Perks of Work
With labor markets still tight, industrial firms have begun to offer their workers some of the same types of perks increasingly enjoyed by office employees. Cushman & Wakefield surveyed its industrial real estate experts across the country to determine which amenities are most desired by warehouse and manufacturing workers:
- Temperature Control — Cooling & Heating
- Access to Public Transportation
- Onsite Food Options
- Gym/Workout Facilities
- Natural Light & Fresh Air
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- Walking Trails & Outdoor Seating
- Games (Ping-Pong, Foosball, Basketball)
- Daycare
- Better Restrooms, Break Areas, Lactation Rooms, Privacy Rooms
Source: Cushman & Wakefield
Musical Chairs in Memphis
The former Gibson Guitar factory off Beale Street in Memphis is being converted to house the headquarters of FedEx subsidiary FedEx Logistics, which plans to expand the iconic building to accommodate as many as 1,200 workers, about half of whom will move from current Memphis-area locations. The company put the plan on hold after the shooting death of Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary during a downtown robbery last September. FedEx Logistics re-engaged in the process after receiving reassurances about downtown safety measures. Gibson is moving its Memphis operations to Nashville, where the guitar maker is headquartered.
Top Tech Towns
CompTIA, the IT industry trade association, reports U.S. net tech employment totaled an estimated 11.8 million in 2018, an increase of more than 260,000 workers over 2017. Here are the top 10 U.S. cybercities by net tech employment and 2018 jobs growth.
Net Tech Jobs
| New York | 659,260 |
| Los Angeles | 503,971 |
| Washington, D.C. | 437,454 |
| San Francisco | 385,019 |
| Boston | 373,415 |
| San Jose | 371,640 |
| Dallas | 349,639 |
| Chicago | 344,146 |
| Seattle | 298,555 |
| Atlanta | 261,084 |
Net Tech Jobs Gain
| San Francisco | +20,566 |
| San Jose | +13,140 |
| Boston | +11,579 |
| Seattle | +11,550 |
| New York | +10,440 |
| Dallas | +9,324 |
| Atlanta | +8,090 |
| Los Angeles | +7,632 |
| Detroit | +6,295 |
| Chicago | +5,971 |
Ranking Robotics
Robot sales in the United States hit a record of nearly 38,000 units in 2018, with density reaching 200 robots per 10,000 employees, according to the Frankfurt-based International Federation of Robotics. The group reports that robot density in the U.S. manufacturing industry now is more than double that of China and ranks No. 7 worldwide. While the automotive sector remains the industry’s most prolific customer, adoption is growing fastest within the food and beverage and plastics and chemicals industries. Walmart, in April, announced that it will have autonomous floor scrubbers in 1,860 stores by early 2020.
Nikola Finds a Home
Nikola Motor Co. has closed on a 390-acre (158-hectare) parcel south of Phoenix and plans to break ground next year on its plant for making hydrogen-electric trucks. Founder and CEO Trevor Milton says the company hopes to produce as many as 50,000 trucks a year at a planned industrial park in Coolidge, Arizona. Milton founded Nikola in Utah and moved its headquarters to Phoenix last year (one of this magazine’s Top Deals of 2018, p. 153), citing greater workforce potential; the company has pledged to hire about 2,000 people for the factory in Coolidge. Lucid Motors, another electric vehicle startup, plans to build a production plant nearby.
Movin’ On
Nearly one-half of Canadian workers would pick up and move for the right job, and 22% of Canadian companies have beefed up relocation packages to lure them. More than 500 workers and 600 senior managers responded to the survey by the global staffing firm Robert Half.
