Jeremy Kaplan
It takes lots of skill to manage a warehouse.
These sprawling, hectic hubs of commerce are fast paced and depend upon strong leadership. There is a logical chain of activity from shelf to delivery. If every stage of this chain is not adequately fulfilled, the quality of orders is not guaranteed.
For this reason, efficiency is everything.
The fewer weak spots there are in the operation, the faster things will move and the more money the company can make. There are many different ways to boost productivity in this environment and most relate to investment in the right equipment, proper staff training, and impeccable quality control.
Keep reading for more tips and tricks on improving warehouse efficiency and getting the most out of your workforce.
- Choose the Best Supplies
Having access to the finest supplies can make a big difference to how warehouse staff operates, particularly in a very large space. When dealing with massive quantities, for example, it is worth investing in sturdy lifting and carrying tools. Whether it is a hydraulic lift trolley, a pallet stacker, or a motorised wrapping machine, if it helps pickers get products to the packers faster, it is a worthwhile choice.
- Get Your Stock in Order
It is critical that you arrange your products in a logical, practical manner. In a sizeable warehouse, organisation is everything, because it determines how quickly pickers can reach certain items. If you position the most popular products in the areas closest to the packing stations, the journey from shelf to delivery will be significantly shorter.
- Start Out in the Right Way
Efficiency begins at the point where stock enters the warehouse.
If you want to streamline the whole operation and minimise delays and downtime, you need to start here. When items arrive, they need inspecting and approving as quickly as possible. When you are dealing with large quantities, every single day, there are bound to be errors. You cannot always avoid them, but you can catch them quickly.
- Implement Quality Control
Sometimes, it can be tempting to prioritise speed over quality.
When deadlines are tight, and the work is unrelenting, standards can slip unless you maintain strict measures of quality control. Remember, however, that it is better to send out fewer perfect orders, where necessary. Your customers are counting on you for accuracy and care, so show them that you do not take shortcuts.
- Keep Employees Safe
Running an efficient warehouse is about more than just making money.
Every disruption is time spent away from the tasks at hand. Workplace accidents are not just a serious risk in terms of employee injuries; they often mean that the environment has to be partially shut down. To ensure the highest levels of productivity and keep your workers safe, implement strict codes of conduct, train staff accordingly, and get serious about rule breaking.
- Make Time for Winding Down
The most efficient warehouses are those that understand that a good start depends upon a proper end. In other words, if you do not leave the working environment in the right condition, you will have to spend time improving it in the morning. It is a good idea to use the last thirty minutes for tidying the workstations. It means collecting cardboard, clearing packing benches, returning stray products to their locations, and leaving equipment in the right areas.
The Easy Way to Get Better Results
When trying to boost profits, the first place that managers usually look is the sales numbers. They want to get more products out of the door, so they hire new pickers. Yet, this comes with all kinds of additional expenses.
They need to be trained, clothed in the right protective gear, and given a settling-in period. The better option is to work with what you have and improve the productivity of the existing workforce. It is achieved by identifying weaknesses and finding ways to eliminate them.
