Survey: 50% of Warehouse Workers Get Raises Due to Automation

According to a  new survey, Warehouse Workers Sentiment Report: Understanding the Impact of Automation on Retention and Satisfaction", from Exotec, automation is having an impact on warehouse workers' salaries.

Nearly half of workers (49%) report earning pay increases due to automation, while two in five workers agree that working with automation makes it more likely to get a raise or promotion.

The survey of more than 400 warehouse workers also found that seven in ten warehouse workers are open to or interested in working alongside automation, while three times as many workers are attracted to working in a warehouse with automation as are put off by it (37% vs 13%). 

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers report higher job satisfaction working with automation compared to manual operations.

Additional reported benefits of working alongside automation include:

• Unanimous productivity power: 98% of warehouse workers say automation makes them more productive.
• Job magnetism: Workers partnering with automation are more than three times as likely to stay at their job longer than leave early (36% vs 11%). Moreover, workers are nearly 3x more likely to apply to warehouses with automation than those without (37% vs 13%).
• Safety supercharge: three in five automation workers report fewer workplace injuries--and a similar proportion (59%) report a decrease in physical strain on their body.
• Fun factor! Seven in 10 (69%) workers find automated-assisted tasks more enjoyable.

"The data is clear, workers believe that working alongside automation offers new potential for workers' long-term careers and immediate job satisfaction," said Romain Moulin, Exotec CEO, in a statement. 

"Warehouse workers quickly learn from experience that automation makes their work lives better, delivering myriad of benefits ranging from more take-home pay, significantly improved safety, to substantial productivity boosts. The new supply chain challenge isn't convincing today's workers that robots are good for their career; it's getting a new generation of workers in the door in the first place to experience it themselves."

Gaining acceptance

Nearly half of warehouse workers (48%) are "Roboptimists" compared to less than a third (32%) identifying as "Roboreluctant," with the remaining 20% registering as "Roboneutrals." Converting Roboreluctants to Roboptimists comes down to two factors: exposure and training.

Workers who initially were suspicious of warehouse robotics found that direct experience with robots largely allayed concerns, with four in five (80%) warehouse employees reporting they didn't oppose automated warehouses after they have experience with it.

Most became comfortable with automation after initially being suspicious because they appreciated having help with difficult tasks (57%) and realized it made their job physically easier (51%), while a third (33%) changed their tune once they discovered that it didn't threaten job security.

Warehouse robotics assist with seasonal needs

Seven in 10 (70%) of workers agree that warehouse automation makes them less stressed during these busy periods, while one-third (32%) report fewer coworkers quitting during peak seasons since automation was introduced.

"Like any new technology, we see a curve in workers' comfort and acceptance of warehouse automation and robotics," said Moulin. "The good news is that a little training goes a long way, with trained workers nearly twice as likely to be Robooptimists than not. That's proving particularly valuable when warehouse workers need help the most—over the holidays."