Warehouse and Operations as a Career: Recent Episodes
Warehouse and Operations as a Career
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and as always, I appreciate you spending a little of your day with me.
Today I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind for quite a while. Over the past several months, I’ve spoken with warehouse associates, forklift operators, order selectors, recruiters, supervisors, and hiring managers from all over the country. I’ve listened to the concerns of people just entering our industry, and I’ve listened to leaders trying to build strong teams. You know what’s interesting? Both groups are asking almost the same question. The associate is asking, “How do I get ahead?” The employer is asking, “How do I keep good people?” I think those questions are really two sides of the same conversation.
Let’s start with a simple question. What do you think is the biggest concern for today’s warehouse associate? Most people immediately answer, “Money.” Yes, pay is important. We all work to provide for ourselves and our families. Inflation, groceries, rent, and fuel aren’t getting any cheaper. But after forty years in this industry, I’ve learned that money is rarely the real problem. I feel that people want to know if they’re building a future, or just collecting another paycheck. That’s an entirely different question.
When someone walks into a warehouse for the very first time, they’re usually thinking about today’s shift. Can I do the work? Will I like the people? Can I make it through orientation? Will I get enough hours? Those are all fair questions. But somewhere along the way, another question should replace those. In my humble opinion, we should be asking ourselves, “What does my career look like three years from now?” And unfortunately, many people never ask it. Instead, they work, they clock in, they clock out, and before they know it, three years have become ten. Nothing changed except the date on the calendar.
Here’s something I tell every young associate I meet. Your employer hired you to fill a position. Only you can build the career. The company can provide the opportunity. It can’t provide ambition. It can offer training but it can’t force someone to learn. It can post an opening for a Lead, Trainer, Dispatcher, Inventory Control, Safety Coordinator, Supervisor, or Manager but someone has to decide they’re ready to take those steps.
I hear people say all the time “They never give me a chance.” Of course sometimes that’s true. But sometimes we haven’t given ourselves one either. Have we volunteered to learn another department duties? Have we asked to operate another piece of equipment or a different production machine? Have we asked to learned what those inventory people actually do? Do we understand receiving, Shipping, Quality Control, Cycle counts, Warehouse Management Systems, Transportation, Planning, Customer Service? Every one of those skills makes you more valuable. And as we’ve learned, valuable employees don’t stay in the same position forever.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is confusing experience with growth. Someone says “I’ve been here five years.” Well that’s wonderful. But have you had five years of experience, or one year of experience repeated five times? Those aren’t the same thing. Growth happens when we’re learning something new. When we’re uncomfortable and challenged. When we’re solving problems instead of waiting for someone else to solve them.
Here’s a big one, let’s talk about automation for just a minute. I hear it all the time. “Robots are taking our jobs.” Here’s my perspective. Automation doesn’t replace great employees. It can replace repetitive tasks. Someone still has to maintain the equipment. Program the systems. Analyze the inventory. Manage the workflow. Lead the team and interpret the data. Solve the problems technology can’t solve. The more skilled you become, the more valuable you become in an automated world. Technology should motivate us to learn more. Not scare us into standing still. Another thing I hear all the time is, I don’t have time to learn things and online classes take so many hours, or my company wants us to stay over to learn something new. I always ask what are you doing that keeps you from having that time to invest in yourself? What did you watch on tv last Tuesday night and what was the plot of the program? lol. Just a thought. Now where was I. Ok, now let’s talk about something every supervisor notices. Dependability. If I asked ten warehouse managers who their most valuable employee is, almost every one of them would describe someone who shows up every day, on time, and ready to work. Not necessarily the fastest or the strongest. But dependable. And what have we said before? Dependability creates opportunity. Opportunity creates trust. And trust creates promotions. It really is that simple.
Here’s another lesson I learned years ago. Don’t wait for the title before acting like the leader. Lead from wherever you’re standing. Help the new employee. Pick up the trash nobody else noticed. Volunteer for the difficult assignment. Stay positive when everyone else is complaining. Ask questions. Share ideas respectfully. Those things, ladies and gentlemen, are leadership behaviors. And people notice them.
One thing I absolutely love about our industry is that careers are still earned. Think about that. There are very few industries where someone can begin unloading trucks, become a forklift operator, learn inventory, move into training, become a lead, a supervisor, a manager, a director, or a Vice President. I know that’s possible. Because I lived it. Nobody handed me those opportunities. Each one required another step up the ladder. And yes, sometimes those steps were uncomfortable. Sometimes they were exhausting. And many times I wondered if I was ready. But I climbed anyway.
Here’s something else to think about. Every certification you earn is another rung on that ladder. Your Powered Industrial Truck certification. First Aid, CPR, and AED. CRASE. STOP THE BLEED. OSHA training. Leadership classes. The Microsoft Excel and Word programs. Warehouse Management Systems. Inventory Control. Public speaking. Communication. Every one of those skills separates you from the crowd. Because when opportunity comes, preparation wins.
You know what rarely earns promotions? Complaining. Excuses. Drama. Blaming everyone else. Those things might get attention. But they don’t build careers. Solutions build careers. And Managers remember people who solve problems. They remember people who volunteer and there going to remember people who make everyone’s job easier.
Ok, we’ve been closing with a challenge for the week so here’s this weeks. When you walk into work tomorrow don’t ask yourself “What do I have to do today?” Ask yourself “What can I learn today?” One question changes your schedule. The other changes your future. Anything counts. Maybe you ask to learn shipping paperwork, or you spend fifteen minutes talking with inventory control, or maybe you ask your supervisor why something is done a certain way. I think curiosity builds careers.
And here’s another challenge for us. Write down the job you want three years from now. Not tomorrow, but three years from now. Then ask yourself “What skills does that person have that I don’t have yet?” Now you have a roadmap. Our careers aren’t built by accident. They’re built intentionally. By us. One skill. One lesson. One opportunity. One day at a time.
I’ll leave you with this. The career ladder in warehousing, Production, Transportation, Manufacturing and Distribution. It hasn’t disappeared. In fact, I’d argue it’s stronger than it’s ever been. Companies need leaders and trainers. They need technicians, safety professionals, dispatchers, machine operators, inventory specialists, and operations managers.
The opportunities are there. The ladder is standing exactly where it’s always been. The question is, are you still climbing, or did you stop on the first rung?
If today’s episode encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you that your future is still being written, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with a coworker, a friend, or someone who’s just getting started in our industry. Until next time, keep learning and improving, keep showing up every day. And remember. Your job may get you through today, but your commitment to learning is what builds tomorrow.
Everyone have a safe shift and I hope to see you back here in two weeks!
Today we’re talking about something that can literally save lives, protect equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, prevent product damage, eliminate downtime, and even set you up for success outside the warehouse. It’s called the pre-trip. Now, I know what some of you are thinking, Yeah, yeah check the forklift and move on. But today I want to challenge that thought. A pre-trip isn’t just paperwork, and it’s not something regulatory agencies dreamed up to slow us down. It’s one of the greatest habits successful people ever develop. I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And I thought we’d look at the pretrip a little differently today.
Aviation, railroads, trucking and manufacturing all adopted inspection checklists because investigations repeatedly showed that many accidents weren’t caused by equipment failures, they were caused by failures to discover problems before using the equipment.
Our pre-trip really answers only four questions. Is it safe? Is it operational? Is it legal? And am I ready? That simple framework works for every machine in the building. And as we’ll learn in a few minutes several other positions!
Think about one of the most talked about pieces of equipment. The counterbalance forklift. We’ll check out the forks, mast, chains, and look for any hydraulic leaks. We’ll inspect the tires, the steering and brakes, seat belt, horn, backup alarm, lights, the capacity plate, LP tank or battery and our overhead guard.
Another biggie is the Reach Truck. We’ll have a few more things to check here like the load wheels and outriggers, the reach mechanism, joy stick or lever controls, more hydraulic hoses, the battery connection and stability.
Let’s see, we don’t have to hit them all but I did want to talk about a few or our more common ones. I’ll skip these, let’s see, oh here, the Rider Pallet Jack. Many people underestimate the pallet jacks.First up, the belly button reverse switch, its brake operation and plugging, the fork tips, the drive wheel, its battery, steering arm, and horn. How many foot injuries have you seen here because operators become too comfortable? I hope we’d all agree that even one is too many right?
And the Floor Scrubber.People laugh until it floods an aisle.We’ll need to Inspect things like the squeegee, pads, brushes, the water tanks, and the recovery tank. And itsbattery, warning lights and dashboard. A bad scrubber creates slip hazards instead of removing them.
Oh, and I wanted to mention the cardboard and shrink wrap Baler. We need to check the emergency stop, safety gate, interlocks, and look for any hydraulic leaks, and inspect the chains and door latches. The most dangerous baler isn’t the broken one. It’s the one someone bypassed something on.
And of course, any type of Manufacturing Equipment will need a pre-trip, checking the guards, emergency stops, sensors, air pressure, lubrication points, tooling, and the product path. The first product shouldn’t be the test piece.The inspection should be.
And there’s dozens and dozens of other pieces of equipment or machines. Like our conveyor systems, the yard jockey, another important piece is the clamp attachmentand slip sheet attachment. Pretrips are a must for all of them.
So, what if you don’t operate equipment? Guess what? I think you still need a pre-trip.
What if you’re an Office Employee?I feel you should be asking yourself.Do I have today’s priorities?Laptop?Chargers?Calendar?Checking for myMeetings?Deadlines?Did I answer yesterday’s emails?
Or if I’m a Recruiter? Have I preparedToday’s interviews?Applicants confirmed?Backgrounds complete?Job descriptions ready?Do I know theHiring managers expectations?
And I think there’s a few questions every associate can pretrip themselves with. Our minds deserve a pre-trip too. Am I distracted or tired? Am I frustrated or am I bringing yesterday’s problems into today’s shift? Those questions may be more important than checking tire pressure.
The pre-trip isn’t about checking things off on a sheet of paper or program. It’s about respecting what could happen if you don’t. Professionals don’t inspect their stuff because they expect something to be wrong. They inspect because they refuse to be surprised.
We all know that most accidents don’t begin with the accident itself. They begin with a decision. I’m in a hurry, I’ll check it later, It worked fine yesterday, or It’ll probably be okay.
Every incident investigation, insurance claim, equipment failure, damaged product, or near miss has a starting point. Many times, that starting point was someone choosing not to spend five minutes looking over their equipment.
A pre-trip isn’t just looking for what’s broken. It’s looking for what’s changing. That tire that’s lost a little air. The hydraulic hose beginning to rub against the roller. A chain that’s becoming loose. A battery cable that’s starting to fray. Problems rarely appear all at once. They grow little by little. The pre-trip is our opportunity to catch them while they’re still small.
And we need to remember that finding a problem isn’t the end of the pre-trip. It’s actually the beginning. We may need to Lock it Out and Tag it Out. Or remove our favorite piece of equipment from service, and notify supervision, calling maintenance and using another truck if available. Professionals understand production never comes before safety.
A pre-trip protects People, Product, Customers, our Buildings, the Company’s reputation, our Production schedules, Inventory accuracy, Budgets, and well, our Careers.
Ok, I need to get back to work myself but tomorrow morning, No matter what your job is, let’s Perform a pre-trip. Not because someone tells you to. But because professionals prepare before they perform. Inspect your equipment or machine. Inspect your workspace. And look over your schedule. Let’s check our attitude and our priorities. Inspect your day. Success rarely depends on what happens after productivity starts. It depends on what you did 5 minutes before that time.
So, I won’t go on and on here. We hear about the pretrip every day, I hope we put a different spin on it today and gave you a little different way to look at it. Yall be safe out there, in both your personal and professional lives.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and as always, thank you for spending a little time with us today. You know, it’s funny how some of the most important jobs in our industry happen in the smallest places. Think about the size of a distribution center. Maybe it’s 300,000 square feet or maybe it’s a million square feet. Hundreds of employees. Thousands of pallets. Forklifts buzzing around in all directions. Trucks backing into dock doors all day long. Now picture the smallest building on that property. It’s probably no bigger than a backyard storage shed. Maybe a desk, a computer, a couple of monitors, a radio, and a coffee pot that has seen better days. That’s the guard shack.
Most of us have driven past one. Every truck driver has stopped at one. Most employees wave as they drive through the gate each morning. Yet very few people realize just how much responsibility sits inside that little building.
Today, I want to talk about the guard shack, not the building itself, but the people inside it. Because in many ways, that’s where every shipment, every visitor, and every workday truly begins.
When someone says they work in a guard shack, people often picture someone raising and lowering a gate all day. They imagine a quiet job where you’re simply checking people in and out. Nothing could be further from the truth. A guard shack attendant wears several hats. They’re part security officer, part customer service representative, part traffic coordinator, part documentation specialist, and often the communication link between transportation, receiving, shipping, and operations. Every truck that enters the property starts with a conversation. Good morning. Company name? Load number please?” Appointment time?” Driver’s license, please.” “Bill of Lading?” “Trailer number?” “Seal number?” Those questions may sound routine, but every answer matters. One incorrect trailer number could send the wrong freight to the wrong dock. One incorrect seal number could indicate a security issue. One missed appointment could throw off an entire day’s receiving schedule. The guard isn’t just asking questions, they’re protecting the operation.
One responsibility that has become incredibly important over the last twenty-five years is trailer seal verification. If you’ve never paid attention to that little plastic or steel seal hanging on the back of a trailer, you may not realize how important it really is. That seal represents accountability. When a trailer is loaded, a numbered seal is placed on the doors. That unique number is documented on the shipping paperwork. When the trailer arrives at the distribution center, the very first person to compare that number with the paperwork is often the guard shack attendant. If the numbers don’t match, everything stops. Not because anyone is trying to make life difficult for the driver, but because the integrity of that shipment has been compromised. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a paperwork mistake or the wrong trailer showed up, or maybe someone accidentally recorded the wrong seal number. But it could indicate unauthorized access to that trailer. Finding that discrepancy before the trailer ever enters the yard protects the customer, the carrier, and our facility. That’s a tremendous responsibility for someone sitting in a small building at the front gate.
The guard shack is also the first impression your company makes. Think about the truck driver arriving after driving six or seven hundred miles. They’ve fought traffic, weather, road construction, and tight delivery schedules. Maybe they’ve been away from home for several days. The very first employee they meet is usually the guard. A smile. A professional greeting. Clear directions. Respect. Those few moments set the tone for the entire visit. And Drivers remember facilities that treat them well. They also remember facilities where they were ignored, treated rudely, or left wondering what to do next. The guard isn’t simply controlling traffic, they’re representing the company’s culture.
I like to think of the guard shack as communication central or the command center! A busy distribution center might have fifty, seventy-five, or even a hundred trailers arriving throughout the day. The guard isn’t making those trucks disappear. They’re communicating constantly. They may be speaking with inbound dispatch. “Hey, the Driver for ABC Trucking has arrived. And the Inbound dispatcher or Receiving might respond, “Send him to Door 18.” The guard relays the information and the driver moves safely to the assigned dock. Simple enough, right? But now multiply that by one hundred trucks. And add in the yard jockeys moving those transfer and local trailers or our backhauls around. Maybe Fuel deliveries. Contractors. Visitors. Maintenance vendors. Employee deliveries. Food service vendors. Emergency responders. Suddenly that little guard shack becomes one of the busiest communication centers on the property. It’s almost like being an air traffic controller, except instead of airplanes, you’re directing trucks, trailers, and people safely around a busy warehouse yard.
Remember 2001. For many people, September 11 changed air travel forever. For our industry, it changed supply chain security. Distribution centers across North America began strengthening gate procedures. Visitor logs became more detailed. Identification requirements increased. Trailer seals became more important. Photography restrictions became common place. Access to warehouse property became much more controlled.
Many government programs encouraged companies to secure every step of the supply chain, beginning at the front gate. Almost overnight, the guard shack evolved from a simple check-in station into the first line of defense protecting products, customers, and employees. Today, millions of dollars in inventory pass through those gates every single day. The guard shack helps ensure those products arrive safely, leave correctly, and remain secure while they’re on the property.
One thing I’ve always admired is how experienced guards develop some amazing long term relationships. They begin recognizing drivers by name. Remember how we mentioned their the first contact? Things like “Morning, Nelson. Back with another produce load?” or “Good to see you again, Cindy.” And “Hey John, Door 22 is ready for you.” Those conversations may only last thirty seconds, but they build trust. The driver knows they’re welcome. And the guard knows who belongs on the property. And when something doesn’t seem right, experienced guards notice it immediately. That’s professionalism developed through experience.
If you’re looking for a career in warehousing or transportation, don’t overlook the guard shack. You’ll learn shipping paperwork. Transportation terminology. Appointment scheduling. Trailer identification and develop some great communication skills. And we’ll learn a lot about customer service, problem solving, computer systems, and radio communication. You’ll work with dispatchers, warehouse supervisors, transportation managers, and security personnel every day. I know many transportation coordinators, dispatchers, and operations supervisors that began their careers in positions just like this. I’ve learned to never let the size of the building fool you. Some of the biggest careers begin in the smallest offices.
As we wrap up today’s episode, I’d like you to think about something. Tomorrow morning, when you drive into work, take a second look at that guard shack. Think about every truck that will arrive today. Every visitor, contractor, and vendor that will sign in. And how many trailer seals that’ll be verified and the number of loads that’s documented and how many questions there are to be answered and how many potential problem that’s caught before they reach the dock. Smile at your guard as you drive through, maybe even bring him or her a donut and thank them for what they do.
Our forklifts may move the freight. The warehouse may process the orders. The transportation department may deliver the products. But before any of that happens, someone in that little guard shack quietly makes sure the day starts the right way. It may be the smallest building on the property, but it protects one of the biggest operations.
Until next time, remember that every position in warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, and transportation has value. Learn something new every day, respect every role you encounter, and never stop building your career one opportunity at a time.
Y’all be safe out there, someone is waiting on, and depending on us after our shift.
Hi All, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I started off this week hearing a peer’s name I hadn’t heard in probably 12 to 15 years. A colleague was on his way to a meeting with a a prospective client and shared who he was meeting with. It was a gentlemen we’d both worked with in the past. I was reminded how many times this happens every year. It’s something we all, no matter the industry, need to keep in mind! You start at one warehouse in your teens and twenties. A few years later you move across town. Five years after that you accept another opportunity. Then one day you walk into a customer’s warehouse and there’s your old supervisor. Or how about the forklift driver unloading your trailer? You worked beside him fifteen years ago. Or the operations manager? She used to be a shift lead when you were loading trucks together. And this is always an interesting one, the recruiter interviewing you? You remember when she worked in receiving. And the truck driver making your delivery? He used to work maintenance at your last facility. It’s funny how that happens. But it does. Our industry feels huge. Millions of square feet. Thousands of warehouses. Hundreds of trucking companies and countless manufacturers. But once you’ve been around a while, well, it’s actually a very small neighborhood. People don’t disappear, they simply change addresses.
One of the greatest pieces of career advice I can give anyone entering warehousing, manufacturing, production, or transportation is to never burn a bridge. And not because it’s the “nice” thing to do. But because it’s one of the smartest career decisions you’ll ever make.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked in this industry for a long while. I’ve unloaded trucks, selected orders, operated every forklift and attachment, and worked all the utility positions. I’ve supervised some awesome crews and managed a few outstanding operations. I’ve worked beside some incredible people. And today I still run into people from every stage of my career. Former supervisors. Former employees. Customers. Drivers. Safety managers. HR managers. Recruiters. Forklift operators. Maintenance technicians. General managers and Vice presidents. Some I haven’t seen in twenty years. Yet somehow our paths cross again. And when they do they remember. They remember your attitude. They remember your work ethic. And they remember whether you helped people or hurt people. They remember whether you were dependable and whether you accepted responsibility. Most importantly, they remember how you left. And that’s the part I see many young professionals overlook. People remember endings.
We’ve all had or watched an employee having a bad day. They got frustrated. Started yelling. Cursed their supervisor. Threw down their badge and stormed out the door, maybe even slamming doors. Almost like they wanted to make sure everyone watched. In that moment they probably felt powerful. Maybe even justified. But what they didn’t realize is how that three minute emotional decision could follow them for years.
And here’s just a few reasons why I believe we should reconsider that pathway. Your supervisor may leave six months later. The HR manager might accept another position. The operations manager is promoted. The plant manager or GM moves across town. The recruiter joins another staffing company. Suddenly, the people who watched that exit are interviewing candidates somewhere else. Want to guess whose name they recognize? Here’s a quick scenario. Hey “We interviewed someone today.” “Oh really? What’s his name?” “Johnny so and so.” “I remember Johnny.” Sometimes that’s followed by, he’s a “Great worker.” “Always dependable.” “He’d be an asset.” Other times. Woah, “be careful there.” He can have a bit of a “bad attitude.” “he walked off the job once.” “Couldn’t control his temper.” That one conversation. Just thirty seconds can influence your next opportunity.
Now of course, leaving a company is certainly okay. People leave their jobs every day. Sometimes it’s for better pay, better hours, more opportunity, family reasons, health, education, or maybe career growth. There is absolutely nothing wrong with moving on. But there is a huge difference between leaving professionally and leaving emotionally. Professional employees give notice when possible. They thank people and finish strong. Even train someone else if needed. Shake hands and wish everyone well. They leave the same way they hope to be remembered.
Here’s something many of us don’t consider. Your reputation isn’t built only by your performance. It’s built by your character. Anyone can have a good week and can perform well when everything is going right. Character stands out when things aren’t. When you’re disappointed. Passed over for a promotion. Corrected by your supervisor. Upset over your schedule, and frustrated with overtime. That’s when people discover who you really are.
I’ve had employees come into my office completely upset. And sometimes they deserved to be upset and I’ve agreed with them. But after talking they left respectfully. And months later they received promotions. How you may ask. Because they handled difficult conversations like professionals. On the other hand, I’ve also watched employees lose tremendous opportunities because they couldn’t manage one emotional moment. One outburst, social media post or text message or one argument. A bridge burned.
Wither right or wrong, today’s world makes all that even more dangerous. People stay connected. You have LinkedIn. Facebook. Instagram. Industry and management groups. People know people. Your reputation can travel across an entire city before you even submit your next application!
Oh, and I want to say this too. Every person deserves respect. Not because of their title but because you never know where life will take them. That warehouse clerk? Could be tomorrow’s operations manager. The young recruiter? My be a future regional vice president. Our friend the forklift trainer? Down the road we may find them as our future safety director. I’m just saying we should treat everyone with respect. Always.
One of my more recent favorite sayings is, today’s coworker may become tomorrow’s boss, or tomorrow’s customer. I’ve lived that more times than I can count. I’ve purchased services from former employees. I’ve hired my former supervisors, and I’ve partnered with people I once trained. I’ve worked for people who once worked beside me. That’s our industry ladies and gentlemen. Careers and opportunities intertwine.
So what do you do if you’re unhappy? Yep, here I go again with that word communication. Have the conversation. Ask questions. Seek solutions and be honest and be respectful. If it’s time to move on, move on with dignity and grace. Give your best effort until the very last shift. Thank those who invested in you. Leave the facility better than you found it. Return all your equipment. Shake hands and wish everyone success. Because someday you may walk back through those same doors, or someone from those doors may walk through yours.
Here’s my thought, or yes, my opinion on the subject. Don’t just avoid burning bridges. Lets always be building them. Stay connected with mentors. Congratulate former coworkers on promotions. Celebrate their accomplishments. Send a quick message once in a while. Thank someone who helped your career. Give a shout out to or recommend good people when opportunities arise.
At the end of the day your résumé gets you noticed. Your skills get you hired and your attitude helps you succeed. But your reputation, well, your reputation follows you everywhere. In warehousing, manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and production, people remember.
So work hard and lets treat people well. Leave every job with them wanting you to stay. Because you never know when today’s goodbye will become tomorrow’s opportunity.
Ok, its time to say thank you for spending a few minutes with me today! If you’re just starting your journey, remember that this industry is much smaller than it appears. Protect your name and your reputation at all times. And never burn the bridge you may someday need to cross again. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing and above all, work safe at all times!
