Computers in the Workplace

     The specific industry I chose to post about is the warehousing workspace. I have had a chance to work in multiple environments large and small and see how companies and individuals use computers to be more efficient and accurate. As computers and the use of computer networks have become integrated in many work environments, warehouse inventory has been much easier to track and manage. Armed with a digital store of what inventory a warehouse contains, and where it is stored increases the warehouses capability to receive and ship much more volume. Having paper records can still be useful in the event of the network going down or needing maintenance but under normal circumstances, the digital inventory has been the next best thing since electric forklifts. On top of that, some warehouses have on-board computers for the powered equipment used to move and store inventory. This allows operators to manage inventory while on the go and not confined to a desk. Being literate with computers will give you the upper hand in training the roles of a warehouse and it will also help you understand the inner workings of the warehouse database/network. In the next 10 years, I can see use of automated equipment that will move and store pallets of inventory instead of needing operators to do so. This will be expensive but in the long run will pay off. It will also decrease the chances of accidents and the presence of less liability. Without computers, this field is much more time consuming and monotonous, but with them it is continuously ramping up and changing for the better.