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Automation and Employees
- 7/31/2009It's not obvious that employees would consider the specific type of automation in their work environment to be particularly important, but conversations with operators at DCs across the country prove otherwise. Warehouse workers agree on several reasons that they strongly prefer the work environment that results from mobile robotic automation.
The most frequently cited reason that associates prefer mobile order fulfillment systems is that they experience less physical fatigue. The inventory and orders do all the "walking" because they are carried by robotic drive units, so associates can stand still during work.
The work autonomy afforded by a mobile robot system gives associates another reason to seek out these workplaces: a sense of personal accomplishment. Because the robots enable each worker to independently complete each order he or she works on, associates report an increased sense of ownership of the result.
A workplace with reduced physical fatigue and mental stress is also a safer workplace. And, indeed, safety record improvement is another unexpected bonus reported at robot-equipped distribution centers. In these workplaces, stressors are reduced because workers don't walk, are independently in control of their own work and enjoy a quiet environment. Since workers stand still, they don't have to risk walking in zones with high fork truck traffic. Finally, robots ensure adherence to standard operating procedures, so associates are less likely to try risky and unapproved maneuvers.
Read the full story at sdexec.com.
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