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. WAOC is on the road again this week, hitting up Nevada and Arizonia. It’s always nice to get out and walk a few operations and meet new team members. I’m Marty and today I’d like to talk about something every employee wants but not everyone necessarily understands. And that would be a raise. Whether you’re unloading trailers, operating a forklift, selecting orders, dispatching trucks, running production equipment, or managing a team, most of us have asked ourselves the same question at some point, how do I make more money? And maybe an even tougher question, how do I ask for a raise? Now before we get started, let’s true a few things up. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more money. Life gets expensive. Rent, gas, insurance, and groceries go up. The challenge is that employers don’t typically give raises because our bills increased. They give raises because our value has increased. And that’s what I’d like to talk about today.
A lot of us think a raise starts when we walk into our supervisor’s office to discuss our performance review and or our raise. Well It doesn’t. The truth is that a thought of our raise starts months before that meeting. A raise starts with our habits. Every day we’re building a reputation. People notice things. Maybe not immediately or every day. But over time, they notice. Who shows up on time and stays productive? Who complains and who volunteers? Who learns new tasks? Who can be trusted and depended on? Who needs constant supervision and who solves problems instead of creating them? Our raise often starts with answers to those questions.
I’ve got to say it again. I know I keep bringing it up. But being THAT employee just pays off. Every workplace has one. You know exactly who I’m talking about. That employee. The one everyone wants on their shift. The one the supervisor calls first and the one coworkers trust. The man or woman who can handle difficult assignments and gets opportunities. The one who gets promoted. The one who gets raises.
What makes them different? Usually, it’s not because they’re the smartest person. Usually, it’s not because they’ve been there the longest. It’s because they’re dependable. They’re accountable and consistent. When they say they’ll do something, it gets done. When they make a mistake, they own it. When something needs attention, they step up. Those traits are incredibly valuable in our worlds.
Reliability is really a superpower. Let’s talk about attendance. I know. Not the most exciting topic. But well worth mentioning again. Imagine you’re a supervisor with twenty employees. Five call in regularly. Three are late every week. Two disappear during breaks. Several perform differently every day. Then there’s one person. They’re always there. Always prepared and ready to work. Who do you think gets the first opportunity? Who is going to get cross-trained and promoted? Which one gets the bigger raise? I think reliability is one of the most underrated skills in the workplace. You don’t need special training or need a certification or a degree. You simply show up and do what you said you would do. Consistently. And believe me, consistency gets noticed.
Here’s one of the fastest ways to increase your value. Again, I know I harp on it at least once a month but learn another task. Then another and another. Cross-training is like adding tools to your toolbox. Maybe you’re a forklift operator. Learn receiving and learn shipping. Learn a little about inventory control, quality inspection, and cycle counting. Learn the WMS. Learn the paperwork and the computer side. Even how transportation functions. Why? Because the more problems you can solve, the more valuable you become. And companies pay for value. The employee who can perform three jobs often becomes more valuable than the employee who only performs one.
Another thing I bring up probably too often is attitude. And before somebody says, here we go with the motivational stuff. Hear me out. A positive attitude isn’t pretending everything is perfect. A positive attitude means being part of the solution. Every workplace has challenges. Every warehouse and transportation department has bad days. Every production line has setbacks. Our leaders notice who responds constructively. They notice who keeps moving forward and who encourages others. Of course attitude doesn’t replace skill. But attitude often determines who gets the opportunity to develop those skills.
And heres a biggie, one word that can separate average employees from future leaders. Accountability. Accountability means owning your results. When things go well, great. When things don’t go well, own that too. No excuses or finger-pointing or blaming everyone else. The employee who says that was my mistake. Here’s what happened. Here’s how I’ll prevent it next time. Is far more valuable than the employee who spends ten minutes explaining why nothing was their fault. Our managers trust accountable people. Trust creates opportunity. Opportunity creates advancement and advancement creates raises.
Ok, now it’s time to ask for a raise. Let’s say you’ve been doing everything we’ve discussed. You’ve improved, cross-trained and learned other tasks, you’ve become reliable, you’ve added value. Now it’s time to discuss our compensation.
I think here’s where many of us make a mistake. We walk into the office and say I need more money. Unfortunately, that’s not a strong business case. Instead, let’s think like a professional or even an owner. Let’s approach it like a leader. Build your case. Show your accomplishments. We need to write them down and create a list. For example, perfect attendance for 12 months, trained on three additional positions, helped reduce picking errors, assisted with onboarding new employees, improved productivity by 30 pallets per hour, reduced damage claims and maintained safety compliance, and learned the new equipment, as well as receiving positive feedback from my management team and customers. Specific examples, data, and facts matter. When you can demonstrate your value, the conversation changes.
Don’t bring problems, bring solutions. This is one of the biggest career secrets I’ve learned over forty years. Anybody can identify problems. Leaders identify solutions. Imagine walking into your manager’s office and saying I’ve noticed we’re losing time during shift startup. I have three ideas that may improve productivity. That’s different. Or I think we could reduce loading errors if we adjusted the staging process. Or I’d like to help train new associates because I think we can improve retention. Now you’re thinking beyond your job. You’re showing you’re thinking about the operation. And that’s valuable.
Here’s another secret, or opinion I guess! Raises become easier when your goals align with the company’s goals. What does your company care about? Safety? Quality? Productivity? Attendance? Customer service? Retention? Cost reduction? If you can demonstrate how your efforts helped support those goals, you’re speaking the language leadership understands. You’re not saying I want more money. You’re saying I helped move the organization forward. See the big difference there?
So how do we ask for a raise? Keep it professional and simple. Something like thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’ve really enjoyed my role and the opportunities I’ve had here. Over the past year I’ve expanded my skills, improved my performance, and taken on additional responsibilities. I’d like to discuss my future with the company and whether my compensation reflects the value I’m currently providing. Notice what’s missing? No demands. No ultimatums. No threats. Just facts. Professional facts.
And then what if the answer is no? First, don’t get emotional. Get information. Ask what skills or accomplishments would you like to see from me before we revisit this conversation? Now you’ve created a roadmap. Maybe they want more leadership or more productivity. Maybe they want additional certifications, or they want more time in the role.
Whatever the answer, now you know what target you’re aiming for. And that’s valuable information.
Let’s wrap up with this thought. Raises aren’t earned in a fifteen minute meeting. They’re earned in hundreds of small decisions over time. Showing up. Being on time. Learning another task. Helping a teammate. Theres’s hundreds of little important things, oh, here’s a big one, we’ve talked about owning our mistakes. And maintaining a positive attitude. Taking safety seriously. Thinking like a leader. Bringing solutions. Supporting company goals. Those things build value. And like we learned a couple of weeks ago, value builds trust and trust builds opportunity. And not sounding all motivational on you but I’ll add that opportunity builds careers and careers build income.
If you’re listening today and wondering how to earn more money in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, or production, start by asking yourself, am I becoming more valuable than I was six months ago? Because the employees who continually increase their value rarely have to chase opportunities. Opportunities start chasing them.
Until next time, work smart, keep learning, and above all work safe out there!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Over the last several years we’ve discussed dozens and dozens of opportunities in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics. We’ve talked about forklift operators, order selectors, recruiters, dispatchers, transportation managers, supervisors, safety professionals, operations leaders, and many of the global supply chain positions. Today I thought we’d talk about one of the positions or career paths that, well, isn’t thought about much but without it, simply put, things would grind to a halt!
And that’s Building Maintenance. The people who keep the facility running. The men and women who make sure the lights come on, the dock doors open, the HVAC systems cool and heat the buildings and keep our coolers and freezers cold, the plumbing works, and the equipment keeps operating. Without them, nothing else happens. And the amazing thing is many of these careers begin with the simplest tasks imaginable. Changing a light bulb. I’m Marty and let’s talk about it today.
When most people start in a warehouse environment, they may enter as a General Labor associate. Maybe we’re unloading trailers, stacking pallets, cleaning work areas or even assisting with counting inventory or any of the 50 other tasks that need help every shift. We’re learning about attendance, safety rules and procedures, and expectations. We’re learning what it means to be part of a team.
Managers start noticing people who like fixing things. The employee who notices a broken door handle or a slow roll up door. That associate who reports a leaking pipe. The team member who volunteers to help move equipment. The person who wants to know how things work. Those individuals often find themselves helping the maintenance departments. And that’s where a completely different career journey can begin.
Many facilities have what is commonly called a Utility Associate. Sometimes they’re called facility assistants. Maintenance helpers, maintenance utility technicians. The title doesn’t matter much. And the responsibilities are usually very similar. Tasks might include things like replacing light bulbs, painting walls, cleaning dock plates, changing air filters, maybe even minor repairs on equipment, or organizing maintenance supplies, even assisting contractors, and helping the company technicians perform preventive maintenance. These aren’t glamorous jobs. But they’re valuable jobs. And more importantly, they’re learning opportunities. Every task teaches something, every repair becomes a lesson, with every day becoming a classroom.
One of the first skills many maintenance associates begin learning is basic electrical work. I’m not talking about becoming an electrician overnight. Of course, electrical work requires training, certifications, and safety knowledge. But maintenance associates often start learning how lighting systems operate, how to replace ballast and LED conversions. Circuit identification, Lockout/Tagout procedures, and electrical safety principles. They begin understanding why power flows the way it does, they learn troubleshooting and how to diagnosis problems. They learn how to identify problems instead of simply reporting them. That’s a valuable skill in any profession.
The same thing happens with plumbing. Many maintenance technicians start by helping experienced professionals. They learn how water systems operate, how valves function and how drains are maintained, things like leak identification, and fixture replacement.
Then comes one of the most in-demand skill sets in many nations today. HVAC. Or Heating. Ventilation. Air Conditioning. As maintenance associates gain experience, many employers will sponsor training opportunities. Some associates pursue certifications on their own. Before long, they’re troubleshooting rooftop units. Maintaining industrial climate systems. Diagnosing airflow issues. And with those skills comes increased earning potential.
What I find fascinating about maintenance careers is how they combine multiple trades into one profession. Electrical. Mechanical. Plumbing. HVAC. Carpentry. Safety. Even project management, vendor relations, and budgeting. It’s one of the most diverse skill sets in the entire facility. And I’ve found that many maintenance professionals continue developing themselves through formal training. Things like OSHA certifications, Lockout/Tagout training, HVAC certifications, EPA refrigerant certifications, electrical safety training, welding certifications, boiler certifications, preventive maintenance programs, and facility management certifications. Each certification adds another tool to the toolbox.
And employers notice. One thing I’ve observed throughout my career is that maintenance professionals become incredibly valuable because they save organizations money. Imagine a conveyor system goes down. Production stops. Orders stop. Shipping grinds to a halt. A skilled maintenance technician can diagnose the issue, repair it, and get operations moving again. That’s value. The ability to solve problems creates opportunities. And, as we’ve learned, organizations reward problem solvers.
As technicians gain experience, I’ve seen many advance into leadership roles. Maintenance Lead and on to Maintenance Supervisor or Facilities Supervisor. Even Maintenance Manager and Facilities Manager or Regional Maintenance Manager and Director of Facilities positions. These leaders may oversee multiple facilities, maintenance budgets, preventive maintenance programs, and manage vendor relationships, compliance initiatives, construction projects, and safety programs. They’re no longer changing light bulbs, there making strategic decisions and planning future improvements, helping organizations operate efficiently.
Now the path isn’t always direct or happening in a straight line. I’ve witnessed people begin as janitors, as forklift operators. Some come from manufacturing or even the fleet or transportation environments. What matters most is curiosity and the desire to learn. The willingness to ask questions and to volunteer for opportunities.
As you know by now, I’ve always believed that careers are built one skill at a time. Very few people just wake up one morning and becomes a Director. Nobody starts as an expert. No one began their career knowing everything. Success is usually much less exciting than people imagine. I think it’s learning one thing today. Another thing tomorrow. And one more thing next week. Then repeating that process for years.
If you’re listening today and currently working as a general labor associate, here’s a quick exercise. Look around your facility. Notice who repairs things and who troubleshoots equipment, who maintains dock doors, who works on HVAC systems, who keeps the building running. Then introduce yourself. Ask questions and Show interest. You may discover a career path you never knew was there.
And if you’re already in maintenance, keep investing in yourself. Take the next class and earn the next certification and the next skill. Because maintenance is one of those professions where learning never stops. technology changes, equipment changes, and our buildings change. The people who continue learning continue growing. Saying all that reminds me of a much earlier episode from back in 2016, episode 11, where we visited with a gentleman named Mike that pretty much lived the life we’ve discussed here today. I’d urgh you to go check out what he had to say way back then.
Anyway, so this week, I challenge you to look beyond the obvious career paths. Sometimes opportunity isn’t driving a forklift. It isn’t sitting in an office or managing a department. Sometimes opportunity is standing on a ladder changing a light bulb and realizing you’ve just taken the first step toward becoming the person responsible for an entire facility. And that’s a pretty incredible journey.
Until next time, remember that warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, and operations aren’t just jobs. They’re careers. And every career starts with a single opportunity. And we can make our own opportunities.
Well, I’ve got to go move some freight myself now. Thanks for listening in today, and hey, y’all be safe out there, our friends and family are wanting to see us after our shift.
Yep, there is a gap between available jobs and job ready candidates. There are jobs available, but employers are becoming much more selective about who they hire. A few years ago, many facilities were simply trying to fill positions. Today, employers are looking for candidates who can bring reliability, flexibility, safety awareness, and productivity on their first day.
What many of us applicants don’t realize is that employers are often evaluating far more than just experience. I’m Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. So let’s talk about that.
I recently was enjoying lunch with a long time mentor and the subject of hiring came up. He made a point I had to ponder on for a moment. He commented that although training was expensive, and of course experience is important, he had learned or felt like, in todays environment, things like attendance history, reliable transportation, the ability to be flexible with shift times, and a strong safety mindset along with a wiliness to cross train, and at least average communication skills were what he was placing more weight on these days. And he made it a point to comment on, what he’d look for first was a stable work history.
The challenge for us applicants becomes, I can do the job is no longer enough. Employers are asking, can I depend on you to do the job consistently?
And some other hurdles for us, or a few things I thought of start off with those pesky Applicant tracking systems or ATS. Many applicants never speak to a recruiter because their application gets filtered before a human ever sees it.
And wage expectations vs market rates. Applicants often see social media posts about higher wages, while many entry level positions are paying less than expected. And I’m seeing more skilled equipment requirements. Many facilities now want forklift, reach truck, electric pallet jack, clamp truck, or inventory experience, even for positions that were once considered entry-level. And communication challenges. I hear this every day, and I think both sides are probably quilty, but Recruiters frequently comment on the struggle to reach applicants who don’t answer calls. Have full voicemail boxes. And don’t respond to texts or emails. Then we have competition from better candidates. When ten applicants apply for a position, employers often choose the one with better attendance, longer tenure, and the better interviewing skills.
The good news is that the hurdle is also the opportunity. A candidate who shows up on time, returns calls, has a positive attitude, accepts coaching, prioritizes safety, is willing to learn additional equipment can often outperform applicants with years more experience.
As we’ve discussed many times on WAOC, the industry still offers tremendous career opportunities. The challenge isn’t necessarily finding a job, it’s demonstrating that you’re the person an employer can trust with the opportunity.
So, if there’s applicants looking for work, and employers looking for workers, why are they not connecting? Well, I think the hiring game has changed. Twenty years ago, many warehouses and production facilities hired almost entirely on experience. Could you drive a forklift, pull an order, load a trailer, or operate a machine? If the answer was yes, there was a pretty good chance you’d get hired on the spot. Today, things are just different. Most employers are still looking for skills, but they’re looking for something else first. They’re looking for dependability. They’re looking for consistency. And they’re looking for people they can count on.
I’ve sat across the table from hundreds, maybe thousands, of hiring managers throughout my career. And I can tell you something that might surprise applicants. Many managers would rather hire a dependable employee with less experience than an experienced employee there not sure can be counted on. Think about that for a moment. The employee who shows up every day, arrives on time, follows instructions, works safely, and wants to learn often becomes more valuable than the person with years of experience but poor attendance or a negative attitude.
Let’s talk about the first hurdle many applicants never even see. The Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. Years ago, an application landed directly on someone’s desk. Today, many applications are screened by software before a recruiter ever sees them. A computer may be reviewing your application before a human being does. Now, I’m not saying that’s good or bad. It’s just reality.
If your work history is incomplete, if your resume doesn’t match the position, or if key information is missing, you may never make it to the interview stage. Many applicants think nobody called me. The reality may be nobody ever saw the application.That’s why accuracy on our part matters. Taking an extra few minutes to complete an application correctly matters. And that’s why we should tailor our resumes to the position we’re applying for.
Now let’s talk about what employers are really seeking. Most people think employers hire labor. I don’t. I think employers hire reliability. Let’s say I have two candidates. Candidate A has five years of forklift experience. Candidate B has one year of forklift experience. Most people automatically assume Candidate A gets the job. What if Candidate A has changed jobs every three months and has attendance concerns and arrives late for the interview? But Candidate B has a solid work history, great references, and arrives fifteen minutes early? The decision suddenly becomes much harder. In fact, many employers will choose Candidate B. Because skills can be taught. Reliability is much harder to teach.
Here’s another challenge I see every day. Applicants submit applications. Recruiters call. Nobody answers. Recruiters text. No response. Recruiters email. No reply. A few days later, the applicant says nobody contacted me.Now, I’m not picking on anyone. But communication matters. If you’re actively looking for work, we need to answer our phone, check our voicemail and respond to texts. And watch our email. I’ve seen qualified candidates lose opportunities simply because another applicant responded first. Speed matters in recruiting. Especially in warehousing and manufacturing. Sometimes positions are filled within hours. Not days. Not weeks. Literally, just hours.
Transportation is often part of the interview before the interview. Can you reliably get to work? Can you make a 5:00 AM shift? Can you work overtime? Can you handle weekends when required? Employers understand that life happens. Cars break down. Traffic exists. Emergencies occur. But employers are also trying to determine whether attendance problems are likely to become a pattern. Remember attendance drives productivity. And productivity drives customer satisfaction. And customer satisfaction keeps facilities open and growing. Again, everything is connected.
Another thing I’m seeing is that Years ago, some facilities focused heavily on production. Today, safety and production must work together. Most employers are looking for candidates who understand safety expectations. They want associates who wear PPE correctly, follow procedures, report hazards, work safely around equipment, and take training seriously. The old mindset of I’ve been doing this for twenty yearsdoesn’t impress many employers anymore. The new mindset is I’ve been doing this for twenty years and I’m still learning. That’s the employee organizations want. Safety conscious employees protect themselves, their coworkers, and the company.
And I think another hurdle for us is Technology. Today we have RF scanners, Warehouse Management Systems, voice picking systems, tablets, inventory software, electronic inspections and productivity tracking. Some applicants become nervous when they hear the word technology. And we can’t. All systems can be learned. The bigger issue is willingness I think. Employers aren’t necessarily looking for technology experts. Again, they’re looking for people willing to learn. A positive attitude toward technology often beats resistance every time.
I think competition is stronger than ever. You’re not competing against the job. You’re competing against other applicants. Imagine ten people apply for the same position. Who gets the interview and the offer? Often, it’s the candidate who demonstrates better attendance better communication better attitude better stability better preparation. Notice that experience isn’t the only factor. Sometimes it isn’t even the most important factor. The candidate who prepares wins. The candidate who follows up and demonstrates professionalism wins.
A recruiter told me last week. If I could sit every applicant down and share one message from employers, it would be this, we want to hire you. Think about that. Recruiters don’t wake up hoping positions stay open. Supervisors don’t want to work short staffed. Managers don’t enjoy running operations with vacancies. Everyone wants positions filled. But employers need confidence. Confidence that we’ll show up. Confidence that we plan on staying. Confidence that we’ll work safely and represent the organization well. That’s what they’re evaluating. Not just whether we can do the work. But whether they can trust us with the work.
So, what can us applicants do? I think it’s simple. If we own it. We need to show up early. And we need to dress appropriately. If we’re interviewing as an equipment operator or selector, wear our steel or composite toe footwear. We have to answer our phone and return calls. The hiring agent may be making 50 calls, the next person may answer there’s. And its so important that we bring energy to interviews. And were honest about our experience. And demonstrate willingness to learn. Show our enthusiasm. Ask questions. Express interest in advancement. Employers love hearing things like I’d like to learn more. I’d like to cross-train. I’d like to grow into a lead role someday.Those statements communicate commitment. And like we’ve learned, commitment gets attention.
As we wrap up today’s episode, I’d like to leave you with a challenge. If you’ve been applying for jobs and not getting results, don’t immediately assume there are no opportunities. Ask yourself a different question. Am I making it easy for an employer to hire me? Am I communicating effectively? Am I presenting myself professionally? Am I demonstrating reliability? Am I showing a willingness to learn?
It’s just a fact that in today’s world, employers are looking for more than experience. They’re looking for trust. They’re looking for consistency. They’re looking for commitment. The jobs are out there. The opportunities and careers are out there. Not to sound corny but the question isn’t always whether the job is available. The question is, Are you available for the job?
Ok, we’re running over today so with all that I’ll say thank you for joining me today, and please share any thoughts on job opportunities with our Facebook group @whseops or our Instagram feed waocpodcast. Until next time, be safe, stay productive, and keep building your career.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty and today I want to talk about something a listener brought up recently. They asked me, “Why don’t you just stick to explaining warehouse positions instead of all the other stuff that doesn’t make us more money?” Well, I guess that is a fair question. As We’ve discussed many times, and I believe this is more than just my opinion. Here’s the thing about warehousing, transportation, distribution, manufacturing, and the whole supply chain. Nothing stands alone. Every movement touches another movement. Every position affects another position. Every delay or error cost somebody time. And in my experience, every shortcut creates a problem somewhere else. And, not only do I believe, but I think I can show that the people who grow the farthest in this industry are usually the people who understand more than just their own task. That’s why we talk about everything, and why I try and get as many questions answered as possible. We can all learn something from all the experiences shared.
On another note, kind of keeping with the theme of the day, I had a long time mentor, just this week say that the associate who learns the language of the operation becomes more valuable to the operation.
So today, I thought we’d have some fun with that idea by talking about something every warehouse, dispatcher, inventory clerk, transportation coordinator, recruiter, manager, and forklift operator and a couple of hundred other positions hear every day.
Acronyms. Being honest. The supply chain world LOVES acronyms. Sometimes it feels like people are speaking another language. A dispatcher says I Need POD on that LTL before DET hits, or customer’s asking for an ETA, and OS&D says there’s one QTR short. And the new employee standing there is thinking What in the world just happened? But once you understand the language, you start understanding the business. And understanding the business creates opportunity. So let’s break a few of them down today.
POD. This one’s huge. POD simply means Proof of Delivery. It’s the signature, paperwork, photo, or electronic confirmation showing freight arrived where it was supposed to arrive. Without a POD, customers may refuse payment. Billing can stop. Claims can happen. That little signature? That’s money. It’s like a check. One missing POD can turn into hours of emails, phone calls, and frustration.
The BOL or Bill of Laden. The BOL is basically the birth certificate of the shipment. It tells us what the freight is, where it’s going , who shipped it, who receives it , and how many pallets or cartons there are. Drivers carry it. Receivers check it. And dispatch tracks it. If the BOL is wrong, everything downstream can become wrong too. Again, everything touches everything.
On to the ETA or the estimated time of arrival. Everybody wants the ETA. An inaccurate ETA affects staffing, dock schedules, unloaders, production planning, and customer satisfaction. One late truck can ripple through an entire building.
PU and DEL. PU means Pickup. DEL means Delivery. Simple terms, but they move the entire transportation world. You’ll hear the PU is at 1400. And maybe read or hear DEL scheduled for tomorrow. And you don’t want to read or hear Missed PU. Or Late DEL. Those two tiny acronyms control millions of dollars in freight every single day.
