Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

labor pool

that vision thing

Many times, workers find it difficult to disengage from their daily tasks and visualize what could be. It's up to you to share your vision of where their careers could take them and how it could be accomplished.

Do your staff members have vision? We're not referring to their eyesight; we're talking about a vision of the future—an ability to step back and picture where the company could go, how they fit in and what their future holds. Many times, workers find it difficult to disengage from their daily tasks and visualize what could be. It's up to you to share your vision of where their careers could take them and how it could be accomplished.

Study after study has shown that career development programs strengthen morale and boost productivity. The key here is to include everyone—all members of your workforce, not just your managers —in programs like the following:


1. Job shadowing. You may dismiss shadowing as a gimmick to teach middle schoolers about different kinds of jobs, but it actually works just as well for adults. You'd be amazed at how many members of your organization have no idea what the people upstairs or in the next building do each day. You may find that a picker would thrive as a driver or that a driver might become the best warehouse supervisor you could find—if they only had a chance to see what the job entailed. Introducing a rotating program that permits any staff member who wants to shadow another worker for a few hours could reward you with a new crop of motivated and dedicated workers.

2. Cross training/job rotation. A good move isn't always a vertical move; sometimes the best moves are lateral. We've all been indoctrinated to believe that success means moving up the corporate ladder. But that's not necessarily so. Your best warehouse worker may prove wholly unsuited to the job of warehouse supervisor—in which case, his "promotion" deprives you of both a decent supervisor and your best warehouse worker. Yet that same warehouse worker might excel in the scheduling and distribution department. Job rotation gives valuable but bored employees an alternative to quitting.

3. Career counseling. Amazing things can happen when a supervisor or manager sits down with a team member for a frank discussion of his or her career goals. But don't stop there. Follow up by helping the employee draw up a plan for reaching those goals—preferably one that includes company- sponsored training classes and reimbursement for outside education. If you feel your front-line supervisors don't have the time to create a career plan for each staff member— or the training to do so— there's another option. You can have the supervisor sit down with the employee for the heart-to-heart career talk, and then, if appropriate, refer the worker to a designated human resources professional to create the plan.

4. Mentoring. Think of it as the corporate version of a Big Brother/Big Sister program. Pickers, forklift operators, truck drivers … all can benefit from a mentor's counsel. But choose the mentor carefully—he or she shouldn't have any supervisory authority over the employee being "adopted." He or she should, however, be knowledgeable about the department, job category and functions.

All too often, pickers, forklift operators and loaders see their jobs as menial tasks that contribute little to the company's overall success. That's usually because no one has taken the time to explain the importance of their role. Tell them how they fit into the big picture. Let them know how much you value their contribution. If they know it, your bottom line will show it.

The Latest

Artificial Intelligence

AI: Is it the real deal?

More Stories

Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded in January, growing at its fastest clip in more than two years, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The LMI jumped nearly five points from December to a reading of 62, reflecting continued steady growth in the U.S. economy along with faster-than-expected inventory growth across the sector as retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers attempted to manage the uncertainty of tariffs and a changing regulatory environment. The January reading represented the fastest rate of expansion since June 2022, the LMI researchers said.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

As commodities go, furniture presents its share of manufacturing and distribution challenges. For one thing, it's bulky. Second, its main components—wood and cloth—are easily damaged in transit. Third, much of it is manufactured overseas, making for some very long supply chains with all the associated risks. And finally, completed pieces can sit on the showroom floor for weeks or months, tying up inventory dollars and valuable retail space.

In other words, the furniture market is ripe for disruption. And John "Jay" Rogers wants to be the catalyst. In 2022, he cofounded a company that takes a whole new approach to furniture manufacturing—one that leverages the power of 3D printing and robotics. Rogers serves as CEO of that company, Haddy, which essentially aims to transform how furniture—and all elements of the "built environment"—are designed, manufactured, distributed, and, ultimately, recycled.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of GenAI effect on workforce

Gartner: GenAI tools create anxiety among employees

Generative AI (GenAI) is being deployed by 72% of supply chain organizations, but most are experiencing just middling results for productivity and ROI, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

That’s because productivity gains from the use of GenAI for individual, desk-based workers are not translating to greater team-level productivity. Additionally, the deployment of GenAI tools is increasing anxiety among many employees, providing a dampening effect on their productivity, Gartner found.

Keep ReadingShow less
warehouse worker driving forklift between racks

German 3PL Arvato acquires two U.S. logistics firms

The German third party logistics provider (3PL) Arvato this week acquired the U.S.-headquartered companies Carbel LLC and United Customs Services, saying the move would grow its client base, particularly in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle segments.

According to Arvato, it made the move in order to better serve the U.S. e-commerce sector, which has experienced high growth rates in recent years and is expected to grow year-on-year by 5% within the next five years.

Keep ReadingShow less
photo collage of warehouse tech

Supply chain pros are wary of inflation and labor woes

The top worries that supply chain leaders hope to address with new innovations this year include inflationary concerns (68%) and labor shortages (50%), according to a survey on innovation from the third-party logistics provider (3PL) Kenco.

And many of them will have a budget to do it, since 51% of supply chain professionals with existing innovation budgets saw an increase earmarked for 2025, suggesting an even greater emphasis on investing in new technologies to meet rising demand, Kenco said in its “2025 Supply Chain Innovation” survey.

Keep ReadingShow less