If you take a look at how much business ecommerce websites like Amazon are doing every day online, it’s a no-brainer that this is where the customer shopping experience is heading. We are already there. With the waning need to go into a physical store to buy something and the ability that the internet gives us to order anything that we could possibly need from the comfort of our own couch.
So here’s the question, with Amazon and other ecommerce or e-retail companies who are doing millions and hundreds of million of dollars worth of business online daily, who is going to be handling the filling and shipping of all of those orders?
If you haven’t already taken a look at how critical warehouse operations and your warehouse staff are, you are missing out. The warehouse workers and their work is becoming the lifeblood of businesses now and into the future. Without them, we couldn’t fill orders and rapidly expand the online retail business. Customers wouldn’t be satisfied, and business would be failing across the board.
But, how much value are we actually putting into our warehouse staff?
How are we serving them and making their jobs more comfortable and their working conditions more accommodating?
The Drop Rate
With the amount of inconsideration that goes into our warehouse workers and staff, it’s no wonder that companies are losing employees so fast. Here are some statistics that may blow your mind, and reframe the way that we view treating our employees and teams.
- Two million Americans quit their jobs every month. Not every year. They quit their jobs every month.
- Almost 70% of Americans don’t feel engaged or like anyone is listening to them at work.
- Nearly 30% of those Americans said they feel like they don’t have any kind of autonomy at their job
- This is the big one: 50% of them left their jobs because of their relationship with their manager
You can begin to see effects of managerial neglect through the direct data trends that we are seeing in the workforce, particularly in the warehouse.
Can you blame them? If you are only making about $14 per hour working in one warehouse and you don’t feel like you are valued at your job, wouldn’t it be in your benefit to apply to other jobs that may actually listen to you and support you?
Even if you are only going to make the same amount of money, it would be worth the risk of jumping ship so that you could be happy and valued at work. Most of the time an employee leaves, it doesn’t have anything to do with their wages. It has to do with being valued and listened to while they are at work. It has to do with the working environment and the relationship that they have with their superiors and management.
How We Can Change?
So what are some ways that you can start getting a better ROI on the warehouse workers that you hire and bring on as a part of your team? There are in fact, some really simple ways that you can get started now, so that you and your team can start building a better relationship with your employees, and a better warehouse environment.
1) Getting to Know Your Team
The first way that you can get started at seeing better results and a better ROI from your warehouse workers it to get to know them. Make it a priority to get to know your team outside of work. Ask them about their family, hobbies, goals, and let them know that you care about them personally. It can be as easy as scheduling weekly or biweekly check in meetings, interviews, and calls just to see how they are doing.
2) Listen to Them and Their Thoughts
We live in world of distractions. Put your phone, computer, and tablet away to let your workers know that you are actually listening to them. We all have parameters and guidelines that we need to abide by, but if a question, issue, goal, or challenge comes up with your warehouse, who better to ask than the good folks who are working in it? Get their feedback or reorganizing and solving creative problems or tasks. They will appreciate that you value their opinion and experience
3) Reduce Busy Work
Here’s something that is incredibly important to note. The average warehouse worker spends 50% of their day walking. That means that 50% of the wage that you pay them could be potentially wasted because of inefficient use of warehouse space, equipment, and materials.
How can you organize your warehouse, use helpful equipment, or find a way to reduce busy work so that your team can do their job more easily?
4) Give them Opportunities for Autonomy
Instead of making your warehouse team feel like they always need supervision, give them the opportunity for independence. Giving your warehouse team responsibility, new opportunities, and autonomy will give your employees a sense of worth and respect. Let them know that you trust them and that they are valued.