Oh, these are common ones. FTL, TL and LTL. Now we’re getting into freight classifications. FTL or TL means Full Truckload or Truckload. That means one shipment basically fills the trailer. LTL means Less Than Truckload. That means multiple customers share trailer space. Why does this matter? Because of the freight handling changes. LTL freight gets touched more. More touches means more chances for damages. More planning, terminals being crossed and more scheduling. Understanding freight flow helps associates understand WHY all those processes we have to follow exist.
STL or Spot Trailer Load. Now depending on the company, STL can mean different things, but many operations use it to describe a spotted trailer load or staged trailer movement. Spotters, yard dogs, dispatch, and shipping clerks all coordinate trailer movement to keep freight flowing. One missed trailer move can shut down a shipping lane.
Then OS&D. This acronym can ruin everybody’s day. OS&D means, over, short, and damaged. To a receiver that’ll mean too much product. Missing product. Or Broken product! This affects inventory, customer service, claims, transportation, receivers, selectors and loaders. One crushed pallet may not seem important on the dock floor
until you realize it can cost thousands of dollars.
Lets see, TONU or Truck Ordered Not Used. Transportation people cringe hearing this one. TONU means a truck was scheduled, showed up, and wasn’t needed. But the carrier is still going to expect his or her payment. Why? Remember all we’ve learned about transportation. A truck sitting parked still costs money.
One we’re all getting used to is FSC, the fuel surcharge. Fuel affects everything. When diesel prices rise, FSC charges often rise too. That means transportation costs increase. And when transportation costs increase, product prices eventually increase. Again, everything touches everything.
Two more biggies, DET and D&H. DET means Detention. D&H means Detention and Handling. This happens when drivers sit too long waiting to load or unload. And let me tell you, drivers will charge you and they remember facilities that waste their time. A poorly managed dock damages relationships fast. And we as warehouse people probably know these next two. APPT and FCFS. APPT means Appointment. FCFS means First Come, First Serve. Many warehouses, especially the larger ones run by appointments. Others unload trailers in the order in which they arrive. Understanding which system a facility uses affects scheduling, staffing, and transportation planning.
And here are 3 system ones. TMS, WMS, and YMS. Now we’re talking technology. TMS is the Transportation Management System, and I’m sure us warehouse folks know WMS, the Warehouse Management System, and a little lesser known system is the YMS, Yard Management System. You’ll see these in high traffic operations. These three systems track freight, our inventory, trailer locations, our productivity, shipping schedules, receiving , even our labor hours and cost. Really pretty much what ever information we feed into them! Years ago, many warehouses used clipboards and paper. Today? Data drives our operations. And the associate willing to learn systems becomes extremely valuable. A forklift operator that understands WMS screens and RF scanners may eventually move into inventory control or leadership. Knowledge adds up.
ASN and EDI. ASN means Advanced Shipping Notice. That’s electronic information sent before freight arrives and EDI means Electronic Data Interchange. Computers talking to computers. Purchase orders, invoices, shipment notifications, receiving confirmations, all moving electronically behind the scenes. Most associates never see it. But it’s happening constantly.
OK, this one most of us know. A PO or Purchase Order. A PO is permission to buy product. Without a PO, many companies won’t even receive the freight or their order. That one document controls inventory flow, accounting, receiving, and purchasing.
Here’s another on us production people know. KPI or Key Performance Indicator. KPIs are measurements. Cases per hour. Pallets per hour. On-time shipping. Inventory accuracy. Dock turn times. You’ve heard me say What gets measured gets managed. Warehouses or operations survive on measurements. And associates that understand KPIs understand how and why businesses make decisions.
Next we have RDC, DC, and MC. These are facility types. RDC is for Regional Distribution Center. DC is Distribution Center. MC is Manufacturing Center. Different responsibilities. Different workflows. But all connected together in the supply chain.
Now here’s a few for the transportation folks. ELD, GPS, DOT, and HOS. As we know, transportation runs on compliance. The ELD is an Electronic Logging Device. Remember keeping our paper logs? GPS, Global Positioning System. DOT or Department of Transportation, and HOS stands for Hours of Service. These systems and regulations track Driver hours. Safety, Speed, Routes, and Compliance. Transportation isn’t just driving a truck anymore. It’s technology, planning, regulation, and accountability.
Keeping things on the road. We have NMFC and SCAC. Now we’re getting deep into freight language. NMFC means National Motor Freight Classification. SCAC means Standard Carrier Alpha Code. These help identify carriers and classify freight for shipping and pricing purposes. Again, Stuff most people never think about. But somebody in the operation has to understand it.
And BCO, FOB, and CFR. BCO often means Beneficial Cargo Owner. FOB means Free On Board. CFR means Cost and Freight. These terms matter heavily in international and large-scale shipping. They determine responsibility. Who pays for freight. Who owns the risk and where liability transfers. And one misunderstanding here can become extremely expensive.
Now some people may hear all these acronyms and think “Well, I don’t need to know all that. I just drive a forklift.” Maybe today you do. But tomorrow? You might have an opportunity train new hires. Lead a shift. Help coordinate the outbound shift. Move into the inventory side of op’s, maybe even become a dispatcher, or running transportation or supervise operations. Remember how we’re always talking about learning and growing? The people who grow in this industry usually become students of the industry. Not just students of their task. And, that’s why we talk about “all this other stuff.” I believe every term, every process, every department, every movement is another piece of understanding as to how the machine works. And once you understand the machine, you become more valuable to the machine.
Warehousing and transportation are not simple jobs anymore. They’ve grown. Technology. People. Safety. Metrics. Compliance. Movement. Communication. And that growth is a good thing. Every one of us touches another part of the process. And I feel, that’s why knowledge matters. Not because every acronym instantly puts money in your pocket. But because understanding creates opportunities that eventually do. The more of the language you understand the more rooms you can walk into confidently. And confidence backed by knowledge? That’s where careers begin separating themselves. The people who understand the whole operation eventually outgrow the people who only understand one task. And that, my friends is why we talk about all of it.
Well, there’s two more cents worth of my opinions. We do talk about a lot more than warehouse positions, but, I feel, and can pretty much attest that, if we learn it all, hang out with those from other departments, learn that task before ours and after ours, we will earn more and in many different ways.
Thanks for stopping in again today, and above all, remember safety is our number 1 priority. We want to be doing this a long time!
Last week while talking about all the different types of shipping containers I mentioned strapping and banding, closing up and securing D containers, and our loads. We had a few people write in asking if I could explain banding. A couple of listeners took strapping as securing the load in the trailer. So today I thought we’d walk through not only strapping and banding, but also the more common things we use for securing our loads. I’m Marty and I thank you for stopping in for another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career.
Ok, so the two most common types of strapping are, steel strapping, which, in many instances, are referred to as Metal Banding, and then we have the plastic strapping, which can be comprised of Polypropylene or Polyester. Each has its own purpose, advantages, weaknesses, and safety concerns. And trust me, if you’ve ever had a steel band snap beside your face or watched a poorly strapped pallet explode in a trailer, you develop a lot of respect for all three!
At its core, banding is about securing items for transportation, stabilizing product, preventing shifting, maintaining pallet integrity, and of course reducing product damage, and increasing safety. Think about what all freight goes through, a forklift or pallet jack running it through the warehouse, a trailer bouncing around on the roads and over potholes, rail transportation, ocean movement, temperature changes, stretch wrap tension and weight shifts during turns and braking.
So, lets start with steel strapping or metal banding. Steel strapping is typically used for heavy industrial products, steel coils, lumber, brick and block, pipe, building materials, those kinds of things. Steel is chosen because it has very high tensile strength, doesn’t stretch much if at all and has excellent holding power. When a load absolutely cannot shift, steel often wins. But it doesn’t come without limitations and concerns.
Steel banding is dangerous. A couple of concerns are, number 1, is snap back. This is probably the biggest danger. When tension is released incorrectly, steel can whip back violently. And I mean violently. That band becomes a razor-sharp spring under pressure. Injuries can include facial cuts, eye injuries, fingers and deep cuts to our arms. Some injuries could even require surgery. Early on in my banding adventures, I had tightened a band on a d container filled with heavy meter parts. I had used the tension ratchet to tighten it pretty tight on the pallet. While getting my crimping tool positioned it snapped at a corner post. Ever since that moment I give strapping and banding the respect it deserves! And number 2 is rust. Steel can rust in humid conditions, outdoor storage areas, and refrigerated environments. Rust weakens the strap over time. And the 3rd concern is the weight. Steel is heavier than plastic. That can mean higher shipping costs and more difficult handling. And lastly, product damage. Steel bands can crush or damage softer freight. Especially things like cardboard, consumer goods, appliances, food packaging.
Now let’s talk about the most common strapping in today’s warehouse world. Plastic banding. There are two major types Polypropylene, used for light duty pallets, cartons, retail shipments, newspaper bundles and such. And then we have polyester, used for heavier pallets, beverage loads, and many applications that were once dominated by the steel strapping. Polyester or PET is the stronger version and has replaced steel in many operations.
Some of the advantages of plastic strapping? Well, there safer than steel. This is a huge reason facilities prefer plastic now. Plastic can certainly still hurt someone, but it generally does not whip with the same deadly force as steel. Less severe recoil. Less sharp edges. Still dangerous, but safer. And it’s lightweight. Plastic is easier to carry, use, store, and dispose of. And it’s a little more flexible to work with. Plastic stretches slightly. That’s actually beneficial for loads that shift naturally, settle during transportation, and expand or contract with temperature. Think of my watermelon example being packed in d containers last week. And another thing is plastic does not rust. This makes it useful in those cooler environments, in freezer operations and outdoor storage. Oh, and plastic is usually cheaper than steel. And in today’s operations, cost matters. But plastic isn’t perfect either. Its strength is lower, even the PET or polyester strapping. Very heavy freight can stretch and snap plastic, allowing a shift during transport. And it can be more heat sensitive. Extreme heat can weaken plastic. Think of a hot trailer in Texas during August?
Let’s see, what else on banding. Oh, I want to mention how banding can be applied several ways. I’m most experienced using the manual tools. Hand tensioners, crimper sleeves and crimpers. Probably more common today are the battery tools. These tools adjust the tension, the seal, and cut automatically. A Huge productivity improvement. But also dangerous if improperly used.
And then you have the large automatic banding machines. They may be used in distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and production facilities. Loads pass through automated arches that apply straps quickly and consistently. They’re great for high volume, consistency, and speed.
All of these, everything I’ve mentioned can be dangerous. Some common safety mistakes are standing directly in front of a tensioned strap. Improper cutting. Associates sometimes cut steel banding without controlling the tension. That strap explodes outward. And we should never use damaged strapping. A kinked strap is a weakened strap. And never reuse bent steel, frayed plastic, or cracked seals. Oh, and always use edge protectors. Edge protectors prevent product crushing and helps prevent load shifting. Skipping them can and will causes failures. And another biggie for me is too much tension. You’re going to crush cartons, damage packaging, and, as we’ve learned, it’s just not safe, or even useful.
Wither you’re operating the bander, any type of bander, or training or assigning associates to work with banding, we should always wear the proper ppe we’ve been assigned to use. Our safety glasses, cut resistant gloves, even face shields in heavy steel applications, and then long sleeves in some environments.
So, my thoughts on steel vs plastic. I don’t think one is universally “better.” I think the correct question is what type of freight are we securing, and why are we securing it? Because really the freight determines the strapping. Here’s what I really think the takeaway is. Banding is one of those warehouse tasks people underestimate. It looks simple. But it combines stored energy, sometimes heavy freight, sharp materials, and human behavior. And that combination can become dangerous quickly. A properly strapped pallet travels safely across the country. A poorly strapped pallet becomes a workplace accident waiting to happen. And just like everything else in warehousing, the little things matter. The associate applying that final band may be the last person protecting the freight, the driver, the receiver, and the customer.
Ok, talking about how we use strapping to secure loads made me think of a few other tools, probably more common tools, we use every day to help us secure the loads. Let’s talk about a few of those real quick.
First up bulkheads. Bulkheads are used to separate and secure product areas within a trailer. They create a barrier that prevents freight from shifting forward or backward during transportation. You’ll see solid bulkheads or ridged dividers used in things like grocery or food distribution to keep the freezer and cooler areas at temperature and the freight separated. Kind of creating temperature controlled vaults or compartments in the trailer. Then we have Bubble Bulkheads or Inflatable Bulkheads. These are pretty cool because they function almost like giant airbags. They’re placed in empty spaces between freight sections and inflated. Some advantages they bring to the table are how they are lightweight, flexible, and can fill any odd-shaped spaces. Of course there are some limitations. They can puncture. They’ll require proper inflation, and there not always suitable for heavy shifting loads. Next up the Cardboard Bulkheads. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. These are heavy corrugated dividers used to separate lighter products. Sometimes there used to identify different stops for the driver too. There inexpensive, disposable, and lightweight. But they have limited strength, they can crush under heavier pressure, and they can present some moisture concerns.
And then anyone that’s ever looked down the walls of many trailers, you’ve probably noticed those long metal rails with repeating slots. Those are E-tracks. E-tracks are mounted horizontally or vertically and create attachment points for securing freight. The straps that clip into them are called E-straps. These things are great and allow for fast installation, and they are easily adjustable, they allow for multiple anchor points, and they are reusable, for like ever! They can be used for securing almost any type of freight. Appliances, furniture, palletized freight, and mixed loads. In distribution there great to secure the wall of freight as we stack down the deliveries. The mistake people sometimes make is thinking it’s clipped in, so we’re done. Well not exactly. The e straps still require proper tension and placement. A loose strap isn’t securing anything. It’s just decorating the trailer wall!
One of my personal favorites as a driver is the load bar. Load bars are one of those tools many people have seen but never really thought much about. They’re adjustable bars placed horizontally between trailer walls. They apply pressure and help keep freight from moving or falling forward towards us or the back door. There fast and easy to setup, reusable, and excellent for partial loads.
Oh, and I should probably mention the butterfly load bar. Butterfly load bars work like the pole or regular roll bar but use wider stabilizing ends or wing-like designs that spread pressure over larger areas. These create increased contact area, better load stability, and reduced pressure damage. These are great for the route and delivery drivers.
The customer never sees the banded or strapped d container or banded pallet, the load bar, the E-strap, the bulkhead, or any of the other precautions us light industrial professionals have taken to protect their products. They only see the result when the trailer door opens and is delivered without damages. Our freight protection tools and our efforts may never get the recognition, but they’re often the reason the product arrives looking exactly like it did when it left our warehouse. That’s ownership in my opinion!
Speaking of ownership, I’ve got to get back to work now myself. I hope you enjoyed todays topic, if so please tell a friend about us. Y’all be safe out there this week and always put safety first.
A young associate, from what I could gather, had been on the job for 3 days, and was asked to go over to another building and help load out D-Containers. They were quite shocked to learn they were not the large metal containers, as she put it, that looks like trailers. She asked if I’d ever seen such. It just so happens that I’ve worked a lot with different containers earlier in my career.
Now when most people hear the word container, they think about those giant steel boxes stacked on ships crossing the ocean. But containers are really everywhere. From a D container rolling through a retail grocery warehouse, to an EH container packed with heavy product, to lift vans moving families overseas, all the way up to 45-foot, and even larger, high cube ocean containers arriving from around the world. There are so many different types of containers. They organize freight, help protect the product Increasing productivity and Improving cube utilization, and speeding up transportation.
And if you’ve ever worked around them, you already know containers aren’t just boxes. Some are designed for stacking. Some for rolling. They even have some refrigerated products. I’ve seen several different ones for for export shipping.
So today, let’s talk about containers. The small ones, large ones, reusable ones, the refrigerated ones, and the giant steel containers that changed global commerce forever.
Let’s start with the containers many warehouse associates know best. The D containers, E containers, EH containers, and the LDN containers. Now depending on the operation, the exact sizes and names may vary slightly, but in grocery, foodservice, retail, and large distribution environments, these are usually large reusable, pallet or rolling containers designed around warehouse productivity systems. These are not the little plastic totes on our conveyer tracks.
Let’s start off with the D Container. I’ve banded and strapped many a D container in my day. If you’ve spent time in grocery or foodservice distribution, especially in the produce world, you’ve probably loaded up hundreds of D containers in your career. The D container is one of the workhorses of warehouse distribution. An absolute time saver. Typical dimensions are often around 48 inches long, 40 inches wide and anywhere between 36 to 48 inches tall. Anybody want to guess why 48 by 40. Yep, the size of a typical GMA, or the grocery manufacturers association pallet. Most are built with heavy-duty cardboard or plastic with reinforced bases, large caster wheels for the rolling models and some stackable designs as well. Many operations load them with 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of freight. I commonly see D containers used for mixed product selection, cooler operations like produce, think of like watermelons, pumpkins, melons, things like that. They are good for returns and repacks too. If you’ve seen those commercials or ads for buying a pallet of returned product, they may ship it to you in a D container.
A container can truly change the workflow. Using the right container is important. The size of the container affects our picking speed, trailer cube, stacking patterns, conveyor systems, even different slotting strategies, and labor productivity. Operations teams don’t just pick containers randomly. There’s engineering behind every inch of that design. And from a safety standpoint, D containers demand respect. Once they’re fully loaded, stopping distance changes, our pushing force is increased, visibility and control changes. Anybody that’s ever lost control of a loaded D container on an incline knows exactly what I’m talking about!
Next up are the E containers. Now the E container is usually taller and designed for higher cube utilization. Typical dimensions are again around 48 inches by 40 inches wide, but around 50 to 60 inches tall. You’ll see E containers heavily used in, again, grocery distribution, some types of retail replenishment, and both cooler and freezer environments. I mentioned respect and safety earlier. That extra height changes everything operationally. Now we’re talking about a higher center of gravity, reduced visibility and an increased tipping risk. A poorly built E container becomes dangerous quick. Especially if heavy product gets stacked high or product shifts during transportation.
Now let’s move on to the EH container. The heavy-duty version. These containers are built tougher and stronger. More reinforced. And designed for heavier freight applications. The typical dimensions are often 48×40 and 60 inches tall or greater. Many operations safely load 2,000 pounds or more into an EH container.
You’ll commonly find EH containers in freezer operations, meat distribution, industrial warehousing, manufacturing, and such. And once again, the container itself becomes part of the safety conversation. Because now we’re discussing pinch points, rolling weight, dock plate safety, caster failures, and freight shifting. Especially in freezer environments where condensation freezes, wheels become harder to control, and any plastic can become brittle.
Let’s see, what’s next, the LDN containers. These are often longer, deeper, high-capacity containers designed for heavy environments. Typical dimensions may range from 48 to 60 inches long, 40 inches wide and 60 inches or taller . These are commonly seen in cross dock operations, route staging and high-volume distribution centers and these containers are built around one thing, cube utilization. Empty space cost money right. Every inch matters. In the trailer, on the dock, in reserve storage and on conveyor systems. The better we use cube, the more efficient the operation becomes.
Now let’s talk about something many younger warehouse associates may never have heard of. The lift van. Before standardized ocean containers became the norm, lift vans played a huge role in transportation and overseas moving. A lift van is basically a portable shipping vault. There usually built from wood or reinforced plywood with steel supports or composite materials. Typical sizes varied greatly, but many measured 6 to 8 feet wide, 6 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet long. These were heavily used for military relocations, office moves, overseas household shipping, and export freight. And honestly, lift vans helped inspire container standardization and showed a need across global shipping. Once businesses realized freight could stay inside one container from start to finish, efficiency exploded.
Now let’s move into the giants of global commerce. The ocean shipping containers. These steel boxes changed the world. Before standardized shipping containers, freight was loaded piece by piece onto ships. Imagine loading every box, crate, barrel and pallet
by hand. Loading ships could take days. Then standardized containers arrived and global commerce was changed forever.
The 20-foot container became one of the original global standards. There typical dimensions were 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet 6 inches tall with a maximum gross weight of approximately 52,000 pounds, meaning a payload capacity of roughly 47,000 pounds. These containers are commonly used for things like machinery, industrial products, canned goods, and heavy dense freight. And because the container is smaller, it often handles heavy loads better than longer containers.
Now the 24-foot container isn’t as common globally, but many domestic and specialized operations use them. You’ll sometimes see them in regional transportation arenas, moving operations, specialized freight systems, and certain intermodal applications. They help bridge the gap between maneuverability and increased cube space.
And on to the 40 foot container. The 40-footer became the king of international shipping.
Typical dimensions being 40 feet long, 8 feet wide, 8 feet 6 inches tall with a gross weight of approximately 67,000 pounds. These dominate in retail imports, electronics, furniture, apparel, and consumer goods. When you picture giant stacks of containers on ships, this is usually what you’re seeing. And you have the 40 foot and 45 foot high cube containers, both having an extra foot of space. These containers maximize import efficiency, warehouse throughput, transportation cube and trailer equivalent capacity. And anybody that’s manually unloaded one during the summer already knows, halfway through that unload, it feels like the container keeps getting longer and longer.
And now let’s talk about the refrigerated containers. Or as transportation folks call them reefers. These containers maintain controlled temperatures for frozen foods, produce, pharmaceuticals, dairy, and meat products. And these aren’t just cold steel boxes. These are rolling refrigeration systems. They require temperature monitoring, airflow management, fuel systems, maintenance, and constant inspection. One reefer malfunction can destroy an entire load, thousands of dollars in freight, or millions in pharmaceutical products.
Containers certainly improve productivity, but they also introduce risk. We have to respect dock locks, the dock plates, trailer movement devices and chassis, shifting freight and stacking stability.
Ocean containers especially can become dangerous environments. Improperly loaded freight can shift violently when doors open. And overloaded warehouse containers can roll unexpectedly, tip over or create severe ergonomic strain. Sometimes the container itself is the hazard.
From a D container rolling through a grocery warehouse, to a refrigerated 45-foot High Cube crossing the Pacific Ocean, containers help move the entire world. Like we’ve said many times. every product has a journey. And almost every journey starts with a container. Look around you. Everything you see has probably been on a container, or at least a trailer, and came through a warehouse.
I’m Marty and thanks for listening to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Stay productive and never stop learning. Yall stay safe out there.
Marty here, and thanks for stopping by Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I had a listener comment that on several episodes I had said something like early is on time and on time is late, and if you’re on time you’re late. They stated that I placed way too much weight on the time clock. And I guess somewhere I had written or said that I had learned more by always being early, setting in the breakroom and listening to or talking with the other shift coming or going. They stated as long as they punched in a minute before the shift their manager shouldn’t be concerned with their schedule. They went on to share that their management wanted them on the floor, dressed out, and ready for the preshift meeting but the timeclock was in the breakroom. At least a two minute walk from the gathering point. Well, let me clarify my thoughts there. I think you should always be you. And you’ll probably be fine. But, if you are an early one, one collaborating with others, and being inquisitive, I assure you, you will earn more throughout your career. But seriously, everyone does have the right, at least to themselves, to, well, be you. And I support that 100%.
So, after going down that path, it made me think about that first 30 minutes of our shift, and then the last 30 minutes as well! I’ve always believed that hour is the most important two pieces of my shift.
Now a lot of people and managers think the middle of the shift is where everything happens. That’s where the work gets done, the trucks get loaded, the orders get selected, the freight gets moved, and the productivity numbers are at their peak. And that’s true. But I feel that experienced operations people know something else. You can usually tell how a shift is going to go within the first 30 minutes, and unfortunately, a lot of accidents and poor decisions happen during the last 30 minutes. Those two windows can determine the safety, productivity, morale, and professionalism, what am I wanting to say, Culture, of the entire operation. And it really doesn’t matter what position we hold.
Whether we’re unloading trailers, selecting orders, operating forklifts, working sanitation, dispatching trucks, handling inventory control, or leading teams, how we start and how we finish matters. A lot. I’m going to say it defines the shift or its culture.
Let’s start with the beginning of our day. And honestly, I think the shift actually starts before we ever clock in. It starts when the alarm goes off, and with how much sleep we get whether we prepared our lunch, laid out our clothes, filled up the gas tank the night before, or whether we woke up already behind schedule. We’ve all done it. Wake up late. Rush through traffic. Walk into the building frustrated. Grab a scanner or piece of equipment and jump right into the shift without mentally arriving yet. And when that happens, we carry our chaos into the operation with us.
