9 Ways to Optimize Warehouse Productivity

Posted on 10/31 by Emma Cercone

Struggling to fill orders? Demand for products enables warehouses to play a crucial role in the supply chain. When warehouses operate efficiently, customers receive their shipments accurately and quickly, ensuring satisfaction. Consider these 9 tips to optimize warehouse productivity and protect your bottom line:

#1 Have Safety Protocols in Place

An essential part of effectively managing a warehouse is keeping employees safe. With people and products constantly moving around the facility, it’s easy for accidents to occur. Creating and prioritizing safety protocols can protect your people and limit risks to your business. Protect against slips and falls - Slips, trips, and falls are responsible for a high percentage of accidents in warehouses. Protect your employees by providing everything they need to perform their jobs safely, including anti-slip mats, equipment to reach high shelves, and safety training for all equipment. Have cleaning tools handy - Spills and debris can create unsafe conditions in your facility. Have cleaning tools readily available and make sure all employees know where to find them. Ensure proper lighting is installed - Low visibility can create unsafe conditions and make it more difficult for employees to work. Employees who can’t see what they are doing might pick or pack products improperly, leading to customer dissatisfaction. Keeping your facility well-lit will encourage employee alertness and make it easy for employees to remain aware of visual safety cues. Conduct periodic safety inspections - Keep safety on everyone’s radar by scheduling frequent inspections to ensure all safety equipment is available and functioning properly.

#2 Clean and Organize your Warehouse

Mass quantities of product move in and out of a warehouse, and it’s all too easy to take storage shortcuts that lead to disorganization. Your employees should clean and organize their workspaces daily, but deep cleaning and organizing your entire facility 2-3 times a year is essential. Eliminate clutter and increase productivity by taking the opportunity to optimize your storage systems and adjust to changes in inventory and workflow.

#3 Maximize the Space

Are you making the most of your warehouse space? It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you don’t have enough space when what you really need is a more efficient storage system. Even a well-organized warehouse can quickly become disorganized, slowing production and leading to safety hazards. It’s crucial to consistently evaluate your space to make sure you are helping workers be productive. Optimize the layout of your warehouse by considering the following factors: Location - How much room do you need to store, sort, and ship items? Are you wasting space on offices that could be used more productively? Consider how much space you need for each department and allocate accordingly. Shelving - Are you using the best shelving for your business? There are many different systems that might help you maximize your use of space. One way to do this is by using vertical shelves to build up—instead of out. Labels - Are your shelves and aisles labeled properly? Clear and accurate labeling creates picking and packing efficiency. Overstock - Pay attention to which products move off your shelves and which ones gather dust. You don’t want to waste space in your warehouse by storing unnecessary products.

#4 Create Clear Communication Channels

Clear communication is essential to keep employees safe, happy, and productive. If you implement better communication channels in your warehouse, you’ll likely reap many benefits, including: Reduced errors - Failing to communicate necessary information about orders, changes, and safety can result in accidents and mistakes. Mistakes are bound to happen, but creating efficient communication channels can make sure your employees have the information they need to perform their duties. Consistent performance - A system for communicating essential information to employees will result in a more consistent performance among workers. Since you can quickly share necessary information, keeping employees on task and following best practices will be easier. Happier customers - Better communication means fewer errors and fewer delays, leading to more customer satisfaction. Improved safety - Workers must understand how to stay safe on the job. Clear communication channels can help workers remain aware of hazards and get help faster in the event of an injury. Looking to improve communication in your warehouse? You may not be able to predict supply challenges, but partnering with a warehouse temp agency can help you keep up with demand. LaborMAX can quickly deliver experienced warehouse associates who are screened, skilled, and safety trained. Our flexible temporary staffing services can keep your business running efficiently with experienced workers ready to work for you.

#5 Invest in Employee Training

Having a thorough employee training process in place can take your warehouse to the next level. When workers are well trained, they understand warehouse processes and are more productive. Measuring KPIs can help managers make adjustments where necessary to help workers improve. A well-developed training program provides the guidance employees need to feel successful in their jobs, leading to higher satisfaction, better retention, greater consistency in operations, and a safer workplace.

#6 Keep Warehouse Workers Motivated

Warehouse work can be repetitive and physically demanding, taking a toll on workers’ motivation and leading to high turnover. If you notice morale taking a dive in your warehouse, find ways to show your employees they are valued. Providing incentives is one way to improve engagement—and drive productivity, employee satisfaction, and retention. Consider these ways to motivate employees and show them you appreciate their hard work: Pay raises, employee appreciation meals, free coffee, team building activities, an employee of the week recognition, professional development opportunities, and health & wellness perks.

#7 Conduct Quarterly Reviews with the Employees

Feedback is an important way to keep employees engaged and satisfied with their work. Conducting quarterly performance reviews with your warehouse employees can help you address issues quickly, provide information to help the employees improve, and make sure you are meeting workers’ needs. Use the time to check in with employees to keep them focused on personal and company goals. When team members understand how their work fits into the organization’s larger mission, they are more likely to feel that their work is meaningful and remain satisfied with their jobs.

#8 Stay Up To Date with Technology and Equipment

Implementing cutting-edge warehouse technology can improve productivity and make workers’ jobs easier. Accurate and up-to-date data allows employees to collect real-time information on products and processes so that they can meet deadlines faster. Many organizations use a warehouse management system to streamline operations, forecast demand, optimize layout, provide visibility throughout the supply chain, and more. Consider other options like bar codes, radio frequency, pick-to-label, and voice-activated technology to further improve efficiency.

#9 Consider Automation & Robotics

Taking automation one step further, some warehouses are adopting the trend of using automated picking tools, guided vehicles, and robotics to optimize workflow. These tools are built to work with your existing warehouse associates, not replace them, adding one more tool to make workers’ jobs easier. While robotics have been used in the manufacturing industry for many years, they are relatively new to warehouses, where the daily work is less predictable. Still, for warehouses that can nail down repeatable processes, automation and robotics hold promise for cutting costs and increasing productivity. Even when your warehouse uses cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line equipment—machines break. Employees and managers must inspect equipment to ensure it remains safe and operable. When equipment malfunctions, it can cause costly delays. Managers can avoid unexpected downtime and keep the business running smoothly by taking the time to maintain machines. Regular servicing of equipment can ensure that all problems are addressed early, extending the life of the machine and further reducing costs. Performing preventative maintenance on equipment can help your warehouse avoid lost production hours and inconvenient and expensive repairs. Does it seem like there are never enough hours in the day to get the job done? The advantages of scheduled maintenance for equipment are clear, but it’s easy to skip inspections when orders are piling up. However, as the famous saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Your employees and customers will ultimately benefit from your well-maintained equipment!

Optimize Productivity Using Temporary Staffing Services

Looking for ways to do more with less? Flexibility is the key to thriving during uncertain times—and our temporary staffing services can help you reach your goals. As one of the top warehouse temp agencies in the country, LaborMax can help you keep up with the time. With the current supply chain issues facing America today, warehouses need to become more strategic about how they operate. Our skilled, hardworking associates can keep your business running at peak productivity. Avoid shipping delays and handle seasonal rushes by augmenting your workforce with flexible staff. Interested in hiring great people for your warehouse? Partner with LaborMAX for outstanding warehouse staffing services.

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