The latest blog by Mitrefinch Australia focusses on the manufacturing industry, the fourth largest employer in Australia.

Australia’s annual National Manufacturing Week, seen as the nation’s largest showcase of manufacturing innovation, information and inspiration, starts Tuesday 26th of May, and runs through to Friday, 29th of May, 2015.

Mitrefinch takes this opportunity to discuss the massive size of the industry, how automation has impacted employment, and why companies should address workforce management issues to maximise the productivity of their workers.

Australia’s manufacturing industry employs an estimated 936,400 people, representing 8.1 per cent of the total workforce. This huge workforce is spread across 90,000-plus businesses, which contributed 6.8 per cent of GDP and 33.5 per cent of total merchandise exports in 2013.

Many companies in the manufacturing industry have turned to automation to remain competitive and relevant in the market. However, this has also resulted in a decline in demand for lower-skilled jobs, and an overall decrease in manufacturing employment over the years, with the number of Australians employed in manufacturing falling from one in four in the 70s, to around one in ten today.

Given the situation, manufacturing companies need to improve the productivity of each individual worker to maintain their competitiveness.

Mitrefinch offers a range of employee time and attendance solutions to assist manufacturing companies with a range of workforce management issues including data capture, mobile workforce, job costing, absence management, workplace health and safety, and fatigue management.

Mitrefinch’s time and attendance systems have continuously evolved over the years, based on their experience with manufacturing industry clients such as Zip Instant Boiling Water, Wilson Transformers, Cooper Vision, Claytons Kitchens, Capilano Honey, B&D Doors, Fuji Xerox, DeLonghi, Prysmian, Mitsubishi Electric, Jurlique and Eaton Electrical.

Download the latest Mitrefinch white paper on time and attendance in the manufacturing industry.