On the one hand, we perennially see concerns over the use of robots in the restaurant business being expressed (Will robots take over jobs at restaurants?, Sept 20).

On the other, there are frequent reports of certain sectors facing manpower shortages - namely, the security, logistics and cleaning sectors (Some firms face labour crunch as demand grows amid pandemic, Sept 21).

We need to think differently about how we handle our labour needs. Robots do not have to be seen as taking away jobs, but as a way to cope with the labour crunch that is likely to plague industries here in the long run.

We need to think "manpower plus automation", not "manpower or automation".

We can explore having hybrid teams to mitigate manpower shortages. Teams can comprise workers who perform their basic jobs and also operate the robots that work alongside them.

More productive teams comprising workers with some technical skills, as opposed to low-skilled labour, should be the way forward.

It is not sustainable to continue relying on hiring foreigners to fill low-wage jobs as the only solution. Such a mindset will not be conducive to our aspiration to be a smart city.

As a country that prides itself on being a global city with a skilled workforce, we are already lagging in the use of technology. We can and should do better.

Innovating and finding creative solutions to labour shortages in the security, logistics and cleaning sectors will not be an easy task.

We have to guard against becoming complacent about innovation and settling on turning to cheap foreign labour as the default solution.

Kan Hwa Heng