Sparks Electrical News April 2019

INDUSTRY 4.0

16

WHY YOU SHOULD HARNESS TECHNOLOGY TO BATTLE ABSENTEEISM

ULWEMBU’S SMART INTEGRATION STEPS UP OFFICE AUTOMATION OFFERING WITH KNX CERTIFICATION

A bsenteeism is costing South African businesses thou- sands of Rand every month. But how do you take on the challenge of mitigating this cost when employees don’t even have to pick up the phone anymore to call in sick? Today, skipping work can be as simple as sending a brief text or email message to your supervisor. This, and the costs as- sociated with absenteeism, can be better managed says Ouch! Founder, Kevin Howell. Absenteeism is defined as an employee’s intentional or habitual absence from work. This definition includes being away from work as well as taking sick days when well, arriving late and leaving early, taking extended tea or lunch breaks, attending to private business during working hours, or unexplained absences from the workstation or the employer’s premises. According to the most recent data on the cost of absenteeism, the Momentum Effective Employee Index published in September 2018, local companies lose an estimated R25 billion per year to absenteeism. Despite the cost impact of absenteeism, many companies fail to track it and are therefore missing out on the opportunity to mitigate the amount of money they are losing. “In my experience, small- and medium-sized businesses, blame a lack of resources while the big corporations seem to think that they can carry the cost,” says Howell. He adds that companies also avoid following up on absences because it is rarely a pleasant exercise. He stresses, however, that at some point, the conversation has to take place. “When looking at the cost of absenteeism in the broader sense, i.e. the overall effect on our economy, it becomes clear that this mindset needs to change. Given the current economic climate, few employers can afford to continue to overlook the direct and indirect costs of absenteeism.” In tackling habitual absenteeism, you need to start with why there is an empty chair in your office in the first place.

The causes of absenteeism are varied, says Howell, but he asserts that many absences aren’t due to illness, noting that personal commitments, family obligations, stress and lack of motivation play a greater role in absenteeism than the odd cold or sprained ankle. When looking at the broader definition of absenteeism that includes lost company time even when an employee has turned up for work, a lack of employee discipline can also be added as a cause. To ensure best practices and effective monitoring, companies need to take a strategic approach to address absenteeism. “This typically starts in the HR department where we recommend putting a strategy in place to foster a culture of employee discipline within the workforce along with additional pro-active measures such as physical and mental wellness programmes for employees,” Howell explains. “Ultimately though, best practice would be to implement Time and Attendance tracking and management system. Day-to-day responsibility for managing Time and Attendance will usually fall to frontline managers. But they may not have the right tools at their disposal and as a result, may not take actions such as following up on why an employee was absent.” Ouch! has developed innovative biometric and Time and Attendance management products, including a mobile app, that manage employee attendance. “Why not harness modern technology to track Time and Attendance as we have for every other aspect of our business,” Howell questions. A biometric employee clocking system that is linked to payroll software and provides regular reports on attendance is the best place to start. These tools give frontline managers and team leaders a platform for collecting accurate Time and Attendance data that can provide them with an accurate measurement of the level of employee discipline within their workforce.

Glenn Noome, director at Smart Integration.

