Robots have been used in manufacturing for decades. Manufacturers love robots for how much they improve on their processes. Robots help to make work easier and to produce high-quality products.
Over the years, there have been many complaints about the effect of robots on the manufacturing floor. Proponents of robots feel that they create more employment opportunities.
On the other hand, workers’ unions and many factory workers view robot presence in the factory as an avenue to lose their jobs.
Factories and factory workers who have interacted with robots have had the following as the impact of robots.
Creation of More Employment Opportunities
When robots are introduced into a factory, they are assigned tasks. Tasks that human workers had been previously assigned.
Rather than have these people fired, the factory will reassign them to other higher levels within the factory.
One of the many higher-level jobs that factory workers may get include the robot operator job. The modern collaborative robot, which is the most used robot in manufacturing right now, is easy to use and understand the machine. With a little training, factory workers can transition to become robot operators.
Robots help to increase the production capacity of all factories they are introduced into. As such, the factory will need people to fill their sales, marketing, finance, and customer support departments.
Most of the people whose jobs will be assigned to robots can then take up these jobs. With a little on the job training, they will become effective in these new positions.
Thus robots help to create more opportunities for employment in this way.
Affects Low-Level Jobs
Studies on the effect of robots on employment show that many of the jobs affected by robots are low-level jobs. Although the use of robots affects all levels of jobs, low-level jobs are the most affected.
Welders, assemblers, painters, and other similar jobs are highly affected by the introduction of robots in industries.
As more and more robots are assigned these jobs, those seeking these jobs are unfortunately turned down. This is because these jobs are no longer available to human factory workers. They are a preserve of robots now.
Other higher-level jobs that require high levels of education are not affected as much by the introduction of robots in the factory.
Robots can’t make decisions or to be creative. Robots can’t come up with business strategies or interact with investors or customers in a meaningful way. As a result, employees in these jobs won’t lose jobs due to the introduction of robots.
Robots Are Increasing In the Manufacturing Industries
It is predicted that by 2025, the number of robots in industries around the world will quadruple. This means that there will be more robots working in the industry.
More robots mean more products from factories. As robots are technical, they can work for long hours without the need for a break. This means that factories can then make more products available for sale.
Additionally, more robots in the factory mean that there will be fewer jobs available in the lower levels of the manufacturing company. This means that there will be fewer jobs that are unsafe, boring, and monotonous. As these jobs are best handled by robots.
The use of robots in industry results in higher quality goods. Higher quality goods are pricier and more profitable. Thus, manufacturing companies have more money. This means that companies can hire more people in higher-level jobs.
Thus low-level workers will have to enhance their skills and education to work competently in other jobs that open up within the factory.
Conclusion
Robots have impacted employment in different ways. Due to the tasks robots are assigned, there are people in the manufacturing industry who may end up losing their jobs. There are other job levels that robot presence won’t affect. Robots will also open up other jobs within the factories for those people who will be adversely affected by their presence.
