Every part of your business depends on the warehouse. No matter how quick your production is or how effective your sales team may be, a failure on the warehouse end will slow delivery, alienate your clients and destroy your reputation. Like a clogged artery, an inefficient warehouse can wreck your business. Inefficient warehouses are usually a result of poor teamwork – if you can build a strong warehouse team, things will run smoothly. How can you build trust among your warehouse workers and get them working as a team again?
Pay attention – Your warehouse needs a leader
An effective leader is the glue that holds a team together. Employees who trust their managers are more satisfied, more cooperative and more at ease with their co-workers. Therefore, if you want your team to trust each other, they need to learn to trust you first. Stay in touch with your team and always be ready to listen to their input. In addition, be sure to keep a close eye on warehouse activities even when you are distracted by other responsibilities.
Encourage collaboration
All this talk of teamwork can sound flat and empty if, in reality, your employees spend their days working alone on individual projects. Instead of letting your workers isolate themselves, try to assign groups of two or more to work on the same project. Many tasks can be completed much quicker this way, and your employees will start to value the concept of a team.
Arrange for cross-training
In addition to switching up assignments so employees get a chance to collaborate with others, cross-training in different skills or areas of your warehouse can help your staff grow as a team. Getting individuals out of their comfort zone may reveal hidden skills you didn’t know about. More importantly, learning what’s involved in their team members’ jobs will help them appreciate each other and overcome disagreements.
Get to know your warehouse team outside of work
Most adults spend about half of their waking hours at work. Though you can’t force your team to develop close friendships, those hours become much more meaningful, enjoyable and productive when we care about the people working alongside us. You can encourage these relationships to grow by organizing social activities outside of work.
Set goals and celebrate success
Setting group goals can get your entire staff emotionally involved in the results. When group success and personal success are linked, your team will be driven to collaborate and rely on each other. Also, be sure to provide plenty of constructive feedback along the way.
Ready to get started?
Expert Staffing has access to the best warehouse talent in the northeast. With branches throughout Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut, our recruiters are uniquely placed to serve the region’s light industrial staffing needs. If you are looking for full-time, part-time or temporary industrial and warehouse staff, contact us today.
