Managers See Things Differently and Microchip Dodges a Cyberbullet
Leadership and those in the trenches have almost always had different perspectives on the overall state of things. Maybe wholly employee-owned businesses are an exception? I think everyone understands the (usually frustrating) disconnect generally and the question is whether and to what degree the disconnect affects operations.
Software company Epicor on September 3 released a report titled “Future of Work in Manufacturing” that draws data from Epicor’s own “Voice of the Essential Manufacturing Worker” and “Voice of the Manufacturing Manager” reports from 2023 and 2024.
The new report concerns differences in perception between manufacturing leaders and operators. Some of the larger discrepancies:
- 57% of managers felt their workplace was “very modern,” compared to 39% of operators.
- Half of both managers and operators don’t see their workplace as “very modern” owing to the lack of AI, IoT or 3D printing, among other examples.
- 91% of managers indicated their companies prioritize upskilling; only 70% of operators agreed.
- 61% of managers reported sustainability as a high priority versus 45% of operators.
- 12% more managers than workers felt morale was “very high.”
- 11% fewer operators than last year believed their jobs would change due to automation. The report suggests the bursting of the AI hype bubble may play a large role in this.
On the cybersecurity front, semiconductor manufacturer Microchip Technology on August 20 disclosed that multiple plants were affected by a cyberattack discovered on August 17. The attack prevented Microchip from filling some orders, after the company isolated the breached systems by shutting down others.
On September 4, disclosed via (surprise) a Form 8-K filing with the SEC, Microchip reported that “operationally critical” IT systems are back online, operations have been “substantially restored” and “the company does not believe the incident is reasonably likely” to have material effects.
I haven’t reported on this formally because details are slim and reaction from cybersecurity experts fall along expected lines, the traditional “train your employees against phishing” refrain. I can only hit our readers over the head with the same frying pan so many times before it feels less like making sure you’re all aware of the dangers of not taking cybersecurity seriously and more like scolding.
It also seems that the cyberattackers mostly got away with employee contact information including encrypted passwords. Microchip identified no customer or supplier data lost in the breach. An increase in spam emails and phishing attempts against Microchip employees will hopefully be the largest long-term ramification of this particular incident.
— Dennis Scimeca