In recent years, digital signage has emerged as a powerful tool across a variety of sectors. While commonly associated with retail, airports, and corporate offices, digital signage is increasingly being recognised for its value in industrial settings, including manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centres. Industrial digital signage leverages display screens strategically placed throughout facilities to streamline communication, increase productivity, and enhance safety.
This blog post will explore the specific benefits and applications of digital signage in industrial environments, highlight best practices, and discuss how organisations can implement effective digital signage strategies to foster a more engaged, efficient workforce.
Why Industrial Digital Signage?
In an industrial setting, seamless communication is essential to maintaining safe, productive, and efficient operations. Unlike traditional office environments, where employees might have regular access to emails or intranets, factory and warehouse workers often do not have the same ease of access to these communication tools. This can lead to challenges in keeping employees informed about essential updates, safety protocols, production targets, and team announcements.
Industrial digital signage provides a solution by bringing real-time, relevant information directly to the workforce on large, easy-to-read digital screens strategically placed around the facility. The ability to quickly broadcast visual information across a facility not only saves time but also enhances the clarity of messaging, reduces misunderstandings, and helps align employees with organisational goals.
Key Benefits of Industrial Digital Signage
1. Improved Safety and Compliance
Safety is paramount in industrial settings. Digital signage allows companies to communicate safety protocols, alert workers about potential hazards, and provide reminders about PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and other safety measures. For instance, screens can display emergency evacuation routes, steps for handling machinery safely, or notifications of dangerous conditions in certain areas. Compliance training videos and reminders of regulatory standards can also be broadcasted at regular intervals, ensuring that workers are informed and equipped to work safely.
Moreover, digital signage for manufacturing can support real-time emergency communications. In the case of an accident, chemical spill, or machinery malfunction, digital screens can quickly display alerts to notify workers and provide instructions, potentially reducing response times and preventing further incidents.
2. Enhanced Productivity and Efficiency
Industrial digital signage can significantly improve productivity by displaying critical information in real-time. Production metrics such as output targets, shift goals, and quality control statistics can be displayed to keep teams aligned with performance expectations. Seeing these metrics visually can help motivate employees, as they can observe their progress toward targets in real-time, encouraging a sense of competition or collaboration.
Additionally, digital signage can reduce downtime by providing quick troubleshooting instructions or displaying machine maintenance schedules. For example, if a piece of machinery goes down, digital signage could immediately broadcast the issue and display troubleshooting steps or notify maintenance staff to minimise delays.
3. Strengthened Employee Engagement and Morale
In manufacturing and industrial environments, employees often feel disconnected from broader company news or values, particularly in shift-based work patterns. Digital signage for internal communication can bridge this gap by promoting achievements, sharing corporate updates, and celebrating milestones, all of which help employees feel more engaged and valued. Screens can showcase “Employee of the Month,” highlight team accomplishments, or mark work anniversaries, creating an environment where recognition is visible, and morale is boosted.
Moreover, digital signage can provide information on company values, corporate social responsibility initiatives, or upcoming events, giving workers a sense of connection to the organisation’s goals. This can lead to higher job satisfaction, reduce turnover, and foster a positive work culture.
4. Facilitating Training and Development
In industrial settings, ongoing training and skills development are crucial for maintaining a competent and compliant workforce. Digital signage allows companies to broadcast training materials and instructional videos, making it easier to onboard new hires or keep current employees updated on the latest procedures.
Interactive kiosks with touch screens can further enable employees to access training on-demand, review instructional videos, or participate in quizzes and assessments. This on-the-job training capability makes it easier to integrate continuous learning into the daily workflow without requiring employees to leave their stations or schedule specific training sessions.
5. Environmental Benefits and Cost Savings
Switching to digital signage can also reduce the use of paper in an industrial environment, promoting sustainability and decreasing costs associated with printed posters, safety manuals, and announcement boards. With digital displays, organisations can update content instantly without additional printing costs, resulting in reduced paper waste and a more environmentally friendly communication method.
