Many industries across the world have embraced the use of automation due to Covid-19 pandemic in the last few months. Deploying robots helped to replace the positions left vacant by human employees that have had to stay away for fear of infections. The use of automation is also creating fear that things may not go back to normalcy, and robots will take over almost all the jobs leaving humans with nothing to fall back to after the pandemic.
Business owners also realize the benefits that come with using robots, which has seen them invest more in their deployment. Major robot manufacturing companies such as Universal Robots are also at the forefront of making people understand that they can work alongside robots by offering online learning about their line of cobots.
While such robot manufacturing companies will make you see the benefits of using robots at the workplace, there are businesses, people resistant to change, and automation. Such people and organizations fear that any change will disrupt their way of doing things and maybe cost them more than they can afford to spend on innovation. Below, we address both the advantages and disadvantages that come with robot deployment.
Advantages
- Improved quality
Research shows that performing the same tasks continuously leads to boredom, low concentration levels, and poor quality of products and services. Robots save employees from performing these repetitive tasks, by taking over production and accurately checking that all the products maintain high standards. Better quality products, in turn, create new and repeat opportunities for the business.
- Cuts down on costs
Businesses lose a lot of income due to employees taking time off to attend to their issues, lunch breaks, sick leaves, and holidays among others. Robots, on the other hand, can work all year round without taking any breaks, which helps to raise production at much lower costs. They also help to save from employing other staff members to fill up positions left vacant by absent employees.
- Increase in sales
Freeing employees from performing repetitive tasks raises their morale making them more productive, with a better environment at the workplace and higher energy levels, there is more motivation to improve on their input, which helps to increase sales and have more satisfied clients.
- Eliminate risks
Some industries have dangerous work environments that lead to injuries from chemical spills and others. Such industries also spend large amounts of money to ensure that the employees do not risk their health and lives while at work. By using robots to take over the dangerous and risky applications, you not only save your employees from risk, but you also save money from buying lots of security and safety equipment.
Disadvantages
- High investment costs
Robots do not come cheap, and the initial cost of deploying them may not be an easy thing to do. It is crucial to ensure that you have a comprehensive business plan before considering the deployment of automation at your workplace. You need to consider if deploying robots will increase your output and reduce expenses before deciding to put some income aside for capital expenditure.
- Job losses
One of the main reasons people are resistant to robotic automation is the fear of job losses. On the contrary, robots do not take jobs away as there are always new roles created for the staff members.
Some of the most innovative robots, such as the Universal Robots cobots come with specialized programs that allow them to work alongside humans without replacing them. Robots, in most cases, take over the high risky applications while humans take on other, less risky tasks that benefit the business.
- Upskilling or sourcing for skilled staff
Introduction of robots in the workplace comes with the need to hire skilled personnel to enable smooth operation of the machines. In the majority of the cases, robot-manufacturing companies carry out the initial installation process and take the staff through training and commissioning. After that, it is either upon the business to employ skilled technicians or upskill the existing ones to keep up with the flawless working of the machines, which may attract extra costs.
Wrapping it up
Embracing the use of robots may seem like such an expensive and bad idea to some people, but it is a great thing. It does not take away your job, nor does it interfere with how you did things in the past. If anything, using robots enhances productivity and a happier working environment.
