Gartner projects that one in 20 supply chain managers will oversee robots, not humans, by 2030.
The firm said that while robotics and automation are being adopted at a rapid clip for warehousing and logistics use cases, chief supply chain officers said that their organizations don’t have the internal expertise needed to reap the full benefits of emerging technologies. Federica Stufano, senior principal analyst at Gartner, said that, particularly as robots-as-a-service (RaaS) models, which effectively allow companies to rent robots as part of a subscription-based contract, will only increase the need for humans to oversee robots in the warehouse.
Stufano said, ironically, the robot-managing jobs are in large part stemming from a labor shortage in the warehousing realm.
“Recently, we’re talking more about labor shortages and labor prices, so that’s the first reason why we see more resources for smart robotics being deployed,” she explained.
Autonomous mobile robots, truck-unloading robots, pick-and-pack robots and sorting robots are just a few examples of the varying types of technology working to create the warehouse of the future. Gartner asserts that such a broad array of capabilities—which seem to be constantly changing and being upgraded, especially in the age of RaaS’ rise—will demand a more acute focus on how those systems interact with one another and work toward business goals.
While experts can agree that robotics and automation continue to gain steam in the warehouse for myriad use cases, they had mixed thoughts on Gartner’s assertion that some human managers will spend all their time dedicated to overseeing robots.
Ann Marie Jonkman, VP, global industry strategies at Blue Yonder, said that Gartner’s projections are largely probable, but require a bit of nuance.
“Gartner’s projection that one in 20 supply chain managers will oversee robots as their main job function is a reasonable expectation, given the rapid advancements in robotics and automation technologies,” Jonkman said. “However, it is unlikely that this will encompass their entire role. While automation and robotics significantly enhance cost-efficiency, accuracy and speed in warehouses, human workers remain more adaptable than even the most advanced robotic systems.”
Other experts agreed. Even the largest companies deploying robots in warehouses and fulfillment centers, like Amazon, which has deployed over one million robots globally in its facilities, seem to put an emphasis on human involvement and collaboration with technology.
After all, Joe Hudicka, supply chain expert and professor at Rider University, noted, unless human involvement in the supply chain is actively preserved, the very same companies trying to cut costs could see consumers unable to spend on the goods they’re hawking.
“If people don’t have jobs, they can’t buy the goods that robots are moving. My bet is we’ll continue to see far more jobs that rely on human interaction than ones that don’t. We need a more human-centric way of thinking about this shift,” Hudicka told Sourcing Journal.
Christopher Smith, CEO of Slip Robotics, which makes robots that can rapidly unload trucks, said even the most advanced deployments often have humans in the loop. He agreed with Jonkman’s assessment that managers handling robots will split their time interfacing with technology and working with people.
“Most facilities will evolve into hybrid environments, where managers are overseeing both people and robots together. In practice, the job of a supply chain leader is becoming less about direct supervision of human labor and more about orchestrating systems, and robots will be a key part of that system,” Smith told Sourcing Journal.
But even if managers aren’t solely overseeing robots, wrangling technology systems could still be a major change for those whose jobs are not highly technical today. Stufano said organizations will need to handle change management as gracefully as possible. She said that, for some employees, there will be a learning curve associated with shifting into these roles, and companies need to have strong governance processes in place to help them along.
In its report, Gartner recommends that organizations create a specific robotics center of excellence focused on moving robotics adoption forward; follow a “robust” strategy for automating their warehouses; bring all major leaders along on the implementation process and ensure proper governance structures remain in place throughout deployment.
Stufano said these strategic moves can help organizations find real use cases for technology, rather than using technology for technology’s sake. Part of that change management will require upskilling as much as 5 percent of the supply chain workforce in a big way, if Gartner’s projections prove out.
Vince Crimaldi, EVP, retail market unit leader at Capgemini, said leaders should invest in supporting employees through the cultural change that can come alongside implementing mass amounts of technology to ensure that technology truly can remain a “force multiplier,” rather than detracting from workforce sentiment.
“The shift from traditional labor to robot oversight is a profound workforce transformation. It demands a blend of digital and practical skills and must focus on foundational digital literacy, basic robot operation, troubleshooting and safety protocols,” Crimaldi said. “Soft skills like problem-solving, adaptability and cross-functional communication are equally critical, since these roles will increasingly require coordination between humans, robots and software.”
While many innovation initiatives require key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure against, Stufano noted that for robot deployments in the warehouse, companies’ leaders also need to take safety and worker sentiment into account.
“Having a proper business case, which doesn’t rely only on return on investment to financial outcomes, but also on wellbeing outcomes and being able to justify the investment in front of unions, [makes] change management very important,” Stufano said.
Several unions have already made it clear that they intend to fight against worker-replacement technologies. Experts continue to tout warehouse robots as additive rather than replacements, but labor rights organizations and union organizers seem to have their doubts.
Peter Finn, managing director of industrial technology at Brown Gibbons & Lang, said Gartner’s warnings around worker safety need to be heeded. While that will need to be watched after as companies transition toward a more automated future, he said he expects to see industry standards helping leaders along.
“Overseeing robots does come with novel challenges; as an example, safety becomes and increasing focus as humans and robots increasingly work together within the same environments,” Finn said. “Though automated solutions can reduce risks relative to certain human operated tasks, the need for humans to increasingly interface and interact with machines will require the development of new safety practices and standards and training to ensure adherence to new protocols will become critical.”
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This article was part of Sourcing Journal’s Logistics Report. To download the full report, click here.
