Trends Report

Automation Can Solve The Service Worker Shortage

Robots Can Fill The Demand For Employees In North America And Europe

February 10th, 2022
Craig Le Clair, Vice President, Principal Analyst
Craig Le Clair Vice President, Principal Analyst
J. P. Gownder, Vice President, Principal Analyst
J. P. Gownder Vice President, Principal Analyst
Paul Miller, Vice President, Principal Analyst
Paul Miller Vice President, Principal Analyst
Renee Taylor-Huot, Senior Researcher
Renee Taylor-Huot Senior Researcher
With contributors:
Glenn O'Donnell , Michael O'Grady , Laura Koetzle , James McQuivey, PhD , Audrey Lynch , Diane Lynch

Summary

Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen an explosion in the need for frontline service workers, particularly in the US and Europe. Stores, hotels, hospitals, warehouses, and restaurants report severe shortages for jobs like warehouse packing and sorting, delivery, food processing, and janitorial work. These hard-to-fill jobs are prime candidates for automation, but is automation ready to take them on? This report provides an automation deployment model that combines adoption characteristics with technology readiness to compare 11 automation categories that have the potential to help with the service worker shortage. Buyers will understand where and when to invest; vendors will understand what to target.

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