- According to a report from the International Federation of Robotics, U.S. robot installations are up 14% from pre-pandemic levels. In addition, the production of industrial robots rises at similar rates annually.
- The impact rapid production of industrial robots will have on the future of work are wide-ranging.
- Apart from boosting the robotics industry, the CDC says when used with a safety-first mentality, these robots can make industrial work safer, quicker, and more productive for workers.
The evidence is clear, there will be more robots in the future of work. Industrial jobs, in particular, will increasingly involve robotics.
A report from the Federation of Robotics revealed that industrial robotics installations and orders currently exceed pre-pandemic levels, which will only continue increasing as time goes on.
This trend ranges globally, with Asia ranking as the leading continent in robotics production.
When discussing robots entering the workforce, images of dystopian futures of extreme unemployment readily come to mind.
Given its benefits, however, the rapid production of industrial robots is a positive development. The CDC states that when robotics is used with a safety-first mentality, they can substantially improve working conditions in factories and other industrial contexts.
The future of work and the future of robots
The robotics industry produced over half a million industrial robots globally last year alone, and this annual rate is going to continue to increase.
This does not mean that all industrial jobs will disappear and be replaced through automation. On the contrary, since the 1980s, with the decline of manufacturing and industrial jobs in the United States, there has still not been an abolition of industrial employment altogether.
Instead, working conditions dramatically improved in industrial jobs due to the use of new technology. In this age of mass production of industrial robots, we should expect similar trends.
The benefits of robotics for the industrial workforce
The CDC is optimistic about the effect of robotics on industrial workers globally. This is especially the case compared to other industries far newer to automation, such as agriculture, construction, and mining.
For that reason, the CDC considers these newly automated places of work as less controlled and unsafe work environments for robots to be involved in.
These places of work are more connected to the public than manufacturing jobs, making the less controlled environment even less safe for robots to work in.
Traditionally, industrial robots have improved working conditions in manufacturing jobs by making them safer, quicker, more productive, and easing working conditions.
This is partially because workers and robots did not work side-by-side in these settings but were physically separated by a cage for safety reasons.
That is now changing in manufacturing with the rapid advancement of technology. For example, industrial robots now work physically side-by-side with industrial workers.
However, the increased use of industrial robotics and their proximity to workers in dangerous environments is a double-edged sword for worker safety, health, and wellness.
The potential to improve worker safety results from robots being able to cover for workers on hazardous tasks.
But, there are safety concerns that robots could injure workers by accident — for instance, by distracting them from workplace safety hazards.
Another worry the CDC expresses is that robots could mentally stress workers. For example, workers can perceive robot coworkers negatively, such as ignorance of how the robot works, mistrust in its ability to do the job, or the fear of being replaced by it.
The CDC states it is more likely that the positives will outweigh the negatives if companies and workers create and abide by strict safety protocols related to the robots.
Because no governing body has established protocols, companies must conduct operations with industrial robots with a safety-first mentality to ensure worker safety and wellness.
