Pushing Away From The Past: Can We Run A Warehouse Without Reverting To Antiquated Methods?

December 3, 2018 by Staff
Filed under Money/Business, Tech/Internet, Weekly Columns

(Akiit.com) We are at that point where, for many businesses, the changes from an antiquated business model to a company that looks to the future means that we have to make changes in our own business dealings. Regardless of the type of boss we are, if we are running a company the way our predecessors did, are we making any significant changes? When running a warehouse and various other manufacturing businesses, we can rely on the old-fashioned methods of working, which doesn’t help in the modern landscape. How can we make these changes to our warehouse setup?

The Holistic Approach To Caring For Your Employees

A warehouse can be cold, sterile, and impersonal. And when you are making a conscious effort to alter your managerial style to best cater for your employees, it’s about making them feel secure. Now, this isn’t just with regards to hazardous working environments or protecting them if they are working anti-social hours, because there is a checklist for security essentials that can help with this, but you need to make sure that your employees feel that they are part of a team, that they are able to work with ease. The way it used to be in any factory setting, it was that you just had to “get on with it” and fall in line, which can lead to a very fragmented workforce. If you ensure that they are content with their working environment, this will make a big impact.

Implementing Automation

it’s not just for the benefit of your employees to implement automation in some respects, but it will improve productivity infinitely. Automation has recently been seen as code for “time to get rid of the human workers” but this is not the case. In fact, man and machine can work together side by side so targets are met, but the employees are also happy. You can begin in a smaller way, such as by using CRM systems or automating the basic administrative functions. From there, you can build up.

Making Conscious Efforts To Changing Gradually

Nobody likes change, but if you look at your warehouse setup and express regrets because it’s stuck in the past, making these changes can be exciting for some employees, but not for others who are used to one way of working. It’s vital in business that we push forward and embrace the times, but also look towards the future. Change is a gradual affectation that can have a wide-reaching impact, but if we do not work at implementing change on a gradual basis, rather than changing a whole slew of approaches, we could encounter setback after setback. Gradual change is all about making subtle alterations, because this is manageable, and from the perspective of the employees, it is barely noticeable.

It’s difficult, because you feel like you need to do right by your predecessors, but you also need to break new ground. When you’re running any sort of operation like a warehouse or a factory, and there have been decades of standards set, you can feel like you’re going against tradition. But, it’s the hallmark of the modern age. Push forward, and don’t revert to antiquated methods.