This article is based on insights shared by Lisa Pansing, Strategic Enterprise Account Executive at Fluke Reliability, during her session “Standardization + Automation: Training and Retention in the Workforce” at Xcelerate 2025.

The maintenance workforce is evolving rapidly. Automation is transforming how technicians work, learn, and collaborate, while standardization is providing the structure for safer, more predictable outcomes. Yet amid this transformation, one question stands out: how do you facilitate professional growth and fulfilment among employees when technology is increasingly taking on more of the work?

“The key is balance,” Lisa Pansing, Strategic Enterprise Account Executive at Fluke Reliability, points out. “Automation and standardization don’t replace experience — they amplify it.” When combined thoughtfully, they streamline processes, accelerate learning, and create a workplace where both new and seasoned technicians can thrive. Inevitably, technology will keep advancing. The real differentiator will be how effectively organizations prepare their employees to advance with it.

Training in Transition

The shift in training has been profound. “We’ve shifted from hands-on apprenticeships to digital, immersive forms of learning across industries,” Lisa explains. Virtual and augmented reality now simulate maintenance and safety procedures faster and more effectively than the thick binders of standard operating procedures that once defined training. The change isn’t simply about speed or convenience — it’s about retention. Interactive, simulation-based training helps technicians develop muscle memory and confidence faster than traditional classroom or manual-based instruction. Yet it also introduces new challenges: Not every technician easily adapts to digital-first instruction, and not every organization has the infrastructure to support it.

That’s where balance becomes essential. Digital tools accelerate learning, but mentorship preserves judgment. As Lisa notes, “You have to meet your associates where they are.” Pairing modern tools with field experience bridges the generational and experiential gap, creating a workforce that is fluent in both mechanical and digital domains.

Standardization serves as the next layer of this foundation. Clear, repeatable processes allow organizations to train people faster, evaluate performance objectively, and maintain quality across multiple sites or regions.

When training is standardized, consistency becomes scalable. The U.S. military, for instance, has relied on identical training protocols across bases and divisions for decades so that every individual meets the same operational standards, no matter where they serve. In industrial settings, certification programs such as CMRP or OSHA safety protocols perform a similar function. They establish a shared language of competence, giving technicians and managers a common baseline to build from.

Yet the pursuit of uniformity can easily become a constraint. Overly rigid programs risk ignoring the diversity of learning styles, equipment types, and plant conditions that define real-world reliability work. Long term employees in particular may resist processes that appear to discount experience in favor of compliance. Lisa points out that those voices are often the ones who see problems early. “If one of your guys says ‘iceberg,’ listen to him,” she remarks. “If there’s an issue, don’t just say, ‘This is the way we’re doing it.’” The strongest organizations recognize this tension and adapt. They use standardized frameworks not to prescribe every step, but to provide a stable foundation on which teams can apply judgment, creativity, and context.

In this way, standardization becomes a platform for professional growth rather than a checklist for conformity. It sets expectations, supports safety, and drives accountability — while leaving space for technicians to learn, problem solve, and innovate.

How Automation Elevates Learning and Retention

If standardization builds the framework, automation now powers the learning engine. Artificial intelligence, simulation, and condition monitoring are not just changing how people work, but how they learn to work. Lisa draws parallels to aviation: “Pilots train through simulation to reduce risk while building competence through repetition and feedback. It’s the same for maintenance professionals.” Automation brings that same philosophy to reliability training — offering dynamic, data-driven ways to safely build competence and confidence.

These technologies make learning more dynamic and personal. AI-driven platforms can adapt to a technician’s pace, style, and skill level, tailoring courses to their exact needs. “You can really pinpoint where that specific employee needs help,” Lisa explains. “It’s not just group training — it’s personal learning paths” that can be based on the role, experience level, or equipment to be maintained. Automation also expands access. For technicians working in remote or high-risk environments, virtual and online training make development possible without requiring travel or direct supervision. Teams can standardize instruction across continents while keeping learning contextual and interactive.

However, these advanced tools demand thoughtful adoption too. “These things aren’t inexpensive,” she cautions. “You must look at the cost-benefit. Does it make sense to implement it completely, or is a blended approach better?” Successful organizations combine digital platforms with in-person mentorship — allowing new technicians to gain speed and seasoned ones to share hard-won experience. “Training your assembly-line staff not only to operate the robotic equipment, but to maintain, interpret, and improve them builds both capability and engagement,” Lisa says. “Younger generations are looking for more engagement and less repetitive work. They want interesting tasks and roles.” It transforms automation from a perceived threat into a career accelerator. For newer technicians, digital tools offer faster mastery; for experienced ones, they create renewed relevance in an evolving landscape. Learning programs must match ambition with accessibility — combining digital learning with human mentorship and real-world application. Younger technicians often crave rapid progression; long term employees value respect for experience. Programs that recognize and bridge those differences tend to retain both.

By automating lower-value tasks, teams can refocus on analysis, strategy, and improvement — the kind of work that drives both innovation and retention. Wireless condition monitoring is a tangible example. “No one wants to spend eight hours trying to take this whole piece of equipment apart just to figure out we needed a ten-cent bearing,” Lisa says. “A wireless condition monitoring solution can tell them that in minutes.” Solutions such as Azima DLI’s predictive analytics platform push that capability even further, using machine learning and decades of vibration expertise to identify faults before they escalate. By turning data into clear recommendations, Azima empowers technicians to make faster, more confident decisions — reducing downtime while creating opportunities for professional growth.

Automation, then, becomes more than a tool — it’s a catalyst for potential. By giving employees time and space to do meaningful work, they can grow within the organization rather than out of it. Retention becomes the natural outcome of empowerment.

Balancing Technology and Human Expertise

Despite rapid advances, one truth remains: the most sophisticated systems still rely on human judgment. “Human interaction is always going to be necessary,” Lisa emphasizes. “Automation supports, not replaces.”

That distinction defines the future of reliability. Automation can collect data, detect anomalies, and suggest actions — but intuition, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence turn those insights into results. The best reliability leaders recognize that technology amplifies expertise; it doesn’t eliminate it.

This principle applies well beyond maintenance. At McDonald’s, global consistency stems from standardized training that aligns people and processes. Tesla combines robotics with human oversight, upskilling employees to manage and refine automation. Even the highly automated logistics networks at Amazon depend on human oversight to maintain accuracy and safety.

The same balance applies in reliability. Automation should simplify the routine so people can focus on the more complex aspects. It should accelerate learning for new technicians and deepen problem-solving for veterans. Above all, it should sustain a culture of mentorship and curiosity — qualities that no algorithm can replicate. As Lisa concludes, “Automation and standardization will keep evolving, but human capability — that’s what will always lead.”

Key Insights

  • Balance is strategic. Automation and standardization amplify, not replace, human expertise.
  • Blended learning is essential. Pairing digital tools with mentorship ensures faster learning without losing institutional knowledge.
  • Upskilling drives retention. Automation frees technicians for higher-value work that fosters engagement and growth.
  • Culture sustains progress. Emotional intelligence, communication, and trust keep technology initiatives human-centered.