a project manager at Porsche AG. There, he noticed a gap in the market for a standardized, easy-touse tool that enable internal communications with all employees – including the deskless workforce. He was guided by one specific aim: to create an employee-focused solution that digitizes the work of billions of deskless workers, enabling them to connect with each other and the company, and that is both quick to implement and easy to use. Together with Giacomo Kenner, Benedikt leads a 160-person team at Flip’ s headquarter in Stuttgart.
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