Introduction
As both small and large businesses attempt to remain successful during our turbulent times (FSB,2018), it is important to remember the fundamental rules that influence our core business function. The following article aims to recall the 10 key points to success within warehouses and distribution centres. To help bring focus back on the essentials that commonly help influence success.
The Top Ten Warehousing Tips
- Use free space for Storage. It sounds a bit obvious. But if you are short on storage, or find your current shelving is untidy and difficult to navigate. Then adding additional bays of suitable heavy duty or industrial shelving will generate additional areas for stock. Although extra space is sometimes hard to come by. If you are able to do this you will benefit greatly. Although, It is still important to implement a logical organisation plan. Which will enable your workforce to locate items quicker, thus enhancing productivity.
- Clear and obvious signage. Clear signage can improve the flow of traffic through your warehouse, storerooms and workshops. As well as increasing efficiency and reducing the risk of accident, signage is often cost and time effective to implement. There are a wide range of sign and labeling options available nowadays. These include warehouse location signs, floor markers and weight load identification signs.
- Positive rest areas. A clean, tidy and well equipped staff area can help encourage positivity during rest breaks, in addition to encouraging good working relations among teams. Furthermore, investing company funds in good quality and hard wearing staff room and canteen furniture will reflect the companies appreciation towards its teams, further enhancing productivity in the workplace.
- Detailed inventory. Keeping track of company assets can help minimize the effects of losses or wastage on the company at such times. This might include perishable items of stock with short shelf life, other items of stock for company function or physical assets such as access, handling and lifting and security equipment.
- Forecast and monitor trends. As mentioned above, keeping track on stock levels can help reduce company losses. In order to minimize the level or risk of over spending you should closely and regularly monitor sales, which will in turn help you to forecast upcoming trends. Thus allowing you to identify slow moving items and presenting the opportunity to free up more shelving and racking space for products which are, or will be in high demand.
- Reduce hazards. As product begins to move faster, you will inevitably notice an increase in rubbish, most of which can be separated for recycling and will reduce the carbon footprint of your business. There are many items that can assist with and encourage the separation of waste, these include racksacks, industrial wheelie bins and tipping skips.
- Keep it clean. Once you establish a successful working environment, it is advised to then maintain this with regular cleaning and inspections. This can be done with a dedicated cleaning team, or with a ‘once a week blitz clean’ from the collective workforce.
- Well stocked first aid kit. Even in the cleanest and most hazard free environments accidents still happen. For times when they do, you should have a suitably equipped first aid kit to hand to alleviate the situation. Hence, finding a good quality and dependable first aid supplier will support you in doing this.
- Clear and fair shifts and schedules. Publishing fairly distributed shifts and schedules will encourage your teams to remain organized and reliable. You should present these in good time upon dedicated noticeboards.
- Communication. Above and beyond all, communication is one of the greatest factors of success. Many highly skilled academics and large organizations insist that transparency and clarity in their operation influences not only the success of the business, but also the positive attitude from employees. Therefore having regular staff meetings and company news emails (for example) may help you achieve this.
The Conclusion
So, if you are struggling to identify the causes or areas of concern within your work environment, reviewing and actioning these top ten tips to success may help eliminate some of the issues and barriers that are potentially hindering your company and it’s performance.