Summary Reader Response Draft 1

GERMii's article on "How tech can ease the cleaning industry's manpower crunch" published on GovInsider (2021) discusses the integration of technology along with the demand for manpower in the cleaning industry in Singapore.

According to Harold Van Haltren, CEO of Australia-based pathogen mitigation company GERMii, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a spike in demand in the cleaning industry. There is a need for cleanliness and hygiene in order to decrease the cases of COVID-19 not only in Singapore but also across the globe. However, there is a high risk for workers in the cleaning industry where many of them could come in contact with the virus.

The article mentioned three main points which are the goal for the implementation of robots, the transformation with the integration and the downsides to using technology.

Firstly, the article speaks about the aim of implementing robots into our everyday lives. Most people would assume that these robots would replace humans in the workforce as they may be more efficient than us and employers would not have to worry about paying them a salary, their working hours or even overworking the robots. However, it is evident that rather than replacing, the robots can complement the cleaning staff instead; the robots can take care of more menial tasks such as mopping, sweeping, picking up and clearing the trash while cleaning staff can dedicate their time to disinfecting services which are much more sought after during the pandemic.

Secondly, companies can embrace the evolution of the integration of man and machine in the workforce. In order to ensure that both robots and humans can coexist harmoniously in the workforce, many companies are spending money to up-skill their workers by sending them to courses to educate them on how to operate these robots safely and efficiently. In addition, workers are sent to attend more lessons for deployment for more customer-centric jobs within the organization.

Lastly, the article discusses the downsides and alternatives to using technology in the cleaning industry. For example, one potential downside of cleaning is the usage of chemicals and "over-cleaning". People could face health issues by the usage or mixing of different cleaning agents and chemicals which may lead to unexpected side effects and respiratory problems. A possible solution to this problem is to introduce UV lights to kill bacteria so that cleaning staff who work closely with the robots are not affected.

The adoption of cleaning robots integrated to meet the cleaning industry's needs has a positive impact on not only the cleaning industry but also the cleaning staff as they learn and develop new skills.

Many places in Singapore have adopted this idea of integrating cleaning robots with their cleaning staff. One example is Singapore's landmark, Changi Airport. As announced by Avidbots Corp, Changi Airport would be deploying the Neo floor robot cleaners which would reduce costs as well as increase the productivity of the cleaning teams. As stated in the article by Jonathan Quek, the manager at Globotix, Avidbots' distribution partner, “Avidbots Neo allows us to offer our customers like Changi an advanced robotics product that delivers industry-leading cleaning plans and detailed reports, all of which can be accessed through a highly sophisticated web app. It is a tightly integrated technology offering that delivers new and unique value.” with the web app that provides real time analytics for operations and cleaning teams, Changi Airport would make flying a much enjoyable experience.

Another example would be cleaning robots deployed at Singapore's local Circle Line stations. The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a rail system which the public utilise to commute daily. One of the lines in Singapore's MRT is called the Circle Line. Stated in the article by The Straits Times, there is currently a total of 13 cleaning robots who can clean faster up to three times in comparison to their human counterparts. 

For centuries, machines have rendered many jobs obsolete which results in a common fear among employees that they could be replaced by robots and machines. According to an article by the Straits Times, a study by Oxford Economics stated that up to 20 million manufacturing jobs will be lost globally to robots by 2030. With workers in Singapore displaced by technology, employees would have to be more adaptable to evolving demands.

However, the goal for the deployment of cleaning robots is aimed to allow more time for cleaning staff to improve their skills instead of replacing them. These cleaners would be trained to manage these robots including troubleshooting minor issues. In addition, a staff commented that these classes has made working with the robots simple and new skills learned could potentially aid him in his career progression.

In conclusion, the implementation of cleaning robots that are integrated to fulfil the needs of the cleaning industry has been put into operation and produced fruitful outcomes. These articles show that cleaning robots are filling in the shortage of manpower in the industry and complementing the cleaning staff. 


Articles:

GERMii, (2021). How tech can ease the cleaning industry's manpower crunch
https://govinsider.asia/intl-en/article/how-tech-can-ease-the-cleaning-industrys-manpower-crunch-robots-germii

Neo Intelligent Floor Cleaning Robots to be Deployed at Changi Airport in Singapore. (n.d.). Avidbots.
https://avidbots.com/news/avidbots-news-avidbots-neo-intelligent-floor-cleaning-robots-to-be-deployed-at-changi-airport-in-singapore/

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cleaning-robots-deployed-at-circle-line-stations

https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/robots-to-wipe-out-20-million-jobs-around-the-world-by-2030-study

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