Your warehouse is much more than just a storage facility. It plays a leading role in ensuring your entire supply chain system functions effectively. To make that happen, you need a strong, dedicated team of employees who understand your business goals and their own roles in meeting them. In other words, it’s their business, too – and they should feel that sense of ownership.
Use these tips to build your industry-leading warehouse team.
Hire well
When hiring, consider the culture of your warehouse and the specific qualities you need in your team members. When you build a positive culture and have employees who fit, your success rate will be higher and your turnover lower.
- Look for candidates who are self motivated. Use the right interview style, questions and techniques to determine which individuals would be motivated on their own to do a great job.
Create Team Projects
Design team-based projects to build collaboration among warehouse employees. With the right chemistry, each member will develop a sense of commitment to their workplace as they learn to rely on others.
- One good way to foster teamwork is to hold informal gatherings for lunch or to welcome a new hire. Or, arrange to take the team out after work for drinks or to a local sporting event. There’s nothing like rooting on another team to help strengthen your own!
Measure Team Performance
Performance measurement and assessment are integral to effective team building. When you give your team bottom-line objectives and standards, you show them how they can collectively deliver results.
- Communicate production and outcomes against standards. This will help people become more aware of their commitment to your organization. Be as transparent as possible; for instance, don’t hold back on sharing relevant company developments and financial details. This reinforces the importance of the warehouse’s role in your business.
Reward Team Success
Drive teamwork through incentives and rewards. When you recognize team members for reaching goals, you encourage them to hold each other accountable and to work more closely together.
- Consider bonuses for teams who achieve efficiency in receiving and shipping processes, avoid shipment errors or exceed other milestones. Work area safety standards are always excellent targets to shoot for – especially during June, which is National Safety Month.
As you build and develop your warehouse team, consider capitalizing on the staffing expertise of the PrideStaff Modesto team. Production, distribution and warehousing are among our niche specialty areas. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.
