Automation was proceeding at a rapid pace in many factories and warehouses before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, however, concerns over worker health, the need for social distancing, and the relentless push for cost-cutting are accelerating the progress of robots for order fulfillment.

Vanessa Akhtar, principal with management consultancy Kotter, offers advice for manufacturers on the right path to automation — one that includes human workers in the equation.

The future of “last-mile” delivery of e-commerce orders is one of flying drones, robots and driverless vehicles rushing product to our doorsteps. Or so the futurists would have us believe.

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold around the world, it delivered a shock to the system that tested manufacturers’ ability to adapt to change.

The path to success lies in staying ahead of the curve and implementing solutions that make a difference.