Now I know life happens. Kids get sick. Traffic backs up. Life is expensive. Some people are working two jobs. I understand all of that. But there’s also something to be said for preparation and routine. Professional associates learn that the shift before the shift matters. I really do believe that showing up ten or fifteen minutes early changes things. It gives us time to breathe. Time to mentally prepare, to stretch, to review assignments and to attend startup meetings without rushing through the door halfway distracted.
And our startup meetings matter. I know sometimes we look at them as repetitive, and think oh no another safety topic again. We’re listening to the case counts, the trailer counts, and our productivity and error numbers again.
But don’t those meetings set the tone? That’s where the communication begins and where the expectations are shared. And, in my opinion, strong startup meetings can prevent injuries and operational concerns before they ever happen. Here’s something I learned years ago. A chaotic first hour usually creates a chaotic day. When batteries aren’t charged, and equipment inspections aren’t completed, and maybe the dock doors are blocked with the previous shifts freight, or our assignments aren’t understood and our leadership is scattered trying to find everyone, or attitudes are negative. It’s going to be long day.
We all know that one late start can affect productivity for an entire shift. That one missing pallet can create indirect time for us. And that one forklift issue not caught during our pre-trip can become a safety incident later. And oh my goodness, can’t attitudes spread quickly inside the warehouse. One negative or rushed person at startup can affect ten more people before first break. But positivity and preparedness spreads just as quick. I that’s why leadership being visible during startup matters so much.
Associates notice when supervisors are engaged and they notice when leadership is walking the floor. And it’s easy to pick up on when management already looks stressed before the shift even starts.
And new employees especially pay attention during those first thirty minutes. That’s when the culture gets introduced to them. All the posters and slogans are cool, but the new boot learns through our behavior. They watch how equipment gets inspected, and whether safety rules ar being followed, how people are talking to each other, and whether procedures actually matter. And many times, they’ll mirror what they see.
Ok, now let’s move to the other side of the shift. The last 30 minutes. And honestly, this may be one of the most dangerous periods of the day inside warehousing and transportation. Because by then, fatigue has entered the picture. Our feet may hurt and our backs may ache. People are mentally tired. Production numbers are on our mind and the clock starts becoming everyone’s focus. We’ve all heard it, said it, or thought it before. Just one more pallet. Just hurry up and finish it. Ot thought I’ll clean it up tomorrow. Or it’s close enough. And that’s when shortcuts begin. Maybe someone skips wrapping a pallet correctly, or someone rushes backing out of a trailer or someone jumps off equipment instead of maintaining their three points of contact. Maybe someone ignores a spill because the sanitation team will get it later or a forklift operator stops paying attention to pedestrians because mentally they’re already in the parking lot. And unfortunately, many injuries happen right there, at the end of the shift. Not because people are bad employees. But because they’re tired. The scary part about fatigue is many times we don’t even realize how distracted we’ve become. That’s why experienced operations leaders are or should be walking the floor during the last hour of the shift. This is when our energy levels change, our awareness and patience changes, and urgency can become dangerous.
I was told once to watch my team and don’t let them mentally clock out before they physically clock out. Once that happens, safety and quality begin dropping fast. You can literally see it spread across the dock. People stop communicating. Housekeeping slips. People start parking their equipment anywhere. And paperwork gets rushed or not completed at all. Sometimes people become so focused on leaving on time that they stop focusing on working safely.
Now don’t misunderstand me. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go home. We all work hard. But professionalism and us being That employee means finishing strong too. Not just starting strong.
Oh and here’s another bullet point I wanted to throw in there. The last thirty minutes are not just about ending our shift, they’re about preparing the next shift. Remember another one of those quotes we’ve all heard at a start up meetings, how it’s our responsibility to set the plate for the next shift! And I’ll use another one of the words we learned 2 weeks ago, I think this says a lot about our ownership. Do we leave equipment plugged in? Do we report damaged the pallets? Do we clean up shrink wrap and debris, leaving our work areas clean and organized or do we leave chaos for somebody else to fix? We all know that if batteries are dead, or equipment is damaged, and replenishments weren’t completed, or if paperwork is missing or incomplete, the next team starts behind before they even begin.
Often our teams are measured by what we leave behind for others. I think strong facilities operate like connected shifts, not separate teams competing against each other.
And I want to add that leadership plays a huge role in both the first and last thirty minutes. Like we discussed earlier, a disengaged startup creates confusion, just like a disengaged close creates carelessness. I’m just going to say it. Associates need to see leadership on the floor, they need communication and consistency. Sometimes just seeing a supervisor engaged on the floor at the end of the shift changes the entire energy of a department.
At the end of the day, warehousing and transportation are fast-moving environments. We deal with freight, equipment, deadlines, productivity, customers, and pressure. But sometimes the smallest moments create the biggest outcomes. The first thirty minutes. And the last thirty minutes. I think the best associates understand it, because the best leaders teach it. And the strongest operations build cultures around it. Because how we start creates momentum and how we finish defines our professionalism. And in our world, both matter.
Did anything we talk about today change how you’re going to walk into or out of your shift tomorrow? If so or if you have any thoughts you’d like to share please do so on our Facebook or Instagram feeds and of course you can send us an email as well!
Yall be safe out there this week and I hope you’ll join us again next week.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty and I’ve received a couple of different questions about forklift attachments over the last couple of months, so I thought we’d find a few answers for them. So today let’s talk about a few different tools we can see in warehousing, manufacturing, food distribution, and the paper, beverage, chemical, recycling, and even import/export operations.
We are talking about the clamp, the barrel clamp, the roll clamp, and the slip sheet or push-pull attachment. I think it’s important to state that a forklift by itself is already a powerful piece of equipment. Add an attachment to it, and we have changed the whole game. We have changed what that forklift can do, the way the load moves, and the operator’s responsibilities. And we have changed the risks. Some facilities love attachments, while other facilities discourage their use or only allow a very small group of trained operators to use them. They can certainly, in the right environments, increase productivity, however, in the wrong environment you’ll find it’s easy to damage product, slow down the productivity, and even present safety concerns as well.
Forklift attachments came about because freight does not always come to us on a perfect 48 by 40 pallet. Warehousing, Manufacturing and Shipping had to evolve. Companies wanted to move more product, reduce damage, save money, use less packaging, and handle odd-shaped freight more efficiently. Companies have been building forklift attachments for decades, tracing their beginnings back to the late 1940’s as a way to let a conventional lift truck push, pull, clamp, lift, and rotate different types of loads for a host of reasons. They were created to solve problems.
A clamp attachment allows us to handle loads without forks going under a pallet. You may see carton clamps in appliance warehouses, paper goods, electronics, wine, packaged food, chemicals, and plastics. Think about big boxes of paper towels, refrigerators, washers, dryers, or cartons that are stacked and shipped without pallets. The clamp applies pressure from both sides and allows the operator to lift and move the product. My first experience with a clamp was unloading, stacking and storing washers and dryers. A unique experience to say the least.
A paper roll clamp is common in paper mills, printing operations, and packaging plants. These clamps are made to handle large rolls of paper without damaging them. That takes skill. Too much pressure can crush or deform the roll. Too little pressure and the roll can slip. That operator has to understand the equipment, the product, the weight, the diameter, and the clamp pressure. One of my accounts used these, although I’ve never picked up one of those big, heavy rolls, I enjoyed watching them. The skill and focus were mesmerizing to me!
A barrel clamp or drum clamp is used where drums, barrels, or round containers are moved. You may see these in chemical operations, food ingredient facilities, beverage plants, oil and lubricant operations, recycling, waste handling, and manufacturing. The goal is simple, safely grab and move a round container that does not sit on our forks the same way a pallet does. This is an amazing tool.
Then we have the slip sheet attachment, often called a push-pull attachment. This one is interesting. This is a pretty common tool in distribution and storage environments. A lot of times product will be shipped on slip sheats. Instead of using a wooden pallet, the product sits on a thin sheet, often cardboard, fiberboard or plastic. The attachment grips the lip of that sheet, pulls the load onto wide platens, and then pushes it off at the destination. Manufacturers describe slip sheet handling as a way to ship, receive, and warehouse on inexpensive slip sheets rather than pallets, especially for bagged products, canned products and bottled items. I’ve seen all kinds of product shipped on slip sheets.
So, why would a company use the slip sheet or push pull? Money, space, weight, sanitation, less pallet cost, less room needed for pallet storage, and overall, less wood in the facility. In some operations, especially export, grocery, beverage, and manufacturing, slip sheets can make sense.
But, and this is an important point. Just because an attachment can do something does not mean every operator should be using it. Our training makes it clear that attachments change the forklift. The capacity, its operation, and maintenance plates or decals must be changed when a forklift is equipped with an attachment, and an unloaded forklift with an attachment must be treated as partially loaded. And we need to remember that modifications or additions affecting capacity or safe operation require prior written approval from the forklift manufacturer. That is a big deal. When we hang a clamp, push-pull, rotator, or barrel clamp on the front of a forklift, we are adding weight. We are changing the load center. We are changing visibility. We may be changing the way the forklift turns, stops, tilts, and reacts. And we are definitely changing the responsibility of the operator.
A standard forklift operator already needs to know their data plate, load capacity, load center, travel speed, dock safety programs, pedestrians, horn use, ramps, trailers, and stability triangle. Add an attachment, and now that operator also needs to know clamp pressure, product damage points, hydraulic functions, attachment inspections, load shape, grip points, and how that attachment affects the capacity.
Ok, the question of pay comes up. Having these experiences may bring more pay to the table. Not always, but it can. In many operations, an operator who can run a sit-down forklift is valuable. An operator who can run a sit-down forklift with a clamp, a slip sheet attachment, a roll clamp, or a drum clamp may be even more valuable. Why? Because fewer people can do it well. It requires more training, more patience, and more judgment. But more pay should also mean more accountability. We cannot say, I want the extra wages, but then not accept the extra responsibility. Attachments are specialty tools. Specialty tools require specialty habits. Let’s talk about some of the dangers.
With a carton clamp, the big risks are product damage, dropped loads, crushing, poor visibility, and over-clamping. If the operator clamps too hard, they can crush the freight. If they do not clamp hard enough, the load can slide out. If the load is not square, stable, or properly positioned, it can shift during travel.
With a paper roll clamp, the risks include roll damage, dropped rolls, unstable travel, and poor positioning. A paper roll can be heavy, round, and unforgiving. Once it starts moving, it can keep moving. That means the operator must think ahead.
With a barrel or drum clamp, we add the risk of round containers, liquid movement, chemical exposure, spills, and environmental concerns. A dropped drum is not just damaged freight. It may be a hazmat situation. It may become a slip hazard. It may require evacuation, cleanup, reporting, and investigation.
With a slip sheet attachment, the danger is often in the technique. Push-pull work is not the same as sliding forks under a pallet. The operator has to grab the lip of the sheet, pull the load correctly, keep the product stable, and push it off without tipping, tearing, or shifting the load. Industry sources note that push-pull attachments require specific training, as do all attachments, and can reduce forklift capacity because of the attachment weight, and add complexity compared with normal pallet handling. And that is why some companies discourage their use. It may not be because the attachment is a bad thing. It may be because the facility does not have enough properly trained operators or maybe because the product damage is too high. It may be because the loads are just so inconsistent. To be honest, these tools, especially the slip sheet, just don’t make sense in all situations. I know of a lot of produce houses that discourage their use because of so much product damage. They don’t save a lot of unloading time if you spend any saved time picking up damaged product! And in our world, as we’ve learned speed can get us in trouble. A clamp operator cannot be rushed, a slip sheet operator cannot be careless, and a barrel clamp operator cannot assume every drum is stable. These jobs require focus.
So where do we see these attachments? You may see clamps in receiving, shipping, production staging, appliance warehouses, paper product warehouses, grocery distribution, consumer goods, and retail distribution. I’ve seen roll clamps in paper mills, printing plants, packaging plants, and ports. You may see barrel clamps in chemical plants, food manufacturing, beverage, oil, recycling, and sanitation-related operations. And you may find slip sheet attachments in export loading, food and beverage distribution, manufacturing, agricultural products, electronics, cosmetics, and operations trying to reduce pallet cost.
If you are an associate, forklift attachments can be an opportunity. They can make you more marketable and make you more useful to your facility. They can help you move from basic forklift operation into a specialty equipment role. But do not just jump on one. And we all know never to get on or even touch a machine or piece of powered industrial equipment that we have not been trained on and certified to operate right. Ask our managers for training. Ask to have the data plate explained to us. Ask how the attachment changes the machine’s capacity. Ask what the inspection checklist looks like. Ask what products are approved to be handled. Ask what clamp pressure should be used. Ask what damage has happened before. Ask what near misses have occurred. Another words, communicate, ask questions, and learn. Be a professional. Be THAT employee.
And if you are a lead, supervisor, or manager, do not assume a certified forklift operator is automatically qualified to use every attachment in the building. That operator needs equipment specific and workplace specific training. And the attachment needs to be part of the inspection program. The data plate needs to match the truck and attachment. The operator needs to know the limitations. OSHA’s or your countries powered industrial truck guidance reminds us that the data plate gives the operator critical information such as forklift weight and capacity, and operators should read it to understand the truck’s capabilities and limits.
I think it’s important to note here that a forklift attachment is not just an add-on. It is a new responsibility bolted to the front of the truck. Yes, it can help us move freight better and it can reduce pallet use, and it can protect product, and in certain environments It can improve efficiency, even open doors for operators who want to learn more and earn more. But it can also reduce capacity, block visibility, damage freight, create spills, drop loads, and hurt people when used incorrectly.
So the message for today is simple. You don’t need to fear forklift attachments, but we have to respect them, learn them, and inspect them, and understand what they change. And never forget that the more specialized the tool, the more professional that we, the operator needs to be.
Well, I hope I answered a few of the questions on attachments. Until next time, keep learning, keep asking questions, and keep building your career one safe move at a time. And please keep in mind that the safety of ourselves and our team is our first responsibility.
In our world of warehousing, transportation, and supply chain operations, titles or what we call ourselves can vary widely. You may be in sanitation, running a scrubber and setting the plate for the next shift or you may be a yard spotter moving trailers or maybe you’re on a forklift racking pallets, or an order selector chasing cases, a clerk managing paperwork, a dispatcher coordinating loads, or an inventory analyst balancing numbers that keep millions of dollars accounted for. All different roles with different responsibilities. But there is one thing that ties every successful associate, supervisor, and leader together. Welcome back all, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today I’d like to talk about Ownership.
Ownership is not given to us with a certificate, a vest, or a title. It’s not written into our job description. It’s a decision, one we make every single shift. I think ownership is the mindset of saying this is my job, and I’m responsible for how it’s done. Or if something goes wrong, I don’t look around, I point at myself. If something can be better, I want to be part of the solution. In my view, ownership means you don’t separate yourself from the outcome. I own that responsibility. Whether you’re loading a trailer, counting inventory, or scheduling freight, your work represents not just you, but your team, your company, and our industry.
Let’s talk about us on the floor for a minute. Let’s see, we’ll start with sanitation. Ownership here means more than just cleaning. It means understanding why that aisle must be clear of debris, and why spills must be handled and cleaned up immediately, why a clean facility prevents injuries, contamination, and lost productivity. Understanding all that, ownership says, I’m not just cleaning, I’m protecting people and freight. And regarding the Forklift operator, ownership isn’t just about moving product from point A to point B. To me it’s about performing your pre-trip inspection like your safety depends on it, because it does, and handling product like it belongs to you and always being aware of your surroundings. Ownership says this machine, this load, and this environment are my responsibility. And pretty much the same with the order selector. Ownership shows up in accuracy, we all know how one mis-pick can affect a customer, a driver, and our reputation. And then there’s the productivity, our cases per hour can impact the entire operation. Here, if its mine, ownership says if it leaves my pallet, it’s going to leave right.
Are you starting to see a theme develop? What’s up next, the spotter or yard hauler. Ownership here is just as critical. It means knowing where every trailer is and why its spotted there, checking equipment before moving it or setting refer temps, and of course communicating clearly with the dock. Ownership says nothing moves in this yard without awareness and intention.
And in positions like a clerk or dispatcher, or inventory control, or more office type settings, ownership in these roles is often invisible, but incredibly important. It means accuracy in documentation, clear communication with drivers and teams, staying ahead of problems before they hit the dock, and understanding discrepancies, not just reporting them, and digging into root causes, really just protecting the company’s financial integrity and responsibilities. I think that ownership is saying If information flows through me, it flows correctly. And If the numbers are off, I don’t guess, I’ll investigate.
Ok, enough of all that. Now let’s talk about leadership. Ownership doesn’t stop when you get promoted. I think it becomes even more important. A supervisor or manager who owns their role understands how the team’s success is their success and that the team’s failures are also their responsibility. And how the culture, safety, productivity, and morale all fall under their watch. Ownership in leadership is addressing issues immediately, not later, and like we learned last week, coaching instead of criticizing, and setting expectations clearly and consistently. And an important part is holding people accountable, but holding yourself accountable first. A leader with ownership never says that’s not my department or that’s not my problem. Instead, they say Let’s figure it out, or how do we fix this? Or something like what can we do better next time?
And of course ownership is one of the strongest drivers of safety in any facility. Like we learned in episode 362. You can have posters on the walls and safety meetings every day along with all the training programs in place, but if individuals don’t take ownership? None of it sticks. Ownership in safety says I’m responsible for going home safe and helping others do the same.
We’ve talked before about, what gets measured gets managed. That’s one of my many mentors favorite quotes. I’ve always believed ownership drives performance. When an associate owns their numbers, they know their cases per hour, and understand their goals, that person is always looking for ways to improve. They don’t wait to be told. They take the initiative. I’m convinced that ownership turns average performance into consistent performance, which in turn takes consistent performance into top performance levels.
On another note, have you ever heard anyone say that’s not my job? That mindset will stall a career faster than almost anything else. Now, are there job descriptions? Absolutely. Are there responsibilities? Of course. But ownership, has to understand something bigger. We are part of a system, and every role impacts another, success is shared and so are failures.
Now, Ownership doesn’t mean doing everything. It means caring about everything. It means being willing to step in when needed, help a teammate, and raise your hand when something’s off. It’s important to remember that the operation doesn’t run on job descriptions. It runs on people.
Here’s something I probably don’t talk about enough. In my opinion Ownership builds trust. When you consistently do what you say, take responsibility, and deliver results. People notice. And our Supervisors and Managers notice. But even more importantly? Your teammates notice. They know they can count on you. And in this industry, being someone, others can count on is everything. That’s how we grow and increase our earnings. Remember how I feel about being that employee.
And speaking of growth. If you’re looking to move up to that lead, supervisor, or manager role, ownership is the pathway. And you know I don’t believe leadership is just about titles, authority, or even pay increases. It’s about responsibility.
And we’ve talked about the best leaders? They were the associates who owned their roles early on in their career, they took pride in their work, and they solved problems before they were asked. I always felt that my ownership told my leaders that I’m ready for more.
In today’s global supply chain, whether it’s truckload, LTL, air freight, or ocean shipments, ownership matters. One missed detail can delay shipments, cost thousands of dollars and impact customers across the country or the world. Ownership at every level ensures accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. From the warehouse floor to international logistics, ownership is what keeps our supply chain intact.
What else did I bullet point here. Ownership doesn’t just affect your job. It affects your life.
When you take ownership, you build confidence, and develop discipline, all while strengthening your reputation. You stop making excuses and you start making progress in your careers. I look at ownership as the difference between waiting for opportunities and creating opportunities.
Ok, so how do we practice ownership everyday? I don’t think it is complicated or difficult, but it does take thought and intention. I always speak to my new boots to start with this. Show up on time and ready to work. Know and understand your role, and know it well. And ask questions when you don’t understand something. I urge everyone to take responsibility when mistakes happen, own it and look for ways to improve processes. I always add or wrap up an orientation by reminding us to help others succeed. That’s part of every job. Oh, and most importantly, Care about what you do.
At the end of the day ladies and gentlemen, ownership is a choice. I’m not going to say any choice is a wrong choice, but I do think it has to be our choice. You can do the minimum, just stay in your lane and wait to be told what to do. Or, you can take pride in your work, lead from where you stand and be the example others follow. Another words, be THAT employee we’re always talking about.
In warehousing, transportation, and supply chain operations, we deal with movement, products, freight, and information. But the most important thing we move forward is people and I think we should say our careers and futures also. And I believe ownership is the driving force behind all of it. So, whatever your role is today, sanitation, forklift operator, selector, clerk, dispatcher, analyst, or leader, lets own it.
A quick opinion, when you own your role, you don’t just do the job. You define it and choose what it’ll be. We all make so many choices and decisions every day. That’s how we drive our personal and professional lives, and well, our futures and careers.
If you have any thoughts or experiences with ownership please share them on our Instagram at waocpodcast or our Facebook feed using that @whseops and we’d love to hear from you by email, host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com. Until next week, be safe out there. Our friends and family are looking forward to seeing us.
Let’s talk about something that many of us have experienced, but very few of us accepted well or maybe even truly understood. That moment when your supervisor says hey, can you step into the office for a minute? Your heart rate picks up. Your mind starts racing. And before you even sit down, you’re already on the defensive. You’re thinking, what did I do wrong? Why am I getting singled out? This isn’t fair. And just like that, before the conversation even begins, the opportunity for any growth or understanding is already slipping away. I think that’s the human nature in us.
I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today I’d like to pause and reshape that entire moment. Because what many call a write-up, corrective action, or warning, I want us to recognize it as something different. I call it coaching. But it has to be presented and accepted as coaching too. So, we’ll start with a bit of truth. In our light industrial world, warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, and production, we deal in productivity, safety, accountability, and responsibility. Cases have to move, trucks have to deliver, Equipment and machines must be operated safely, and teams have to show up, on time, ready to work. That is just fact. So when something goes off track like attendance, productivity, safety, or our behavior, well, it has to be addressed. Those things can’t be, or shouldn’t be ignored. They shouldn’t be brushed aside. And not just saved for later. I want to know how I’m doing. But how it’s addressed, I feel that’s the important piece.
So, let’s spend a minute looking at it from the employee’s side. Most associates don’t hear coaching. They hear I’m in trouble. I’m about to get fired. They don’t like me, oh and I love this one. They’re picking on me. And what happens when those thoughts take over, the walls go up. Now the conversation becomes defensive instead of reflective, and emotional instead of anything close to productive, even argumentative instead of productive. And I think that’s where we as associates sometimes fail to capitalize on an opportunity.
A coaching conversation is one of the few times someone is investing directly in your growth. Think about that. Someone stopped their day, pulled you aside, and said let’s talk about how we can do this better. The way I see things that’s not punishment. That’s opportunity.
So why do we react the way we do? I think a lot of it comes down to pride. We don’t like being told we missed something and we don’t like being corrected, and we definitely don’t like it when it’s documented.
But what if we looked at it this way. That correction is not rejection. It’s direction, maybe even guidance. It could be someone saying you’re capable of more, and I’m going to help you get there. Let’s break this into two types of thinking. First up let’s talk about a Fixed Mindset. That would be things like I messed up. This is bad. Or they’re coming after me. And this is going on my record. And then we’d have the Growth Mindset. This person may think something like what can I learn from this? How do I improve? And what does success look like moving forward? Just a shift in thinking like that can change the direction of our career. I firmly believe the associates who grow the fastest, aren’t the ones who never get coached. They’re the ones who listen, adjust, and apply lessons learned.
Now let’s talk about the management side. Managers, supervisors, leads, this part is probably even more important. Because let’s be real, sometimes we don’t get this right. We rush the conversation or we come in frustrated. We make it feel like discipline instead of development. And when that happens, we lose the associate before we ever reach them.
