Ways to Boost Warehouse Worker Morale
There is a strong relationship between the happiness and morale levels of people and their productivity, according to studies. In general, the greater morale people possess and happier they are, the more focused and productive they will be.
Employers have cottoned onto this fact and are now attempting to ensure their employees are as happy as possible (within reason). For many manufacturing and wholesale companies it is their warehouse workers who are the foundation of the company. There are many simple ways to improve their morale and therefore productivity in cost-effective ways.
Brighten the Workplace
It goes without saying that the warehouse your workers are based in should be a clean and safe environment. The problem is that when people spend 40 hours a week in the same environment, especially a generic warehouse with a drab canteen, it can quickly become pretty dull.
Brighten the place up with a splash of colour, have a radio on during work hours and provide some extra space for relaxing during lunch and other breaks. Ensure the warehouse is warm enough for employees too, as there’s nothing worse than spending eight hours walking round a cold, dark workplace in the middle of winter for boosting morale.
Supply Quality Equipment
“A bad workman blames his tools,” as the famous saying goes. In some instances that can truly be the case however. If warehouse workers are supplied with old or sub-standard equipment for doing their job, it can make their day to day tasks a lot harder and aggravating.
For this reason it is important all employees are provided with the best warehouse equipment, some of which can be found at handling equipment online. Whether it’s simply ordering some new, warmer uniforms or having a complete overhaul of tools used, the added costs can be saved in the increased productivity they provide.
Offer Benefits
Aside from giving all warehouse workers a pay rise, offering other perks and benefits is a quick way to boost morale and productivity. It could be anything from a financial bonus to simply buying everyone a bacon sandwich on a Friday morning.
Even just letting them leave half an hour early on Fridays, it’s amazing how much better employees can think of the company they work for when offered small perks or free stuff. Talk to the warehouse workers and get an idea of what kind of perk would best improve their morale levels before offering one out.