Warehouse Management Archives - Page 2 of 2

Warehouse Management Tips: What Type of Leader are You?

Warehouse managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks in order to keep their operation running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. While some leaders don’t mind overseeing employees and finding ways to encourage them, others would rather spend their time handling tasks, such as selecting new equipment for warehouses.

If you’re among those who don’t necessarily enjoy being in charge of others, you can still be an outstanding manager. The following tips can provide you with some insight on how to make the most of your skills.

Focus on Problem Solving

One of the most effective ways to ensure that your warehouse keeps running as efficiently as possible is by putting an emphasis on problem solving. Have workers engage in coming up with ways to handle problems that come up in day-to-day operations. Having challenges to face at work can provide workers with motivation to do their best on the job.

Delegate Leadership Tasks

When possible, find employees that have earned your trust by proving to be dependable and highly competent. Assign certain leadership tasks to these employees rather than having to handle all of them on your own. Giving these tasks to trusted employees helps boost morale in the workplace while also giving them a reason to trust and respect you.

Improve Communication

Having solid communication skills is one area that you can’t compromise on. If you struggle with communication, work on improving those skills in order to encourage your workers to put forth their best efforts on the job.

If you need high-quality equipment for warehouses that helps improve safety and productivity, contact DJ Products. We carry a wide selection of equipment that allows your workers to do their jobs more efficiently.

A Safety Checklist for Warehouse Managers – What to Put Into Action

As a warehouse manager, you can improve productivity and employee morale by being proactive about safety. Upgrade working conditions by using warehouse tugs and implementing this checklist of safety practices.

1. Create a Culture of Safety

Establish a shared concern for safety among employees. Set mandatory standards and communicate expectations through verbal and visual reminders, including safety tips posted in appropriate areas.

2. Review Workplace Conditions

Maintaining a safe workplace is an ongoing job. Conduct regular walk-throughs of the warehouse with an eye out for blocked aisles, exposed electrical cords and other common safety hazards.

3. Hold Training Sessions

Schedule periodic training to reinforce safety behavior and update employees on current regulations. Encourage questions and discussions and give occasional pop quizzes to keep awareness high.

4. Recognize and Reward Safety Practices

Recognition is always an effective way to internalize behavior. Start a program that allows employees to nominate co-workers who have demonstrated excellent safety practices and provide rewards.

5. Establish a Safety Committee

Involve employees directly by creating a safety committee that empowers them to take responsibility. Members can take questions and concerns from other workers, follow through on solving problems, and taking charge of training programs.

6. Have Clear Emergency Procedures

Provide first-aid kits, fire extinguishers and other emergency safety equipment and make sure everyone knows where they’re located. Emergency exits should be clearly marked and all employees should know the protocol for evacuation in case of fire or other dangerous situations.

Warehouse Tugs: An Effective Solution for Workplace Safety

Electric warehouse tugs from DJ Products include a wide range of safety features to reduce the risk of workplace accidents and repetitive-use injuries. Visit our website and learn more about our full line of material handling equipment.

Blockchain Technology is Changing the Logistics Market

Blockchain has been called “the new Internet” due to its potential to revolutionize commerce just as significantly as the web did. Created for Bitcoin financial transactions, blockchain technology for logistics holds the key to open new trends for the logistics market.

From improving your record keeping with each warehouse equipment supplier to tracking your goods while they’re out on the truck, your company’s data can do more with blockchain technology.

What Is Blockchain Technology?

If you’ve used peer-to-peer downloading or Bitcoin, you’re familiar with blockchain technology already. Data gets stored across multiple stations rather than one central server. Imagine a single spreadsheet of all your inventory data— and that it can be accessed anywhere, updated in real-time, and stored with heightened security.

Benefits of Blockchain for Logistics

Blockchain makes logistics smoother, cheaper, more agile, and more future-proof. Specifically, just a few of the significant improvements and benefits of blockchain for logistics:

• Share unused space in a warehouse, trailer, or intermodal container

• Optimize truck routes and shipping logistics

• Create an easily accessible, constantly updated database of transactions

• Provide status updates on goods in transit

• Use “smart contracts” to handle transactions without lawyers

• Eliminate errors and missing data from paperwork issues

Logistics Technology Trends

At DJ Products, we keep up with the latest logistics news to help you stay informed. As a warehouse equipment supplier, we also bring you solutions for better warehouse productivity. Our industrial cart movers, trailer tows, truck pushers, and other material handling solutions help your team move at the new speeds made possible by improved logistics.

