Bridging the Experience Gap with Wearable Technology
The Ageing Workforce Challenge
A major shift is taking place across asset-intensive industries such as utilities and manufacturing: the field workforce is ageing, and replacements aren’t happening fast enough.
“By 2030, the world could face a severe shortage of skilled workers,” according to McKinsey & Company.
The median age of workers in these industries has been climbing steadily, raising concerns about knowledge loss and the continuation of operations. At the same time, field roles remain very physical. Musculoskeletal disorders remain one of the most common causes of workplace injury in physically demanding industries. With rising operational complexity, the physical and mental demands on field technicians have never been higher.
As their most experienced workers near retirement, many enterprises are having trouble retaining expertise, ensuring safety and keeping operations running efficiently.
Why Traditional Tools No Longer Suffice
For years, field technicians have relied on paper manuals, rigid workflows, and bulky handheld devices to get the job done. These methods worked for many years. However, in fast-paced, compliance-driven environments, where every second and every decision matters, these outdated tools are starting to show their limits.
Static instructions can’t keep up with dynamic field conditions, paper-based processes slow everything down, and legacy devices often add more friction than value. The result? Delays, higher error rates, and increasing pressure on already stretched teams.
|
Capability |
Description |
| Real-Time Collaboration | Connects frontline workers with remote experts for instant guidance and faster issue resolution. |
| Voice-Enabled Workflows | Enables hands-free access to instructions and data entry using voice commands.
|
| Live Operational Visibility | Provides supervisors with real-time insights to monitor progress and optimise operations.
|
| Offline Functionality in Remote Areas | Ensures uninterrupted work by capturing data offline and syncing when connectivity is restored. |
| User-Friendly Interfaces for All Skill Levels | Delivers intuitive interfaces that simplify adoption for workers of all experience levels. |
Today’s operations need the right information at the exact moment it’s needed – without slowing the job down. That’s where wearable technology steps in – delivering real-time guidance and support at the point of work, and quietly transforming how fieldwork gets done.
Enter Wearable Technology: A Practical Solution
Wearable devices, such as assisted-reality glasses and biometric sensors, help to fill this gap. These technologies enable real-time, hands-free support, so field technicians can get information, guidance and remote assistance at the point of work. For companies that depend on platforms like SAP, wearables are increasingly becoming part of daily operations. The benefits are clear:
| Benefit Area |
Description |
| Improved Productivity | Enables faster task completion and reduced downtime through real-time data access and hands-free support. |
| Reduced Errors | Delivers step-by-step, contextual instructions that improve accuracy and minimise mistakes. |
| Enhanced Worker Safety and Well-being | Reduces physical strain and injury risk by enabling safer, guided, and ergonomic work practices. |
| Knowledge Retention and Transfer | Captures and shares expert knowledge efficiently, preserving critical skills across the workforce. |
Wearables with EAM Systems
(SAP, IBM Maximo, Oracle EAM, Infor EAM)
For more than a decade, On Device Solutions (ODS) has been helping enterprises leverage mobility in SAP environments. Today, the same wearable innovations extend seamlessly to other leading Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) platforms such as IBM Maximo, Oracle EAM, and Infor EAM.
In partnership with TeamViewer, ODS combines RealWear’s rugged devices with enterprise mobility solutions to support frontline workers across industries.
|
EAM Platform |
Integration with Wearables | Key Benefits |
Why This Matters |
| SAP | Smart glasses and scanners connect with SAP mobility tools (e.g., myJobCard) for hands-free work order management and compliance tracking. | Real-time access to work orders and asset data.
Voice-driven data entry.
Seamless knowledge capture into SAP modules. |
Enables faster task execution, reduces manual paperwork, and helps ageing workers perform tasks safely and efficiently without interrupting workflows. |
| IBM Maximo | Wearables integrate with Maximo’s asset lifecycle management, enabling technicians to view asset histories and maintenance schedules hands-free. | Faster troubleshooting with “see-what-I-see” support.
Reduced downtime via instant asset insights. Safer workflows with guided instructions. |
Helps field teams resolve issues quickly while allowing senior experts to provide remote guidance and preserve critical operational knowledge. |
| Oracle EAM | RealWear devices connect with Oracle’s maintenance and asset modules, allowing technicians to update work orders and inspections by voice. | Improved accuracy
in compliance reporting. Hands-free inspections and audits.
