Survey: Automation attracts warehouse workers — here's why
More warehouse workers have a positive view of automation than not, despite the common perception.
A report from automation solutions provider Exotec found that nine-in-10 warehouse workers say automation at a facility is not a hiring barrier, while workers are three-times more likely to be attracted to working in an automated warehouse than they are off put by it (37% vs. 12%). More than half (54%) of warehouse managers say they are more likely to apply to a position at a facility that has automation.
Exotec’s survey found that half (51%) of warehouse workers say their stress levels have decreased with the addition of automation, while an even greater number reported a decrease in physical strain on the body (59%). Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed said they appreciate the help automation provides with difficult tasks.
Nearly nine-in-10 (85%) of those surveyed said they are more productive with automation available, while 74% said they can focus on higher-value tasks. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers reported a higher job satisfaction.
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Automation is also critical for employees during the holiday season. Over half of warehouse workers report increased hours during the holidays. Seven-in-10 workers agreed that warehouse automation makes them less stressed about the busy seasons.
“The data is clear, workers believe that working alongside automation offers new potential for workers' long-term careers and immediate job satisfaction,” said Romain Moulin, Exotec CEO. “Warehouse workers quickly learn from experience that automation makes their work lives better, delivering a myriad of benefits ranging from more take-home pay, significantly improved safety, to substantial productivity boosts. The new supply chain challenge isn't convincing today's workers that robots are good for their career; it's getting a new generation of workers in the door in the first place to experience it themselves.”
Additional insights from the Exotec survey include the following:
- Only half of workers say they were offered internal training opportunities related to working with automation (51%).
- Three-quarters (74%) of veteran warehouse automation users say it helps efficiency, compared to 57% of those in their early years.
- One third of those who were initially suspicious of automation said they became more comfortable with it after discovering it did not affect their job security.
- Only one-in-10 warehouse workers said they would leave a job sooner due to automation.
Exotec conducted its survey with Method Research and Watermelon Research among 400 U.S. adults who work on the floor of a warehouse. The survey was fielded between Aug. 18 and Sept.1, 2025.
