And, 47.8% of manufacturing professionals have already seen a rise of automation within their environments over the last few years, with the majority revealing that up to half of processes in their workplace are already automated.
The study, conducted the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) in collaboration with CV-Library, also reveals that 74% of those surveyed anticipate an automation rise will happen again soon.
Steve Barraclough, chief executive of the CIEHF, says that it is “encouraging" to read that the majority of respondents believe robotics will play a key role in the country’s economic growth.
Other key findings reveal:
- 82.9% of industry professionals believe there should be an increased focus on human factors at the initial design stage to encourage the interaction with and acceptance of robotics
- 78.9% feel more should be done to promote the benefits of automation and encourage acceptance
- When considering mistakes and accidents in the workplace that involve robotics, 89.2% of workers still believe the responsibility lies with humans
- A third of manufacturers have witnessed job creation (as opposed to job loss) as a result of the introduction of robots or automated processes
Barraclough adds: “Robotics and automation clearly present benefits to British business by speeding up our processes, increasing productivity and upskilling our workforce.
“As we’ve commonly found, however, those interacting with robots on a regular basis agree that it’s imperative that human factors is taken into account during the early design stages to ensure robots are integrated appropriately and effectively into the workplace. This will not only encourage acceptance and help create a smooth transition from manual tasks to automation, but also help reduce mistakes.”