Why Your Warehouse Management Needs to Embrace the Internet of Things

The Smart Warehouse via the IoT is Coming

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been described for years as an emerging technology, so when will using it become universally accepted? Nobody will hoist a banner announcing the official victory for the IoT. You wouldn’t delay purchasing a piece of automation equipment like warehouse tugs, so why wait to add innovative technology?

The technology and devices of the IoT are already here. Warehouses should go ahead and embrace it.

Benefits of Warehouse IoT

David Akka recently detailed for Magic Software why warehouse IoT should be embraced just like other recent technology such as mobile apps. Customer-facing apps serve the dual purpose of benefiting the user experience and increasing sales through engagement. Similarly, the IoT has benefits for customers and warehouse management:

Capitalize on Big Data analytics
Smart barcodes for shipping and receiving
Plan for “burst capacity” and short-term extra storage
Enable warehousing as a service for third parties
Propagate changes to sales, customer data, shipping statuses, etc.

Embracing New Technology in the Warehouse

Sometimes waiting to implement new technology can be wise, especially if your customers or clients are unfamiliar with it. However, people already use the IoT at home and work. Shift to IoT integration, and your warehouse staff and customers will be quick to leverage it for a better experience.

Ultimately, the IoT represents just another important step in the warehouse automation trend. Automated equipment like warehouse tugs for your staff and smart technology of the IoT for your devices can drastically reduce costs and stay ahead of the game.

Find out more about warehouse tugs and other warehouse materials handling equipment from DJ Products.

Will the IoT Make Your Supply Chain “Smarter”?

Do you track your workouts with a FitBit or run your household with the help of Amazon’s Alexa? Welcome to the Internet of Things (IoT), a world of “smart” devices that are impacting your personal life and revolutionizing supply chain management.

Making Your Supply Chain “Smarter”

While these Internet-connected devices have been making a big splash, it’s not going to slow down any time soon. In fact, research firm Gartner recently issued a prediction that the number of IoT devices will increase thirty-fold by the year 2020.

How does this new technology impact supply chains and logistics? The IoT will connect people, processes, information and equipment to an extent never before possible, providing an amazing depth and breadth of data.

A Real-Life Scenario

A significant example of this benefit is in-transit visibility. As products pass through a number of points between manufacturer and consumer, an agile supply network is needed to follow them through all steps of the supply chain.

Cloud-based GPS and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies can be used to transmit identity, location and other data that’s crucial to accurate tracking. With a chip in a pallet and a coordinated device in the shipping vehicle, stakeholders can monitor progress in real time and make proactive decisions based on the constant flow of data.

DJ Products: The Leader in Warehouse Handling Equipment

While the IoT takes supply chain management to another level, our battery-powered warehouse handling equipment makes labor-intensive tasks easier and safer. Contact us to learn more about our popular CartCaddy5WP and other products in our full line of electric pushers, tugs and movers.

How to Screen Applicants for Your Warehouse

Quality Warehouse Staff

If you feel like your warehouse is staffed by “warm bodies” rather than skilled workers who will stick around, you’re not alone. Turnover runs high in the warehouse industry, and overcoming churn starts with screening and matching applicants to the right positions.

First you need to look in the right place. Employee referrals can be great because your current workers know what the job takes. Temp agencies also work well because they take care of skills assessment and provide warehouse tips for smarter hires.

Warehouse Tips: How the Best Hiring Managers Screen Applicants

Even with great job advertising and plenty of candidates, the screening process will always be critical. Character and skills need to be assessed above all else.

As one distribution exec recently told CleanLink.com, hiring managers should focus less on the obvious factors (criminal records and drug screening) and more on personality.

Keep in mind that longevity will depend on a worker’s ability to physically and psychologically thrive in the job.

Warehouse tips for screening include:

• Use personality tests that can tell you which people will thrive in various positions, e.g. fulfillment versus management.

• Conduct multiple rounds of interviews, discussing in between and afterward.

• Look for good communicators. Even if the position is somewhat solitary, everyone should be comfortable interacting with coworkers, supervisors and customers.

• Don’t guarantee future raises or promotions. Workers who accept jobs under pretenses that never materialize are more likely to leave.

After screening, avoiding turnover still requires more work. Compensation should be competitive and job conditions reasonable. Warehouse tips for retention would include performance-based raises and automated material handling equipment to relieve physical stress.

Tag: Warehouse Management