Tag Archive for: Warehouse Jobs

Creative Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy

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Something that isn’t often a regular discussion among decision makers in most companies is employee happiness. Of course, most places do their best to meet the standard of a good workplace; but in today’s nation-wide situation of employee shortages, businesses must go beyond that.

 As a leader within your organization, when was the last time that you looked into new ways to boost employee happiness and gain a reputation of one of the best companies to work for?

Right now, many businesses in the Light Industrial and Warehouse sectors are concerned because they can’t offer the new trends of working remotely or start time flexibility, due to specific deadlines and operational equipment being necessary to do the job(s).

These factors give them the impression that they have no chance of making their employees as happy as organizations that can provide those options, discouraging them from even trying.

However, in a 2021 analysis of employee surveys and feedback, Costco and H.E.B., two places that require both in-person work and manual labor made the list of the year’s Top 25 Major U.S. Companies with the Happiest Employees.

It just goes to show that any company can be a good place to work if you are listening to the needs of your employees and offering them a good wage, benefits, and working environment.

Here is a list of our recommendations on how to create a happy workplace for your employees:

1. Encourage Camaraderie and Relationship Building at Work

One of the things consistently mentioned by employees of the happiest companies to work for is engagement between team members. In past times, employees were discouraged from getting to know each other too well and from having idle conversations during the work day. Present times are different. Employees who feel comfortable with one another and know each other’s work styles and habits will work better together. This will also lead to more employee retention and fewer call outs, as employees will enjoy coming to work every day.

Some ways you can encourage camaraderie are: hosting daily team-wide coffee breaks, setting aside time each week to host fun activities, and even just being ok with chit-chat throughout the day.

2. Address All Employees Individually

At times, it can feel like giving recognition to an entire department is enough; but if you want to ensure your employees are happy, you must see all employees as individuals. If someone regularly keeps to themselves, or doesn’t ever complain/offer feedback, it’s easy to assume they must be perfectly content. However, this is how many managers end up surprised when someone on their team quits unexpectedly.

Make time to check-in with each of your employees 1:1, even if it’s just for a few minutes every few weeks. Also be sure to praise each person personally when something has been accomplished. All employees deserve to be noticed and will remember that you set aside time for them.

3. Implement Resolve

From an employee perspective, it is very frustrating when an issue comes up and nothing is done to ensure it doesn’t happen again. As an employer, you’re not expected to have all of the answers or come up with a solution on-the-spot. But, it’s important that you give your employees a timeline for when you will address the problem and follow up with them when that time comes.

Many times, this means that new policies or standard operating procedures need to be implemented. Putting something in place will reassure your employees that you care about them and that all situations will be handled accordingly.

4. Offer In-House Perks

This especially applies to companies that don’t have the ability to offer remote work. If you want to keep the employees you do have, they must have reasons to want to come in.

Consider integrating things such as a healthy snack and beverage bar that is unlimited and available to employees at all times. Some companies have gone as far as building in a kombucha on tap bar.

Other options could be having an in-house gym for employees to use or putting massage chairs in the break room. Perks like this may seem like a big investment, but are likely necessary if you want to compete with other companies.

It’s important to note that if you choose to provide these things, they must be maintained. This means snacks always fully stocked, the gym regularly cleaned, and the massage chairs in good condition and fixed right away if they get broken.

All employees will be excited when you initially offer these perks, but that excitement will quickly dwindle if they are not consistently maintained.

If your company is in need of employees, we at Award are here to help. Contact us with your staffing needs here.

Top Benefits of Working a Warehouse Position

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Now that we are well into the holiday season, one of the business industries across the board is the warehouse sector of the light industrial space. With stores needing to stock up on extra goods for holiday meals and décor along with people ordering tons of gifts online to be sent out to places all over the world, it’s no wonder that every year, warehousing companies hire a ton of extra help when this time of year rolls around.

The nice thing about getting a warehouse position though, is that it is an ever-growing industry and is in need of employees year-round. Let’s face it, with the convenience of online shopping, warehouse work is here to stay. Even this Black Friday saw record low numbers due to the option to purchase the same items online.

Warehouse work is very important, as the processing and shipping of goods as vital for this world to function. Here are just a few of the top reasons to consider warehouse work for your next job.

