Warehouse logistics differ drastically from those required by other run-of-the-mill businesses. There’s often a need for short-term solutions to deal with fast turnarounds at a moment’s notice.

These days, being part of a warehouse crew can feel like working for a 4th emergency service. Demand for goods is running at a fever pitch. Customers want their deliveries yesterday rather than today.

Having adequate warehouse labour can make or break the quality of customer service. That makes dealing with peak periods very challenging. Read on for the warehouse staffing solutions you need to keep stock flowing freely.

Peak Periods Explained

Understanding the regularity of your supply chain helps you plan for varied workloads that can come and go at different times of the year. We refer to the busiest times, the high points in the operational reports, as peak periods.

These are the moments when ordering and shipping get stressed. There’s greater activity than the warehouse would typically be dealing with. These periods ebb and flow like the tide. They need careful planning to match the expectations of all stakeholders.

Holiday periods, a rush for delayed imports and erroneous forecasts can all play into the creation of a peak period. What matters is having the resources to deal with them. That means being able to call on a team that can shift goods quickly and efficiently at short notice.

The Benefits of Staffing Analysis

Warehouse logistics need careful planning. Looking ahead to what’s likely to get delivered and when is half the battle, but so is looking back at historical data.

There’s no substitute for learning from experience. Understanding your business history is a useful starting point to ensure optimal staffing in a warehouse. Examining past performance allows you to identify trends that can help predict staffing levels in the future.

Productivity levels and growth or decline in orders can act as pointers to ensure you have the right staff. Breaking down the number of orders a worker can put through in a given hour also helps determine the number of packers needed on the floor.

Developing Temporary Warehouse Staffing Solutions

One of the difficulties with crewing a warehouse to unpack or pack storage containers is the variation of demand. You may be able to predict those peak periods but you still only want to be paying staff when you need them.

There’s no point in paying warehouse workers to idly stand around. It’s not good for staff morale and it’s not good for your budget. Using highly trained and motivated temporary staff should be your go-to solution. It’ll help you deal with busy periods when containers arrive and demand is high.

There are many key benefits to businesses in doing this. First up, it does away with any time-consuming recruitment process. The temporary staff arrive on site and are “oven-ready.” They already know the drill, have undergone the necessary checks and will outperform any regular recruit.

There’s no interviewing to do. There are no references to collect and there are no notice periods to incorporate into your hiring strategy. Using temporary staff also does away with onboarding processes.

Get the Right Number of Workers When You Need Them

What you get is what you pay for. That means you’re going to get staff when you need them rather than paying them when times are quiet. Partnering with a respected agency like Tough Yakka allows you to outsource your staffing needs through warehouse labour supply.

You’ll be using providers who understand your business. They have a vested interest in ensuring your business succeeds and flourishes. That means you can spend your valuable time more productively. You’ll have more chances to develop new business opportunities and concentrate on customer service issues.

Cross-Training and Skill Development

Temporary warehouse staff often choose their work because it offers them a range of opportunities. They enjoy the variety of sites on offer and the chance to adapt their skillset to a range of different businesses.

It’s in their interest to show maximum flexibility and get trained in various tasks. That allows them to slot into the relevant roles required at any given time.

They understand the nuances between different warehouses. These could be issues that crop up related to barcoding or unloading priorities, for example. Above all, they’re safety trained, mitigating the risks to businesses of accidents and injury.

The culture among temporary warehouse workers is one of continuous learning and upskilling. This is an ideal fit for businesses that need a flexible workforce to meet fluctuating demands.

Efficient Scheduling and Shift Management

Using temporary warehouse staff lets managers build shift schedules that match peak demand. By its very nature warehouse work is hard-going and physical.

Schedulers can avoid tiring out staff by distributing work in a balanced fashion. This mitigates the risk of long periods of sickness that regular staff might experience due to overwork at particular times of the year.

In effect, people management also gets outsourced. Hundreds of managerial hours get lost every year to performance management. That includes guiding regular staff along their chosen careers.

Using a temporary warehouse staff agency gives you the chance to evaluate staffing strategies. You’ll be able to assess performance metrics. As a result, you’ll see for yourself how efficient your use of labour is over any given time.

Key Takeaways

These are the top 5 benefits our clients say they enjoy:

• Instant access to keen and highly trained staff when they need them
• An adaptable workforce that knows the ropes
• Minimal HR management and more efficient staff distribution
• Reduced risk of injury and sickness
• More time to spend on creating new business opportunities

Warehouse Staffing Solutions Made Simple

Tough Yakka understands the day-to-day issues that warehouse logistics present. They’re unlike those faced by other industries and require bespoke solutions. Our warehouse logistic services include the supply of warehouse labour.

Our temporary staff are highly trained, motivated and can slot in on your site at a moment’s notice. Get in touch with the Tough Yakka crew today for all your warehouse staffing solutions.