04/09/19
Walmart recently announced that it will be implementing a variety of automated associates in a number of its stores. These include a janitorial bot, a shelf scanning rover, and automatic delivery unloading systems. Some workers worry that these new metallic associates will cause an increase in layoffs, which Walmart has stated is likely to occur in the long run as more workers are shifted to customer service roles.
This move towards robots in generally unskilled positions is nothing new, but does bring up a valid concern. As automation increases in prevalence, new roles in maintaining these systems begin to take the make up for the number of jobs lost, however these positions will require a greater degree of technical capability than those who just lost their job are typically capable of. Some workers have simply been employed for so long that they are unable to handle learning an entirely new skill set to adapt. Others will be unable to afford the retraining and education required. A worker who has spent decades as a unionized welder, training as an apprentice, gaining a mastery hard to come by in the general work pool, is unlikely to be able to start working and operating immediately on an automated welding robot. That will require time and committing to abandoning their years of experience, a harrowing thought to many people.
With these down sides, there are benefits to be had. Workplace automation will greatly aid in the reliability of information between stores. A continuously operating shelf scanner will more frequently catch disparities than several employees viewing a section in random quality checks. The amount of time goods are on the shelf can also be reduced through careful trend monitoring and charting.