Chapter 6: Overcoming Common Automation Challenges

Fear, misconception, and resistance are often the biggest obstacles between a manufacturer and their first automation deployment — not cost, not technology. In this episode, the Formic team sets the record straight on the four most common myths holding manufacturers back, and then lays out a practical playbook for getting your team on board once you've made the decision to move forward.

The episode tackles the belief that automation eliminates jobs head-on: out of hundreds of Formic deployments, only one company reduced headcount. In nearly every case, employees were upskilled from physically demanding roles into robot operators and line managers. The team also addresses the idea that automation requires a full operational overhaul (it doesn't), that it has to be expensive (it doesn't), and that it's inherently risky (it isn't — especially with the right partner). From there, the episode shifts into a four-step framework for communicating automation to your workforce: educate on the benefits, involve the team early, invest in training, and start small. When employees feel informed and included, resistance turns into advocacy.

Key Takeaways:

• Automation transforms jobs, it doesn't eliminate them — nearly every Formic deployment ends with employees upskilled into robot operator or line management roles
• You don't have to overhaul everything at once — starting with one repetitive, injury-prone process and building a win is the most effective path forward
• Full Service Automation makes the cost barrier a non-issue — no large CapEx, flexible terms, and built-in maintenance and support
• The stress around automation comes from uncertainty — leaning on experienced partners removes that uncertainty and lets you focus on what your business does best
• Getting employee buy-in requires transparency: explain the why, involve frontline workers early, and frame automation as a tool that protects and empowers — not replaces
• Upskilling creates career paths — former packers and stackers have become line managers through automation transitions at Formic customer sites

Automate Now is written by the Formic team — Saman Farid, Danijel Lolic, Molly Garrison, Brooklyn Kiosow, and Shawn Fitzgerald — and edited by Brooklyn Kiosow. Formic helps U.S. manufacturers automate for the first time through Full Service Automation: no large upfront investment, no in-house robotics expertise required. If this episode made you think about where automation could work in your facility, start the conversation at formic.co.

0:00 Intro — Setting the Record Straight 
0:48 #1 — Automation Transforms Jobs 
2:07 #2 — No Full Overhaul Required 
3:07 #3 — Doesn't Have to Be Expensive 
4:12 #4 — It Doesn't Have to Be Risky 
5:24 How to Get Your Team on Board 
6:03 1. Educate on the Benefits 
7:24 2. Involve the Team Early 
8:16 3. Training and Upskilling 
9:16 4. Start Small 
10:07 Key Takeaways

What is Automate Now?

American manufacturing is at an inflection point. Labor shortages are accelerating, global competition is intensifying, and the pressure to produce more with less has never been greater. The answer — for manufacturers of every size — is automation. But knowing you need to automate and knowing how to do it are two very different things.

Automate Now is the practical playbook for CPG manufacturers ready to take action. Written by the Formic team — the people who have helped hundreds of U.S. factories automate for the first time — this audiobook cuts through the complexity and gives you a clear, honest roadmap: where to start, how to build internal buy-in, how to choose the right partner, and how to scale from your first win into a future-proof operation.

Automate Now — Episode 6
Overcoming Common Automation Challenges

These days, with information coming at us from all directions — TV, social media, radio, and email — it's easy to take things at face value. This is especially true if it cements something we already believe.

You or your employees might have some resistance toward automation. It's hard not to when so many people continually share their fears of automation taking human jobs. It's also easy to accept this as fact if it means business leaders don't have to overcome the "it's the way we've always done it" mindset — but doing it the way you've always done it won't move the business forward.

We haven't seen automation replace jobs at Formic. In fact, we've seen almost exclusively the opposite. So, to get your employees — or that final questioning voice in your own head — on board with automation, let's set the record straight on a few misconceptions.

Misconception 1: Automation Doesn't Eliminate Jobs, It Transforms Them

The labor market's impact on technology is often only viewed through two lenses: job creation or elimination. But those aren't the only options — there's also job transformation.

The companies adding automation aren't doing it to cut headcount; they are doing it because they can't find people to fill essential positions on the production line.

Out of all of our deployments, we have had one company cut employee headcount. When a customer asks us to deploy a robotic solution on their production floor, we typically end up training the employees who struggled with the constant bending, lifting, and twisting required to fulfill their day-to-day tasks to operate the robot. Upskilling these employees to Robot Operators makes them more valuable to the business and opens up new doors for their careers.

One of our customers, Mi Rancho, expressed how automation transformed their employees' work: "By installing the latest automated equipment, we can produce more and transition people in repetitive jobs to roles like machine operators and mixers," said Joe Santana, Mi Rancho's Senior Director of Operations. "It's not about reducing positions; it's about becoming more efficient and competitive."