There is a difference between coaching and correcting. Correcting says you did this wrong. Coaching says let’s walk through what happened and how we improve it together. See the difference? One shuts people down. The other opens them up. So how do we deliver coaching the right way. First, we have to set the tone. Start with calm, not confrontation. Something like, hey, I want to talk through something with you so we can make sure you’re set up for success. Right away, you’ve shifted the conversation. And we have to stick to the facts. Not our opinions or emotions. It’s always good to share numbers or what we’ve personally seen. Something like, yesterday you clocked in 18 minutes late. Or what else could we say about something, oh, your last three picks were below standard. Or maybe I observed a safety concern with your lift technique right after break. Clear. Direct. and professional. And we have to explain the why. This is where managers often miss the mark. We need to tie it back to something like Safety, or how it impacts the team, or for productivity concerns or even customer service or their expectations. I say all that because I think when people understand the why, they’re more likely to buy in. And I feel as managers we have to invite them into the conversation. We have to listen. This is huge. We may need to help get things started by saying something like help me understand what happened. Now it’s a conversation, not a lecture. Of course we cant just point out the problem, we have to define the solution too. Something like, going forward, I need you clocked in and ready at start time. And let’s review proper lifting technique together. Here’s what success looks like over the next week. And then we need to end the conversation with confidence. We need to be positive, I know you can do this. I’ve seen you perform at a high level. Lets get back to that.
Even though I just said all that, we’re not throwing out accountability. We can’t sugar coat the situation. Coaching is not a free pass. It’s not do whatever you want, or a no consequences ticket, and certainly not a we’ll just keep talking about it scenario. No, coaching is the bridge between expectation and accountability. And if improvement doesn’t happen, then yes, it can move into corrective action. But even then, the goal should still be growth, not punishment.
Let me tell you something from experience. Some of the strongest leads, supervisors, and managers today have a history of being coached. Myself included. They were corrected, they were guided, and they were held accountable. And they used it, they didn’t run from it, and they didn’t fight it. They grew through it.
So the next time you hear can you step into the office? Pause. Take a breath. And instead of thinking here we go try this, think what can I learn from this? Because that one question can turn a write-up into a turning point in our career.
In our industry, we talk a lot about Productivity, Attendance, Safety and Performance. But behind all of that is people. And people don’t grow from silence. They grow from feedback. They grow from conversations. And they grow from coaching.
So whether you’re the one giving the coaching or the one receiving it, remember this. It’s not about being called out, it’s about communication. Let’s face it, we employees know when we have a coaching, a writeup, or whatever you call it is coming. We know the attendance rules, the productivity requirements, and safety processes, and we know what is expected of us. Yep, we’re always shocked and surprised, generally upset when we’re called out about something. But I think that’s just that human nature thing. I always try and look past it, learn from it, and, honestly, most of my coaching’s, I admittedly deserved. I’d like to say I grew from each and every one of them!
I hope today’s topic sparks a thought or two and maybe helps us the next time we’re corrected on something at work! Y’all have a safe, productive, and prosperous week out there!
Let me ask you something, how many times have you walked into your facility, heard the safety message, maybe even repeated Safety is our number one priority, and then went right back to doing the job the same way you always have? Not wrong, just familiar or normal. Because that’s where most of us operate, in the familiar and routine.
Just this week, at different facilities, I’ve heard about several incidents that remind us how dangerous familiar or routine can be. A loader slips inside a trailer and breaks his leg. An associate missteps stepping onto a dock plate and twists their ankle. Someone overextends and strains a muscle, and another hurts their back lifting. And even a safety trainer, someone who teaches safety, cuts their finger with a razor knife. Now think about that. That’s not a bad week. That’s a pattern in the industry. And patterns tell us something.
The Truth is that Injuries Aren’t Rare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are millions of workplace injuries reported every year in the United States. In fact, over 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses are reported annually. Warehousing and transportation consistently rank among the highest injury rates. Sprains, strains, and tears make up the largest percentage of injuries. Let that sink in. The exact types of incidents we’re talking about today, slips, missteps, overreaching, lifting injuries, those aren’t uncommon. They’re the majority.
Let’s take it a step further. According to the National Safety Council, the average cost of a medically consulted injury can be over $40,000. Lost workdays, productivity, and indirect costs can multiply that number significantly. Back injuries alone are one of the leading causes of missed workdays.
And I want us to realize that cost isn’t just on the company. It’s on us too. Because that injury affects our income, which in turn affects our family, and can affect our quality of life. And sometimes, it doesn’t go away.
I’m not certain these are training failures, I’m concerned that their behavior gaps. I want to think that most facilities today are doing the right things, orientation programs, strong startup safety meetings, enforcing PPE use, near miss reporting, and safety signage everywhere. So why are people still getting hurt? I believe safety doesn’t fail in training. It hurts a little to say this but I think it fails in our behavior. It fails in the moment when we decide to rush, when we reach instead of step and when we just go ahead and lift instead of asking for help. And that my friends are where incidents are born.
I know, and I hate to know it, but safety isn’t always the only voice in our head. It competes with production numbers, someone always saying hurry up, fatigue, maybe even bad habits, and sometimes even pride. We tell ourselves I’ve got this. It’ll only take a second. I’ve done this a hundred times. And all those small decisions? Well, that’s why we’re talking today right!
Remember a few weeks ago when we were talking about complacency? Repetition builds skill. But it also builds comfort. And comfort leads to complacency. According to safety studies across multiple industries, a large percentage of workplace injuries occur among experienced employees, not new hires. Why? Because we stop checking conditions, we stop thinking about our movement or our ergonomic training and we trust the environment too much. And that’s when we act all surprised that something happens.
Lets talk about a few of those scenarios I mentioned earlier. First up, Slipping in a Trailer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that slips, trips, and falls account for a significant portion of workplace injuries, especially in environments like warehousing. Trailer floors are unpredictable. condensation, debris, uneven surfaces. every step has to be intentional. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nearly fell sliding in the cooler area on the condensation, or nearly twisting my ankle on a piece of broken pallet.
And then those pesky dock plates and the transition points, the dock to the trailer. A misaligned plate or a rushed step can turn into twisted ankles, maybe a fall or even long term injuries.
Our next concern is overextending and reaching, things we’re coached on all the time! Ergonomic studies show that lifting outside your power zone significantly increases the risk of injury. Remember our power zone? Between your shoulders and your knees. Anything outside of that reduces strength and is going to increase strain, raising the risk of injury.
And I mentioned the back injuries earlier. Back injuries are one of the top causes of lost time incidents in the workplace. And they often don’t come from one big lift. They can come from repetition, poor form, and a lot of small mistakes over time.
And the razor cut or knife injury? Hand injuries are among the most common workplace incidents. And they often come down to us just rushing and getting in a hurry or improper use of the tool, and as with the safety trainers incident, a flat out loss of focus and not paying attention. Maybe he got comfortable or what did we say earlier, oh, complacent. His incident showed us that even experienced individuals are at risk.
When we get our first light industrial position we start hearing about ergonomics. It’s been explained to me as the career saver. I’m always talking about the long game in this industry, and ergonomics, when engineered, observed, worked, and practiced can keep us in that game for a long long time. Ergonomics isn’t about comfort. To me it’s about longevity. It’s about being able to work today, work tomorrow, and still feel good doing it years from now. We have to remember that one bad habit repeated over time, can become one big problem.
So whats missing or what are we doing wrong? Even with all the right systems in place, things still happen. I feel there’s a combination of opportunities going on here. First, I want to say ownership. Safety isn’t the company’s responsibility alone. It’s ours. No one else feels your injury but you.
And then engagement. Do you feel we’re listening to, or just attending all those meetings and shift startup get togethers? Because safety only works if it sticks, if we apply what we’ve learned. I have to say that speaking up is another big one for me. A real safety culture is going to sound something like hold up there a minute, that’s not safe, and let’s reset that machine, and hey, get some help lifting that. Our silence doesn’t prevent injuries. Action does, our actions do.
And in my humble opinion leaders set the tone. If safety is optional, people will treat it that way. If safety is enforced, people will respect it. It should be just that simple.
But its not I guess, so how do we make it better? If everything is in place at our facility, well, I think it’s on us.
I think we need to slow down, but do it strategically. Not moving necessarily slower, but moving smarter and constantly focused is what I’m getting at I guess. A few seconds of awareness can prevent months of recovery.
We need to think before we move. As equipment operators we’ve always heard look before moving the first inch. We’ll, as people we need to think before we move. Every step and every lift matters, every movement matters.
I think we need to make it personal. This isn’t about policy. This is about our life and livelihood. Oh, and here’s another pet peeve of mine. Why does everyone not use our companies near miss program? Doesn’t most everywhere have one? That’s a good question, please send me an email if your organization doesn’t have one or share why you do or don’t use it if so. I’ll pick a few answers and share them with our group. I know of a couple of facilities that have a weekly drawing for a free lunch card. You’re entered every time you fill out a quick electronic form and hit submit. Not as many associates participate as you’d think. I’ve heard things like I don’t want to rat out anybody, or that there business not mine. I hope that comes from the 1% and most of us realize we’re helping our peers not telling on them. We’re being paid, this isn’t school or on the streets. We’re protecting our friends and family. Anyway, near misses are warnings. Ignoring them is a choice.
And it is so important that companies recognize safe behavior. People repeat what gets noticed. It doesn’t cost much if anything to pat someone on the back and say good job! Even for a lead or supervisor or manager to speak up at the start up and recognize a job done well goes a long way.
At the end of the day, nobody remembers your case count, your productivity, and nobody is going to talk about how fast you moved. But you will remember an injury, a limitation going forward or a moment you wish you could redo.
Safety isn’t complicated. But it does require something from all of us. Awareness. Discipline. And ownership. Because safety? It’s not a poster. It’s not a meeting. It’s not even a program. It’s a decision. One you make every step. Every lift. Every single shift.
I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I enjoyed talking a little safety culture with you today. Let’s all do our part, be safe at work and at home, take care of ourselves and the family! Y’all be safe out there.
I’m glad you’re here with me today, because we’re going to talk about something that a lot of us think we want but may not fully understand what we chased until we’re in it. Today’s topic is about reaching for frontline management in the light industrial world, what it takes, why we chase it, and the real challenges and rewards that come with it. Because let me tell you, moving from doing the work to leading the work is one of the hardest transitions you’ll ever make in your career.
What brought all this up was a listener named Michele brought up that recently I had been talking about retirement, and how I felt it was important to plan for it even at an early age. She’d done a little research and read somewhere that seeking a position in management could help secure what she called the golden years. Well, I’m not sure where she read that or where she heard it, but I do have an opinion or two on the subject!
Let’s start with the why some people reach for management positions. Why do we want to become a lead, a supervisor, a manager? For some, I think it’s about growth.
We don’t want to stay in the same role forever, we want to learn more, do more, and build something or be a part of something bigger. For others, it’s about financial opportunity.
We hear about salaries, bonuses, incentives, and we think, that’s where I need to be.
And for many of us, it could be about recognition. We’ve put in the work. We’ve hit the numbers. We’ve been reliable. We’ve been that employee I’m always talking about. We want someone to say, You’re ready for the next step. And all of those reasons are valid. I still remember when I made the decision I was going to be the vice president of operations. I was working in the high rise department pulling groceries on the cherry picker. I was part of a 3 man team in the back. I was still in training when one evening a man came back there with a whole group of people dressed professionally. They were looking for some kind of product, I don’t remember exactly why, but the guy in front, well, you simply knew he was the boss of bosses. I asked my trainer, his name was Mike, who he was and he told me to stay away from him, he was the v.p. of operations. I told him I was going to have that guys job. 13 years later Mike came by my office and said you told me you wanted this job one day.
Where was I, so, let’s talk about something I’ve seen over and over again. In my opinion, one of the most common mistakes in our industry is promoting the most productive associate. The fastest selector. The best forklift operator. The one who never misses a number. And on paper, it may make sense. But in reality? I don’t know. Because high performers often love doing the work. They thrive on movement. They enjoy hitting numbers. They take pride in production. They love those challenges. But leadership? Leadership is different. Leadership is thinking instead of doing, planning instead of reacting, coaching instead of producing, and being responsible for others instead of just yourself. And not everyone wants that. Some people don’t want the responsibility or want to manage people. And that’s okay. But when we promote someone into leadership who doesn’t truly want to lead. I think we can set them, and the team, up for a struggle. All I’m saying is that we need to communicate and communicate well, from both sides. Some of us love what we do, and I’m a firm believer we need to love what we do, we’re going to be working for the rest of our lives!
Now let’s talk about the path. It isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. To me, becoming a leader isn’t a title, it’s a journey. It usually starts as a department lead, then a Supervisor, then maybe a Manager, and next possibly a Director. And for some, even a Vice President or above. Remember that journey can take years. And every step requires a different version of you. What made you successful as a selector won’t make you successful as a supervisor. What made you a great supervisor won’t carry you as a manager. You have to evolve. You have to learn things like being a great communicator, accepting accountability and decision making, conflict resolution, time management, and most importantly, managing people. What I like to refer to as human capital.
Ok, on to something that makes no sense. Sometimes, when you first step into management you might take a pay cut. And that surprises people. You go from hourly, with overtime, to salary. And suddenly you’re working more hours and carrying more responsibility, but your paycheck might look smaller, at least in the beginning. And that’s a tough pill for us to swallow. But here’s the long game, as you grow in leadership, opportunities open up. Bonuses, incentive programs, performance rewards, and career advancement. The earning potential can become much greater.
Let’s get to the real challenge for us. I mentioned human capital earlier. It’s not the numbers. It’s not the loads. It’s not the cases per hour. It’s people. For me, human capital was the most difficult part of leadership. Ok, people can be different, emotional, each can be motivated by different things, and each will be dealing with different situations outside of work . And now, as a leader, you’re responsible for all of it. You’re managing attendance issues, performance gaps, attitudes, conflicts, personal struggles, and of course a host of Safety concerns and maybe a few regulatory opportunities. And sometimes, you’re doing all of that before lunch!
Now let’s talk about one of the biggest challenges, and one of the most real. Managing people you used to hang out with. Yesterday you were on the floor together, you were taking breaks together, maybe even going out after work. Today, you’re holding them accountable, you’re coaching their performance, you might have to discipline them. None of that is easy.
Here’s a little bit more than an opinion of mine. You can’t lead effectively if you don’t create separation. It will not work. That doesn’t mean you stop respecting people and it doesn’t mean you become cold towards the old team. It does mean you set boundaries and stay consistent, you have treat everyone fairly. Because the moment your team feels favoritism you’ve lost credibility.
When you step into leadership, everything changes. You’re no longer responsible for just your performance. You’re responsible for everyone’s performance. If the shift misses its numbers or there’s a safety incident or if attendance is poor, it’s on you. That can be real pressure ladies and gentlemen. And it doesn’t shut off when you clock out. You’ll find yourself thinking about tomorrow’s staffing, rehashing decisions from the day, and thinking about next week’s plan. Leadership doesn’t always stay at work.
For me, one of the biggest changes was learning to think instead of just react. As an associate, I was focused on doing my task. As a leader, you’re focused on problem prevention. You have to start asking why did that happen? How do we prevent it from happening again? What process is broken? What training is missing? You move from doing the job to improving the job.
Ok, it’s probably worth noting that not everyone is meant to lead. And that’s not a negative thought. I think the people who thrive in leadership want to help others succeed, and can handle pressure, and are willing to constantly learn, and are willing and able to accept accountability, and can separate emotion from decision making.
The ones who struggle often miss the floor, avoid difficult conversations, play favorites and resist change, and take things personally. I think leadership requires a different mindset.
Now, with all that said, let’s talk about the rewards. There is nothing like watching someone you trained and mentored succeed, seeing your team hit their goals, building a strong culture, and knowing you made a difference. And yes, the financial rewards grow, our opportunities expand, and our career path opens up. But the biggest reward? For me any way was the Impact or influence. You’re no longer just part of the operation. You’re shaping it.
If you’re thinking about stepping into leadership, I want you to ask yourself a few questions. Do I want to lead or do I just want the title? Am I ready to be responsible for others? Can I handle tough conversations? Am I willing to grow and change? Because leadership isn’t about being in charge or being the boss. It’s about being responsible. And it’s not always easy. But for those who commit to it, it will be one of the most rewarding journeys you’ll ever take.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me, Marty T Hawkins, today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career. If you found value in this conversation, share it with someone who’s thinking about taking that next step. And remember. It’s one thing to do the work, it’s another thing to lead it.
And most importantly, y’all be safe out there, at work and at home!
Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty and It’s great to have you back this week. As I travel around to different facilities, and different regions, I’m hearing the phrase, no, not a phrase, I’m going with words, I hear the words, work life balance. Now, I’m going to tell you right up front, I believe in it. I believe in family, and I believe in taking time for the things that matter to us. Stick with me here for a moment, I’m not being negative, so bear with me for a few minutes. I believe in family and enjoying things that are important to us. But I also believe in something else, responsibility. Because before we can talk about balancing work and life, we’ve got to make sure we’re handling and understanding the work part of it don’t we. And in our world, light industrial, warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, this isn’t a conversation about convenience. I think it’s a conversation about commitment.
We hear the phrase, no not phrase, I mean the words work-lifebalance everywhere. But sometimes, I think it gets misunderstood. To me, balance doesn’t mean showing up when it’s convenient or leaving when things get tough or skipping out when something better comes along. To me that’s not balance. That could be construed as choosing life over responsibility, without planning for either. And here’s the old school thought.If we don’t protect our job, there’s nothing left to balance.
Let’s talk about what we do. Warehousing isn’t like retail and restaurants. There’s no one standing by waiting to jump in if someone calls out. When someone doesn’t show up. Freight still has to move, orders still have to be picked, trucks still have to be loaded, and customers are still expecting their delivery. And what really happens? The team absorbs it. Someone else works harder, someone stays later, and we all pick up the slack. And that’s where things get real. Because our decisions don’t just affect us, they affect everyone around us.
Here’s a quick example of what I’m talking about. We were putting together an out-of-state rollout. A big project with a tight timeline. We had about 25 people lined up, ready to go into a facility during a transition. Schedules were built. Travel was arranged. The plan was solid. I had been working with a supervisor for about three weeks getting everything ready, written out. So, three days before departure he came to me and said his brother was coming into town. He hadn’t seen him in a few years, and he decided to stay back and party that weekend. Now think about that. Not a family emergency. Not something unexpected. A decision. That one decision could have cost us the account, let down his entire team and cost them income and damaged our reputation. All that for two days. To me, that’s not work-life balance. Isn’t that walking away from responsibility?
Let’s talk about something we see all the time. An associate calls in and says I just need one more day, I had a long weekend. A small thing right? But here’s what happens. The shift starts short handed, productivity drops, the team has to adjust, and overtime increases for others. And here’s the kicker, we’ve all seen it, how It becomes after every holiday, after every late night, and after every weekend. And before long? That one day becomes our reputation.
Oh, and here’s a regular one. You’re scheduled for overtime. It’s been on the board for days. Maybe something like an inventory. Then something comes up, a cookout, a get-together, maybe just relaxing at home. And the decision is made, we call and state I’m not coming in. Now again, life happens. But this isn’t life happening. This is choosing convenience over commitment right? And what does that mean? Someone else stays late, they miss their plans and picks up our workload. Again, I don’t think that’s balance. Isn’t that passing responsibility to our teammate?
Ok, I hope we all say it. Family comes first. And I agree. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to handle it. Let’s say there’s a school event, a game, or a family gathering. We know about it in advance, but we don’t request the time off. Instead, the day of the shift we call and state I can’t make it today, I’ve got something to do with my family. Of course, the event matters. But the lack of planning? That’s what creates the problem. Because again, now there’s no coverage, no adjustment time, and no preparation. Responsible balance plans ahead. Irresponsible balance reacts last minute.
Alright, one more and for me this one hits us kind of hard. The lead or supervisor decides to step away during an important time, something like inventory or maybe new hire orientation. Maybe they leave early or they don’t show up at all. Maybe they’re just unavailable. And the mindset is the team will figure it out. But leadership isn’t about showing up when it’s easy. It’s about showing up when it matters most. When leadership is missing direction is lost, morale drops, and productivity suffers. And what about trust? Trust has to take a hit.
So, what does real work-life balance look like? I think it looks like planning ahead, communicating early, honoring commitments, understanding our role, and respecting your team. It’s not about doing less work. It’s about doing your work right, so you can enjoy your life without consequences.
I think instead of asking how do I balance work and life? Ask yourself, how do I manage my responsibilities so I can keep both? Because our job pays the bills, supports our family, and builds our future. And every decision we make either strengthens that or weakens it. So where did this mindset or concern come from, or how’d it come about. It didn’t just show up overnight.
I think at some point, somewhere along the way, the idea of work-lifebalance shifted from something healthy to something that can sometimes be misunderstood. Work-life balance didn’t start as a bad concept. In fact, I believe it came from a very real place. Years ago, especially in corporate environments, you had long hours, salary roles with no real cutoff time, people missing family events, holidays, even important life moments. And the push became we need balance. Meaning, take your vacation, spend some time with your family, and don’t let work consume your entire life. And that’s a good message, a necessary message.
Somewhere along the way, especially over the last 8 to 10 years, the meaning started to change. Instead of balance your responsibilities, it slowly became work should adjust to your life, whenever you want it to. And that’s where things started to get all blurry, for me at least. Because now we see thinking like, if I don’t feel like coming in, I shouldn’t have to. And my personal plans outweigh my work commitments. Or I’ll work when it fits my schedule. And in some industries, maybe there’s flexibility for that. But in operations? That mindset just doesn’t translate.
But being fair, we also have to look at how different industries shaped this thinking. Think about remote work environments, flexible schedules, oh and Gig work and contract roles. In those spaces you can log in later, you can shift your hours, and you can make up time. But in a warehouse? You can’t log in later to load a truck that already left. And you can’t circle back to pick an order that missed its delivery window. Time is tied directly to the operation. And I think sometimes we try to apply flexible-work thinking, to a non-flexible work environment.
And there’s probably a generational perspective at play to. I’m just talking and not pointing fingers. But I think different generations were raised with different messages about work. Many of us were taught to show up early, stay until the job is done, and that your word is your bond. And today, there’s more emphasis on mental health, personal time, and setting boundaries. Again, none of that is wrong. In fact, some of it is long overdue. But here’s my thought. Boundaries without accountability can become excuses. And accountability without boundaries can lead to burnout. I don’t think the answer is choosing one, It’s understanding both.
And we can’t ignore this part either. Social media, workplace culture shifts, and even corporate messaging have reinforced ideas like don’t let your job control your life, take time for yourself, no matter what, and you don’t owe your employer anything. Now, some of that comes from real experiences, people feeling overworked or undervalued. But when taken too far? I think it creates a mindset of my responsibility is optional. And, in my opinion, that’s dangerous in our team driven environment.
And this isn’t just on us employees. Employers played a role too. There have been times where companies overworked teams, understaffed there operations and didn’t properly recognize or reward effort. And when that happens? People pull back. They start thinking why should I give more if it’s not appreciated? So, part of this shift is a reaction. A correction. But like many corrections, sometimes it swings too far the other way.
So, where does all that leave us, and how do we take the good from work-life balance without losing the responsibility that keeps everything moving? Because in our world the freight still has to move, the customer still expects their delivery, and the team still depends on each other. And no amount of mindset change will alter that reality.
Maybe the answer isn’t “work-life balance” as a phrase. Maybe it’s Work-life responsibility. Where you plan your time off, you communicate your needs, you honor your commitments and you still make room for your life. Because both matter. But one supports the other.
And this brings us full circle. Remember that supervisor I mentioned earlier? His decision wasn’t about balance. It was about priority. And priorities show up in our actions, not our words. I think if we really want balance we have to ask ourselves, am I balancing my life, or am I avoiding my responsibilities? Because there’s a difference. That sounded harsh. But in our industry that difference shows up quickly.
So to close I want to say, absolutely work life balance matters and it is important. But in our industry, our positions, responsibility is important too. So take care of your family, enjoy your life, and be present for the moments that matter. But do it the right way. Plan it, communicate it, and respect the job that makes it all possible. Because at the end of the day balance isn’t about choosing one over the other. It’s about handling both.
