Packaging Automation Keeps Companies In The Clear During Labor Shortages

Whether Millennials are in fact “lazy,” as far too many news pundits like to assume, is beyond the point. The real problem is that warehouses and distribution face a shortage of able-bodied workers. What’s more, those who fill up the applicant pool are either picky about where they work or ten not to apply for positions requiring manual labor. From the perspective of facility owners who need to keep conveyor belts filled with outbound items headed for delivery, not having the human hands to handle them is a problem—right? Not quite. As Packsize is quick to point out, automated machines creating the right-sized box out of environmentally-friendly packaging material is an all-around solution for those experiencing staffing and workflow problems. With the busy holiday season now on the horizon, there’s no time like the present to shift attention to automation rather than scurrying to find temporary workers who’ll only bridge the gap until Christmas is over.

Labor Shortage Slams Employers

According to a summer 2018 article from Business Insider, the ongoing labor shortage is great news for the unemployed, but not so welcomed by those who have to keep operations up and running. “America’s labor shortage is approaching epidemic proportions, and it could be employers who end up paying,” the article states, adding that companies would likely be forced to fork over higher wages to entice the best workers to come forward. A similar CNBC report echoes that there’s a perfect storm of rising labor costs, higher wages, and increased price tags for goods and services. Having to temporarily pay workers more may be the problem some companies face in the wake of a labor shortage, but those who’ve seriously considered internal workflow and automation won’t have to deal with such finicky fluctuations within the job pool.

Automated Answers

The search for skilled workers is a never-ending one, but having to entice them with sharp salary increases is one that hurts the bottom line. That’s one reason why those looking to improve inventory management in the warehouse and keep their packaging lanes humming are turning to Packsize’s custom box-making machines. These machines help reduce labor as well as micromanagement associated with ordering and managing an inventory of corrugated boxes. For the warehouse engineer, Packsize’s On Demand Packaging^® solutions can cut down on your inventory of boxes, thus requiring fewer workers to oversee it. This same approach also allows managers to simply push a button or scan a barcode to find the right-sized box for the outbound item rather than dispatching someone to another part of the warehouse. This type of improved inventory management takes advantage of automation and speeds up internal processes.

Never-ending Needs

Whether you specialize in basketballs or building cabinets, there will always be odd-shaped items leaving your facility that no common cardboard box could efficiently contain. With a streamlined and automated approach to packaging and moving items down the lane, time and efficiency increases. By excluding the time it takes for workers to track down the box that’s going to work best, and instead using Packsize’s smart approach to machine packaging, talk of labor shortages should come as no concern.