So I was at a Shoppers Drug Mart (Canada) not long ago. Anyone who has been to any of the newer Shoppers will have seen how they don’t really have a huge setup for cashiers but will have a bunch of self check outs. When it comes to self check outs, my attitude towards them was always positive. The way I see it, the staff won’t need to deal with miserable Karens as much, will have the chance to work on other stuff within the store. Stocking shelves, dealing with incoming shipments, etc. So to me, from the perspective of the cashier it would seem like a good thing. I’m not trying to speak for them but I’m just trying to put myself in their shoes. What would I feel like in their position?
At this Shoppers Drug Mart, an older woman came in and she refused to use a self check out. She had her husband go into the store to find an employee to do the check out. My wife and I could hear her say “I would rather support a person’s JOB than a machine.” When a staff member was found, this staff member was not happy to be coming front side to work the till. Almost like she was already busy doing other stuff and having it interrupted. And I did see her in the hair care aisle scanning and stocking prior to this.
As for myself I work as an order picker in a warehouse and my job is largely automated. When I get a workorder or shipment order, I punch the number into a computer and a fancy thing called a shuttle will get all the parts I need. The shuttle cycles through all of the trays until the one with the item I need comes around. It then slides the tray out onto a platform and lights will light up pointing to the item I need with a quantity and a item number. It makes things ssooooo easy and the chance of making a mistake are so slim.
But I guess my hang up and conflict are this. Is automation bad for workers in that eventually it will replace us all? Or is it a good thing because the bullsit side of our jobs is handled by a computer giving us a chance to focus on other things? Still working but with less bullshit?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.