Running a warehouse successfully requires the right resources to maximise the facility’s efficiency and productivity. Also, warehouse workers must be able to perform tasks safely, quickly and in a manner that protects the goods being handled. Cost-saving strategies can also improve your facility’s efficiency and productivity while growing your company’s revenue.
Considering your workers’ level of efficiency and productivity is essential for saving on running costs while keeping operations streamlined and fully functional. Using equipment such as pallet wrappers can save time and money for your warehouse while ensuring the job gets done professionally. How else can you maximise warehouse efficiency and productivity? Keep reading to find out!
3 Ways to Improve Warehouse Efficiency and Productivity
1. Provide the Right Equipment
The right equipment allows your workers to do their job safely and timeously. Depending on the type of operations you’re running, you can identify the appropriate warehouse machinery required for various tasks. Equipment such as pallet lifts and elevators, stretch wrappers, forklifts and hydraulic lift trolley can make all the difference in productivity and efficiency.
Maintaining the equipment is equally important to avoid costly downtime and a frustrated workforce. It also ensures the safety of your workers.
2. Reduce Time Wastage
If your warehouse operations are disorganised, your workers will waste time performing their tasks. The following strategies are practical ways you can avoid time wastage:
- Accessible shelving: Items should be stored where they can be easily accessed for loading and shipping. The same principle applies to workstations where workers can access tools quickly.
- Cross docking: Where possible, avoid loading goods into the warehouse that can be sent directly to your customers. Instead of offloading into the warehouse, move goods from inbound delivery trucks to outbound vehicles for immediate dispatch.
- Worker safety: Being one man down can slow down warehouse processes when you least need it to happen. Providing a safe workplace ensures your workers aren’t exposed to risks that could result in accidents or injuries that require your employees to take time off.
Your employees are able to highlight areas of improvement. So, ask them to provide feedback that includes suggestions for improving productivity while reducing the time taken to complete tasks.
3. Use Warehouse Technology for Improved Operations
Advanced warehouse technology can go a long way to improving your facility’s operations. If you haven’t already done so, consider introducing the following into your warehouse:
- Radio frequency identification: RFID uses wireless communication to identify objects. It speeds up the process of scanning items in your facility without using too much manual workforce for inventory tracking.
- Barcodes: This is a cheaper alternative to RFID that allows you to track inventory quickly and efficiently.
- Warehouse management systems: Warehouse managers can use WMS to plan workflow, organise the layout of the facility and pick inventory more efficiently. Using software to schedule workers’ time and tasks also improves efficiency and workplace productivity.
Technology is evolving continuously and sending your warehouse managers for regular training will keep them up to date with the latest developments. This way, they can run your facility’s operations smoothly while ensuring efficiency and productivity at all times.
Tips for Introducing Cost-Saving Strategies in the Warehouse
It’s possible to reduce running costs without compromising on efficiency and productivity in your warehouse. Consider the following cost-saving strategies for your facility:
- Improve energy efficiency: Reducing energy usage in your facility is one way of lowering warehouse costs without impacting the efficiency of your operations. Consider introducing more natural lighting with commercial skylights or improving insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs.
- Diversify workers’ skills: Upskilling your workers gives you a workforce that can complete different tasks according to your needs. You can pull employees from one area that isn’t busy into sections that require more work. You’ll have the necessary level of productivity without hiring more labour.
- Use secondhand storage containers: Purchasing new storage containers can be costly but luckily secondhand items can work just as well. From used boxes to bags, shipping containers and shelves, you can save money while getting the job done properly.
- Compare shipping costs: Land and sea transport is cheaper than air travel but delivery time can impact the quality of goods being transported. Comparing shipping costs and delivery time is essential for ensuring the goods arrive at the final destination intact AND on time.
Quality cost-saving strategies allow you to run your warehouse smoothly while improving your company’s bottom line.
Final Thoughts
Using the right resources, being strategic and hiring a skilled workforce are key elements of an efficient and productive warehouse. And it’s worth doing! Improving your facility’s performance levels is essential if you want to stay on top of your game and be a market leader in your industry.
With quality equipment, reduced downtime and advanced warehouse technology, your facility can run efficiently and safely. What’s more, you can protect your company’s bottom line with the right resources PLUS implement cost-saving strategies that will benefit your budget even further.
