London’s Bustling Supply Chain: A City That Never Sleeps
The city that never sleeps. The expression is the cliché it is, but perhaps for good reason. It’s a phrase that, I think, strangely applies to London today, a city that for years has worked hard to keep the world fed, watered and clothed all day and often all night. We know little of the independent lives of the thousands of people who sit in offices, in vans and in warehouses across London, keeping its supply chain the busiest in the UK. While the rest of the world sleeps, somewhere in those fully-grown warehouses, boxes turn on invisible conveyor belts to bring life and noise to the long hours of the night.
All of London’s supply chains depend on the skill and expertise of these hard-working individuals. These workers – from warehouse operatives to delivery drivers – form the backbone of a modern city. They toil round the clock to ensure shops are stocked, hospitals are supplied with crucial materials, and businesses can function in the way they need to. Bridges, power stations, data centres, restaurants, offices, theatres, stadiums, bars, pubs, nightclubs and all the other tools we use to sustain life in a big city wouldn’t be able to function without this army of relentless workers. This army of logistical workers is not just moving goods. They are moving sustenance. Metaphorical food for economic activity. They are the backbone that sustains the machine’s very existence. They are blood and sweat and pain. They are the core function of cities. They carry miracles.
The 24-hour city has evolved into a central feature of urbane life – the very things we recognise as ‘metropolitan’ (ie, ‘London’). The idea of the 24-hour economy refers to the relentless buzz of activity that characterises the beat of a metropolis, both in terms of its contribution to the economy (as a source of employment and tax revenue, and competition with other centres) and to culture. It defines much of what makes a city what it is: ‘entertainment’, ‘leisure’, the development of a ‘night-time economy’, a late-night eatery and service and lifestyle choices into the night. The 24-hour city epitomises the modern expectation of endless service.
The third circadian challenge for night workers stems from the night-time economy itself. Usually, the longest and least-social hours are part of the work schedule, which can lead to social isolation as friends and family may have schedules incompatible with night shift workers. The safety profile of night-time working environments is another issue, which stems not only from lower visibility but also reduced immediate support (eg, from supervisors or colleagues). Finally, the fragmented and inconsistent sleep that night workers experience can have negative effects on health.
Working 24 hours a day comes with a cost to health. Shifts that are irregular or operate overnight can result in chronic sleep deprivation, higher levels of stress and circadian disruptions. In particular, those working night shifts can experience higher rates of cardiovascular diseases, mental health disturbances and musculoskeletal problems, including back injuries caused by heavy lifting and standing for long periods of time.
The immediate psychological and social impacts of night work can be enormous. Night workers can feel disconnected from society’s normal diurnal rhythm, missing out on social events and family gatherings and feeling isolated from the daytime world. The stigmatisation of night work can mean that night workers feel socially ostracised, and this in turn can contribute to a decline in general wellbeing and sometimes more serious mental health issues.
Thus we have an infrastructure that relies on non-stop technology to ensure a non-stop supply chain. Without advanced logistic software, it will be more difficult to track items and plan routes in real-time and optimise delivery schedules. Similarly, in warehouses, where we see technology such as automated picking robots that can sort and package, there is less delay, less human error and greater productivity. While technology, such as Artificial Intelligence or Automation, has its upsides, there are also downsides that go with it, such as the need for retraining and the displacement of jobs.
In sum, the 24-hour economy of cities such as London could not even function without the relentless work of supply chain workers – a willingness to work anti-social hours that is accommodated by the 24-hour model but presents many challenges, such as health impacts, social isolation and more. While technology will improve efficiency and sustainability in supply chains, it is equally important to recognise and improve the well-being and support needs of those workers who make our cities run around the clock.