Well, there’s my 2 cents on a difficult topic. I appreciate you stopping in again today and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Send us your thoughts to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com. We love getting mail. Until next week, please stay focused on the job and stay safe in all you do.
I’d like to talk about something that is a struggle right now, something I’m hearing from associates, candidates, recruiters, and even hiring managers. Why is it so hard to find a job today?
I had to pause for a second when this was brought up to me, that question doesn’t always make sense. We drive down the road and see now hiring signs everywhere. We hear companies are short-staffed. Warehouses are expanding, it seems like there’s new commercial complexes going up constantly, and we’re hearing how production lines are growing, and distribution centers are moving more freight than ever. So, what is or where is the disconnect? Why does it feel like opportunities are everywhere, yet landing one is harder than ever?
So, I wanted to look at it and break it down. And more importantly, I wanted to understand what’s really happening so we can figure this out and make it work for us.
I think first, we have to think about technology. Applicant Tracking Systems are being used, and they are much more detailed and programmable than ever before.
Years ago, getting a job was a much more personal process. You walked in, shook a hand, filled out an application, maybe had a quick conversation with a supervisor or hiring manager. Today? Most of that first step happens through a computer system. Applicant Tracking Systems, or the ATS, are now the front door to us. You don’t meet a person first. You meet a computer system first. And here’s the challenge. These systems are scanning resumes for keywords, job titles, specific skills, and experience that matches exactly what was posted. If your resume doesn’t match what the system is looking for, you may never get a call or be seen. And not because you’re not qualified or because you couldn’t do the job. But because your resume didn’t speak the system’s language.
Now let’s layer in something newer, AI. Artificial Intelligence is being used more and more in hiring. It helps companies sort through hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applicants. But here’s the reality, or my opinion at least. AI doesn’t understand potential and doesn’t see attitude or personality or our confidence and it can’t recognize work ethic. It looks for patterns or what it’s been prompted to find. So, if your experience doesn’t line up with the request and our job titles don’t match exactly or even If your resume isn’t structured correctly, oh, and, maybe the recruiter didn’t write the prompt correctly or specific enough, you can get filtered out before a human ever lays eyes on your name. To me that’s frustrating, but it’s also something we need to understand and adapt to.
Just being honest for a minute, we don’t know what to put on our resume. This is one of the biggest struggles I see in light industrial recruiting, or for me anyway. A lot of great workers, solid, dependable, experienced associates, don’t know how to present what they’ve done. We may say things like I worked in a warehouse, I loaded trucks, I picked orders. And while that’s true, it’s not enough in today’s environment. Because the system and the employer want more detail. They want to know things like what type of equipment did you use, what were your productivity numbers, did you use RF scanners, and if so what kind? Did you work in a fast-paced environment? Were you meeting or exceeding goals? You may have years of experience, but if it’s not clearly explained, It can look like you have very little.
Now let’s talk about something that doesn’t always get said out loud and another thing that I land on the wrong side of, where you live matters. Employers today are looking closely at commute distance, reliability, and transportation challenges Why you may ask? Because attendance is critical. In warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing, if someone doesn’t show up the line slows down, orders don’t get out, and those trucks don’t get unloaded or loaded. So companies often lean toward candidates who live closer. It’s not always about fairness, it’s about risk management. If two candidates have similar experience, the one with the shorter commute often gets the call. Another quick opinion, I tell people not to list their exact address, just the city. Of course, I guess that could hurt us also if the employer or hiring agent has a hundred others that listed theirs and they live withing 30 minutes of the facility!
Next up, background checks, a real barrier sometimes. Backgrounds matter. And in today’s world, they matter more than ever. Many companies have strict background requirements. And while there are still second chance employers out there, and I fully support them, the reality is, options can be more limited depending on the situation. This creates frustration for candidates who are ready to work and trying to move forward, and just looking for an opportunity, but keep hitting roadblocks. And that’s something we, as an industry, continue to work through. And some states have their own ideas and laws concerning our backgrounds and employment.
Now let’s talk about another sensitive, but very real, topic. Workplace expectations around our appearance. We’re seeing more face and neck tattoos, nose rings, ear spacers, and personal expression through style, and there’s nothing wrong with individuality. But here’s the challenge, not all workplaces have evolved at the same pace. Some environments, especially in food-grade facilities, manufacturing, and office or customer facing operations, still have policies around visible tattoos, jewelry and safety related appearance standards, and sometimes, those expectations can impact hiring decisions. It may not feel fair, but it is part of the current reality in many operations.
Another factor? The competition has changed. You’re no longer just competing with people in your neighborhood, or people who walk into the same office. You’re competing with online applicants, candidates from across the city, sometimes even across regions that may be willing to move closer. And with easy apply buttons, hundreds of people can apply for the same role in minutes. That increases competition and makes standing out even more important.
I think in many cases, it’s not a skills gap. It’s a communication gap. We have strong workers experienced on equipment that are comfortable in fast-paced environments, their reliable and capable. But they struggle to explain their experience or translate their skills onto paper and struggle to present themselves during the process, either on paper, on the phone or in the interview, and that gap can cost us opportunities.
So What Can We Do About It? Now I don’t want this to sound negative. Because while things have changed, they are not impossible. Far from it actually. We just have to adjust.
I do think we have to learn to Speak Resume though. We have to break down our experience, list the equipment we’ve used, the tasks performed, what our productivity expectations were and any Systems (RF, WMS, etc.) we’ve used.
And of course, we need to be honest and prepared. If you have challenges like transportation concerns, background, scheduling problems. Be upfront and look for employers who can align or work with them. We aren’t going to change anybody’s mind or their work shift.
And we should remember, Sometimes the door in isn’t necessarily your ideal job. But once you’re in, Opportunities can open up for us.
I want to say again that you’re not just applying to a person anymore. You’re applying to a process. And learning and accepting that process gives you an advantage.
So yes, finding a job today can feel harder. Not because there aren’t opportunities, but because the process has changed. Technology, employer expectations, the competition, and so many new policies, they’ve all evolved. And as workers, as leaders, as an industry, we have to evolve with it.
And with all that being said, I’m going to get back to work myself. I’m Marty T Hawkins and I appreciate your time and I hope you take another listen Warehouse and Operations as a Career next week. Until then work safe and live safe in everything you do.
While walking a warehouse with an old friend and ex coworker this week, he brought up what years ago we used to call our 1, 2, 3 of the day. It was a simple term we used for training new unloaders, sanitation, and order selectors. It came up as we were talking about how things are a little different in the workplace today. I won’t pick a side or even share my opinion on any right or wrong, but things are a bit different.
A quick example, well, let’s take the clerk position. My first job as a clerk I had a desk out in the warehouse. I had a company stapler, a 10 key calculator, a medal ruler, a wooden inbox on the right of the desk, and a handful of pens and highlighters. My computer was an older model with a wired keyboard and mouse that both got dropped like 5 times a week. Walking by a clerks desk the other day I saw a hello kitty keyboard and mouse, a framed picture of the spouse, a picture of the grandkids, what appeared to be a picture from a recent vacation or cruise, along with a decorative and matching set of pen, paperclips, binder clips, and post it notes holder. Of course, there was a cell phone charger and phone stand front and center, and a pair of work shoes off to the side. I think they changed shoes once at the desk. I think we’d all agree, the workforce talks and shares more about their outside of work activities than the old boomer group ever did! And that’s just a quick example, I think we all get the idea. Things are just much more social or comfortable, I think.
So anyway, the reason we were talking about the old 1,2,3 thoughts was because of those types of things and he had and employee come to him, questioning why he was so strict about the equipment pre trips being completed and everyone having to be in the start up area for the pre shift meeting at least 3 to 5 minutes early each day. He’d gotten in trouble a couple of times for both. That reminded us of the old training technique or program. I guess about now I need to throw in that I’m Marty and that I appreciate you stopping in here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career.
Today I want to talk about it, something simple, but incredibly powerful. Things that happen every single shift in every warehouse, distribution center, manufacturing facility, and production environment across our industry. It’s what I like to call the 1-2-3 of our day. Three things that set the tone for every shift, the Pre-Trip Inspection, the Start-Up Meeting, and Meeting Expectations.
Now none of these things are given the attention, no that’s not the right word, none of them are given the status they deserve. But I’ll tell you something after more than forty years in this industry these three habits separate the professionals from the people just punching a clock. If we get these three things right every day, our careers will grow, our facilities will run better, and most importantly, everyone goes home safe every shift
The first responsibility, or our number 1 of the day for any equipment operator, or anyone operating machinery, is the pre-trip inspection. Whether you’re operating a forklift, the stand-up reach truck, order picker, electric pallet jack, lets see, what else have we mentioned lately, oh, the floor scrubber, conveyor system or any type of production machinery, you should never just hop on and go. The pre-trip inspection is our first safety moment of the shift. And it serves two very important purposes.
First, it protects you. When you perform a proper pre-trip inspection, you are confirming that the equipment you’re about to operate is safe. You’re checking things like, fork condition, hydraulic leaks, tires and wheels, the steering, horn and alarms, any lights and warning beacons, battery or propane levels, safety guards and chains, and the brakes and lift functions. If something is wrong and you don’t check it, guess who ends up responsible when something happens? You, the operator. But if you perform your inspection properly and report an issue, you have done your job. You have protected yourself and others.
Second, it protects the company. Equipment failures can cause accidents, product damage, injuries, downtime and expensive repairs. A five-minute inspection can prevent thousands of dollars in damage. Think about that. Five minutes.
In many cases, pre-trip inspections are required documentation. So, when you take your pre-trip seriously, you’re not just protecting yourself and keeping yourself safe, you’re protecting and keeping your coworkers safe as well, and your supervisors, and your company. The professional operators I’ve known over the years all had one thing in common, they never skipped their pre-trip.
Once our equipment or machinery is inspected and the shift is ready to begin, the next critical moment of the day is the start-up meeting. This is our number 2. Now I’ve heard associates say things like it’s just a quick meeting, I already know what we’re doing, it’s the same thing every day. The start-up meeting is actually one of the most important parts of the shift, because this is where communication happens. And in warehousing and operations, communication keeps the wheels turning.
During a good start-up meeting, several important things are usually covered. First up would be the safety topic. Almost every professional operation begins the shift with a brief safety message. It might be about forklift awareness, proper lifting, pedestrian traffic, dock safety, and now with it warming up I’ll add hydration, ergonomics, and things like recent near-miss incidents. These small reminders keep safety fresh in everyone’s mind.
And when safety is discussed daily, it becomes part of the culture. Next comes the plan for the shift. Your supervisor may review things like expected case counts, number of loads to ship or receive, order volumes, any special projects we may have going on, inventory activities, and any staffing assignments. And we’ll learn about any operational updates or updates that may affect the shift like new procedures, any equipment issues or customer requirements, trailer schedules, quality concerns or maintenance alerts. The start-up meeting keeps everyone on the same page.
If you miss the start-up meeting, or show up late, you miss all that important information. You may not know the safety focus for the day, your assignment, production and productivity expectations, or process changes. And when someone misses that information, mistakes happen. That’s why professional associates treat the start-up meeting like it matters, because it does. Showing up early and ready tells your supervisors you’re serious about your job.
Ok, After the pre-trip inspection and the start-up meeting, the shift begins. Now comes the third part of our 1-2-3. Every warehouse, manufacturing facility, and distribution center runs on expectations. These expectations usually fall into three main areas. First would be productivity. In operations, productivity is measured and we hear terms like cases per hour, pallets per hour, lines per order, loads per shift, picks per hour, etc. Meeting productivity expectations doesn’t mean rushing or cutting corners. It means staying focused, minimizing downtime, working with purpose and confidence. See how I threw that in there from last week! Oh, and I want to add understanding the workflow. And I want to say again that when associates consistently meet productivity goals, supervisors take notice.
The second area is safety. Productivity is important. But safety always comes first. Meeting expectations here means following equipment and machine procedures, wearing required PPE, doing our part and reporting hazards, operating equipment responsibly, watching for pedestrians, taking shortcuts out of the equation. The best associates understand a safe shift is a successful shift. No load, no order, and no production number is worth someone getting hurt.
Another part of meeting expectations, or the third area, is how we end the shift. Good operations teams know the importance of setting the next shift up for success. Sometimes called setting the plate. That may include cleaning work areas, returning equipment, charging batteries, wrapping pallets, staging loads properly, completing paperwork, and reporting any equipment issues. In many facilities, people call this closing the doors. When the next shift arrives, they should be able to step into an organized operation, not a mess left behind. That’s professionalism.
So, I’ve said a lot. Remember earlier I said I wanted to talk about something simple, but incredibly powerful? Well, every shift in operations really follows the same rhythm, our 1, the pre-trip inspection. We confirm equipment is safe and ready. Our 2, the start-up meeting. We communicate the plan and align the team. And our 3, meeting the expectations. We execute the work safely, productively, and professionally. Three simple steps. But when we commit to these three habits, something powerful happens. Supervisors begin to trust us and the team. Managers begin to notice us. And Opportunities begin to appear. Because in the warehouse world, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that reliability is everything. The associates who build strong careers aren’t always the loudest, the fastest, or the most experienced. They’re the ones who show up every day and consistently do their jobs and meet their expectations.
So tomorrow when you walk into your facility, think about the 1-2-3 of the shift. Take your pre-trip inspection seriously. Pay attention during the start-up meeting. And commit yourself to meeting expectations throughout the day. 3 Simple things, right?
Well, thanks for checking in again today and I hope we gave you an idea or two, at least something to think about. If you have a topic you’d like a little information on, send me a message at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and I’ll find us an answer! Have a productive, prosperous, and above all a safe week out there ladies and gentlemen!
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and today I thought we’d talk about something that probably is not listed on any job description, job board advertisement, or our resumes even. But I think it plays a huge role in how we perform our work and how we grow in our careers. That is confidence. Confidence is one of those qualities that quietly shape our success. Oxford languages states confidence as a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.
In the warehouse environment, we can all learn to perform the tasks and learn how to operate equipment and machines. Those are skills that can be trained. But confidence is what allows us toperform those skills consistently, safely, and professionally. Confidence helps us trust our training. And I think Confidence in our abilities and that training helps us make good decisions.
In the light industrial world, confidence usually starts with us learning the job. When someone is new to a facility, everything feels unfamiliar. There are a lot of new faces, new processes, and new expectations. Sometimes even new equipment or different models than we’ve driven. It can feel overwhelming at first. But over time, as we begin to understand the workflow, we become more comfortable. We start recognizing product locations, understanding the pace of the operation, and we begin trusting our training. And that’s when confidence starts to develop.
You know that feeling when you have years of experience with a task know you’re good at it. Confidence is what allows us to step onto a forklift and operate it smoothly. It allows an order selector to move through the aisles safely and efficiently, it allows a loader to build a safe and stable trailer for delivery. I’m convinced that confidence grows from our training, repetition, and experience. The more we learn our role, the more confident we become in performing it correctly.
Confidence is also closely tied to workplace safety. In many situations, accidents happen when someone is unsure of what they’re doing. Maybe they hesitate with equipment. And you know I’m going to mention how we should never, ever, get on a piece of equipment or operate a machine that we have not been trained on or certified to operate. Ok, where was I, I was talking about situations where accidents may happen. Oh, here’s where I left off. Maybe we guess at something instead of following the correct procedure. Or try to rush through something we don’t fully understand. Confidence helps prevent those situations from happening.
When an employee is confident in their training, they are more likely to follow procedures correctly and operate equipment smoothly. Being confident helps us recognize hazards and dangers quickly, and to stop when something doesn’t feel right.
In my experience, confident employees are also more comfortable speaking up. They will report a near miss, and will ask questions when something looks unsafe. They will stop a process if something appears dangerous. That kind of confidence strengthens our teams safety culture. Safety isn’t just about rules and policies. It’s about people having the confidence to apply those rules every single day.
And here’s one of those opinions of mine. Confidence isn’t only about skills. It’s also about our character. Every workplace requires a level of trust. We trust that employees will follow safety procedures. We trust that inventory will be handled correctly. We trust that equipment will be operated responsibly. Confidence in our ethics and professionalism is what allows that trust to exist. As we’ve talked about before, and I’m only repeating it again today because it’s really that important. That means showing up on time. Taking responsibility for our work. Admitting mistakes when they happen. And doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Those behaviors build a reputation. And over time, that reputation becomes something very powerful. People begin to see you as someone they can rely on. Confidence in your character often leads to increased responsibility and opportunity. Our managers are looking for that kind of confidence. Meaning, confidence also plays a major role in career development.
Many careers in warehousing start with entry-level positions. Unloading trailers, sanitation work, pallet sorting, or general labor. But the associates who continue to grow are usually the ones who develop confidence in their abilities. They begin to volunteer for new responsibilities, ask to learn different equipment, and ask questions about other departments. Its confidence that allows us to say, “I think I can learn that.” or “I’d like to try that role.” That willingness to step forward often leads to cross-training opportunities, and cross-training leads to new skills. And those new skills often lead to promotions or leadership roles. Confidence helps people see possibilities they might not have seen before.
I’ve always thought that Supervisors and managers have a responsibility in helping employees develop confidence. Confidence grows in environments where people are trained properly and supported while learning. When leaders take time to teach processes clearly, employees feel more prepared. I know when I’m encouraged to ask questions, I’m more comfortable speaking up. When managers recognize progress, employees gain pride in their work. Those simple actions can make a huge difference. Confidence spreads throughout a team when employees feel supported. And when a team operates with confidence, productivity and safety often improve together.
Confidence is also reinforced by our daily habits. Showing up prepared for work, following procedures, maintaining a positive attitude, and of course taking our training seriously. These habits help us feel in control of our responsibilities. It’s easier for me to know what is expected and know how to perform my tasks. And for me Confidence never appeared overnight. It built up through consistent effort over time.
Now, throughout this quarter I’ve also been talking about another word that is important in our workplaces. That word is purpose. Purpose is a different concept than confidence, but it is something worth thinking about. Purpose is about understanding why our work matters. Why safety and professionalism matter. And why we take pride in the roles we perform every day. Purpose helps us see that our work is part of something bigger than a single shift. And that our work supports our teammates and our families. I believe when employees understand the purpose behind their work, they often approach their responsibilities with greater commitment and pride, and dare I say with confidence.
If there is one message I hope you leave us today with it’d be that confidence is something you build. It is built through training, experience, discipline, and professionalism.
In the light industrial world, confidence can carry you a long way. It can help you perform your job safely, develop new skills, and grow into leadership roles. And like I said earlier, it can help you build a reputation as someone who takes their work seriously.
If you work in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, production, or transportation, remember to take the time to learn your craft. Ask questions when you need help. Respect those safety procedures. And stand strong in your values.
And allow your confidence to grow through experience and discipline. Over time, those qualities will shape not only how you perform your job, but how your career develops. Because in this industry, the people who succeed are not just the fastest workers or the strongest operators. They are the ones who bring confidence, professionalism, and integrity to their work every day.
Well, with all that being said, I’ll get back to work myself! I appreciate you taking time with us today and I hope to see you again next week. And please be safe and stay focused in all you do.
So, I sat down at the mic and I don’t have a clue what I’m going to talk about today! I’ve had a lot of questions come across over the last few weeks, let me look at those I guess. Oh, and I’m Marty and I appreciate you joining us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career this week. Ok, where’s my bullet points. I’ve made a few notes on several of them, so let’s talk about a couple of those. Ok, a listener wrote that I mention retirement quite a bit. That’s an important topic so let’s start there.
Now I know, if you’re 20 years old unloading trucks, running a pallet jack, selecting cases at 180 cases per hour, or learning how to operate a stand-up reach forklift retirement does not enter your mind, you’re thinking about the paycheck because you’ve got bills to pay!
Retirement is not something you reach, it’s something you build. And whether you realize it or not, you are already working toward it every single shift.
When you start your career in the light industrial arena, you’re focused on making it through the probation period, learning the WMS, hitting your productivity numbers, maybe getting cross-trained or learning that next position and the next promotion. Retirement is nowhere on the radar.
But the truth is, the day you receive your first paycheck from a company that reports your earnings, you begin building your retirement record. Every time you punch in and your employer withholds taxes, you’re contributing to the system. And that system keeps score.
So Let’s talk about Social Security for just a minute. No politics. No noise. It probably should be said that I am no authority on the social security system or tax system and by no means a retirement advisor so take nothing I say today as gospel and if you have serious questions reach out to someone other than an operations guy!
So some notes I took from a quick internet search tells me that you earn work credits by working and paying into the system. You can earn up to 4 credits per year. Most people need 40 credits, about 10 years of work, to qualify for retirement benefits.
If you work “under the table” and your earnings aren’t reported, you are not earning credits. You might feel like you’re ahead today, but you’re stealing from your future self, and your future self will live with that decision.
Our earnings can matter more than we think. I understand that Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of earnings. That means that promotions matter, our raises matter. Those certifications will matter. Moving from general labor to equipment operator can matter.
When I talk about building a career instead of just working a job, this is part of what I mean. Higher reported earnings over time can mean hundreds of dollars more per month in retirement. And that difference lasts for the rest of your life.
Here’s something most young workers may not understand. Presently, you can begin drawing Social Security as early as age 62. But if you do, your monthly benefit is reduced. For many younger workers today, full retirement age is 67. If you wait beyond that, up to age 70, your monthly benefit increases even more.
Here’s how someone explained it to me. If you clock out early every shift, your paycheck is smaller. If you stay the full shift, sometimes even staying for the overtime, the paycheck grows and is larger. Retirement works the same way. And once you choose when to start collecting or drawing your social security, that decision follows you for life.
Here’s something else that we need to understand. Social Security was designed as a foundation, not the whole house! If your facility offers a 401(k), an employer match, a Roth option, make sure we ask questions understand those things. If your employer matches contributions, that is free money.
I’ve seen young associates pass on it because they “need every dollar right now.” I understand that. I really do. But even $25 or $50 a week, invested consistently over 30 or 40 years, can grow into something meaningful because of compound growth. Time is your greatest asset when you’re young. Not your strength and not speed or productivity. In this instance time is our greatest financial asset!
We all know Warehousing is demanding. Loading trucks, Selecting cases, operating equipment and working 10-hour shifts on concrete floors is rough. Your body is strong in your 20s, even in your 30s, you still bounce back. Then In your 40s, you start noticing things. By your 50s and 60s? You respect recovery time a lot more. Planning for retirement isn’t about quitting work. It’s about having options. And planning can get us there.
You’ve heard me mention Career planning vs. Paycheck planning. A paycheck mindset says “I just need this week covered.” Whereas our career mindset says “I’m building something that lasts.” When you show up on time every shift, protect your attendance record, willingly accept cross-training, maybe learn inventory control and learn dispatch, or learn how the operation works. You are increasing your lifetime earnings potential. And our lifetime earnings impact our retirement. Everything is connected.
I want to mention the forty credits. That’s the minimum many workers need to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Ten years of documented, reported work. That’s not a long time. But if you spend years bouncing in and out of undocumented work, quitting without records, or not paying attention to your earnings history, you can delay or reduce your benefits. It’s important to review your earnings record periodically, make sure it’s accurate. This is your future income.
If you’re 20-something listening to this start early, build skills, increase earnings, and think long term. Don’t sacrifice tomorrow for temporary comfort today.
I think retirement is about having the choice to mentor part-time, consult, volunteer, travel, spend time with family and friends, or simply rest. But choice only comes with planning.
You are already working toward retirement. Forty credits. Thirty-five years of earnings. Small weekly investments. Consistent growth and career decisions that increase long-term value. This is the long game. And in warehousing, just like in life, the long game is what matters most.
