Hertie School project on Humans in Digital Logistics (Hulog)
This project aimed to look at “how digital technologies shape work and employment conditions in warehouses.” (link) They also wanted to see how digital resources are driving companies to maximize workforce flexibility and analyze how this affects working conditions.
“HuLog examines how digital technologies are deployed in the organization of warehouse operations, including how they:
- shape warehouse workers’ experience of work
- drive warehousing companies’ employment strategies to maximize workforce flexibility, and how this affects working conditions.” (link)
They conducted case studies in warehouses in four hubs in Europe, including Western Poland, Berlin-Leipzig-Halle (Germany), Limburg (Belgium), and West Yorkshire (United Kingdom). Through interviews and collaboration, this project will identify places of negotiation for human-centered warehousing.
Those involved in this project include project lead Professor Dr. Anke Hassel, who is a professor of public policy at the Hertie School in Berlin. The other researchers included Markus Helfen, a senior research fellow at the Hertie School, and Pit Jasper Lee, who is a research associate at the Hertie School
The outcomes are discussed in the publication, but overall, it confirmed the need for more human-centered warehousing due to the harsh working conditions occurring in the digital age.
This project ran from November 1, 2022, to October 31, 2025