STEPS TO KEEP YOURSELF RELEVANT IN THE AGE OF IoT W ith the blizzard of ‘disruptive technologies’ coming at us everywhere we turn, are you sensing that new technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and connected devices might turn the industry and our careers upside-down? Has it occurred to you that you or your employer might not be pre- pared? Take a deep breath and soak in this perspective suggests Doug Reed from Foster Growth. The truth is, the vast majority of firms lack clarity and direction on how to proceed and that is a big problem. Firms have close to zero budget or talent for researching possibilities. This means that once someone shows it to us, we are okay at incorporating it into our existing services as an enhancement. But this does nearly nothing to drive new revenue or re-programour services. Might entities external to our business get to that point before we do? S mart Integration, a wholly owned Ulwembu Business Services organisation, has achieved sought-after KNX Certified Partner status, which will further empower the company to offer true integration within the office automation space. “KNX is anopenprotocol that is rapidlymovingupon the list of required certifications named by companies operating in the building automation industry,” explains Glenn Noome, director at Smart Integration. “Because of its open nature, KNX can be used as part of a wide range of products, including lighting and audio automation, blind control, security, energy, metering and building management amongst other solutions – integrating different manufacturers’ products seamlessly,” he says. “Quite frequently businesses need manufacturer- specific controls, but KNX is changing things – and Smart Integration is excited to be a part of the disruption.” Noome says manufacturers who do not embrace open protocol will soon be left behind, since businesses simply do not want to be tied to one specific make and model anymore. “As a KNX Certified Partner, we are now playing on a new field, one that offers our clients many benefits, including the seamless integration and interoperability of multiple manufacturers’ products via a future-proof international standard. “Any business automation management tool, from lighting to energy efficiency, can be controlled via KNX, which is fast becoming the software standard that all manufacturers will have to adhere to – the demand for seamless integration of various tools is growing, and KNX has been answering the call locally since 2005.” In achieving this certification, Smart Integration and its customers can benefit from: • A simplified approach to planning and installation with KNX as the underlying standard. • Access to a wide and growing range of product solutions, all built on an open system. • Availability of products that offer no central point of failure, which means, if one part fails, everything else in the installation keeps working. “Most importantly, since all KNX certified products undergo a rigorous testing procedure to attain certification, it allows external verification of product quality,” says Noome. “This ensures that products conform to ISO 9001 and minimises R&D time by allowing local manufacturers to use a tried and tested ‘bus system’ as their backbone, negating the need to develop their own from scratch.” South African black-owned management consulting and ICT services company, Ulwembu Business Services, facilitates the transformation of private and public enterprises into optimised, digitised organisations, through its specialised technology and business consulting services offering. Smart Integration, an Ulwembu Business Services organisation, is a service provider and aggregator of advanced automation and security systems, data centre infrastructure and data cabling. The company is a strategic business partner for building management systems and a respected provider of customised control and automation solutions. Enquiries: +27 (0)10 035 0029

Enquiries: info@getouch.co.za

HOMETRONIX BECOMES FIBARO DISTRIBUTOR

HomeTronix, a smart home solutions company, is now the master distributor of FIBARO smart home in the country. FIBARO is a prominent global manufacturer of wireless smart home systems designed to enhance comfort and safety. The systems allow users to control lights, curtains, air cons, security systems, door locks, etc., from anywhere in the world via a mobile device. The range of wireless products makes installation simple and unobtrusive. The system is integrated, so it enables users to start small and expand over time. The products are wireless, so no extra cabling is required. Whether homeowners want to control the entire home from a single pocket-size device or customise an action such as having the lights come on and curtains closing automatically when it gets dark, FIBARO is the solution. HomeTronix, together with FIBARO, is enabling a smart home lifestyle experience at an affordable price. Established in 2007 as a home automation and IoT systems provider, HomeTronix is the pioneer of high-end home automation systems – and has over 10 years’ experience in installing and distributing smart home systems in South Africa.

Enquiries: www.hometronix.co.za

MOTION MONITORING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

S itrans WM300 (MFA) from Siemens is a new motion failure alarmdetecting changes in themotion and speed of rotating, reciprocating, or conveying equipment. This alarm acts as an early warning system for a plant’s machinery, alerting users to potential problems in their operations before they occur or develop into something more serious. This versatile unit excels in a variety of applications in industries such as mining, aggregates and cement power generation, and food and beverage. This space-saving device replaces many older MFA style controllers, reducing both wiring time and the space required in cabinets. In fact, four Sitrans WM300s can fit in the same footprint as that of older motion failure alarms. Other new features include the ability to monitor multiple machines at once with twin, independent probe inputs and an additional two inputs for differential speed detection. With intuitive, easy-to-configure digital programming, users gain precise set point control of machines or processes for accurate alarming that can prevent potentially costly downtime or damage. With over- and under-speed alarming, Sitrans WM300 MFA also features an optional analogue output module, which can convert the device into a noncontacting tachometer with two milliamps outputs. And with its adjustable 0-60 second time delay, this intelligent alarm allows the monitored equipment to accelerate to normal running speed before monitoring begins. Motion failure alarms monitor a variety of equipment, including tail pulley shafts, driven pulleys, motor shaft sensing, belt or drag conveyors, and fans and pumps. In the mining, aggregates and

cement industry, for example, Sitrans WM300 MFA monitors bucket elevators and screw conveyors for continuous conveying. And in the food and beverage or chemical industries, the alarm monitors mixers to ensure non-stop operation. Compact, rugged and reliable motion failure alarms from Siemens are economical investments with a large impact – ensuring peace of mind and protecting a plant’s critical processes.

Enquiries: www.siemens.com

Enquiries: www.fostergrowth.biz

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

APRIL 2019