Eliminate Compliance Gaps In Manufacturing With Digital Workflows

Forbes

18-07-2025

Jerry Dolinsky is the CEO of Dozuki, a leading connected worker solution for enterprise-level manufacturing companies.
Compliance should be more than a box to check. When done right, it can strengthen operations, protect product quality and keep workers safe.
But 95% of manufacturing companies still use paper-based processes (versus digital processes). This leaves them vulnerable to errors, fines and inefficiencies. Process digitization can eliminate these risks by ensuring every worker follows the right procedures, training is always up-to-date and audits are seamless.
Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Centralize And Standardize Compliance Documentation
Every worker needs instant access to the latest process updates. A digital system ensures that no one follows outdated instructions.
Start with the following:
• Convert all work instructions, safety guidelines and training records into a centralized digital platform.
• Ensure documents are accessible via mobile devices, tablets or workstations on the shop floor.
• Use version control to track updates and prevent workers from using outdated materials.
An auto manufacturer recently told me, 'Thank goodness we can update compliance documents instantly. We need to show the auditors the changes on the spot.' That level of transparency eliminates last-minute scrambling.
Step 2: Automate Training Compliance And Retraining
A Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte study showed that 79% of respondents would be interested in manufacturing jobs if more personalized or customized training were available. This shows that training isn't a one-time event—it's an ongoing requirement.
As it relates to compliance, employees need retraining at set intervals. Failing to track that can result in costly violations.
Not sure where to get started? Do the following:
• Assign digital training modules based on job roles and compliance requirements.
• Set up automated alerts for retraining deadlines to ensure workers stay certified.
• Maintain a real-time training dashboard to track completions and audit readiness.
I spoke with a safety director at a food manufacturing organization, and he said, 'When we're audited, one operator can show their training report. The auditor won't ask for proof from anyone else. We dodge the minefield.' Automating training ensures compliance is always documented and easy to verify.
Step 3: Enforce Change Awareness
Operators need to know when compliance policies change. Too often, they don't. A strong digital compliance system ensures every worker acknowledges updates before continuing work.
Do the following:
• Require employees to acknowledge procedural updates before accessing work instructions.
• Set up instant notifications for critical compliance changes.
• Track acknowledgments to ensure no one is left behind.
A compliance leader told me, 'The worst thing you can do is ask for worker feedback and then do nothing. But when we are transparent, compliance becomes a tool for improvement—not just another rule to follow.'
Step 4: Use Compliance Dashboards For Real-Time Visibility
Compliance should be a constant, not just something checked during audits.
A real-time dashboard keeps training, certifications and documentation up to date. It's light-years faster, easier and more efficient than a homegrown Excel spreadsheet that stretches all the way to column ZZ.
Here's how to do it:
• Set up a compliance dashboard to track training completions, work instruction updates and audit readiness.
• Give frontline managers access to real-time reports to monitor workforce compliance.
• Use automated reminders to prevent lapses in required certifications.
Leading manufacturers I've worked with use compliance dashboards to show exactly who's trained on the latest standards, making audits faster and easier. When compliance is always visible, they can prevent problems before they happen.
Step 5: Create A Culture Of Compliance And Continuous Improvement
Compliance should improve operations, not slow them down. When workers understand its value, they become active participants in the process. And when you have a central repository that more employees can use and take ownership of, you can avoid a single point of failure.
Here are some steps to get started:
• Balance standardization with worker-driven improvements.
• Make compliance a daily habit, not just an audit-driven requirement.
• Reinforce that compliance isn't just about avoiding fines—it's about safety, efficiency and quality.
Before And After Digitization: A Compliance Transformation
When manufacturers shift from manual compliance to a digital system, the difference is night and day. Here's what that transformation looks like in action.
Before automation, you'll see the following:
• Compliance varies across shifts and locations.
• Compliance issues aren't found until an audit.
• Training records are scattered and incomplete.
• Workers don't see updates to procedures.
• Updating compliance documents is slow and manual.
However, after digitization, you should see the following instead:
• Digital work instructions ensure consistency.
• Dashboards show compliance status in real time.
• Training compliance is automated and trackable.
• Employees must acknowledge changes before working.
• Changes are instantly shared with all employees.
Build A Stronger Compliance System Now
Manufacturers that digitize compliance don't just avoid penalties—they set the standard for operational excellence. When compliance is built into daily operations, manufacturers don't just meet regulatory requirements. They lead their industry.
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