Logistics is one of the sectors already putting automation and AI to work. Government research finds that retail and logistics were already actively integrating AI to improve customer insights and streamline functions such as inventory management and supply chains GOV.UK's AI adoption research. That tells us automation is not a distant threat in warehousing. It is a live part of how the sector runs now.
Yet the UK is starting from a low base on the hardware side. The International Federation of Robotics reported that UK utilisation of industrial robots substantially lags internationally, using only 101 robots per 10,000 workers in 2020 the Smart Machines Strategy 2035. A separate analysis places the UK just 24th in global robotics density, and estimates that targeted innovation and digital investment could add £150 billion to the UK's GDP by 2035 Make UK's automation report. So there is plenty of room for automation to grow, which means hiring will keep shifting for years to come.
The clearest signal is that automation is reshaping jobs, not simply removing them. Six in ten (59%) manufacturers cited automation and half (50%) cited wider digitalisation as trends changing jobs and skills needs, and 74% expect demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to increase by 2030 Make UK's 2030 skills research. In warehousing terms, that means fewer purely repetitive tasks and more roles that involve overseeing systems, solving problems and handling exceptions.
Employers are responding by developing the people they already have. 40% of manufacturers are looking to upskill their existing workforce, specifically for redeployment as a result of automation and digitalisation, and that figure rises for firms with more than 1,000 employees the Make UK Executive Survey 2026. Across AI-related occupations more broadly, projections show a net increase in roles, ranging from approximately 696,000 jobs in one scenario to 1,072,000 in another, alongside replacement demand of between 3,077,000 and 3,193,000 jobs GOV.UK's labour market projections. The picture is growth and churn, not disappearance.
Start by hiring for adaptability, not just a fixed task list. With 74% of manufacturers expecting demand for cognitive and meta-cognitive skills to rise by 2030 Make UK's 2030 skills research, the people who thrive are those who can learn new systems and troubleshoot when something goes wrong. Write job descriptions around problem-solving, comfort with technology and a willingness to retrain.
Next, plan redeployment into your hiring strategy. Since 40% of manufacturers are upskilling existing staff for redeployment as automation lands the Make UK Executive Survey 2026, the smart move is to combine internal development with targeted external hires for the new skills you cannot grow quickly. Map which roles automation will change over the next two to three years, then hire ahead of that curve rather than reacting to it.
Finally, move quickly when the right person appears. Automation raises the value of every skilled hire, so a slow process can lose you the exact people you need to run the new setup.
We built Reed.ai to help you hire the people who will run and improve your automated operations. We search a database of 15 million candidates to surface a ranked shortlist fast, so you can focus on the right people rather than the search. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. That means you only pay when we help you find the right person and manage the recruitment from first search to signed offer. Ready to hire for your warehouse of the future? Start a role with us today.
