Warehouse Automation to Support the Workforce Shortage

The rapid growth that many manufacturers are experiencing today, though a positive step, also has employers finding themselves challenged at supporting the growth from a workforce standpoint. This influx for businesses calls attention to the challenging yet inevitable crossroads that is today’s workforce shortage.

Today’s shortage possesses a variety of reasons behind it, however, one of the main factors is directed toward the low unemployment rate currently sitting at 3.6 percent as of 2023. As unemployment remains low, and the job market continues to grow, filling open positions has become especially challenging for employers, as industries alike are seeking similar if not the exact same talent pool.

In addition to finding good talent, employers are faced with retaining their current employees, as the stressors of these shortages can trickle down to employees and affect the attitude they have toward their position, and ultimately how they view the company as a whole.

However your operation is affected, there are ways to plan for and improve these setbacks and still come out ahead.
 

Moving toward Warehouse Automation

As many businesses plan for or have already begun the process of expanding their warehouse capabilities, the discussion of what to automate in your operations and how to automate it is heavy. It comes down to assessing your current processes, and which daily tasks could slow as your business grows.

As for your people, it is important to identify where your employees are best suited based on their skillsets. In cases such as this, automating your warehouse provides the opportunity to place employees in more meaningful roles—roles that a robot could not perform. 
 

Starting the Conversation

Many people think stepping into automation requires a lot of time and money, however, automated solutions can provide simple, tried and true technology that can fill your labor needs in a manner of weeks and for a relatively small price tag. Automating your processes range in complexity as each material handling process is unique to its application.

A few solutions that come to mind when most think automation is conveyor systems moving materials along with or around assembly lines, or AGV’s and collaborative mobile robots working alongside employees to assist in the picking process and improve productivity. Some automated solutions require warehouse restructuring and others are simpler to integrate into your current processes.

No matter the automated solution that fits best in your warehouse, the end results are the same and include:

• Increased productivity
• Decreased worker strain and fatigue
• A more satisfied workforce
• Lower operating costs
• Increased accuracy, and more.

Contact us today for your free warehouse space consultation, where our team of experts will educate and assist you along your path to warehouse automation.