When manufacturers think about return on investment, they often look at numbers tied to output: faster cycle times, fewer defects, lower labor costs. But what if some of your most powerful ROI drivers aren’t tied to your machines, but to your people?

Ergonomics has long been seen as a “nice to have.” But improving ergonomics can yield real, measurable business value, especially when paired with automation.

Repetitive tasks are costing you more than you think

In food and beverage manufacturing, many repetitive tasks—like stacking heavy boxes onto pallets—aren’t just inefficient. They’re injury risks. And those risks come with real costs:

• Lost-time injuries
  
• High turnover in physically demanding roles
• Worker compensation claims
  
• Reduced productivity due to fatigue or injury
  

The ROI of solving these issues isn’t just in keeping your team healthy; it’s in keeping your lines running.

Automation turns ergonomics into a strategic advantage

Robotic palletizing systems eliminate the most repetitive, injury-prone parts of the job. That’s good for worker safety, and it’s good for business. Automating your end-of-line allows you to:

• Reduce shoulder and back injuries from palletizing
• Upskill workers into less physically demanding roles
• Lower employee turnover

Switching from manual to automated palletizing is an investment in workforce stability and performance.

How to spot the warning signs

In a tight labor market, workers have choices. Jobs that cause pain or injury? They don’t stick.
But when manufacturers create safer, more ergonomic environments, they gain a recruiting and retention edge.

And here’s the real kicker: the cost of high turnover adds up fast.
Replacing a line worker can cos tens of thousands in recruiting, training, and lost production. Keeping that worker by making their job safer? That’s a smart ROI.

Start with the task that hurts the most 

You don’t have to automate everything at once. Start with the task that causes the most fatigue, pain, or turnover. For many factories, that’s palletizing.

And that’s why Robotiq Palletizing Solutions are designed to be quick to deploy, easy to operate, and compact enough to fit where people already work.

A win-win for people and productivity

When you remove repetitive strain from the job, you’re not just doing the right thing—you’re doing the smart thing. Because every box a robot lifts is one your people don’t have to. And that adds up to a healthier, more productive team, and a stronger bottom line.

💻  Join our ergonomics webinar with certified safety expert Carla Silver - register today!

📘 Want to take a deep dive? Download our Ergonomics ebook, also by Carla Silver.