Common Applications of Industrial Digital Signage
1. Safety Alerts and Reminders
Safety alerts can be displayed when specific conditions are met, such as high temperatures or hazardous areas being active. Screens can also provide general safety reminders, such as “Wear Safety Glasses” or “Forklift Area – Stay Alert.” Regular, visual reminders help reinforce safe practices and build a culture of safety.
2. Production Dashboards and KPI Tracking
Displaying production data, like unit output, order completion status, and KPIs on digital screens, helps teams stay aware of targets. By visualising productivity metrics in real-time, employees are more motivated to achieve goals, and managers can quickly address performance issues if targets are not being met.
3. Employee Recognition and Engagement Content
Using digital signage to recognise employee achievements—like showcasing “Employee of the Month” or celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries—helps build morale. Additionally, digital screens can be used to display positive messages, updates on company initiatives, and other engagement-focused content that reminds employees they are valued members of the organisation.
4. Scheduling and Shift Information
For facilities with complex shift patterns, digital signage can display real-time scheduling information, notifying employees of shift changes, overtimes, or mandatory training sessions. This is particularly helpful in reducing scheduling confusion, ensuring that every worker knows their responsibilities.
5. Interactive Wayfinding
In large facilities, digital signage can be used as interactive wayfinding tools to help employees locate equipment, departments, or emergency exits. This functionality can be particularly useful in facilities with multiple sections or in cases where visitors need guidance, reducing disruptions and improving navigation.
Best Practices for Implementing Industrial Digital Signage
To maximise the impact of industrial digital signage, it’s important to follow certain best practices:
- Content Relevance and Rotation: Keep content focused and relevant to the audience. Rotate content regularly to keep it fresh and avoid information fatigue. For instance, safety messages can rotate daily, while productivity dashboards update in real-time.
- Strategic Screen Placement: Place screens in high-traffic areas where employees are most likely to see them, such as entrances, break rooms, near machinery, or at shift change stations. Ensure that screens are easy to read from a distance and at eye level where possible.
- Visual Clarity and Consistency: Design content with readability in mind, using large fonts, contrasting colours, and visual aids like icons or graphs to convey messages clearly. Avoid overcrowding screens with too much information, as it can overwhelm viewers.
- Regular Updates and Monitoring: Continuously update content to reflect real-time information, especially for metrics, emergency alerts, and compliance requirements. Monitoring content and feedback from employees can help identify which types of messaging are most effective and where improvements are needed.
Interactive Options for Engagement: Consider including interactive elements, such as touch screens for training kiosks, to increase employee engagement. Interactive screens can provide access to on-demand content, such as instructional videos or employee feedback forms, making signage more versatile.
Getting Started with Industrial Digital Signage
For organisations looking to implement or enhance industrial digital signage, starting with a pilot program is a good strategy. This allows the company to test digital signage in specific locations, assess employee response, and determine the type of content that resonates most with staff. Feedback from employees during this phase can guide adjustments to the content and placement of screens before a full-scale rollout.
Another important consideration is choosing the right software platform to manage and customise digital content. Ideally, the platform should allow remote content updates, real-time data integration, and the ability to schedule content in advance. Many digital signage providers now offer cloud-based platforms, which enable content to be managed and updated remotely, an asset in a large facility or multiple-site operation.
Conclusion
Industrial digital signage is more than just a communication tool—it’s a versatile platform that can enhance safety, increase productivity, boost morale, and even contribute to environmental sustainability. By providing employees with real-time information and an ongoing connection to company values and goals, digital signage helps create a safer, more efficient, and more engaged workforce.
As industries continue to adopt digital solutions to address unique challenges, digital signage stands out as a valuable investment in the future of industrial communication. By planning strategically and following best practices, organisations can unlock the full potential of digital signage, transforming their workplace into a more connected, informed, and productive environment.
