Warehouse Optimization … The Little Things that matters

Globalization with the advent of information technology and the rapid improvements of industry standards has open doors to various opportunities in areas such as Warehouse Management, Supply Chain Management, Logistics and other areas just to mention a few.

When people think of optimizing warehouse operations, they usually think of warehouse management systems (WMS), automated material handling systems, bar coding and automated data collection. Often neglected are the “little things” that affect warehouse operations. These little things usually require little to no investment and can sometimes have an enormous impact on operations.

Training

Employee trainings in most organizations today are seen as a “little thing”, the fact is, training employees is inexpensive and will have the greatest return on investment of anything you will do in your operation.

An immeasurable wealth of an organization is the level of professionalism acquired via training on the job available to the employee for utilization and adoption to the job activities.

 

Operations that lack adequate procedures and employee training are likely to suffer from poor quality, low productivity, safety issues, low employee morale, highly stressed supervisors and managers, and a general lack of control. These chaotic conditions caused by poor training tend to contribute to the ongoing cycle of inadequate training by making it difficult for supervisors and managers to find time to define procedures and train employees. The only way to break the cycle is to take the time to define and document the procedures and implement an employee-training program.

Tools

Making sure employees have the proper tools readily available to perform their job functions can also have significant impact on operations. Time wasted by employees wandering around the warehouse searching for a pallet jack or a tape dispenser will certainly be more detrimental to the bottom line that will the cost of purchasing more of these low cost items.

While it’s OK to put emphasis on employees taking care of these tools, the fact is that items like pocket calculators, tape machines, markers, and razor knives will disappear. Whether they are lost, broken, or go home is someone’s pocket, doesn’t change the fact that you now have an employee that doesn’t have the proper tools to perform their job.

You’re much better off treating these as consumables and always having extras on hand than risking employees making counting errors because they don’t have a calculator, risking product damage because they couldn’t find a tape dispenser, or risking injury because someone couldn’t find a pair of safety glasses. Also make sure you are purchasing quality tools and supplies. Stretch wrap that doesn't cling or breaks in the middle of wrapping, tape dispensers that don't work properly, tape that doesn't stick or doesn't come off the roll correctly, and pallet jacks that require excessive pumping will not do much for productivity or morale. Below is a list of some of the key tools used by warehouse workers.

·         Warehouse Tools

• Pallet Jacks
• Hand Trucks
• Stock Carts
• Rolling Ladders
• Banding Dispensers
• Banding Cutters
• Banding Crimpers
• Pry Bars
• Stretch wrap Dispensers
• Tape Dispensers
• Pocket Calculators
• Clip Boards
• Razor Knives and Blades
• Markers, Pens, etc.

·         Cleaning Supplies

• Brooms
• Dust Pans
• Mops
• Trash Containers

·         Safety Items

• Safety Glasses
• Dust Masks
• Gloves
• Aprons
• Respirators
• Hard Hats
• Wheel Chocks

It will also prove to be very useful to have specific areas for these tools to be stored within each department. Tools required for daily operations should be made quickly accessible to workers while items only used occasionally should be stored away from the high activity areas.