Page 14 - Logistics News - May June 2022

W A R EH OU SING VI SI O N S TUD Y

Positive workplace changes

amid labour shortage

In a new Zebra Warehousing Vision Study, about 60 percent of workers polled report
improving work conditions and better adoption of technologies make their jobs easier.

ebra Technologies Corporation recently conducted a Technologies. “Most decision-makers believe investments
new global Warehousing Vision Study to explore the in automation far outweigh the risk of doing nothing, and
Z trends and sentiments driving operational decisions they are becoming more comfortable integrating all sorts
and spend in warehouses. The findings deliver encouraging of new technologies into their current operations and
news: warehouse operators are making significant infrastructure.”
investments to better fulfill the needs of both customers and
workers and make it easier to fill open jobs. Warehouse associates are also becoming more
comfortable with their employers’ use of advanced
Market pressures become catalyst for positive technologies. Less than half globally (45 percent) and in
changes Europe (47 percent) say their employers have increased
Nearly nine in 10 warehouse operators around the wages or offered bonuses amid labour constraints, yet most
world agree they must implement new technology to be (82 percent globally and 81 percent in Europe) feel positively
competitive in the on-demand economy, with 80 percent impacted by the situation.
confirming the pandemic has prompted them to evolve and
modernise quicker. Employers are improving work conditions in other ways,
such as giving them more technology to use on the job and
In Europe specifically, over three-quarters of operators leveraging technology to create more flexible work shifts. In
have accelerated their efforts. They’re turning their focus fact, an overwhelming nine in 10 warehouse associates agree
and spending most heavily toward technologies that support on some level that technology advancements will make the
workforce augmentation and workflow automation. For warehouse environment more attractive to workers, even in
example, the use of wearables, mobile printers and rugged times like these when supply chains are strained, demand
tablets will increase in the next few years, along with mobile is surging and there’s increasing pressure to meet tighter
dimensioning software that automates parcel and carton deadlines.
measurements. Additionally, 23 percent of European
warehouse operators have already deployed some form of Top warehouse challenges
autonomous mobile robots (AMR) today, which is in line Decision-makers are having a harder time getting customer
with the global trend (27 percent). Within five years, that orders out the door on time than they did three years ago
L O GI S T I CS NEWS percent around the world. visibility. They also admit they’re expected to deliver orders
and they’re struggling to maintain inventory accuracy and
number is expected to grow to 88 percent in Europe and 90
faster than ever to keep up with the on-demand economy,
with rising transportation costs taking their toll on over 40
“We’re seeing a positive shift occurring in the supply
chain and, specifically, within warehouses,” says Mark
percent of warehouse operators spanning manufacturing,
Wheeler, Director of Supply Chain Solutions, Zebra

12 M A Y/JUNE 2022 transportation, wholesale distribution, logistics and
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