Workers today not only work with their labor
Amidst the sound of the engine running steadily in the workshop of Yamaha Motor Vietnam Spare Parts Production Co., Ltd. (Thang Long Industrial Park, Hanoi), Mr. Nguyen Huy Sang - Chairman of the Company's grassroots Trade Union - spoke about workers (NLĐ) with the respect of a trade union official.
According to Mr. Sang, in the context of businesses facing increasing competitive pressure, workers are playing a more important role than ever.
I see that workers are the heart of the business, the center, the decisive factor in the success or failure of businesses in the digital age," he said.
He believes that improving productivity is no longer a slogan movement but has become a vital requirement for businesses to survive and develop sustainably.
Improving productivity is no longer a slogan, but the only way for businesses to survive and develop sustainably. Workers are the ones who directly operate, easily detect inadequacies, weaknesses and propose fastest process improvements" - Mr. Sang shared.
What worries him most is how to prevent workers from falling behind in the digital transformation process. Because according to him, workers today not only work with skills but also must have technological thinking.
They are the ones who turn technology ideas on paper into real products, with high competitive and commercial value," he said.
At Yamaha Motor Vietnam, investment in employees is carried out quite methodically. According to Mr. Sang, the company's Board of Directors pays special attention to training and developing vocational skills for workers.
In-depth investment is implemented through the company regularly organizing training classes to improve skills for workers, organizing improved kaizen contests chaired by the Factory Improvement Board and launched under the advice of the Trade Union Executive Committee monthly," he said.
Not only stopping at emulation activities, the trade union also accompanies to create more learning opportunities for workers.
The Executive Committee of the Trade Union always accompanies and advises departments to create conditions for workers to have the opportunity to participate in vocational training courses to improve their skills and foreign language proficiency organized by the company and the trade union," Mr. Sang said.
Workers must be the pioneering force in mastering technology
Looking more broadly from the perspective of the labor market, Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment (now under the Ministry of Home Affairs) - believes that the role of workers in the digital transformation era is undergoing great changes.
According to Mr. Trung, in the context of strong technology development, workers are no longer just direct production forces but are becoming the nucleus promoting the development of businesses.
The role of workers in the new era is both a direct, core production force; and a central and core driving force of the technology and digital transformation era, a nucleus promoting the development of modern production forces" - Mr. Trung assessed.
He believes that the biggest difference of workers today is that they are gradually shifting from unskilled labor to technology labor.
They are not only people who perform work, but more importantly, they switch from unskilled labor to labor that masters machinery and technology, they always bring technological solutions, digital processes, and software into production and business practice to optimize technical processes, detect and propose digital solutions, and improve technology and equipment," he said.
According to Mr. Trung, this directly determines the quality of products and services as well as the competitiveness of businesses in the market.
“That determines the quality of products and services, increases competitiveness and constantly improves labor productivity,” he emphasized.
However, to adapt to the new stage, workers are forced to change themselves.
Workers are always in a proactive position as pioneers in mastering technology, proactively updating digital skills, proficiently using smart and automated machines, and highly adaptable" - Mr. Trung said.
Not only learning a trade, workers also have to learn how to change careers, adapt to the continuous fluctuations of the modern labor market.
According to Mr. Trung, to further promote the role of workers in the new era, policies to support skills training, especially digital skills and innovation skills, are very necessary.
Applying digital technology, improving productivity in aircraft maintenance
In an aircraft maintenance workshop, where white lights shine on the metal shells of aircraft under maintenance, Mr. Pham Nguyen Trung - Deputy Team Engineer in charge of structural repair and aircraft paint (SCCT & Painting) at Aviation Engineering Co., Ltd. (VAECO) - still diligently checks every small detail with colleagues.
In recent years, the breakdown of the global supply chain has directly impacted the field of aircraft maintenance. The shortage of specialized materials and supplies has tightened repair time and increased workload at technical workshops.
In that context, the team of engineers at VAECO had to change their working methods to adapt.
Instead, they proactively "go one step ahead" by predicting early breakdowns, accelerating inspections, placing materials early and building many contingency plans" - Mr. Trung shared.
At times, when materials arrived late, the whole team had to make the most of available resources but still had to ensure the repair progress.
When materials arrive late, we maximize available resources, and at the same time improve the process to shorten repair time, ensuring that the overall progress is not affected" - he said.
According to Mr. Trung, to improve work efficiency, engineers not only rely on experience but also promote the application of digital technology in management and operation.
“Effectively exploiting the AMOS system, implementing continuous improvement initiatives helps optimize processes, reduce waiting times and improve labor productivity,” he said.
For him, each precise technical operation is not only related to the quality of repair but also directly related to the safety of hundreds of passengers.
In the aviation engineering industry, improving productivity cannot be exchanged for quality. Technology is very important, but the human factor still plays a key role," he affirmed.
The story of workers in the Yamaha Factory or aircraft maintenance engineers shows a clear reality: in the new era, workers are no longer passive links in the production line. They are becoming a creative force, mastering technology and contributing to deciding the sustainable development of the business.
