The role of a manufacturing digital champion

A digital champion is an employee within the business that’s chosen to help lead change, promote digitalisation, and influence their colleagues to support the smooth onboarding of technologies. For instance, they may be a factory floor worker who is well respected and trusted. As they engage with a new robot and show enthusiasm for the change, the rest of the workforce will accept it more openly.  

They should preferably be appointed as soon as the business has made the commitment to embark on digital projects, which is why it’s one of Made Smarter’s very first recommendations. It’s a key part of our people-first mentality here, where we believe that it’s how we choose to use technologies that determines whether we unlock their full potential. 

Larger organisations may wish to have more than one champion – one from the leadership team, and others from the shop floor. This way, they can gather opinions that are more representative of the wider business, and relay crucial information to a greater number of people.  

A digital champion is arguably the initial advocate of digital implementation – they both want and need digital change to occur. They completely appreciate that, if the change doesn’t happen, they can’t obtain the benefits or accomplish the company’s objectives. They also realise that the company will lose ground to its competitors if it doesn’t make the necessary advancements. Simply put, they’re someone who wants your company to succeed, and someone who supports the decision to move to digital. It could be someone who has worked in your business for many years, and feels that now is the time to change the way things are done.  

The digital champion is paramount because they understand the technical and business side of a transformation. They act as the single point of communication between senior management, staff and the suppliers of the digital solution. As the change catalyst, they recognise all the challenges that your team may face, making them primed to support everyone else in implementing new ways of working or using emerging tools.  

Without their endorsement, your team may dismiss or reject the digital transformation. Realistically, the candidate for this role needs to be someone with a level of trust that enables them to communicate successfully with all parties involved. As an active supporter of the change, they need to be incredibly vocal about its positive impact, and keen to help struggling individuals to ensure no one is left behind.  

Every business will have someone that ticks all of these boxes. It’s often the individual that everyone knows and talks to, that knows the business inside and out, and that will always make time to speak with others in the team and lend a helping hand.  

Digital champions can demonstrate how to follow your business’ digitalisation journey, and actually make the adoption of new technology a seamless process. They’ll act as the main point of contact for your people – giving them someone to discuss any worries with, or suggestions and ideas. This results in better communication, especially as they can also talk about the intent and advantages behind new technologies.  

On top of this, your digital champions can gather thoughts from all departments of the business. This enables them to establish that digital projects are actually fit for purpose, as well as flag potential areas of concern around skills or uncertainty so that they can be managed. What’s more, they’ll ensure that the organisation can keep up momentum, prioritising the project even when interest or motivation wanes.  

Any new followers they gain will then lead to further followers. As more employees join in, the transformation is no longer seen as something to be feared – it can instead create a movement. And the secondary benefits of this are worth mentioning too. A happy workforce and a positive culture can boost productivity, reduce absenteeism, and make it easier to attract and retain talent.  

Digital champions don’t need to be technology experts, but they do need to be positive about technology, have a willingness to learn and both want and support the changes digital technologies will bring.

They need to be good communicators and feel comfortable helping people, leading by example.  They need to be confident but also patient and understanding.

Start by selecting someone from your leadership team who understands the digital vision, and how it relates to the overarching goals of the business and has the influence and experience to lead the change and manage the project.  Nominate your Lead Digital Champion on the form below.

Depending on the size of your business this may be all you need, or you can look for other Digital Champions from across different areas of the business.  Here you are looking for people who are enthusiastic about technology and proactive in wanting to help their teammates.  People who are respected by their colleagues and are approachable so will be someone to discuss any worries with and help people get used to the changes.

Our OWD Team can help you identify suitable people if you would like support with this.  We will also support your Digital Champions according to what they need.

It’s clear that, if you choose the right digital champions, they can have a great impact along your digitalisation journey. Your workforce and culture are so crucial for your transformation, but identifying their role – along with the right technologies – can be tough. This is where Made Smarter’s digital transformation workshops can help. 

Take Brainboxes, an electronics maker. Support from Made Smarter helped secure buy-in from one of their department teams: “There was scepticism among our production staff about what a robot would do to their livelihoods, but the Made Smarter team were extremely good at helping us understand what the benefit was and communicate that to our workforce.  

“Now my production staff aren’t saying to me ‘the robot has taken my job’, but suggesting where the technology could also be adopted. Taking the right approach has converted digitalisation sceptics into champions in our business.” – Luke Walsh, Managing Director. 

Or furniture maker Starlight Bedrooms: “Working with Made Smarter has been incredibly valuable. The experience of creating a digital transformation roadmap and the subsequent support and expertise has given us a lot of confidence to invest in the tools and technology we need to take Starlight Bedrooms to the next level.” – Karen Callard, CEO. 

Made Smarter has supported many businesses through culture change and digital transformation. Whilst we do offer support like funding, it goes much further than this – including the likes of our specialist advice and leadership programme. Together, we can create an impact, secure employee buy-in, and ensure that team members feel valued.   

To find out more about how you could benefit from our different types of support, get in touch with the Made Smarter team today.