Final answer:
Material handling impacts the human labor force mainly by reducing the need for unskilled human labor and increasing the demand for skilled labor required to operate and maintain new technologies. It can also restructure employment types without directly causing labor outsourcing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Material handling can significantly impact the human labor force in multiple ways. Primarily, material handling can reduce the need for human labor as automation and machinery take over tasks that were previously performed manually. However, this change often increases the demand for skilled labor as workers need to supervise, maintain, and program the machinery. While it can lead to shifts in the types of jobs available, material handling itself does not directly result in the outsourcing of labor; that is more associated with broader economic strategies and company decisions.
Demand for labor by firms may change due to technological advances, which can affect the types of jobs available and the skills required. For example, as technology automates certain tasks, there may be a decrease in demand for unskilled labor, while there may be an increase in the need for those who can manage and maintain such technologies. This represents a shift in the labor market that can be challenging for the workforce but can also present new opportunities.