OFS: Leaders Trust Operations Data But Half of Staff Don’t
OFS: Leaders Trust Operations Data But Half of Staff Don’t
September 3, 2026
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Jonathan Newton, General Manager Europe at OFS, says operator-centric manufacturing tech gives leaders better data and can reduce downtime and waste
While 95% of C-suite leaders believe operators are meaningfully involved in operational decision-making, only 48% of intermediate-level operators agree and just 18% say they are consulted before new technology is rolled out, according to new independent research commissioned by OFS.
It found that 79% of UK manufacturing operators are using workarounds outside official systems to get their jobs done.
Of these, 66% do so occasionally, while 13% rely on informal methods frequently.
Some 89% of workers do not fully trust the operational data their organisations collect, and just 11% say they trust it completely.
Jonathan Newton, General Manager Europe at OFS, tells Manufacturing Digital: "The biggest problem is that many traditional MES and ERP systems were designed for reporting rather than for the people running the production line.
Jonathan Newton, General Manager Europe at OFS. Credit: Jonathan Newton via LinkedIn
"They serve plant managers and finance teams reasonably well, but often overlook the operator using the system throughout every shift."
The key figures from OFS’s study:
95% of C-suite leaders believe operations teams are meaningfully involved in operational decision-making, compared to just 48% of intermediate and 51% of entry-level workers
89% of all respondents do not fully trust their operational data. While 75% of C-suite executives trust the data, that confidence drops to 38% among entry-level staff
46% of manufacturers have suffered production downtime linked to delayed visibility
23% of manufacturers only discover production issues after downtime or performance impacts have already taken place
66% of operations teams bypass official systems at least occasionally
What workarounds are costing manufacturers
The research found that workers lose an average of 21 minutes per shift to manual data entry, primarily to feed dashboards that are primarily used by management instead of the shop floor.
Delayed visibility has caused production downtime for 46% of manufacturers and 23% only discover production issues after downtime has already happened.
Lost revenue, missed delivery deadlines and operational cost increases are all reported as consequences of these issues.
Manufacturers are already struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff, and staff turnover or burnout linked to poor visibility and unresolved issues was reported by 20% of those surveyed.
The food and drink sector is hardest hit by these issues, with 53% experiencing downtime linked to poor visibility and 13% saying issues take several days to surface.
Many traditional MES and ERP systems were designed for reporting rather than for the people running the production line.
Jonathan Newton, General Manager Europe at OFS
OFS’s survey findings are part of a bigger picture across manufacturing.
Fluke Corporation research from November 2025 found that outages cost the UK manufacturing sector up to £736m (US$993m) every week.
IDS-INDATA modelling projects that UK and European manufacturers will lose between £124bn (US$167.3bn) and £157bn (US$211.8bn) to unplanned downtime in 2026, with recovery time as the main cost driver.
Research from the IBM Institute for Business Value in 2025 found that 43% of Chief Operating Officers identify data quality issues as their most significant data priority.
What is causing manufacturing data problems?
OFS’s research found that 33% of operators use workarounds because official systems fail to capture the real reason behind a production issue. Machines can flag that something stopped, but not why.
Jonathan explains: "PLC error codes cannot capture the human context behind downtime, recurring issues or missed opportunities for improvement.
"When using the system creates more work without helping someone do their job, people naturally find a quicker route. That might be a spreadsheet, a notebook, a WhatsApp message or simply keeping the information in their head.”
In addition to less than half of operators believing they are meaningfully involved in decision-making, 68% of businesses have no formal process for capturing improvement ideas from frontline workers.
Accenture has also found that 74% of frontline workers believe technology is introduced to monitor them rather than help them.
James Magee, CEO of OFS, says: “Workarounds are often seen as a people problem, but they are usually a systems problem.
James Magee, CEO of OFS. Credit: James Magee via LinkedIn
“Operators are not creating extra processes because they want to avoid technology. They are doing it because the system does not always reflect the complexity of what is happening on the factory floor.”
The benefits of optimising tech for frontline workers
Changing the design focus to the operator can eliminate many informal workarounds, which can unlock additional capacity.
Jonathan explains: “The first change is usually better information. Leaders can see what is happening as it happens, while operators can explain the reason behind a slowdown or stoppage rather than leaving managers to interpret a machine signal later.”
He says that the benefits of addressing these problems can see machines running at the right speed more consistently, shorter setup and changeover times, fewer unplanned stops and less material waste.
When using the system creates more work without helping someone do their job, people naturally find a quicker route.
Jonathan Newton, General Manager Europe at OFS
OFS has a platform designed around this operator-first approach, and Jonathan says its customers typically see a 5% uplift in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) within the first 30 days, rising to a 15% improvement within 90 days.
For a factory turning over more than US$30m (£22.8m), a 15% increase in productive capacity could equate to as much as US$4.5m (£3.4m) in additional output from existing assets.
How to measure shop floor technology success
Jonathan says that manufacturers assessing if their digital transformation projects really support frontline problem-solving need to look beyond usage metrics.
“The clearest test is whether the operator gets something useful from the technology during the shift,” he explains. “When that happens, better information for senior leaders follows naturally.”
He recommends four ways to measure:
Shift participation instead of logins, looking for shift compliance above 90%.
How quickly information becomes useful, as operators getting feedback within seconds allows time to change an outcome.
If observations lead to action, by measuring the number of issues identified being acted on by engineering or improvement teams.
How much downtime remains unexplained, as a high level of uncategorised loss can suggest the system is too difficult.
Headquarters: Victoria, Australia CEO: James Magee
OFS is a manufacturing performance software company that specialises in real-time data collection and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) analytics. By adopting an "operator-first" approach, the platform empowers frontline workers to log the human context behind machine stops and slowdowns. This focus on shop-floor usability helps manufacturers eliminate informal workarounds, reduce unplanned downtime and uncover hidden capacity to boost efficiency.
Headquarters: Washington, US President: Parker Burke
Fluke Corporation is a global leader in the manufacture, distribution and service of electronic test tools and software for industrial environments. It produces rugged, precision instruments—such as thermal imagers, acoustic leak detectors and vibration testers—used heavily in manufacturing. Its predictive maintenance solutions help engineers identify equipment faults early, optimising capacity and significantly reducing unplanned downtime.
The IBM Institute for Business Value is IBM’s global thought leadership think tank. It delivers data-driven research, strategic insights and actionable recommendations to C-suite executives. By analysing macro industry trends and emerging technologies, the institute helps business leaders navigate digital transformation, improve data quality and build adaptable, resilient organisations.
Accenture is a leading global professional services and consulting firm specialising in digital strategy, technology integration and operational transformation. Within the manufacturing sector, it helps organisations deploy advanced technologies and data systems to modernise factory floors. Crucially, it focuses on aligning new operational technology with frontline worker needs, ensuring digital tools enhance human productivity rather than hindering it.
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