1. You Don’t Need Technical Skills

Working in a warehouse is a great choice for someone who has little to no work experience or is considering a career change. To work in a warehouse position, you don’t need a specific skillset. In fact, most of the time, soft skills are the most important factor in the hiring process. For example, the ability to work independently once you’re trained and reliably showing up to work is what employers need to ensure a smooth operation.

2. Flexible Hours and Overtime

Because warehouse work doesn’t involve customer or client interaction, nearly all warehouses extend their hours far beyond traditional business hours. In fact, many of them are open 24/7. This means that there are multiple shifts to choose from and you likely don’t have to work the same schedule every day if you don’t want to. Additionally, since there is always a need for employees in this line of work as well as random influxes throughout the year, overtime will be offered on multiple occasions.

3. Work Independently

Although warehouse work is team-based as a whole, typically when someone is hired, they are given a specific role on the floor that does not require more than one person. This can be stocking, pulling orders, scanning and processing, doing inventory. Many people like this type of work because they can listen to music while working and do not have to rely on others for their job to be complete.

4. Time Goes By Fast

Due to the nature of the work being fast paced, the constantly moving environment makes the day move quickly. There are few moments when working in a warehouse is slow enough to stop for a long enough time to be bored. You will also have plenty of your colleagues around you at all times. Whether you’re discussing work related tasks or socializing on your 15 minute break, the interaction will also help the day go by faster.

5. Keeps You In Shape

All warehouse positions require some kind of constant movement, whether you’re picking, loading, or packaging. The walking and lifting definitely gives you your workout for the day. This definitely saves you time as you won’t have to hit the gym or do a home workout once you’re off.

6. Opportunity for Promotion

Something most people don’t know is that warehouses are much more likely to promote from within than to hire for positions externally. With so many moving parts, it’s preferable to choose someone who is familiar with the layout of the floor, knows the people they will be working with, and is proficient in the way that particular facility operates. This saves on hiring costs and also allows the company to have people who know how to do multiple jobs if need be.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a job, we at Award Staffing are here to help. Our job boards are updated daily. Check out our newest opportunities here.

 

Is It Okay to Turn Down a Warehouse Job Offer

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Naturally, when looking for a new warehouse job, you’ll come across a wide variety of opportunities, and not the job will be the best fit for you. Maybe there are issues with the job duties, travel time, pay, or perhaps the company itself. No matter the reason, turning down a warehouse job offer can be a smart move. How can you be sure that it’s okay to turn down a warehouse job offer? Here are some things to think about before saying “no” to a warehouse job offer.

The Pay Doesn’t Make Sense-

When a company offers you a job with significantly lower pay than what you originally expected, it’s ok to continue your job search. If you can’t survive at that income level, in most circumstances it is the right decision to continuing your search. What happens if the pay is higher then what you were initially expecting?

Being offered more money than you were hoping appears to be a great thing, right? If something seems to good to be true, it usually is. You most likely want to find out why the company’s pay is so high before you say yes. For most businesses, the pay correlates to a position’s duties or work conditions. What happens if the workplace is hazardous, maybe the tasks are more challenging than you initially expected, or the hours are much longer than you hoped? By saying yes before getting all the details may require you to make sacrifices in the long run. If you feel that the sacrifices don’t fit your career goals, feel free to turn the job down.

The Company Has a Bad Reputation-

If a company has a poor reputation with both customers or employees, you should always consider that a red flag. Check to see if the company has a high turnover. This is usually an indication that the business is dysfunctional to some extent could mean that there will be issues with long-term job security. Before taking any warehouse type job, research the company’s reputation and if it is less then impressive, consider saying “no.”

Vague Job Descriptions-

Job descriptions are crucial to letting you know what the job involves and ensures that you are fully prepared for the position. If a company can’t provide you with proper details, consider it a sign that there could be trouble ahead. If a company doesn’t fully disclose what it is you may be doing, it is possible that your job may change significantly after you start: especially in ways you may not appreciate. If you are ever left with more questions than answers, strongly consider continuing your job search.

In the long run, it’s okay to turn down a warehouse job offer if the job doesn’t seem like a good fit. While that can feel terrifying, it’s better to find the right job based on your skills, abilities, and goals.

If you would like assistance finding a new warehouse job, the hiring team at Award Staffing can help you. Contact us to see what job openings we have in your area today.