How blending people and technology can ease labour pressures

In today’s fast-paced and competitive retail landscape, the cost and availability of labour is a challenge. When demand is high, ensuring goods are consistently available further strengthens customer loyalty for retailers. Now is the time to optimise your workforce and increase efficiency in the supply chain through the intelligent application of warehouse automation and robotics.

Labour challenges directly impact customer experience

According to our research , 91% of retailers agree that warehouse labour challenges are directly impacting their fulfilment operations and nearly a quarter (24%) report that this directly harms the customer experience. Labour challenges include limited staff availability and reliability, rising wage expectations, recruitment costs, and competition for workers.

These issues can reduce productivity, contributing to high staff turnover and negatively impacting retailers’ ability to scale. Furthermore, they can compromise the accuracy of orders, which can lead to a chaotic customer experience and long-term reputational damage for a retailer which limits growth.

Automation enhances – not replaces – human work

A major challenge for retailers, particularly during peak trade, is not just sourcing temporary staff to scale operations, but training them to deliver just what the customer expects. Automation and robotics offer a flexible, scalable, and reliable solution.

But automation is not about replacement, it’s about enhancement – people and technology should work together seamlessly. Complementary and scalable robotics and automation can ease pressure on teams, improve safety, reduce errors, and decrease dependency on fluctuating labour availability.

Scalable automation and robotics solutions can make jobs easier and more fulfilling, leading to higher engagement, better retention, and increased productivity. By reducing the impact of repetitive or physically demanding tasks like picking, put-away, and dispatch, automation complements the working environment and drives operational efficiency. By freeing up warehouse operatives to focus on more complex tasks which add value – opening up new opportunities for development and career progression, which improves retention rates as employees find their work more interesting and rewarding.

Choosing the right automation partner

Finding the right systems integration partner is essential to ensure that automation and robotics supports your people and your operations. A smarter warehouse is a long-term investment. It’s a transition that must be done right the first time. The right solutions are not just built for today’s challenges but fit for future growth.

Inteq offers sustainable, scalable warehouse automation systems and robotics that are built to flex with your business. Our collaborative approach means we work closely with clients to identify challenges and implement tailored systems that deliver enhanced resilience for long-term success.

Read the case study: Our partnership with a leading multinational media and entertainment organisation delivered a 55% system throughput improvement and showcases the benefits of a semi-automated warehouse system.

Are you ready to optimise your people through technology?

Automation doesn’t mean replacing people with robots. When people and technology work together, businesses can increase retention, improve safety, ensure consistent peak performance. By enhancing capability and operational efficiency retailers can deliver on their customer promise regardless of economic or labour challenges – ensuring the customer experience is at the heart of your fulfilment operations.

Discover how technology-led transformation is maximising warehouse operative value and future-proofing operations. Download Fit for growth – Achieving a profitable future through robotics and automation.

Written by

Haley Fyans

People Partner