The Workforce of the Future
Talent stability and productivity are critical challenges in manufacturing today due to a global talent shortage, shifting worker preferences, and the rapid adoption of new technologies that have fundamentally changed the role of operators. The long-term viability of any manufacturing company depends on rethinking their strategy and investing in talent to improve frontline stability, foster technological innovation, and accelerate productivity growth. The importance of frontline talent has been at the forefront of transformation success for the members of the Global Lighthouse Network. This initiative focuses on solutions and sharing proven talent innovations that drive performance.
Featured Insight
Article
Is your frontline workforce strategy right for where you are?
-
With sharper local insights, a fit-for-purpose talent strategy can help manufacturers and other frontline-intensive businesses turn talent into a competitive edge.
Insights from industry leaders
Podcast
Future-proofing operations: How tech and talent go hand in hand
-
Talent management starts by addressing workforce challenges, adapting to generational needs, leveraging technology in operations, and developing leadership for talent retention.
Insights on the workforce of the future
Blog Post
Putting people first: A new imperative for manufacturing
-
Companies are struggling to attract and retain frontline talent. A new collaboration between McKinsey and the World Economic Forum is highlighting those leading the way in solving these challenges.
Blog Post
Organizational evolution and getting empowerment right
-
Properly guided and supported empowerment is the great management challenge of our times.
Blog Post
Unlocking frontline workforce stability and productivity in operations
-
To create a talent strategy that fosters frontline stability and productivity, organizations need to start by conducting a holistic talent assessment. Here’s how to do it.
Article
Automation and the talent challenge in American manufacturing
-
US manufacturing companies are facing a talent and labor crisis. Is it time they took a fresh look at their automation options?
Blog Post
Manufacturing needs a makeover
-
Can gen Z reshape the manufacturing industry by bringing fresh perspectives and values to a sector ripe for technological innovation and significant change?
Article
From hire to inspire: Getting—and keeping—Gen Z in manufacturing
-
Gen Z workers say they’re open to jobs in manufacturing. But getting them to take these jobs, engage, and stay will mean changing a work environment long optimized for machines, not people.
Our people
Fernando Perez
Senior PartnerMiami
Leads McKinsey’s Operations innovation portfolio, focusing on end-to-end transformations for manufacturing and service companies. Co-leads McKinsey’s Frontline Workforce of the Future service line.
Enno de Boer
Senior PartnerNew Jersey
Leads the firm’s global work in digital manufacturing and collaboration with the World Economic Forum on technology adoption
Rahul Shahani
PartnerNew York
Leads the North American Industry 4.0 service line for manufacturing, including the Innovation & Learning Centers—a global network that empowers organizations to start, scale, and sustain a comprehensive operations transformation. Rahul also collaborates with the World Economic Forum on the Global Lighthouse Network.
Related knowledge collaborations
Circularity in the Built Environment
The built environment is a powerhouse for change: While it is a significant contributor to emissions, accounting for nearly 40% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, it also offers one of the greatest opportunities to drive the transition to net zero. The World Economic Forum–McKinsey collaboration on sustainability in the built environment aims to explore pathways to close material loops and reduce emissions through disruptive solutions, while also investigating cross-industry opportunities and business models.
The Global Lighthouse Network
The Global Lighthouse Network is a World Economic Forum initiative in collaboration with McKinsey & Company. It examines the future of operations and considers how Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies are shaping production. This growing community of organizations is setting the trends of the future with their use of digital and analytics tools across the value chain to drive growth and productivity, improve resilience, and deliver environmental sustainability.