Even under the best of circumstances, day-to-day warehouse staffing can be a struggle to manage effectively. However, during the novel coronavirus pandemic, these issues have only worsened as call-outs increase and more areas of the United States go into temporary quarantine.
Judging by industry trends thus far, COVID-19 will lead to a dramatic increase in online ordering, as well as the requisite manpower to pack and ship these orders. Amazon has already announced their intention to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse workers to meet the anticipated demand for order fulfillment, representing more than a 12 percent bump in the size of their worldwide workforce.
But what should warehouse managers do if their problem isn’t hiring new workers, but maintaining workflow when the employees they already have are unavailable? Modern problems require modern solutions, and HapiGig can provide these solutions for warehouses struggling with call-outs, missing shifts, and volume variation in the wake of coronavirus.
The immediate threat of coronavirus is beginning to recede in China, which should help stabilize supply chains stateside. However, the true impact the virus will have on United States workers and businesses is not yet entirely clear. Testing kits for COVID-19 remain a rarity in many states, and work shutdowns might continue through the summer.
In the short term, your company may be feeling the pinch of decreased availability among warehouse staff due to quarantining measures instituted by state governments. As the coronavirus crisis worsens, you can expect attendance issues to become more severe as well, including missed shifts, call-outs, and possible FMLA or short-term disability claims.
Without healthy workers, you may be unable to keep up with supply chain changes and increased mobile order demand. Fortunately, HapiGig was built from the ground up for warehouse employers and workers, customized with their needs in mind and optimized to provide high-quality and reliable service.
Seeking a flex workforce will likely be the key to keeping your warehouse on track in the coming months. As a result, skilled and trustworthy workers are going to be at even more of a premium. That’s why every worker HapiGig lists on its platform goes through a thorough pre-screening and vetting process—in fact, only about 2 to 7 percent of workers who register with our service are ultimately hired by HapiGig, depending on the markets in which they are available to work.
Our attention to detail equates directly to dependable, on-demand labor to suit your volume variation and flex workforce needs. As workers call out with increasing frequency due to coronavirus, warehouse managers can search HapiGig for replacement labor, sorting by each vetted worker’s listed availability, skillset, and ratings from previous employers. Once your needs for flex labor are met, you can provide your own ratings back to HapiGig for every worker our platform provided.
In a time of worldwide uncertainty, HapiGig can save you time, money, and a great deal of staffing stress. If you’re interested in registering with HapiGig, reach out today to schedule an initial call with our team.