The Post-COVID Workforce Will Have More Robots, Automation COVID-19 forced many companies to increase automation to avoid in-person interactions, a trend that is likely to stay even as the economy continues to rebound. There’s been a 20 percent increase in robot orders this year. May 04, 2021 • (TNS) — As the U.S. economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are turning to greater use of automation, including robots, rather than calling back workers or hiring new ones in many cases. The trend is affecting almost every sector, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation, retail, restaurants and many kinds of personal and government services. Airports have begun been using mobile robots to spray disinfecting chemicals on their facilities — work that janitors had initially done wearing moon suits and other personal protection equipment.