Better Together: Humans And Robots In The Warehouse

It’s not hard to find headlines touting a “robots taking over the workplace” narrative, like this recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Robots Are Replacing Workers Where You Shop,” or this one from

CNN Money: “Robots Could Wipe Out Another 6 Million Retail Jobs.” Before declaring a protest on all robots, however, it’s important to hear another perspective that doesn’t get as much press.

An article that appeared earlier this year in the Houston Chronicle read, “In Houston, Amazon’s Robots Mean More Work for Humans, Not Less.” The article went on to state that Amazon expects to hire 2,500 full-time employees to staff its massive warehouse – more than double the number of jobs it announced the prior year at the outset of the project.

Amazon isn’t the only company finding common ground for humans and robots in its warehouses. Earlier this year in Tennessee, DHL began testing robots to assist its pickers in order fulfillment. Rather than pushing a bin or cart, the robots work alongside workers, helping them pick out medical devices that need to be shipped quickly. Third-party logistics provider Quiet Logistics Inc., which fulfills online orders for retailers like Bonobos and Zara, uses the same type of mobile robots in one of its warehouses to support its employees.