Automation Offers Opportunities to Employers and Employees Alike
With the current unemployment rate near a 20 year low, companies struggle to recruit and retain adequate staff to maintain their current production levels let alone act on plans for growth or expansion. The lack of available staff in many industries is making it more and more difficult for businesses to continue to operate, and some have even been forced to reduce operating hours. This has led to many employers making additional investment in automation to fill the gap between production needs and available labor.
Understandably, workers have expressed concern that automation is a threat to their employment and ability to earn a living. The fear that new machines and robotics will eliminate the need for human labor, and a continual decline in opportunity for the working class is not new. Indeed, improvements in mechanical equipment, programming and sensors have resulted in an ongoing diminished need for manual labor, which has resulted in fewer employees in many manufacturing facilities. The appeal to employers who choose to embrace these systems is clear. The surprise may be that employees may now be more receptive to the expanded role of automation as well.
Despite the concerns about decreased opportunity for workers, it seems that the opposite effect may be playing out. The pivot to automation has been a catalyst for many positive changes for employees. The added capacity has enabled employers to meet or increase output without mandating excessive overtime burdens on their workforce. Physically strenuous or potentially dangerous tasks can be performed with greater precision while at the same time limiting the exposure for work injury. Bolstered production allows employers to maintain business without pressuring staff to work onerous hours to meet deadlines and fulfillment rates.
The growing implementation of and reliance on automated systems has also created new employment opportunities for those able to build, operate and repair increasingly complex production equipment. Not only is there new investment in automation and robotics, but additional investment in employee training and development as companies have begun to train their existing workforce. These training programs allow current employees to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to manufacture, install and maintain the sophisticated sensors and machinery on which manufacturing operations rely more and more.
There is tremendous potential for an upside to workers and employers engaging together to during this transition. Properly implemented, this shift to automation coupled with the necessary development programs can be a boon to both employers and employees. Automated systems provide organizations with the ability to maintain or expand production while simultaneously offering existing workers the opportunity to enhance their skills by learning how to operate, troubleshoot and service complex equipment.
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