How to Manage a Diverse Warehouse Team
From young employees just looking for a start in their career, to over-experienced employees looking to make money during a lapse in employment, and even experienced workers who call distribution home, the warehouse is a highly diverse place. Your team is more than likely filled with employees from all different walks of life, so how do you help them forget that and get them working together as a well-oiled machine?
Familiarity
Creating familiarity amongst team members not only helps with communication, but it also creates accountability. If a warehouse team has a close bond, it will create extra motivation to work hard and not let the team down. Try some team building exercises or even a simple work outing. These may seem hokey or unnecessary but creating a team mentality and group loyalty is a great way to form a commonality between otherwise unlike minds. This leads to much happier and more productive employees.
Balance
In a warehouse, not everybody is going to get along. No matter what, conflict is inevitable. Your job as the manager is to make sure that if two people don’t work well together, it doesn’t affect productivity. If two conflicting employees are getting in the way of group progress, then it is up to you to find a quick and effective solution. If one of them is willing to work a different shift, or would be a better fit on a different team, then the problem will hopefully end there. If a particular employee is just too toxic for your company and you have done everything you can to speak with this individual about their behavior, they may be better off replaced. One ill-fitting employee slowing down productivity could lead to bigger issues for the company as a whole, possibly even layoffs for your stronger team members.
Recognition
You’ve done the team-building exercises, and gotten rid of all the bad eggs – but there are still a few employees who feel out of place despite their great work. They shouldn’t be punished simply for being different. Why not go the extra mile to enhance your employee recognition efforts? A warehouse is a big place and it’s easy for employees to start feeling like numbers especially on a diverse team. Going out of your way to single out employees for their hard work is a great motivator for all. This extra effort will create company loyalty and help employees feel as part of the overall team – even if they don’t fit perfectly with their small group.
Managing an entire warehouse is no easy task. Avoid handling this alone. We recommend teaming up with an expert warehouse staffing firm, like RHM Technical, to get you started off on the right foot with the best employees for your diverse warehouse team. Contact RHM Technical, a RodgersHouder Company today.