Misconception 2: You Don't Have to Completely Overhaul Your Legacy Processes

Change is hard, and it's even harder if something has been done one way for years and worked fine. But complacency can stifle advancement.

Adding automation doesn't have to be a big one-and-done project where everything is now automated and it feels like a robot-run factory. In fact, it shouldn't be. Instead, start with automating one process that is repetitive and often leads to ergonomic injuries to show the team the positive impact automation can have on their work. Build a small win to start, then move on to even more impactful areas.

We work with a lot of customers who are completely new to automation, but they see such immediate success with robotic palletizing that they have begun looking into other areas to automate on their production floor. Start small and grow from there.

Misconception 3: It Doesn't Have to be Expensive

It's true: automation doesn't have to be expensive. There are flexible and scalable ways to deploy automation without putting a bunch of capital expenditure toward it.

One traditional option is leasing to own the automation equipment. If you have internal expertise to program the system and a maintenance team to handle upkeep, this is a great option to get started with automation without the high expense.

That's why we founded Formic — to make automation easy and accessible. With Full Service Automation, companies aren't locked into an expensive equipment purchase and have access to flexible terms, tech support, preventative and corrective maintenance, guaranteed performance rates, and team training.

Misconception 4: It Doesn't Have to Be Stressful or Risky

Doing anything new for the first time can be daunting, and it is usually the reason most people fail to get started in the first place. Automation is no different and is one of the largest hurdles for businesses to clear on their journey to transformational growth.

If you've had thoughts like these, you're not alone: What if I fail? What if it doesn't work, even after all the time and effort? What if it works at first, but then my business needs change? What if I look foolish for trying this?

But here's the better question: What happens if you don't try?

All of this stress is born from uncertainty. Lean on the professionals to scope, deploy, and maintain your automated solution so you can focus on what your business does best, and you can learn as they help you. You're not starting from scratch. You're starting with support.

How to Get Your Team on Board with Automation

One of the most stressful parts of automating is often not the technology itself, but rather communicating it to your team. That's why it's critical to approach the conversation with transparency and to involve employees early in the process. When people feel informed and included, they're far more likely to embrace change rather than resist it.

Step 1: Educate on the Benefits

Explain to employees why automation is beneficial and necessary — not just to the business but to them. Automation can take on repetitive and strenuous tasks, allowing employees to focus on more value-added tasks. Typical reasons to automate that employees respond well to include eliminating temp labor reliance, improving ergonomics and safety, and increasing productivity in a repeatable way.

Be transparent about your goals, whether it's eliminating temp labor, improving ergonomics, or stabilizing workloads during labor shortages. Framing automation as a tool that supports, not replaces, people helps reduce fear and build trust.

Step 2: Involve the Team Early

Instead of employees showing up to work only to find a robot on the line, involve them in the decision-making process early on. Ask operators, engineers, and laborers about the pain points in production and how automation could solve the problem.

This not only improves buy-in, but it often results in better outcomes. No one knows the day-to-day challenges better than your frontline team, and their insights can help identify the most valuable automation opportunities.

Step 3: Focus on Training and Upskilling

It's important to remind employees that adding automation is meant to transform their jobs, not replace them. To get them on board, offer training programs to help employees develop their skills in operating and maintaining these systems.

Formic's Full Service Automation includes team training, and we have our deployment engineers stick around for a few days to ensure employees are comfortable operating the machines. Upskilling can also open up career paths — from machine operators to automation supervisors — creating longer-term opportunities for growth and retention.

Step 4: Start Small

You don't have to go full-throttle with automation. It's easier to start small and automate the simpler, repetitive processes first, and build yourself a win. Starting small reduces risk and gives your team time to adapt to change at a manageable pace.

This also allows employees to experience the benefits of automation firsthand. When workers see how automation improves their workday — whether through fewer injuries, more consistent shifts, or better workflow — they become advocates for scaling it further.

Key Takeaways

Automation can feel intimidating to business leaders and employees alike, especially when it's surrounded by misconceptions, fear of job loss, or the pressure to overhaul everything at once. But in reality, automation doesn't eliminate jobs; it transforms them, giving workers the chance to upskill into higher-value roles while solving real, persistent problems like labor shortages, ergonomic injuries, and inconsistent throughput. The key to overcoming resistance is education, transparency, and starting small: communicate the why, involve your team early, invest in training, and begin with the most repetitive, injury-prone tasks. With the right approach and support, automation becomes less of a risk and more of a strategic advantage that your whole team can get behind.