Who'd want to be a forklift driver?
This week, we share a UK report showing forklift operators are not a happy lot - and it's even worse for younger and female drivers who don't see a bright future.
And that's before they consider some of the wider trends like automation and the replacement of manual operation by AGVs and robots.
Then there's the growing trend of remote operation, with the potential for drivers on the other side of the world controlling forklifts remotely. Potentially, this could see drivers in high-wage markets replaced by employees in low-cost countries, as we saw with the offshoring of call centres.
So, what does all of this mean? If materials handling organisations want to attract and retain employees, they need to make the work environment safer and more engaging - and give operators more sense of control over their future. And, of course, they need to be prepared to pay fair wages.