Ok, enough of all that. Here’s one more bullet point I wanted to mention. I jotted this down a couple of weeks ago, I don’t remember who asked about it, but I’m asked the question almost monthly. How am I going to get a job as a forklift driver if no company is willing to train me? A fair question, but honestly, most all companies train people to operate their forklifts. There are no shortcuts to becoming an equipment operator. I urge associates interested in being equipment operators to target a company within a distance from the house that you can commit to the commute for every shift. Make sure they are using the kind and type of equipment you’re wanting to drive and take any utility position to get your foot in the door with them. Show up every day with a great attitude and be willing to learn every task they offer you. After about 3 to 6 months of being that employee, approach your manager and share your goal of being an operator. Companies train their associates. An employee knows the warehouse, they know every item, they know how the warehouse flows and works. Yes, you can take a short course and pay for a license. That’s a whole story on its own, that I won’t climb up on my soap box about right now, anyway, what you’re likely to find is that the first question a hiring agent is going to ask is, how much experience do you have? When we get our foot in the door as an unloader, loader, maybe even a sanitation associate, or almost any general labor job, our management team is more apt to work with us. They already have an investment in us, and we’ve shown them, and now told them, that we have a goal, and a plan. We’re going to be the safest and most productive equipment operator they’ve ever trained. Companies do train operators, they have to train them because it can take many months, even years to be a productive operator. So to answer the question. Companies do train. In my opinion, we have to work ourselves into the position. Theres no class that can teach us everything. We develop those skills over time, through experience. And that’s my 2 cents on that!
Theres my own personal thoughts on two points today. I hope I mentioned something that helped you or got you to thinking about a plan. Until next week, please be safe at work and at home, stay focused on the task at hand. We all want to do it again tomorrow!
Hi all, I’m Marty and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career.
Today we’re talking about one of the more important roles on the shipping side of things, and oddly, it’s hardly ever brought up. I find myself discussing it today only because a listener wrote in that they had applied for the position and was told they would need at least 1 year of equipment experience for the position. We’re talking about the Short Chaser.
If you’ve never worked in a high-volume grocery, retail, produce, or foodservice DC, this position may not even be on your radar. But if you have, well, you know why I mentioned it’s a very important role. When a trailer is staged, sealed, and about to be dispatched or leave the yard, yet the paperwork says we’re missing a case of product, there is only one person standing between our success and customer dissatisfaction. The Short Chaser.
Today we’re going to break down why the position exists, how the WMS helps drive it, some of the different types of equipment used to accomplish the task, the pressure and safety considerations, and why it’s actually one of the best career-building roles in outbound operations. But then, as we’ve learned, in my humble opinion anyway, is that every position in the light industrial fields are great career building opportunities.
So why is the short chaser needed or why is it such an important role? Well, in large distribution centers, outbound selection is built on speed and engineered productivity standards. The Order Selectors are measured by things like cases per hour (CPH), lines per hour, and maybe pallets per hour. And then you’ll have their Direct vs. indirect time metrics and travel time efficiency. In these environments, we cannot afford for selectors to stop and wait when a pick slot is empty.
So here’s what happens. A selector travels down the aisle. They scan the location. The slot is empty. The Replenishment hasn’t been dropped yet or the inventory count is off for one reason or another. Instead of waiting, which would destroy productivity metrics and delay the batch, the selector marks the item short in their RF unit and continues moving. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) logs that short against the load. Multiply that by 40 to 60 selectors across a shift. It adds up quick! Now you have a short list or another batch created.
Once the replenishment has been made, the WMS recognizes that inventory is now available. It then creates what most operations call a short batch. This batch includes load number, trailer number, stop number, SKU or item number, quantity shorted, slot location, and required completion time or dispatch time. The Short Chaser logs into their RF device and sees a prioritized list, usually sorted by the dispatch time. So, this role is a little bit selection, and a little bit loading, but really 100% recovery. The order selectors are pulling throughout the shift, the short chaser is of course running behind the original batch, gathering any missed or shorted cases. That means the Short Chaser operates closest to dispatch time. And in distribution, the dispatch time is sacred. If a trailer misses its dispatch window drivers lose hours, customer delivery windows are affected, route sequencing breaks down, we’re outside the WMS perimeters, think of it as manual mode, and of course overtime increases and service levels can drop. So the Short Chaser works under what I like to call controlled urgency. Not chaos or panic. But controlled urgency!
Now Depending on the facility, the Short Chaser may use several types of powered industrial equipment. In the produce or specialty world we may be using the single electric rider pallet jack. Ideal for quickly grabbing partial pallets or a few cases and delivering them directly to dock or staging area for the loaders or even running the product out to the yard and adding them to the trailer. Fast, agile, and highly maneuverable. When multiple shorts are tied to the same trailer or dispatch times, the double rider jack allows movement of two pallets at once, reducing travel time and improving efficiency. We may even use the sit-down forklift, it could be used when handling full pallets, or delivering larger quantities of freight directly to trailers staged in the yard. Of course, the short chaser role requires certification and strong equipment handling skills. There is no room for unsafe operation, especially with urgency involved.
I mentioned the yard, maybe I should explain what I meant. In many large operations, once trailers are loaded, they are pulled from dock doors and staged in the yard awaiting dispatch or the driver arriving. The Short Chaser’s job can expand beyond the building. They may need to identify the correct trailer in the yard, verify trailer number and route number, confirm the stop sequence, properly load secure the product, ensure the load stability and communicate back to dispatch that the load is complete and ready to go.
Sounds simple right? Think about this though. Delivering a short to the wrong trailer is worse than not delivering it at all. Because now you’ve created two shortages. Again, in our environment, accuracy is critical. Let’s paint a real-world scenario. It’s 45 minutes before dispatch. Three trailers are staged. The short batch drops with 22 SKUs, across 3 routes, with 3 different dispatch times. What does a great Short Chaser do? They prioritize by dispatch time, our warehouse route complexity or the possible different pick path we’ll be taking, the items difficulty, or things like stack ability and weight. We can’t stack a 50 case on top of eggs, and then of course the yard location. They communicate early. They don’t wait until 5 minutes before dispatch to say, “I can’t find this item.” They involve replenishment or inventory control immediately.
Here’s where, I feel, the role becomes powerful for career growth. A strong Short Chaser begins to recognize patterns. They see certain SKUs consistently being shorted, replenishments that seem to always take longer to be made, slotting inefficiencies, Mis-picks during selection and cycle count issues. They begin to understand the system says one thing, but the slot sometimes says another. This is how future inventory control specialists are born. This is how future supervisors learn to ask things like why are we shorting this item three times a week? I guess I’m saying the short chaser sees things and we should speak up and communicate. It’ll only help us in our careers.
Ok, I’ve used the word urgency several times, but it cannot override our discipline. A few of the common risks in this role include speeding through the aisles, cutting through the cross aisles, yard traffic, blind corner visibility issues and fatigue late in shift when people are tired. The expectation must be clear. You cannot rush safety.
When Short Chasers perform well, our success shows with improved on-time dispatch, higher fill rates, reduced customer claims, and reduced driver wait time. Operations managers know a strong short chasing process protects revenue, because incomplete deliveries damage our customer relationships.
And our modern WMS platforms are becoming more advanced too. We now see real-time replenishment triggers, automated alerts for low slots, dynamic slotting has really helped the order selector, Voice-directed picking systems and even AI forecasting. All these improvements reduce shorts, but they will never eliminate them entirely. Physical inventory and system inventory will never be perfect. There will always be human error, inventory discrepancies, slotting adjustments and late replenishments.
Here’s why I believe this is one of the strongest development roles in outbound operations. The Short Chaser learns WMS navigation and logic, Dispatch prioritization, Yard operations and why trailers are staged where they are, Cross-department communication, Inventory issues, and how to balance productivity. This naturally transitions into dock Lead or outbound Lead roles. Dispatch Coordinator, Inventory Control assignments and even Supervisor positions.
The best ones share some of these common traits. We’ll be calm under pressure, detail-oriented, and be a strong communicator, confident and skilled on the equipment, system literate and safety disciplined.
So if you’re listening today and you’re working in sanitation, selection, loading, or general warehouse operations and you want to understand the bigger picture, pay attention to the Short Chaser role.
When that trailer door closes and the seal goes on and the route leaves complete and accurate, that’s not luck. That’s execution. And the Short Chaser is often the last line of defense before that door shuts.
Well, there’s a bit on another great light industrial position! I hope you all join us again next week, and that each of you sends over a topic you’d like to hear a bit about. We love getting mail each week! Until then, remember to put safety first in all that you do and to never get on or touch a machine or piece of powered industrial equipment you’ve not been trained on and certified to operate. Yall be safe out there.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today we’re talking about a piece of equipment that almost everyone in our industry recognizes, but not everyone fully understands it. If you’re a long time listener you’ll remember I spent about 6 years operating it on the 2nd shift, in the outbound operations within the food service distribution arena.
We’re going to talk about the cherry picker today. Now its proper name, or if your ordering one from the manufacturer, it’ll be referred to as an order picker. This machine helped shape the modern warehouse, the newer e-commerce departments, and really, distribution as a whole. It’s increased productivity, allowed us to build higher racking, with many more selection slots, helping reduce the buildings footprint, reducing the cost of real-estate needed. But it’s also one of the most unforgiving pieces of equipment to operate. So today, I want to really walk through where the order picker came from, why it exists, what it’s good at, where and what it struggles with, how it’s used, and most importantly, the dangers, limitations, and responsibility that come with it. This isn’t just about the equipment. And I know I harp on it, but it’s about our mindset, maturity, and our career. And you ought to know, I’m going to take this opportunity to again stating that you should never get on or even touch a piece of equipment or machine that you have not been trained and certified to be on. Now that all that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the cherry picker!
Believe it or not, the cherry picker didn’t start in a warehouse. Its earliest versions were used in agriculture, specifically for harvesting fruit. Farmers needed a way to lift workers safely into trees so they could hand-pick produce without ladders or unsafe climbing. The concept was simple, instead of bringing the fruit down, bring the worker up. As warehousing evolved, especially in the mid-20th century, that same idea became essential indoors. Warehouses started growing up instead of out. Land became expensive. Inventory counts increased. SKU or item counts exploded. Full pallets weren’t always the answer anymore. Traditional forklifts could move pallets just fine, but they couldn’t safely lift people to pick individual cases. And that’s where the order picker was born. By combining a powered industrial truck with an elevated operator platform, warehouses could store product higher, pick individual cases efficiently, reduce walking and ladder use, and dramatically increase picking productivity.
Over time, these machines were refined with better controls, safety systems, harness requirements, and more stable designs. What we ended up with is one of the most productive, and demanding machines in the building.
The defining feature of an order picker is simple but powerful, the operator rises or goes up in the air, up to the higher pick slots with the platform and forks, with a pallet usually. And that changed everything. Instead of pulling pallets down to floor level or relying on ladders and mezzanines, the operator works directly at the pick face or pick slot.
Here’s why that matters. First, vertical access.
Order pickers allow warehouses to fully utilize high-bay racking. Space that would otherwise be wasted becomes valuable inventory real estate. Second, case-level picking. This machine is built for piece and case selection, not full pallet movement. That makes it ideal for retail, grocery, and e-commerce operations where accuracy matters as much as or more than speed. Third, productivity and accuracy. A trained operator following a clean pick path can maintain a strong cases-per-hour average while reducing errors, with less walking, less searching for the product, less backtracking. And fourth, when used properly, reduced physical strain. The machine does the lifting, not the operator. No constant ladder climbing. No unsafe stretching to reach the product. And no carrying cases long distances. But, and this is a biggie, all of those benefits only exist when the equipment is used correctly and the warehouse is layed out and slotted properly.
It needs to be said that order pickers are a specialized piece of equipment. They are not one-size-fits-all machines. They perform best in the high-bay warehouses, and narrow-aisle configurations. They require clean, dry, flat floors, and facilities with defined pick paths and in operations with high SKU and item counts.
They are common in retail distribution centers, grocery warehouses and those large e-commerce fulfillment operations. They are not ideal for outdoor use, on uneven or damaged flooring, and up front in our dock areas or congested pedestrian zones and walkways. If your facility isn’t designed for elevated picking, an order picker becomes more risk than reward.
Now we get to the part that separates training from experience. The order picker is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in the warehouse if misused. The biggest risk is obvious, falls from height. That’s why harnesses and are not optional and why lanyards must be properly anchored and why gates must be closed before elevation. A fall from an order picker is rarely a minor incident. It’s usually life-altering or worse.
Another major risk is stability. Order pickers are designed to lift vertically, not travel or turn at height. Sudden movements, improper positioning, or failure to fully lower before traveling can and will create serious tip-over hazards. Then there are the pinch points and struck-by hazards. Operators work inches from steel racking, the beams, and product. One moment of distraction can result in crushed fingers, head injuries, or worse. And I want to point out, one of the most common unsafe behaviors, and that is overreaching. Instead of repositioning the truck, operators may stretch just a little farther. That’s when our balance can be or is lost, and that’s when falls happen. Your machine will always win that fight.
A professional order picker operator follows a rhythm and the rules. It starts with his or her pre-shift inspection. Brakes, tires, controls, mast, chains, horn, lights, harness, and lanyard. This isent just more paperwork or a law, it’s self-preservation! Mounting the platform means three points of contact. Harness on. Lanyard secured and the gate closed and latched.
Traveling means forks down, eyes up, horn used when needed, and awareness of surroundings. When elevating, the operator is square to the rack, lifts smoothly, and keeps their body inside the platform. No leaning and no shortcuts. After the pick is completed, the platform comes all the way down before travel every time. That consistency, following the procedure is what prevents injuries.
Lets see, what else, uh, let’s talk about some of the controls. Theres several different models but most order pickers share common controls, forward and reverse travel, lift and lower, steering controls, a horn, an emergency stop, a deadman switch, and a battery indicator, and a pallet clamp or pallet grab vice. A trained operator doesn’t just know what each control does. They know to use them.
It’s important to understand that training is not optional. Operating an order picker is not a right, and it’s a lot of responsibility. Of course that proper training includes classroom instruction, demonstration of the controls and handling, a hands-on evaluation, a review of the site-specific hazards and the observation and certification. Our powered industrial truck training or PIT training. And here’s another opportunity for me to state to never, ever, get on or touch a piece of equipment or machine that you’ve not been trained or certified to be on or operate!
And remember that authorization can be removed if unsafe behavior is observed or we don’t act and operate it responsibly, and that’s not punishment, that’s our own fault and for our own good and the good of others. Because the goal isn’t speed. The goal is going home.
Here’s the bigger takeaway. The order picker rewards discipline, patience, awareness and respect for process and position.
By the way, those same traits are what make great leads, supervisors, and managers. People who master this equipment often become the people others trust because they understand the consequences. The cherry picker teaches you that rushing doesn’t save time. Shortcuts don’t make you efficient and safety isn’t a rule, it’s a responsibility.
I loved my time on the cherry picker, it is one of the most powerful tools in the warehouse and one of the most dangerous when disrespected. The difference in those two statements isn’t the machine. It’s the operator.
I always love talking about the many different pieces of equipment and the machines we use in our industry. If you have any positions or tools used in the light industry world, shoot us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com or post a comment on our Facebook page using @whseops, or hit us up on Instagram at waocpodcast and I’ll do my best to find us an answer! Well, I hope you enjoyed today’s episode and thanks for spending your time with us, and I’d appreciate it if you’d share the show with a friend or two! Remember to respect our equipment, to be safe at all we do, and that we have others depending on us and waiting for us to return home each day! Y’all be safe out there!
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get people excited. No machines, nothing about forklifts, and no mention of productivity or numbers. I’d like to talk about paperwork. I know I know, but this isn’t boring paperwork. This is the paperwork of life. The kind of documents that quietly follow you from your first job all the way to retirement. The kind that, when handled correctly, makes life easier, and when ignored, can create stress, delays, lost money, or even lost opportunities.
I was looking for the right word here, I highlighted the words personal responsibility, and that’s not what I’m looking for, but there are things we, ourselves, need to make sure we get right. So instead of harping on what we need to do I’ll just speak to it in an, “I’ve seen how this plays out” kind of way. Because here’s the truth, no company, no HR department, no recruiter, no government agency cares about your paperwork more than you do, and they never will.
When someone gets a job offer, they’re excited. And they should be. But onboarding isn’t just about orientation videos and a badge. From day one, you’re asked to complete documents like I-9 employment verification, W-4 tax forms, Direct deposit information, Benefit elections, Emergency contacts, Policy acknowledgments. And these aren’t just forms. These documents determine whether you can legally work, how and when you get paid, how much tax is withheld, whether you have insurance, and who gets called if there are any problems or emergencies.
When onboarding paperwork is filled out incorrectly, or rushed through, problems can start immediately. Delayed paychecks. Incorrect tax withholdings. Missed benefits. And the worst part? Most of those problems are preventable. Here’s a tip or an opinion I guess, if a document affects your pay, your health, or your job security, slow down. Ask questions if you do not understand something. Especially anything like deductions. Read what you’re signing. If you don’t understand a box, don’t guess. Guessing on official paperwork almost always comes back around to us.
The I-9 form is one of the most misunderstood documents in employment, and one of the most important. This form verifies your identity and your legal authorization to work in the United States. It requires specific documents, completed within a specific timeframe. If our hiring agent doesn’t properly complete the I-9 you may not be allowed to start work. Your employment could be delayed, or you could be terminated, not for performance, but for a compliance issue. This isn’t personal. It’s just the law. As a worker, our responsibility is simple but serious. We need to bring valid, acceptable documents, make sure names match exactly, and pay attention to dates and signatures. Just this week I’ve heard about 3 individuals that met all the qualifications for a position, interviewed great, was offered the position, only to say that they didn’t bring 2 forms of I.D. Their hiring process was delayed until they could return with their documents. For one of them the position was filled before she could return. And to our recruiter, being unprepared for an I-9 and the onboarding sends a message, fair or not, that you didn’t take the process seriously.
Taxes are another area where people often say, I’ll just fill it out the way I always do. That mindset can cause problems for us. Your W-4 determines how much money is withheld from each paycheck. Too little withheld? You might owe money at tax time. Too much withheld? You’re giving the government an interest-free loan all year. And it’s important to remember that life changes, marriage, kids, second jobs, side work, all affect how your W-4 should be filled out. Here’s another tip or opinion! Our paycheck is our responsibility. If something looks off, ask about it immediately. Waiting six weeks doesn’t fix it, it only multiplies the problem.
I want to mention a bit on our personal records too. Health records, Immunizations, Vaccinations, Physicals. In warehousing, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, these come up more than people realize. Certain jobs, sites, or clients may require proof of Tetanus shots, Hepatitis vaccinations, physical capability exams or ergonomic testing, even drug screening history. Yes, these request or needs are rare in our field, but if you can’t produce records, you may be delayed from starting a job, or even be excluded from certain assignments or have to repeat tests at your own expense. Keeping copies of our health records is important, it’s about preparedness. Create a simple system, a physical folder at home, or digital copies on a secure drive with clear file names and dates. This is one of those, future you will be thankful for, habits.
Oh and many people assume education records don’t matter once they’re working. That’s not always true. High school diplomas, GEDs, college transcripts, certifications, licenses, these documents can come up when applying for leadership roles, moving into safety or compliance positions, transitioning into office or management roles and applying for specialized training. Saying I completed it is not the same as proving it. If you’ve earned something, keep the documentation. You worked for it. Don’t let missing paperwork slow your progress later.
And here’s another free opinion! Your resume should never be written in a panic. It should be updated after each role, after learning new equipment, when gaining certifications, and after taking on leadership tasks. Too many people try to rebuild their entire work history the night before applying for a job, and details get lost. Dates get fuzzy. Job titles blur and we’ll leave off some of our accomplishments. A resume isn’t just for job hunting. It’s a record of our career. Here’s another unsolicited opinion of mine! Keep a running document. Add bullet points as you go. That away when opportunity shows up, you’ll be ready.
Now let’s talk about open enrollment, this is where people can get hurt financially. Open enrollment windows are like written in stone. Miss them, and you may be locked out of Health insurance, Dental and vision, Life insurance or Disability coverage until the next enrollment period. Saying “I didn’t know” doesn’t reopen the window. This happened to me last year. I asked about the dental and vision offerings, but I didn’t follow up when no one got back to me. So I didn’t have dental and vision insurance! Understanding your benefits isn’t optional adulthood, it’s more like survival planning. If you don’t understand a benefit, ask HR. That’s what they’re there for. And don’t hesitate to follow up if you haven’t heard back. Ignoring enrollment because it feels overwhelming can cost thousands of dollars later.
Here is a hard truth, deadlines don’t care about your schedule, your stress, or your intentions. Miss a form deadline and benefits don’t activate, our coverage can lapse, pay adjustments don’t happen. Professionals respect deadlines, even when the task isn’t exciting. And we are professionals, right? That’s part of being dependable.
And all this documentation follows us right into retirement as well. At the end of your career, paperwork doesn’t stop, believe it or not it actually increases! Retirement accounts. Pension records. Social Security documentation. Healthcare elections. People who kept records throughout their career transition more smoothly. People who didn’t often scramble at the worst possible time. Your future self deserves better than all that last-minute chaos!
I recently read something by a government agency. It said that paperwork isn’t the enemy, neglect is. It made me think a bit!
The paperwork of life isn’t glamorous, but it is important. Careers don’t fall apart because of one bad day on the floor. They fall apart because of missed details spread out over time. Let’s all be sure to handle our paperwork with the same pride we bring to our work ethic.
Oh, and I mentioned retirement a minute ago. One of the biggest myths is that retirement planning begins when you’re close to retirement. It doesn’t. It begins with your first benefit election, and your first 401(k) form, and your first beneficiary designation. The people who retire smoothly didn’t magically get organized at 60, they stayed consistent for decades. Every form you complete correctly today reduces stress tomorrow. Every document you keep track of becomes a gift to your future self.
Let me leave this part with something simple and honest. Paperwork is how the world keeps score. It records who you are, what you’ve earned, what you’re entitled to, and how you’re protected. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, it just hands control to someone else. So lets take ownership of it, ask questions, respect those deadlines, and keep records.
Ok, I’ll leave it at that. I don’t want it to sound like I’m standing up on a soap box here, but I’ve seen so many people struggle and take financial hits over the very things we discussed today. If you have any questions about anything I brought up, check with your HR department or a member of your management team, ask questions. And as always, feel free to send us an email to hose@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and I’ll help find you an answer. Thanks for checking in and as always, please be safe in all you do.
When I talk about warehouse sanitation, I often say, “It’s a great way to get your foot in the door.” And every now and then, someone pushes back and says, “I don’t want to clean restrooms or take out trash.” I understand that reaction. On the surface, sanitation doesn’t sound exciting. It doesn’t come with a forklift, a title, or a clipboard. It came up again this week so I wanted to explain a little better what the warehouse sanitation role really is, what it teaches you, and why it has launched more warehouse careers than people realize.
Because warehouse sanitation is not just cleaning. It’s operations support. It’s safety. It’s compliance. And for the right person, it’s a proving ground. Think of it like this. At its core, warehouse sanitation exists to protect people, product, and the process. A clean warehouse is a safer warehouse, a compliant warehouse, and ultimately a more productive warehouse. Yes, sanitation associates may clean restrooms and remove trash, although a lot of times that’s more of a role for the janitorial folks and departments, anyway, that work matters more than people realize. But in a warehouse or production environment, sanitation includes maintaining dock areas, storage aisles, production zones, and shared spaces so that operations can run without interruption and bottlenecks.
Sanitation associates are often the first ones to notice leaks, spills, or damaged flooring, broken pallets and debris buildup, blocked exits or fire equipment, and unsafe conditions developing in the aisles, cross aisles, and dock areas over time. In many operations, especially your larger distribution operations, sanitation is not a background function, it is a frontline safety and compliance role. Auditors, inspectors, and customers notice cleanliness immediately, and sanitation teams are often the unsung reason a facility passes inspections.
One of the most valuable things a sanitation associate learns is Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMPs. GMPs teach the why behind the rules. Why food can’t touch the floor. Why personal items are restricted in production areas. Why cleaning tools and equipment are color-coded and why documentation is so important and matters.
