To call a warehouse manager’s job challenging would be an understatement. In addition to overseeing a large staff of workers, warehouse managers are often tasked with ensuring workplace safety and keeping morale at healthy levels. Needless to say, this can be a tall order, particularly for newer managers. Fortunately, creating a productive work environment doesn’t have to be an arduous undertaking. Armed with the following pointers, warehouse managers can make sweeping improvements to their workplaces while reducing on-the-job stress.
1. Make Safety a Top Priority
As any seasoned warehouse worker can attest, a host of accidents and mishaps can occur when people aren’t careful. With an abundance of heavy machinery and large items, it isn’t hard to see why warehouses aren’t always the safest work environments. As such, managers looking to reduce workplace accidents and injuries would be wise to make safety one of their foremost priorities. This means ensuring that heavy-duty equipment is properly maintained and that workers don the appropriate safety gear whenever they’re clocked in. Additionally, don’t be afraid to speak out when someone fails to follow the proper safety procedures. If workers think they can get away with ignoring personal safety, they’re liable to continue doing so until someone gets hurt or someone speaks up. Furthermore, when working to ensure the safety of the various items in your warehouse, consider investing in responsive shock watch monitoring solutions.
2. Offer Positive Reinforcement
It’s easy to feel invisible when working in a warehouse. The larger the warehouse, the less interaction one is likely to have with other employees. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to a sense of isolation and make workers feel as if their efforts are doomed to go unnoticed. With this in mind, make a point of checking in with each of your team members on a consistent basis and provide them with positive reinforcement whenever possible. Not only will it make them feel better about themselves, it will also inspire them to continue putting forth their best efforts.
3. Be Clear About Your Objectives
Miscommunication is a large problem in many workplaces – and warehouses are no exception. Given how large most warehouse staffs are, it’s very important for everyone to be on the same page and have a clear understanding of their respective goals. In the interest of curbing miscommunications, have at least one staff-wide meeting each week and use this platform to outline that week’s goals. Furthermore, encourage employees who are unclear on their particular objectives to reach out to you for clarification.
The job of a warehouse manager is far from easy. With an expansive area to oversee and an enormous staff to keep track of, most warehouse managers are absolutely spent by the end of the workday. While there’s no denying that this job can be challenging, there are numerous steps managers can take to increase safety and productivity and reduce fatigue and stress. Any warehouse manager looking to improve their workplace can benefit from the previously discussed pointers.