FOOD OPERATION SAFETY
Automating out of labor shortage difficulties
T he labor shortage and supply chain breakdowns have become such issues that major suppliers have encouraged consumers to begin shopping early in times of high demand , like during the holidays or seasonal shifts . If they don ’ t , shoppers will face long delivery times , empty retail shelves and inflated prices . As retail sales rise , along with e-commerce and online sales projected to boom , labor shortages are real concerns for businesses to fulfill these increases and satisfy customer demand .
The shortage is affecting nearly every industry . Given that workers themselves are a crucial element in the supply chain , something must give to keep the supply chain running as smooth as it can in these uncertain times .
From April to June 2021 , 11.5 million Americans quit their jobs , and in June there was a record-breaking 10.1 million job openings . This great exodus isn ’ t over , with economists predicting that the shortage will persist far into 2022 .
But there ’ s hope : A long-term , sustainable solution to labor shortages is automation , which economists would classify as general productivity gains . Improvements in productivity over the last 50 years have kept inflation at bay and have generally shifted our economy away from manual , difficult-to-perform jobs .
With more job openings than available workers , investing in automated warehousing is a smart business decision that helps global enterprises stay future-ready , adapting to the inevitable disruptions ahead .
Automated Storage / Retrieval System : A Labor Shortage Solution Automated Storage / Retrieval Systems ( AS / RS ) are customized solutions that enable companies to organize inventory , optimize space
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