Enhanced collaboration with remote experts. |
Improves operational accuracy and compliance while reducing physical strain on field workers through voice-enabled processes. |
| Infor EAM | Wearables integrate with Infor’s mobile-enabled asset management, supporting offline work and syncing data when connectivity is restored. | Reliable operations in remote areas.
Intuitive interfaces for senior staff.
Consistent, standardised workflows across teams. |
Ensures uninterrupted field operations in challenging environments and simplifies technology adoption for experienced employees. |
The result is a unified approach where wearable technology enhances any EAM platform – whether SAP, Maximo, Oracle, or Infor – by embedding real-time collaboration, safer workflows, and accurate data capture directly into daily operations. This not only boosts productivity and safety but also ensures that critical knowledge is retained and shared across generations of workers.
Bridging the Experience Gap: Faster Onboarding for the Next-Gen Field Workforce
Wearable technology, such as RealWear assisted-reality headsets, helps bridge the experience gap by delivering real-time, step-by-step guidance and connecting new technicians with remote experts who can see and support their work instantly. This leads to faster learning, fewer errors, and greater confidence.
At the same time, younger workers quickly adapt to digital, voice-driven tools, making adoption seamless and even more effective. Overall, wearables turn onboarding into a faster, more connected learning experience – reducing dependence on senior staff while accelerating skill development.
Here are real-world examples of how we are making a difference.
Real-World Use Cases
Use Case 1: Capturing Knowledge, Effortlessly
The Challenge: Senior technicians, with years of experience, sometimes become set in their ways and resistant to new technologies – with retirement approaching, there is a risk of losing their essential know-how.
Our Solution: Using RealWear’s hands-free, voice-controlled wearables connected to ODS’s myJobCard, senior workers can document their work in real time without changing the way they operate. Video, audio and annotated visuals are automatically saved and organised into training modules that are integrated with SAP.
The Impact: Hands-on knowledge is easily documented so new technicians can get practical, real-world instruction from industry veterans. This means that significant experience is handed down and available for future teams.
Use Case 2: Real-Time Remote Expert Assistance
The Challenge: Ageing workers who choose to step aside from a physically demanding profession but still desire to contribute.
Our Solution: RealWear devices allow on-site technicians to interact with remote specialists in real time. With “see-what-I-see” video streaming, senior staff can help a junior colleague through a task – step-by-step, visually and verbally, to ensure that it is done correctly and safely. Voice control rapidly surfaces part numbers and processes, with all actions handled by voice, to minimise distractions and manual entry.
The Impact: Senior workers are under less physical strain yet still engaged and appreciated. Young technicians build confidence and autonomy through instant, situational advice. Safer, faster onboarding, fewer incidents, and retained institutional knowledge benefit the entire organisation.
Wearables – Conquering the Core Problems:
- Physical Strain: hands-free technologies eliminate repetitive movements and tool swapping.
- Skills Gap: Senior specialists can mentor junior personnel remotely. This saves time and travel costs.
- Technology Adoption: Intuitive digital workflows assist experienced personnel in learning new tools.
- Safety: Embedded AI and sensors can detect and alert potential threats.
- Consistency: Digital, up-to-date processes mean jobs are done correctly, every time.
The result is a more flexible team where experience and new talent come hand-in-hand, producing a resilient, future-ready workforce.
Whether your organisation runs SAP, IBM Maximo, Oracle EAM, or Infor EAM, wearable technology is no longer a futuristic concept – it’s a practical tool that can transform frontline operations today. By combining rugged, voice-activated RealWear devices, intelligent platforms like TeamViewer AR, and mobility solutions from On Device Solutions, businesses can build a more connected workforce.
Wearable technology doesn’t just support your workforce – it future-proofs it, creating resilience in the face of change and ensuring that every technician can perform at their best.
If you’re ready to explore how wearables can integrate with your EAM systems and reshape your frontline operations, On Device Solutions is here to help. From demos to full-scale implementations, we’d like to partner with you to build a future-ready team where knowledge flows seamlessly, safety is prioritised, and productivity thrives.
“Wearable technology doesn’t replace experience – it empowers it, turning years of wisdom into a stronger, safer, and smarter workforce.”
Get in touch with On Device Solutions today to develop your future-ready team.
