Provider of warehousing solutions Lucas Systems has announced its rollout of new technologies designed to cater to the needs of the ‘Gen Z warehouse workforce of the future’.

The technologies were built for workers born between 1997 and 2012, and are designed to offer reduced worker stress, a less physically-taxing work experience and support on-floor supervisors by providing tools for increased worker agility.

Some of the new technologies include: a new console for overseeing management responsibilities that reportedly lets users customise data, dashboards and analytics; new machine learning and algorithms which Lucas Systems claims can reduce worker travel by up to 50% within the warehouse; and what the company calls the ‘world’s smallest wearable mobile computer’, which can run its voice-enabled optimisation suite, Jennifer.

Development of the solutions came from interviews conducted by Lucas Systems to examine warehouse workers’ relationships with technology and their current fears and expectations around their jobs. The company polled 500 US warehouse workers as part of the study.

“These are all signs that tomorrow’s warehouses will need to operate differently than they do today,” said Ken Ramoutar, CMO of Lucas Systems.

“Gen Z workers expect to use modern technologies like they use at home.

“Handheld and personalised, tech must be easy to use and must help them save time and mitigate exertion.”

The warehousing firm also released a new guide for operators, titled Competing for The Warehouse Workforce of the Future, which features recommendations for attracting and retaining a future workforce.

One finding from the publication is that a majority of Gen Z workers (73%) expect robots to help them achieve greater accuracy and speed in their jobs.

Last year, artificial intelligence company Berkshire Grey released a report which suggested a generational gap in interest in the profession was a leading cause of labour shortages across the warehousing sector.