When you’ve been around as long as we have, you know for a fact that labor shortages in warehouse operations are inevitable. Whether it’s unexpected emergencies, seasonal peaks, or improvement initiatives, something will disrupt your operations; and these interruptions, foreseen or not, can significantly impact your warehouse efficiency and productivity. It’s not a matter of if, but when your operations will be affected by these outside forces, and being prepared with a comprehensive plan is essential.
The Unavoidable Reality of Labor Shortages
In times of natural disasters, your employees will need to focus on the safety and security of their homes and families, leaving your warehouse operations vulnerable. Similarly, during labor disputes, the chaotic environment can disrupt your workflow, and during peak operations, even the most seasoned employees can face burnout without adequate support.
Think it can’t happen to you? If only! Here are a few all-too-real examples of situations our partners faced:
- A grocer faced a looming shutdown at two DCs due to a strike, until Capstone assisted them in taming the chaos and restoring on-time delivery
- A manufacturer was losing its employees due to peak season burnout, until Capstone provided a flexible, scalable labor pool to bolster the company’s own workforce
- Implementation of a new WMS was leading to unforeseen system bugs and glitches and a loss of productivity, until Capstone stepped in and provided skilled associates to augment labor where gaps needed to be filled.
To mitigate these challenges, you will need a labor solution that is fast to deploy, easy to implement, and prepared for any situation. This ensures you have a team ready to focus on your warehouse and restore operations swiftly, minimizing downtime and maintaining productivity.
The Pitfalls of Relying on Temporary Staffing Agencies
While it might seem like the easiest or least expensive option, relying on temp agencies for warehouse labor support can often lead to more problems than it solves. You may have witnessed this for yourself; temporary staffing can leave you stuck with unskilled, unmotivated, unmanaged, and untrained workers, leading to hidden costs such as safety fines, lost productivity, and other unforeseen issues.
Some common pitfalls of using temp labor include:
- Lack of Skills: Requires additional training and supervision.
- Lack of Experience: Leads to inefficiency and subpar performance.
- Lack of Motivation: Results in a drop in productivity instead of the expected increase.
Many clients have turned to us after experiencing the adverse effects of temp labor, finding that it exacerbated their problems rather than solving them. Don’t make the same mistake.