Wonolo
Currently, warehouse operations jobs are at a ten-year high, despite a dip in 2020 due to pandemic-related closures. The number of warehouse operations jobs has more than doubled since 2009 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s promising news for all levels of warehousing professionals, from novices to veterans. But just because warehouse operations jobs are as plentiful as they’ve been in a decade, doesn’t mean that it’s all good news.
Warehouse operations issues and solutions
As new technology continues to be integrated and introduced faster than it can be mastered, it is inevitable that logistical issues will arise, including complex personnel management matters, unpredictable peak planning, tricky safety scenarios, and more. Plus, there is uncertainty in the labor market as the economy ramps up as the U.S. recovers from the pandemic. Reports show that some industries are struggling to fill open jobs, and there is an ongoing debate over the impact of unemployment and stimulus payments on the current labor market.
Solving some of the common challenges teams are facing in warehouse operations will take some new and creative solutions, especially as new issues arise. Here are some of the common issues facing warehouse operations companies today:
- Your supply chain is suffering a communication breakdown
- You’re never really ready for unexpected fulfillment spikes
- Your retention rate for warehouse workers is low
- Your workers aren’t getting up to speed quickly enough
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the challenges, let’s dive into some potential solutions:
Issue: Your supply chain is suffering a communication breakdown
Solution: Cloud-based software that can increase end-to-end visibility
If your current goal is to improve your fulfillment rates and rein in your quality control, it’s time that you strategize your end-to-end visibility. According to the experts at Supply Chain 247, you can improve your visibility by investing in cloud-based solutions that help “capture, report, and leverage important benchmarking data and provide insight into supply chain performance.”
The good news is that even a rudimentary warehouse management system (WMS) should yield higher visibility. Once installed, you should take the time to develop the internal processes necessary to properly examine the automated reports, and encourage all necessary parties to routinely assess benchmarks, particularly when it comes to shifts in product inventory and quality.
When targeting customer engagement, consider investing in a customer relationship management system (CRM), a software tool that handles all aspects of customer interaction. Forbes states that, for e-commerce operations with “shorter sales cycles and high repeat sales,” CRMs are a no-brainer. Installing CRMs is simple since many of them can easily be integrated with different existing systems, and they can round out the communication within your supply chain.
Issue: You’re never really ready for unexpected fulfillment spikes
Solution: Utilize an on-demand labor marketplace solution in Dallas, Texas
Even the greenest warehouse associate can tell you that operations tend to get busiest around the holidays, but even the most experienced operations managers struggle to keep things running smoothly during times of unexpected fulfillment spikes. Utilizing reliable on-demand labor marketplace solutions can help warehouses address this issue.
On-demand staffing agencies can be a great resource to help companies with unexpected spikes that can come with operating in major metropolitan areas. For example, temp service apps can help companies in Dallas, Texas connect with experienced workers who are eager to get to work.
Issue: Your retention rate for warehouse workers is low
Solution: Cultivate a company culture that fosters retention in Dallas, Texas
Recently, we provided you with insider insight on the warehouse industry’s low retention rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 25,000 more warehouse employees quit their positions in 2017 when compared to 2016. There are many possible reasons for this high turnover rate, but a common factor that you can control to move the needle is how you treat workers and motivate them to stay productive.
If you have a high turnover rate in Dallas, Texas, you should try to understand the motivating factors for the workers’ decision to leave. You can get a feel for their mindset and motivations by following these steps:
- Create questionnaires focused on morale
- Conduct interviews with associates working in a variety of divisions
- Assess your organizational records for trends in absenteeism, poor performance, official grievances, etc.
This will give you a better sense of what makes your most productive workers motivated and how you can utilize that information to motivate other workers in your warehouse
Issue: Workers aren’t meeting your business needs
Solution: Build up a pool of preferred workers you trust
There’s nothing more frustrating than finding workers only to realize they are not meeting your business needs. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including a mismatch between worker skills and job specifications.
At Wonolo, we know how frustrating this kind of issue can be. That’s why the Wonolo platform has a preferred worker feature. With preferred workers, you can work with people and see who is a fit at your company. Then you can mark workers to whom you want to offer additional work as preferred. That way it is easy to find them and offer work to them again. You can have peace of mind that you are working with a worker you know and trust.
Partnering with Wonolo Can Help You Solve Some Common Issues in Warehouse Operations in Dallas, Texas
Many of the issues facing companies in warehouse operations aren’t new. Worker productivity and retention will always be cornerstones of successful warehousing. As new services and technologies are introduced though, there are new ways to solve some of these issues. For example, traditional temporary staffing agencies are giving way to new, on-demand solutions like Wonolo. Wonolo can help companies connect with experienced workers who are eager and ready to get to work in Dallas, Texas to help them meet their business needs. Plus, companies can utilize Wonolo to find out which workers thrive at their warehouses, and offer them additional work using the “Preferred Wonoloer” feature. Wonolo is a valuable tool to utilize as you try to find warehouse workers.
