Industrial Landlords Desperately Need Workers

Bob Smietana

Chicago, IL—The growing trend of automation in warehouses is having a ripple effect among retailers and logistics companies—but it is still not entirely meeting the demand for labor in the industrial sector. According to a 2018 CBRE report, “low unemployment and the creation of about 500,000 e-commerce-related jobs since 2010 are impacting the pattern of US industrial real estate development.” With e-commerce primarily driving demand for warehouses, labor availability is the main factor in choosing sites for new facilities.

“Distribution centers are all located very close to each other. Warehouse employees will change jobs for as little as a 75-cent hourly wage increase or a slight cost savings on housing and transportation. Employers are also working to accommodate personal work schedules and ensuring lunch options are nearby,” Bob Smietana, CEO of HSA Commercial Real Estate, tells GlobeSt.com.