Automation in Intralogistics Increases Workplace Responsibility

The intralogistics industry is rapidly moving towards a greater use of automation and complex digital tools. To achieve the greatest success, industry experts must be prepared to support their workforce in fully understanding the new demands on their roles and to create workplaces that promote safety, productivity, and efficiency.

By: Alexander Tutt, Business Development Manager, Configura

(Berlin) People are and will remain indispensable in warehouse operations. As a company specializing in warehouse layout design, we have recognized that a new level of harmony can emerge when a workforce is strategically connected with automation and robotics. For this reason, high-quality and consistent employee training is essential to ensure productivity, safety, and ease of work in modern warehouses that employ these advanced machines. Furthermore, the design and layout of these automated spaces will be crucial to ensure that the balance between humans and robotics can be fully realized in the intralogistics industry.

With the continued advance of automation in various business areas, its impact on the intralogistics industry will be inevitable. Despite rapid technological progress, the value of human capital and the way employees interact with machines remain of utmost importance for the success of the industry, as automation reshapes modern warehouses.

Focus on the Intralogistics Industry

Last year, Configura, in collaboration with Dynata, conducted a comprehensive study on the intralogistics industry in three key markets: Japan, Germany, and the United States. With insights from nearly 700 professionals in intralogistics regarding new technologies and innovations, an impressive 41.7 percent identified warehouse automation as the most widespread and productivity-enhancing innovation that will shape the industry in the next five to ten years. As automation gains importance, the intralogistics sector must understand and implement the most effective roles for human employees in this evolving landscape.

Rethinking Human-Robot Integration in Warehouses

A noteworthy finding from the study that deserves attention: When asked about the most important capital in warehouse design and operation, 26 percent of respondents emphasized the importance of human labor in the warehouse – by far the most common response.

This observation leads us to reflect on how the collaboration between human labor and robotics evolves as automation becomes increasingly ubiquitous. How will the significance of human labor in automated warehouses be recognized when decision-makers primarily discuss automation?

Human-Free Warehouses: A Distant Reality?

Despite rapid advancements, automation and robotics have not yet made human presence in warehouses obsolete. Machines still require maintenance and monitoring during sporadic disruptions. Complex control systems are still best managed by human operators rather than AI or sophisticated software. Although automation optimizes material flow in the warehouse, human labor remains irreplaceable for daily operations and more complex tasks.

Fully automated warehouses managed remotely may soon become a reality, but these environments will heavily rely on human intervention to ensure efficiency and quality assurance. Consequently, the integration of automated technologies into warehouse spaces will increase the demand for human capital for maintenance and machine care, proving that robots are not here to take human jobs.

Empowering Human Labor through Proper Training

As the symbiotic relationship between humans and robotics evolves, the intralogistics industry faces a time of rapid change. With the increasing embedding of technology in warehouse operations, the role of human labor must adapt accordingly.

In Configura’s survey, more than half of the respondents emphasized how important consistent employee training is for dealing with automation and integrating complex robotics. Whether through traditional, digital, or virtual means, accessible and hands-on training is essential to prepare employees for work in highly automated environments.

Comprehensive training is crucial for safety and productivity due to the increasing level of collaboration between humans and robots. Inadequate training can lead to serious consequences such as accidents, injuries, and reduced productivity, which could undermine the overall attractiveness of automation for intralogistics professionals and warehouse operations.

Balancing Power with Responsibility

As the intralogistics industry eagerly adopts automation and new digital tools, the willingness to support human labor in better understanding their evolving roles is essential for success. Humans remain indispensable in warehouse operations, and with proper integration with automation and robotics, they can achieve a highly efficient balance.

Valuing your workforce and prioritizing high-quality and consistent employee training ensures productivity, safety, and efficiency in modern warehouses. Given the tightening labor shortage in the intralogistics industry, qualified and trustworthy workers are becoming increasingly valuable. New roles will emerge as employees manage and maintain modernized systems.

Jobs in engineering, data analysis, maintenance, operations management, customer service, and inventory control are likely to be in high demand as warehouses become increasingly automated. This underscores the importance for warehouse managers to develop effective methods for training new and existing employees regarding new technologies to improve overall warehouse processes.

Designing Warehouses for Harmony between Humans and Automation

Automation may seek consistency. It is important to design everything uniformly so that machines can achieve smooth operations and reduce costs. To plan the most productive layout of a warehouse, it is essential to find the right balance between the value of automated systems and the value of the materials to be handled (MTBH). The goal is to achieve harmony between humans and automated systems while ensuring the safety and productivity of all. When designing a warehouse or workspace, it should be emphasized that the human laborers working alongside automated systems are the most important capital for ongoing operations.

It is time for the intralogistics industry to focus on the people who do the hard work and the essential personnel who ensure that services like our Amazon Prime next-day deliveries are timely and flawless. However, instead of placing lounge chairs and a coffee bar in the middle of the warehouse, the focus should be on creating inspiring workspaces. These spaces should motivate employees, provide them with joy in their work, and promote safe and easily understandable interaction with the surrounding robots.

The Key to Success in Industry 4.0

Despite the progress towards Industry 4.0, human labor remains indispensable in intralogistics. To unlock the full potential, companies must invest in comprehensive employee training and design workspaces that enable seamless collaboration between humans and robots. This fosters safety, productivity, and efficiency, ensuring a successful future for the industry.

Alexander Tutt is a Business Development Manager at Configura, a leading provider of design software solutions for the intralogistics and commercial furnishings industry. Alexander has over a decade of experience in business development and focuses on expanding Configura’s partnerships in the German intralogistics sector. He possesses strong analytical skills and is well-versed in communication, international relations, and market research. Alexander is fluent in Spanish, English, and German.
www.configura.com