Purpose The purpose of the research is to conduct an exploratory investigation of the material handling activities of an Italian logistics hub. Wearable sensors and other smart tools were used for collecting human and environmental features during working activities. These factors were correlated with workers' performance and well-being. Design/methodology/approach Human and environmental factors play an important role in operations management activities since they significantly influence employees' performance, well-being and safety. Surprisingly, empirical studies about the impact of such aspects on logistics operations are still very limited. Trying to fill this gap, the research empirically explores human and environmental factors affecting the performance of logistics workers exploiting smart tools. Findings Results suggest that human attitudes, interactions, emotions and environmental conditions remarkably influence workers' performance and well-being, however, showing different relationships depending on individual characteristics of each worker. Practical implications The authors' research opens up new avenues for profiling employees and adopting an individualized human resource management, providing managers with an operational system capable to potentially check and improve workers' well-being and performance. Originality/value The originality of the study comes from the in-depth exploration of human and environmental factors using body-worn sensors during work activities, by recording individual, collaborative and environmental data in real-time. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current paper is the first time that such a detailed analysis has been carried out in real-world logistics operations.
翻译:研究的目的是对意大利物流枢纽的材料处理活动进行探索性调查;在工作活动期间,使用可穿式传感器和其他智能工具收集人类和环境特征;这些因素与工人的业绩和福祉有关;设计/医学/治疗人类和环境因素在业务管理活动中发挥重要作用,因为这些因素对雇员的业绩、福利和安全有重大影响;令人惊讶的是,关于这些方面对物流业务影响的经验性研究仍然非常有限;为填补这一空白,研究从经验上探索影响物流工人利用智能工具的业绩的人类和环境因素;调查结果表明,人类的态度、互动、情感和环境条件对工人的业绩和福祉有显著影响,但根据每个工人的个别特点显示不同的关系;实际影响:作者的研究开辟了对雇员进行定性和采用个性化人力资源管理的新渠道,为管理人员提供了能够检查和改善工人福祉和业绩的业务系统;原始性/价值;研究的原创性来自深入探索的人类和环境因素,这是对当前实际物流活动进行的具体时间分析;在实际的物流活动中,通过个人对真实时间进行的最佳数据记录;在实际的物流活动中,通过个人对真实的遥感器进行最佳记录。