Key Points
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, warehouse staff turnover rates were 40.3% in 2016 and 44.0% in 2018.
- Warehouse staff turnover rates increased to 59.5% in 2020 due to the pandemic.
- Thanks to advanced warehouse process improvements, modern distribution centers are reducing staff turnover rates by offering less labor-intensive jobs.
- There are a variety of warehouse process improvements you can implement to reduce staff turnover rates at your facility, like implementing a reward system, maintaining a clean work environment, keeping your work line efficient, and using ergonomic warehouse solutions.
- You can also improve warehouse worker retention at your facility by investing in and using ergonomic warehouse solutions like Modula Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs).
Raise Warehouse Worker Retention and Mitigate the Effects of the Great Resignation
Warehouse worker retention rates have dropped since the onset of the pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, warehouse staff turnover rates were 40.3% in 2016 and 44.0% in 2018, and it increased to 59.5% in 2020.
Warehouses are struggling to retain employees due to improved incentives at other facilities. Modern distribution centers are reducing staff turnover rates by offering less labor-intensive jobs thanks to advanced warehouse process improvements.
How To Reduce Staff Turnover Rates at Your Warehouse Facility
There are a variety of warehouse process improvements you can implement to reduce staff turnover rates at your facility and increase warehouse worker retention:
Implement a Reward System
One way to improve warehouse worker retention is to implement a reward system where employees are rewarded for their professional accomplishments. You can offer incentives like bonuses, additional time off, and awards to those who set goals, work toward them, and meet them. Having a reward system in place increases employee engagement, improves productivity, and helps reduce staff turnover rates at your facility.
Keep a Clean, Safe Warehouse
There’s a lot to keep track of in a warehouse. Employees work better in a clean environment where working conditions are kept tidy. You can improve warehouse worker retention by maintaining a clean, safe warehouse with industrial shelving, sweepers and scrubbers, and guard rail systems. With organized shelving systems, high-quality cleaning applications like sweepers and scrubbers, and safety guard rails, your warehouse workers can feel safe while working in a clean environment, which can help reduce staff turnover rates.
Implement an Efficient Work Line
Another way to increase warehouse worker retention is to implement efficient work lines at your facility. A warehouse process improvement that can help reduce staff turnover rates is using an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). An organized retrieval system helps make your work line more efficient for you and your employees. With an AS/RS, your employees can store, sort, and retrieve items seamlessly.
Train Your Employees
Training your employees properly is another way to improve warehouse worker retention. When your staff feels comfortable and confident about their daily duties, they’re more likely to stay at your company and work efficiently. Proper warehouse employee training includes:
- Making sure staff is aware of the most common causes of injury
- Incorporating safety training into your onboarding program
- Educating workers on equipment ergonomics
Use Ergonomic Warehouse Solutions
You can also improve warehouse worker retention at your facility by investing in and using ergonomic warehouse solutions like Modula Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs). Modula VLMs are designed with human-centric ergonomic principles to eliminate employee stress related to manual material handling. With VLMs, products in your warehouse are delivered to your staff ergonomically, reducing labor-intensive working conditions and staff turnover.
Improve Warehouse Worker Retention With Vertical Lift Modules
Investing in warehouse solutions that make your employee’s work lives easier is a great way to raise warehouse worker retention. Ergonomic warehouse solutions like VLMs reduce stress and strain on your staff because they don’t have to bend down and reach up as much, and they also have other benefits that help reduce staff turnover, like:
- Computer-aided picking and inventory tracking system that improves employee effectiveness and satisfaction
- Innovative technology that boosts productivity
- Ergonomic solutions that help save time and energy
- Seamless learning curve for operators
The Benefits of Modula VLM, an Ergonomic Warehouse Solution
There are several other advantages to using a Modula VLM at your facility:
Optimize Your Facility Space
Modula VLMs allow you to optimize your warehouse space, saving up to 90% of precious facility floor space compared to traditional warehouse storage methods. Traditional storage methods like carousels have a maximum height of 25 feet, while VLMs can be well over that—without taking up significant space.
Enhance Productivity
Investing in a Modula VLM enhances productivity by saving time picking items and decreasing human-related picking errors. Carousels rotate horizontally, creating a slower product retrieval process while VLMs pick up items immediately.
Ensure Employee Safety and Satisfaction
Using VLMs also gives your employees a safer work environment. By eliminating the stress and strain associated with reaching and bending motions, VLMs reduce the risk of job injuries.
Boost Warehouse Worker Retention With Process Improvements
At Southwest Warehouse Solutions, we offer a wide range of warehouse automation solutions that raise warehouse worker retention through process improvements like warehouse racks and conveyor systems to dock equipment, pallet racking, and the Modula VLM. Our team is always looking for ways to help our customers with warehouse process improvements, and the Modula VLM does just that. With a Modula VLM, you optimize your warehouse floor space and make working conditions better for your staff, but you also enhance productivity and create a safer work environment for everyone. Contact us today to learn more about the Modula VLM, an ergonomic warehouse solution.
