Over the past few years, the warehousing industry has faced many challenges. The industry is working to become more resilient, but many operations are not yet where they would like to be.
Warehouses are counting on automation to make their operations more efficient and increase worker productivity. However, other services might have just as much impact with a lower up-front investment.
Many warehouse workers have physically taxing jobs. For example, when employees perform their jobs for eight or more hours per day, five or more days every week, they become mentally and physically fatigued.
Fatigue can lead to illness, prompting a worker to call out sick. Mental fatigue also can result in sick days. Of more concern is the fact that a worker who is tired or not feeling well is more likely to suffer injuries, putting even more pressure on the remaining workers and increasing workers’ compensation expenses.
A worker who is mentally or physically exhausted is not as productive as they could be. Expecting more productivity when a warehouse is short-staffed is a recipe for resignations.
According to a recent LinkedIn article, “reasonable shift times with some degree of flexibility” was one of job seekers’ top priorities in 2022. However, offering workers more reasonable schedules might seem impossible when a facility is perpetually short-staffed.
Fortunately, there are ways to implement scheduling flexibility without leaving the warehouse understaffed. For example, some companies allow workers more autonomy in deciding when and how much they work. Enabling workers to trade unwanted shifts to other employees looking for extra work can be beneficial.
If you are willing to think out of the box when increasing worker productivity, ShiftSwap is a solution you should consider. This web-based platform, designed by HapiGig, allows workers to trade shifts with the permission of warehouse management.
Employees can take time off when needed without calling out sick and leaving a facility short-staffed. This is a great option for workers looking to earn extra money. Using ShiftSwap also frees managers and shift supervisors from the burden of manipulating schedules to try to keep shifts covered.
Additionally, warehouse managers can post them on the platform when they need to fill overtime shifts. Workers who want overtime can sign up, reducing the need to impose mandatory overtime. Allowing workers to choose when they work overtime can reduce fatigue and injuries and increase productivity.
Allowing workers more control over their schedules is a form of collaboration that pays big dividends. Workers feel trusted and more appreciated, which leads to increased engagement, better attendance, and better job performance.
If your warehouse operation wants to gain an advantage in recruitment and retention and keep employees producing at a high level, investigate bringing ShiftSwap into your warehouse. Call today to discuss how ShiftSwap can make your operation more resilient.