Are you struggling to fulfill all of your orders? Do your workers seem disengaged or disorganized? Do you know in your heart that you could be doing better? It isn’t easy to run a warehouse, so if you need a little help, here are just five ways to boost the efficiency of your workplace.
1. Go Paperless
It’s the 21st century. Why are you still using old-fashioned documents? Not only will going paperless make your administrative affairs run much smoother than usual, but you’ll also reduce the overhead of your entire warehouse when you no longer have to purchase folders, printers and ink cartridges.
2. Utilize All Available Floor Space
If you’re running out of room but can’t afford to expand your premises just yet, consider an internal restructuring effort. Better organization can give you back some of your floor space, and if you make use of things like vertical storage, you can free up tons of square footage for other pursuits.
3. Utilize Control Software
Warehouse control software can help you get a handle on the everyday systems and processes that are required to run your facility. For example, instead of inputting order information with every shipment, you can have the entire thing automated and done by the computer. If you aren’t sure where to begin with warehouse control software, sites like ScottTechLLC.com can help.
4. Improve Workplace Safety
How much time do you waste preventing accidents or tending to small-scale injuries? Better warehouse safety can save you a lot of effort and give your employees a safer place to work, so don’t be too quick to brush off OSHA guidelines in the future. They may take an adjustment period to get used to, but once they’re standard, you won’t even notice them anymore.
5. Create Workstations
Give every person, team and department their own “zone” in your warehouse. This will stop them from wandering everywhere in pursuit of their notes and supplies. If everyone has their own workstation, they’ll be better organized and less wasteful, and that means an overall gain in workplace productivity.
These are just a few ways to improve the efficiency of your warehouse. Some ideas will require more work than others, but they’re all worth the trouble if you’re serious about fixing your bad habits and moving your warehouse into a better, more productive place.
