Warehouse work has a new attitude—one centered around employee well being and the best in technology. See how working in a warehouse now in 2020 looks very different than the past.
Accessible Tech
Drones. Robots. Wearables. No longer rare devices, these technologies are showing up on the job regularly. In warehouses, accuracy and speed are two key performance metrics. To increase efficiency, companies are heavily relying on new technology, which is a good thing for employees, as well:
Easier training
The first week at a job in any field can feel intimidating—you have to absorb a lot of information. But these days, companies are using augmented and virtual reality, GPS, and other tech options to help you feel comfortable on the floor and get you up to speed fast.
Basically, what that means is tablets, smart glasses, headsets, and more will tell you where to go and what to get from the shelves. The devices are intuitive for all ages, and learning your new role can be as simple as following digital directions.
Better for your mind and body
Today’s warehouses depend on well-designed tools:
- Ergonomic wrist and finger scanners that buzz when you get close to the correct bin, eliminating the need for weighty handheld scanners
- Robots that bring shelves of items to you
- Follow-behind “pick” carts that point you to the right aisle for what you need to collect next.
- Overhead drones using radio frequency to scan packages
All of this automation is reducing strenuous and monotonous work, turning positions into less labor-intensive jobs.
Making work interesting
Like video games? You may love warehouse work. In 2019, Amazon introduced MissionRacer, a workstation video game that lets employees convert their physical work into in-game movement. There’s nothing like a little friendly competition among coworkers!
Advanced Benefits
Besides feeling very futuristic, working in a warehouse can help support the life you want. Now, warehouse jobs are coming with full benefits and more. Many companies give you access to:
- health, vision, and dental insurance
- weekly paychecks
- paid time off
- 401(k) retirement accounts
- stock options
- employee discounts
- holiday pay
- overtime hours
Additionally, companies are working to increase employee well being, offering incentives, career training assistance and smaller, more comfortable environments:
Pad your paycheck
Hit targets set by management, and you may be eligible for monetary rewards. It’s also becoming more common for employers to advertise sign-on bonuses as they compete to hire employees. Take advantage of these offers when you see them!
Tuition assistance
Some companies—Amazon in particular—will pay for you to further your education. According to Amazon, its Career Choice Program covers 95% of tuition, fees, and book costs for employees “to earn certificates and associate degrees in high-demand occupations such as aircraft mechanics, computer-aided design, machine tool technologies, medical lab technologies, nursing, and many other fields.” (www.aboutamazon.com)
Training for new positions
In a warehouse, optimization and automation are king, but you don’t need to worry about the above technology taking your job. Even though the amount of automation is increasing, there is no need to worry about job security. Same- and next-day delivery is simultaneously increasing the number of employees needed at warehouses.
But if there is a shift in operations, companies prefer to retrain good employees for new positions in the warehouse rather than lose them. Learning to operate new equipment and software can help you advance within the warehouse, and tech skills will carry over to multiple industries should you decide to move on.
Transitions in type and size
Major brands have been entering new markets, such as pharmaceuticals and grocery, and that means more opportunities for more people. Any warehouse welcomes both men and women, but hiring data shows e-commerce centers like Walmart and Amazon have become popular places for women to work, versus the traditional male-dominated bulk storage industry (laborcenter.berkeley.edu).
Additionally, even the largest companies are starting to open condensed local warehousing that’s more typical of mom-and-pop size businesses. Historically, warehouses have been massive storage facilities in major cities. The Roman Empire’s Horrea Galbae warehouse, for instance, in use around 200 AD, held enough food to feed a million citizens for 7 years!
Thankfully, in 2020, there’s no need to clock in at an ancient warehouse more than double the size of modern-day America’s biggest distribution centers, and without a robot in sight to assist.
These new smaller warehouses in suburban areas are designed to get people their online orders quicker. If you live outside a city, your commute may be shorter and the warehouse floor faster to cross—perks few job seekers would say no to!
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