INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Mobile Technology

Seventy-one percent of European warehousing decision-makers and 73 % globally said they need automation to mitigate errors , and 60 %, 65 % globally cited the need to meet service level agreements . Offsetting labour shortages was the main driver for 75 % of those surveyed in Europe and 68 % globally .

Attracting qualified workers , 49 % Europe , 55 % globally , training time to achieve full productivity , 51 % Europe , 54 % globally , absenteeism , 36 % Europe , 33 % globally , and loss of labour to competitors , 26 % Europe , 30 % globally were cited as the top labour problems .

“ Labour issues facing the warehousing industry are not going anywhere ,” said Andre Luecht , Global Transportation and Logistics Lead , Zebra Technologies . “ There are a number of problems that , to an extent , are out of the hands of warehousing providers . These include the lingering memory of job loss and uncertainty experienced during the pandemic , an aging and shrinking demographic , and generational differences when it comes to job and career preference .”

“ I think the data is telling us that we are a long way from a lights out warehousing industry , even in the face of error mitigation , service level agreements and labour challenges ,” said Luecht .

Warehousing has a public perception challenge , it is seen as manual , high-paced work with relentless targets , which is the underbelly of the need to meet consumer expectations around availability , speed and choice of delivery and returns .

Yet 83 % of warehousing associates in Europe , 86 % globally say implementing technology would help attract and retain workers , and 80 % in Europe , 83 % globally say they would feel more valued by their employer when provided with technology tools and automation to help them do their jobs .

There is an urgent need to invest in the right type of technology and automation for the current and potential workforce . Once those

Andre Luecht , Global Transportation and Logistics Lead , Zebra Technologies investments are made , they need to be communicated widely so operational and workforce transformation shape how jobs and the industry are perceived by current employees and potential applicants .

However , warehousing providers can address some problems including attracting , training , and retaining workers and helping them to be more efficient .

Warehousing providers understand this too , with 86 % in Europe , 88 % globally saying tech can attract and retain the workers they need . Fifty-four percent of European decision-makers , 56 % globally also said reducing unnecessary tasks and addressing worker comfort , 55 % Europe , 54 % globally were among their most important labour initiatives .

The challenge is mapping the right type and level of technology and automation against business need and labour availability , within budget , in sync with legacy systems , and with the right support and training .

The report tells us that by 2028 , having most workers equipped with mobile devices , 22 % Europe , 24 % globally and workers with devices collaborating with some automation , 21 % Europe , 24 % globally are the two top scenarios toward which decision-makers are working . p

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