High turnover is seen as a feature and not a bug within many warehouses. Sadly, many warehouse employees get frustrated with their working conditions or some other aspect of what they do, and this results in their rapid departure from that job. Here's why it's important to keep warehouse employees engaged.
As lower-paid employees are less likely to pursue higher levels of education, manufacturing and warehouse workers can often feel disrespected and dismissed by their leaders. That's why it's critical to make sure these employees feel valued, part of the team, and not disposable. Doing so will help with engagement and increase discretionary effort.
Employees who are respected will likely provide their employer with their best work. Fostering a positive work environment is by far the best way to keep employees engaged.
Understanding Your Workforce
People often say that you should put yourself in the mindset of your employees, but most don't really follow through with this strategy. However, if you want to successfully structure your workforce in a way that will allow you to get the most out of their efforts, then you need to get serious about getting to know them. You can do so by implementing the following unique strategies:
- Work on Communication Channels - All employees should feel that they are encouraged to speak up about their work environment. This means that you must make it clear that they will not be retaliated against in any way for anything that they may say. Additionally, you should try to provide everyone with an equal opportunity to speak. Don't let anyone get overlooked.
- Offer Praise - Providing warehouse employees with recognition and praise for their efforts is a great way to shine a light on good work. It also encourages others to step up and do their best work as well.
- Implement Changes When Appropriate - You can change the way that things are going within your warehouse if someone speaks up and has a good idea. Make sure you implement some of the best ideas that they have when it is appropriate to do so.
These are great ways to leverage the resources that you already have available via your staff. Don't forget to use what you already have.
Building a Positive Work Culture
People like to work in a place where they feel comfortable and happy. This means you should encourage everyone to try to get along and encourage one another. When warehouse employees bond together and support each other, communication throughout the warehouse tends to flow more smoothly. It means that more can get accomplished and that all employees will feel supported in the work that they do.
Providing Competitive Compensation and Benefits
While many employees find a sense of purpose in their work, they are also there to collect a paycheck. To retain as many employees as possible and maintain their productivity levels, you should offer competitive compensation and benefits to them. Sometimes, it literally comes down to dollars and cents.
You can advertise that you are able to offer competitive compensation by providing the following:
- Incentive programs
- Performance-based bonuses
- Expanded insurance options and coverage
- Promoting top performers
When your warehouse becomes known as the kind of place that rewards workers. It will become easier to attract the best employees moving forward.
Training and Development Opportunities
Personal growth is a big part of the reason why some people take certain jobs. Yes, they want a competitive paycheck, but they also want to be challenged in their job. If an employee can grow his or her skills and talents while on the job, then it is possible that they can carry those skills on to another job they might want. You don't want to lose those employees of course, but you can potentially reward them by providing them with opportunities for advancement within your own company at this time.
You should offer employees legitimate efforts to advance within the company. Do NOT dangle the promise of a promotion to them if you aren't going to follow through on that. Present a clear path to a better job.
Employee Recognition and Appreciation
We have already discussed how spotlighting employees who are doing great work can be helpful. Creating employee recognition and appreciation programs is another step you should take to make that happen. Determining which kind of recognition programs might appeal to them the most is a matter of asking them about their preferences when it comes to a program like this. Fond.co explains:
To understand what your employees will value most in terms of benefits and perks, you can either use an employee survey system, or take advantage of weekly in-person meetings to discuss what their needs and priorities are. In general, researchers at the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) suggest that warehouse workers will prefer employee benefits with an immediate short-term impact.
You might incentivize warehouse workers with a reward such as a gas card even more than they would appreciate something more abstract and long-term such as a 401(k) program. Keep that in mind when setting up a program like this.
Promoting Health and Safety
"Safety first" is a common catchphrase to hear around a warehouse, but how many warehouse managers truly live by that motto? That is something that should be addressed immediately. Keeping workers safe is a great way to save the warehouse money on medical expenses and save on workers' compensation.
Everyone has a role in keeping safety at the top of the priority list. You can give employees a directive about how they are supposed to behave while on the job site, but you must also rely on them to follow through with this. Offer employees reasons to protect their own safety and to immediately report any safety violations that they may witness. When everyone is pulling in the same direction, the workplace can be safer for all.
Empowering and Involving Employees
Harvard Business School has determined that there are a number of benefits to involving employees in decision-making, including:
- Increased employee engagement and input
- Better communication
- Helps managers with their own blind spots
- Improves buy-in for all employees
When employees are empowered, they can help the warehouse make better decisions and improve the outcomes across the board.
Leveraging Technology and Automation
These days, there are a number of tools that one can use to automate some of the more repetitive aspects of warehouse work. This can take some of the burden off of warehouse employees. This can make things a bit easier for them to get more done and have better work-life balance at the same time. Warehouse managers shouldn't be afraid of the automation technology tools that are out there today. Instead, they should embrace the tools that make the work they need accomplished within the warehouse.
A Flexible Staffing Solution Will Improve Your Warehouse
There is no doubt that warehouse managers should be willing to try out new strategies to keep the warehouse running smoothly. The hiring process is among the most important aspects of a well-run warehouse. Working with an experienced staffing partner can help ensure that a warehouse has the labor that it requires, even with seasonal fluctuations. Given the high turnover that most warehouses suffer from, it is ideal to have a partner that can offer a steady stream of new workers to ensure there are no work disruptions on site.
The world is changing extremely rapidly, and a proven workforce solution will help keep your warehouse up and running at maximum capacity. Eclipse IA offers the time-tested and adaptable CPU model to help their clients acquire the workforce they require to keep the wheels moving. Warehouses often face difficulties finding workers as well as extremely high turnover, but some of the tips above can help cut down on that problem.
When you partner with Eclipse IA, you can greatly improve your chances of keeping your warehouse employees energized and engaged for years to come.
