{"id":819109,"date":"2025-02-27T08:05:52","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T13:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/70-of-frontline-workers-report-rising-concerns-with-injuries-on-the-warehouse-floor\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T08:05:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T13:05:52","slug":"70-of-frontline-workers-report-rising-concerns-with-injuries-on-the-warehouse-floor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/70-of-frontline-workers-report-rising-concerns-with-injuries-on-the-warehouse-floor\/","title":{"rendered":"70% of Frontline Workers Report Rising Concerns With Injuries on the Warehouse Floor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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70% of Frontline Workers Report Rising Concerns With Injuries on the Warehouse Floor<\/b><\/p>\n

Workers also stressed about meeting business goals if warehouse leaders don\u2019t embrace intelligent automation<\/i><\/p>\n

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE<\/a>)–Zebra Technologies Corporation<\/a> (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitizing and automating frontline workflows, today released the findings of its latest Warehousing Vision Study. In the study titled, \u201cElevating Every Move: The Formula for High-Performance Warehousing<\/a>,\u201d frontline workers clearly communicated the benefits of automating warehouse operations \u2013 and the risks of not automating fast enough.<\/p>\n

\nAccording to the study, 63% of warehouse leaders plan to implement artificial intelligence (AI) software and augmented reality (AR) within five years. In addition, 64% plan to increase spending on warehouse modernization in the next five years, and 63% plan to accelerate their modernization timelines by 2029.<\/p>\n

\nInteract Analysis projects global warehouse square footage will increase by 27% to 42 billion square feet in 2030 from 33 billion square feet in 2023. Warehouse labor spend is also expected to show long-term expansion projected at a compound annual growth rate of 7% through 2030.<\/p>\n

\nAs this expansion continues and daily order volumes increase, feedback shared by frontline workers as part of Zebra\u2019s Warehousing Vision Study suggests that warehouse leaders will need to move a bit faster to expand workforce capacity:<\/p>\n

\n– 85% of associates say, \u201cIf my employer does not invest in technology to improve warehouse operations, we will not meet business objectives.\u201d
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– 74% of associates are concerned they are spending too much time on tasks that could be automated.
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– 72% of associates are concerned about safety on the (increasingly busy) warehouse floor with 70% specifically worried about injuries.
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– 69% of associates reported there is a lack of qualified staff on the warehouse floor and express concerns about fatigue and physical exhaustion.<\/p>\n

\nEven warehouse leaders admit they find it challenging to maintain the fill rates (51%) and prepare orders (47%) outlined in their service level agreements (SLAs), with order accuracy and outbound processes cited as the top two operational challenges in the Zebra study. Increased e-commerce activity is also making \u201cfaster delivery to the end-customer\u201d a top challenge for warehouse teams, even as technology use is on the rise.<\/p>\n

\nGiven the disparity between customers\u2019 growing expectations and warehouse operators\u2019 limited hiring capacity, warehouse associates say it\u2019s important that collaborative robots (88%), ergonomic mobile devices (88%), communications applications (87%), and task management tools (91%) are used to help solve workplace issues.<\/p>\n

\nNinety-three percent of associates agree the increased availability of automation and mobile technologies would help attract and retain more warehouse associates, and 89% say they feel more valued by their employers when provided with technology tools and automation designed to help them.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWarehouse associates are telling us they feel their lives would be better if their employers thoughtfully integrated more automation solutions into their workflows,\u201d said Andres Boullosa, Global Warehouse Vertical Strategy Leader, Zebra Technologies. \u201cAutomating material movement, data collection, and information management helps make busy warehouses safer. It also makes it easier for teams to meet SLAs and maintain a steady, reliable flow of quality goods to the market, which increases both customer satisfaction and worker engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

How (and How Much) Automation is Really Expected to Help Warehouse Workers<\/b><\/p>\n

\nWarehouse leaders believe the biggest impact of mobile device-based AI applications will center on worker safety, quality control, and inventory management. While 79% say AI will positively impact their ability to detect potential hazards and issue alerts for prevention, 78% think AI would make an impact on their ability to detect issues or anomalies using AI. In addition, 77% feel AI applications would impact their ability to forecast needs, streamline stock levels, and maximize space using AI applications.<\/p>\n

\nMany warehouse leaders who plan to augment\/automate or have already done so say their goal is to mitigate errors (71%) and meet SLAs (70%). They hope automation will increase worker efficiency and productivity (54%) as well as reduce order errors and manual picking (53%). Plus, 82% of warehouse leaders agree giving warehouse workers more technology tools will help them exceed productivity goals while reducing physical strain and preventing injuries. Eighty-one percent of the leaders also admit automation improves morale.<\/p>\n

Warehouse Leaders Need More Help, Too<\/b><\/p>\n

\nWarehouse leaders say their biggest supply chain network challenges are \u201cinnovating with technology and intelligent automation\u201d and \u201cmeeting changing customer service expectations.\u201d Yet, the latter will not prove possible until warehouse leaders figure out a clear path forward with technology.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThere are so many things that frontline workers are being asked to do in warehouses, including things they don\u2019t enjoy doing, which could and should be automated today,\u201d added Boullosa. \u201cIt\u2019s good to hear so many warehouse leaders plan to digitize, automate and add intelligence to their frontline operations, and we are here to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

KEY REGIONAL FINDINGS<\/b><\/p>\n