Warehouse Automation and the Dehumanization of Labour

This book explores the automation of warehouse processes and the human-machine relationship, focusing on the impact of technology on the dehumanization of work. While modern warehouses rely heavily on advanced technologies, human labor remains essential, requiring interaction and collaboration with machines. The book examines how automation affects not only individual employees-their health, well-being, and daily experiences-but also broader social and organizational conditions. Through systematic analysis, the author identifies and classifies factors that contribute to the dehumanization of work in automated warehouses. Existing theories are verified, and literature on logistics, warehousing technologies, automation, humanization of work, and related challenges is reviewed. The author highlights the tension between efficiency improvements and the human costs of automation, emphasizing the importance of mitigating dehumanization in modern enterprises. By analysing the evolving roles and responsibilities of employees in automated environments, the book provides insights into designing work processes that foster synergy between human labour and technology rather than replacing workers entirely. Written in accessible yet academic language, the book is a valuable resource for researchers, academics, and practitioners in fields such as logistics, supply chain management, industrial engineering and labour studies and those interested in the intersection of technology, labour, and human well-being.

Marta Uznanska-Kus is Lecturer at the Department of International Management and Logistics at the Cracow University of Economics, Poland.

Introduction 1. Contemporary Warehouse Logistics 2. Automation of Warehousing Processes in Modern Enterprises 3. Dehumanization of Work in the Context of Technological Change 4. Warehouse Automation and Human-Focused Technology Assessment 5. Assessment of the Impact of Warehouse Process Automation on the Phenomenon of Work Dehumanization Conclusions