Sanitation associates learn how contamination happens through people, equipment, and behavior. They learn how one mistake in one area can affect product quality downstream. Once someone understands GMPs, they become valuable across the entire warehouse. Receiving, picking, packing, shipping, and quality all rely on the same principles. GMP knowledge changes how people move, touch, store, and think about product. Sanitation associates don’t just follow rules, they help enforce a culture of cleanliness and accountability.
And sanitation work is structured. There are daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly cleaning schedules that must be followed. Sometimes called the Master Sanitation List. This teaches sanitation associates how to manage time independently, how to prioritize critical areas, and how to complete work without constant supervision, and then most importantly, how to properly document completed tasks.
Schedules don’t care if someone is motivated or not, the work still has to be done. Associates who learn to stay on schedule develop discipline quickly. When managers look for leads or trainers, they often look for people who can manage their time without reminders. Sanitation associates who consistently complete schedules are already proving they can handle responsibility.
We also may be given classes, training, and certifications on handling cleaning chemicals, another area where sanitation roles quietly build professional skills. Associates are trained on proper dilution ratios, PPE requirements, SDS sheets, and safe storage practices. They learn that stronger is not better, and that improper mixing can create hazards instead of preventing them. Chemical misuse can damage floors and equipment, create slip hazards, most importantly violating safety regulations. Learning to follow chemical procedures teaches precision, patience, and respect for process. Again, traits that are essential in equipment operation, quality roles, and leadership. Those next steps we’re all after.
Ok, what else did I make notes on. Alright, this is where the sanitation role starts to surprise people. Warehouse sanitation often involves powered and equipment and machines, and that equipment brings even more responsibility into play.
Think of Industrial floor sweepers, walk-behind or ride-on, remove debris that creates safety hazards. Sanitation associates trained on sweepers learn to perform pre-use inspections, monitor battery levels, and operate safely around pedestrians and forklifts. They learn right-of-way rules, speed control, and awareness of blind spots. Now, we need to remember that sweepers operate in active aisles. That means sanitation associates must anticipate traffic patterns, understand dock activity, and adjust their cleaning routes based on production flow. This isn’t random driving, it’s operational awareness and has to be treated as such.
And the floor scrubbers require even more thought. These machines deep clean concrete floors and are essential in GMP environments. Associates learn how water flow, detergent concentration, and recovery systems work together. They quickly learn that too much water or chemical creates slip hazards and damages floors. Scrubbers require planning, which areas are active? Which areas can be blocked for a while? How to communicate wet floors? That kind of forward thinking kind of mirrors the decision making required of supervisors and leads.
Oh, and trash compactors. Trash compactors are powerful machines with strict safety rules. Sanitation associates learn load limits, prohibited materials, cycle timing, and lockout awareness. Compactors teach one key lesson, procedures exist for a reason. There are no shortcuts, no “just this once.” They can be dangerous. This mindset, follow the process every time, is exactly what safety managers look for when selecting people for advancement.
And Balers. Many facilities recycle their cardboard, shrink wrap, and slip sheets. We’ll learn how to sort materials properly, safely load the baler, tie off the bales, and document counts or weights. Many facilities track recycling metrics, which introduce sanitation associates to cost control and sustainability efforts. Balers build organization skills and attention to detail, two traits essential in inventory control and leadership roles.
What else did I note here, Sanitation associates work everywhere. They see inbound, outbound, production, and all of the common areas. They notice how shifts hand off work, where bottlenecks form, and where safety issues seem to repeat themselves. That exposure creates, what I like to call, big-picture thinkers. People who understand how departments interact often become strong supervisors because they already understand the operation as a whole. Remember how I’m always mentioning to understand the task before and after ours?
So where can all this take us? Sanitation experience often leads to general warehouse associate roles, Forklift and equipment operator positions, quality control or safety support roles, inventory control or clerical positions, facilities or building maintenance support, and yes, front line management. Some of the most effective leaders I deal with started in sanitation, and they respect every role and understand compliance better than most.
So about that, I don’t want to clean mindset. Here’s the truth I share often, careers aren’t built by avoiding necessary work. Sanitation teaches discipline, humility, consistency, and accountability. Remember, managers notice who shows up, with a positive attitude, follows procedures, and does the work, even work that others avoid.
Sanitation isn’t about trash. It’s about trust. Warehouse sanitation doesn’t have to be a forever job, but it can be a powerful starting point. And it can be a great career. It builds safety awareness, equipment experience, operational understanding, and work ethic. Sanitation isn’t a dead end. It’s a foundation. And as we’ve learned, strong foundations support long careers.
Well, I have to get back to work now myself. I hope I shed some light on why I feel sanitation is one of the strong starting points in our industry. I’d appreciate it if you’d pass the episode along to a friend, ask them to subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or any of their favorite Podcatchers, we’re even on YouTube! Let’s all do our part to bring more of those entering the workforce into our Industry. Until next week, please give every action and movement the respect it deserves, our family and friends need us to be safe and come back home as well and in as good of health as we left!
Today’s episode comes directly from a listener’s question, and I love these because they tell me people are thinking about their futures. The listener didn’t share a name, just their email address. Anyway, their question was what are the three best jobs in the distribution field? Now, before I answer that, I want to say, and it’s the truth, in my opinion anyway, there are no bad jobs in distribution. We’ve learned that every role matters. Every position contributes to the movement of product, safety, productivity, and ultimately the success of the team and operation.
But if you’re asking me, and I’m familiar with most all of them, from loading trucks to executive leadership, the three positions that consistently stand out as strong, long-term career roles, my answer is the putaway forklift operator, the order selector, and the front-line lead and supervisor positions.
I’ll share some thoughts about all three, and then I want to share a bit about something just as important. Three of my go to entry level positions, or my favorite get your foot in the door tasks. Unloaders, loaders, and sanitation, because those are often the doors that open other opportunities in this industry.
Ok, we’ll start with the putaway forklift operator. This is the person responsible for taking inbound product and placing them into their correct warehouse location, often at height, at quite the pace, and always with safety and accuracy in mind.
Put-away operators are trusted with the inventory, operating expensive equipment, they may be working in narrow aisles, with tall vertical storage, and the accuracy of the entire picking operation downstream. If the put-away goes wrong, everything past that step goes wrong. A mis-slotted pallet can cause lost inventory, missed orders, wasted man hours, and indirect time that can never be recovered. That’s why experienced put-away operators are respected and valued. This role hones our forklift skills, teaches us system disciplines, and the importance of inventory accuracy, focus and patience. It’s also a position that often leads to an Inventory control future, replenishment roles, lead operator positions and a track to Supervisor and front line management.
And here’s something people don’t always realize, put-away operators are usually among the highest paid hourly associates in a facility, especially when experience, certifications, and productivity are factored in. It’s not flashy. But it’s an important position. And it’s absolutely a career role.
And If distribution has a heartbeat, the order selector is it. Order selectors are the engine that drives outbound operations. They take the orders, pick the product, build the pallets, and prepare shipments for delivery. This role teaches discipline and accountability in a way few others do. Order selectors live in a world of measured productivity, accuracy expectations, time standards and quality checks.
And it’s not for everyone, people sometimes look down on order selecting because it’s so physically demanding. But in reality, it’s one of the best training grounds in distribution. Selectors learn product knowledge, slotting logic, warehouse flow, time management, and personal accountability. They also learn how operations truly work, because when something upstream fails or gets messed up, selectors feel it immediately.
The great selectors often become, lead selectors, trainers, safety champions, and Supervisors. I’ve seen countless leaders start as selectors, and the reason is simple,
they understand the operation at ground level. And that experience cannot be taught in a classroom.
Now let’s talk about leadership. Front-line leads and supervisors are where experience turns into influence. This role is not just about numbers. It’s about people. Supervisors are responsible for Safety, Productivity, Attendance, Training, Conflict resolution, Coaching, and Communication. They bridge the gap between Management expectations, and front-line realities. It’s one of the most challenging roles in any warehouse, and, I believe, one of the most rewarding. Great supervisors, know the work, respect the team, always lead by example, hold everyone to the same standards, and I hope Coach instead of just correct their teams. This role opens doors to Operations management, Safety leadership, Training and development, Inventory and planning, and Executive leadership.
In my humble opinion the best supervisors usually come from the floor. They’ve unloaded trucks. They’ve selected orders. They’ve operated equipment. And because of that, they lead with credibility.
Ok, there’s a little on three positions in the distribution field that many aspire to master. Now I want to talk about 3 positions that can help get us to them. When I’m asked how to break into warehousing I share some thoughts on the Unloader, Loader, and Sanitation positions. These jobs don’t always get the respect they deserve, but they are not dead end jobs. They’re great entry points and they are how many careers begin.
First up is the Unloader. Unloaders are the first link in the inbound chain. They break down freight, handle every inbound piece, and set the tone for accuracy and safety on the dock.
Unloaders learn product handling, teamwork, how to handle a quick pace and the Warehouse layout and inbound systems. I’ve seen many unloaders move into forklift roles, Receiving, Inventory and Lead positions.
The flip side of the unloader is the loader. Loaders are responsible for the final step before product leaves the building. This position carries with it a lot of pressure. They must understand Weight distribution, Load integrity, Accuracy and Timing or dispatching, when the drivers will be leaving. Loaders develop attention to detail, physical discipline, and accountability. Many loaders become Drivers, Dispatchers leads and Supervisors, even Safety leaders.
And then we have the sanitation position. Sanitation teams keep facilities Clean, Safe, compliant and audit ready. Without sanitation Slips and falls increase, Equipment breaks down from running over debris and Product quality can suffer. Sanitation can offer us Steady work, Consistent hours, and a foot in the door to our industry. And I’ve seen sanitation associates move into building maintenance, Equipment operation, Safety roles, and Supervisory tracks.
Here’s the truth about distribution careers. Very few people start at the top. Most start where opportunities or positions are open. I believe what separates those who grow into other positions from those who stay stuck in one isn’t the starting job. It’s showing up, being on time, Learning the operation, saying yes to or accepting training, maintaining a positive attitude, and always Following safety and procedures as instructed.
I’m going to say it again, this industry rewards consistency. If you prove you can be trusted with Time management, Equipment, Safety, and People, more doors open for us.
So, when someone asks me, what are the best jobs in distribution? I struggle with my answer. Yes, put-away forklift operator, order selector, and front-line lead or supervisor are outstanding career roles. But every career usually starts somewhere else. Unloaders. Loaders. Sanitation. Those aren’t just jobs. They’re starting points. And in distribution, if you’re willing to learn, work, and grow, there’s no ceiling on where you can go. So honestly, I think the best job in the distribution industry is the one you love doing. Thanks again for the question and thank you for spending a few minutes of your day with me. Always be planning your next step, and remember the safety of you and your team always comes first!
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m your host, Marty T Hawkins. Today, I want to talk about something I’ve heard repeatedly over the years, but especially over the past few weeks, and that is the growing importance of, lets see, what am I going to call it, attitude over experience, in the light industrial world.
We’ve spoke to attitude a couple of times recently but just this week, I had two different customers say almost the same thing to me. They both told me something like, yes, experience is important. But if you come across an applicant with a great attitude and a strong personality, set them up for an interview. That statement says a lot about where our industry is at, and it’s what I’d like to talk about today. Now, everything we’ve learned over the course of the last 349 episodes, today is number 350 by the way, everything we’ve learned remains true. Our experience absolutely matters. Safety always matters and our skill and competency to perform our task matters.
But what we’re seeing more and more is that experience alone is no longer enough. For a long time, hiring in the fields of warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution was simple. We’d be asked if we could do the job? Had we done the job before? And could we hit the numbers? And if the answer was yes, you were probably getting hired. Today, that model doesn’t always work. Like we discussed over the last quarter, operations have changed. Expectations have changed. And the type of associate who succeeds long-term has changed as well.
Two weeks ago on one of our ask me anything shows, what was that title, Not my job and a raise. We discussed how Warehouses today are not one-task environments anymore. Associates are expected to communicate clearly, be willing to learn new processes, cross-train into other roles, be willing to help cover gaps when staffing is tight, basically, wear more than one hat. We learned the phrase that’s not my job doesn’t hold much weight anymore, and frankly, it can be a career limiter. Because of that shift, I believe adaptability and mindset have become critical.
Operation teams feel you can train someone how to load a trailer, how to operate equipment, and train someone on picking procedures. But they feel, and they are correct, what’s much harder to train is willingness, coachability, accountability, positivity and a strong work ethic. That’s where attitude comes in.
Now when managers talk about attitude, they’re not talking about being overly cheerful or talkative. They’re talking about things like showing up on time, being willing to learn, and this one is a big one, accepting feedback without getting defensive. What else did I write down, lets see, communicating clearly and professionally. And here’s another thing we’ve spoken too, following safety rules even when no one is watching and helping teammates instead of competing against them. It’s been realized that these behaviors directly affect safety, productivity, and culture. A highly experienced associate with a poor attitude can do more damage to the team than someone brand new who wants to learn. They may ignore procedures, resist change, create friction on the floor, influence others negatively, and even push back against leadership. On the other hand, an associate with limited experience but a strong attitude often becomes one of the most valuable people on the team within just a few months.
I’m finding this is especially true in general labor roles, loading and unloading, order picking, packing and sorting, and any kind of material handling positions. These are physically demanding jobs. They require teamwork, pace, and focus. I’m seeing how a positive attitude in these roles shows up quickly with faster learning, better safety habits, better or consistent productivity, lower turnover, and stronger team morale.
Many supervisors will tell you this straight out, they would rather train someone who wants to be there than manage someone who knows the job but doesn’t care.
Now, let’s talk about skilled positions. Forklift operators, order selection, pallet runners, and production or manufacturing machine operators, these roles absolutely require training, experience, and a demonstrated skill. But even here, attitude matters more than many people realize. Operators today must communicate with leads and supervisors, follow system direction to a tee, and be able to adjust priorities throughout the shift, and again be willing to accept coaching, all while staying focused for long periods of time.
Kind of like we said earlier, an operator with a great attitude is one that takes pride in their work, protects their equipment, respects safety rules, and helps the team succeed. I threw that one in again because I feel in this new world, a team environment, it’s worth repeating!
Those qualities are separating average operators from outstanding ones.
And I want to make this statement again, and we as employees and employers need to learn it, is that communication is one of the biggest reasons attitude has become so important. Warehouses today rely on radios, text alerts, shift meetings, safety huddles, and performance coaching and hand-offs between shifts. I think we’ve always walked through the motions but today, our responsibilities are more and the expectations are higher. We’re all learning, or maybe accepting, that associates who communicate well prevent problems before they happen. They ask questions. They speak up about safety. They clarify instructions and they don’t just assume. An HR manager shared with me, that he felt, that good communication usually stems from the right attitude, a willingness to listen and engage.
Another major shift of thought is the expectation that associates will continuously learn and want to learn. New systems, new customers, new equipment, and new processes mean the job is always evolving. The associates who succeed are the ones who embrace learning instead of resisting it. That same HR manager shared that a strong attitude toward learning looks like curiosity, patience during training, accepting mistakes as part of growth, and wanting to improve. He feels like experience without a learning mindset eventually becomes outdated.
For recruiters and hiring managers, this shift changes how they evaluate candidates.
Yep, resumes matter, but they don’t tell the whole story. Behavioral questions matter more than ever. How do you handle learning something new? Tell me about a time you had to adapt. How do you respond to feedback? What motivates you at work? These kind of questions reveal mindset, and mindset predicts long-term success. We as applicants aren’t used to these types of questions. I guess in a way there’s our first opportunity to change our way of thinking!
Ok, If you’re listening and you’re an applicant or associate, here’s the good news. Your attitude is your competitive advantage. You don’t need a perfect resume, and you may not need years of experience. But you do need or the new need is reliability, a willingness to learn, a strong respect for safety, and that professional communication, a positive mindset. Those behaviors get noticed quickly and they open doors.
To wrap up, I know that experience will always matter in the light industrial world. But today, attitude often is a determining factor in who gets hired, who gets promoted, and who builds a long-term career. In an industry built on teamwork, safety, communication, and constant movement, mindset fuels everything else. And right now, a great attitude is more valuable than ever.
If you enjoyed todays episode, share it with someone who’s entering the industry or looking to grow within it. Maybe urge them to subscribe on their favorite pod catcher or join us on Facebook or Instagram.
Today is a bit of a milestone for us, 350 episodes over about 7 years. We don’t promote sponsors because I like talking about what you send us vs what advertisers want shared! We’re operations folks, not audio experts but we try and do the best we can! Anyway, Thank you for listening and emailing your questions each week. By the way, we used to do quite a bit of interviewing on the show. Some software changed on us, but we’re going back to that format occasionally here pretty soon and we’re excited about that. Until next time, stay safe, stay professional, and keep learning. That’s what it’s all about.
When people think about recruiting, they often picture office jobs, LinkedIn searches, polished resumes, and candidates who know how to sell themselves. But today, I want to talk about a very different role the Light Industrial Recruiter and why I believe it can be an outstanding career path for the right person. In many cases, becoming a light industrial recruiter is not someone’s first job. It’s a next step. A progression. A role that grows naturally out of real warehouse and operations experience.
I’ve seen some of the best recruiters come from roles like inventory control, receiving, warehouse clerks, inbound and outbound dispatchers, and even from the floor, forklift operators, order selectors, and leads who understood people as much as productivity. And that experience matters more than you might think.
I’m Marty, and today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career I’ll share a few more of my opinions with you! I’ve mentioned before how I have to dip my feet into the recruiting waters every once and a while and for the last couple of weeks I’ve been sourcing for a staffing agency light industrial recruiter. I started thinking of what experiences were really needed, for this particular position anyway, and kind of expanded my search parameters, and I think, for this unique opportunity anyway, it’ll help my results. So I started thinking.
If you’ve worked in inventory control, you already understand accuracy, accountability, and systems. If you’ve been a receiver, you understand urgency, coordination, and dealing with drivers and operators under pressure. If you’ve been a dispatcher, you know scheduling, problem-solving, and communicating clearly when things go wrong. All of those skills translate directly into recruiting. Because recruiting in the light industrial world isn’t just about filling jobs, it’s about matching people to environments where they can succeed. And maybe you can’t do that unless you understand the work itself.
Light industrial recruiting is not white-collar recruitment or office types, and it can’t be treated that way. Our candidates don’t always have resumes. They don’t always know the job titles they’ve held. They may not know or be able to share what equipment they ran or what metrics they were measured on. And that doesn’t mean they’re bad workers. It means we have to work harder as recruiters.
In this arena, recruiting becomes part investigator, part coach, and part listener. Sometimes you have to pull the answers out of our applicants instead of waiting for them to be handed to us neatly and communicated clearly. I’ve been helping recruit for pallet runners this week, and I found I really have to talk their language for a few minutes, and listen to them, so I can know what questions to ask about their previous experiences. Things like, tell me about your day, what did you do before break, what equipment were you closest to, who trained you. Now that they feel a bit more at ease from sharing things their comfortable with, I can ask specifics about the equipment they operated, the pace of their last job and how they enjoyed it. Jumping into what I need to know sometimes just shuts them down. I have to listen first! Then interview.
So, I feel one of the most important traits of a successful light industrial recruiter is patience. Patience when candidates show up late but still want to work. Patience when they don’t understand why attendance matters. Patience when they struggle to explain their work history. Now hang on, those that know me are saying that’s not Marty talking! Yes, I do struggle with patience on attendance and being tardy. But patience doesn’t mean lowering standards. As a recruiter, I think it means taking the time to educate, to explain expectations, and to be clear about consequences before problems happen. Maybe those things haven’t ever been explained to them. I believe that great recruiters don’t just fill jobs, they set people up to succeed.
Another reality of light industrial recruiting is that our candidate pool often comes with real life attached. Some people have gaps in employment. Some have prior mistakes. Some are trying to rebuild. This is where empathy matters, but so does judgment.
Being open with background requirements doesn’t mean ignoring safety, compliance, or client standards. It means listening to the whole story, understanding context, and placing people where they can work, not where they hope they can work. A good recruiter balances opportunity with responsibility, to the client, to the workforce, and to the individual.
If I had to name the single most important skill of a light industrial recruiter, it wouldn’t be sales. It would be listening. Listening for what’s said, and what’s not said. Listening for hesitation. That can tell us there’s really no interest in the position. Listening for confusion. If they have the experiences they are claiming there shouldn’t be to much confusion? And most importantly we should be listening for motivation. Sometimes when a candidate says, I can do anything, what they’re really saying is, I need a chance, I need this job. A good recruiter hears that and then asks the right follow-up questions.
Light industrial sourcing recruiters serve two customers every day. The client, who expects productivity, safety, and reliability. And the associate, who expects honesty, respect, and opportunity. Oh, and I want to throw in one more, the operations team, they expect the skills necessary to perform the task. Balancing all those expectations is not easy. It requires communication, documentation, follow-up, and accountability. That’s why this role is a career, not just a stepping stone.
For those who do it well, recruiting can lead to leadership roles, operations management, safety, training, business development, and beyond. It sharpens your people skills. It deepens your understanding of operations. It teaches you how decisions impact real lives. The light industrial recruiter is often unseen, often under-appreciated, and often misunderstood. But this role changes lives, quietly, consistently, and every single day.
If you’ve worked in the warehouse, understand the grind, respect the work, and care about people, recruiting may not just be your next job. It might be your career.
There’s a bit on recruiting. And its true that when I’m wearing my operations hat I’m much stricter than when I’m recruiting. As we’ve discussed, every department has their own agendas and responsibilities, even constraints they have to work within. That’s why I encourage us all to work and learn as many different departments as we can in our industry. All those positions will prepare us to make solid decisions in both our professional and personal lives.
And please remember, no matter what our job is that safety is our first priority. We and our teammates have family and friends waiting on us at home.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career.
I’m Marty and I thought we’d get to some more questions today, another Ask Me Anything episode. We had some really good ones come in, a couple of topics I’ve been wanting to get to myself.
Let’s start off with this one from Carol, a forklift operator in the distribution industry. Carol feels there’s a trend developing where managers are expecting employees to do more than they were hired to. I hear this concern fairly often. When I was a counterbalance or sit-down lift operator, in a production facility, that’s what I did the whole shift. Even when I was an operator at a distribution center I typically drove for, like maybe, 80% of my day. I’d have to stop and down stack a load every once and a while or maybe partially fill a pick location or make the occasional replenishment. But I drove the lift most of the time. That was a long time ago though. I think our light-industrial workplaces, warehouses, manufacturing plants, and distribution centers are different now and for a lot of reasons.
Yes, people are being asked to wear more hats. There’s more cross-training. More flexibility being demanded from us. More expectations to help outside of what used to be a very narrow job description. And for some folks, that creates frustration. You hear phrases like, that’s not my job, that’s not what I was hired to do, and that’s not in my job description.
But the truth is, those days are disappearing. And I want to spend a few minutes today talking about the why, and more importantly, why that’s not a bad thing when we look at it the right way.
Let’s just be honest with ourselves. Light-industrial operations today are different than they were just 5 years ago. Volumes change daily now. Staffing levels fluctuate. Customer and client expectations are higher than ever. Same day and next day shipping isn’t a luxury anymore, it’s the standard.
Operations can’t stop just because one person is out or one department is short. We’ve learned that everything is connected. Inbound affects outbound. Picking affects loading. Forklift operations affect inventory accuracy. One weak link slows the entire chain down.
For those reasons and a few others is where cross training comes in. Cross training isn’t about making people work harder, it’s about making operations more stable and consistent. It creates flexibility. It gives leaders options. And it keeps work moving when things don’t go exactly as planned, which, and since we’re being honest, happens a lot in our industry.
Now let’s talk about that phrase, That’s not my job. I understand where it comes from. For a long time, jobs were very narrowly defined. You did one task, one function, and that was it. But that model doesn’t work well anymore, not in our industry anyway. When everyone stays locked into a single box, operations become, what’s a good word here, challenging I’ll say. One call off, one delay, one surge in volume, or orders, or trucks, and suddenly the whole shift is behind. Employers today are looking for team players. People who understand their main role, certainly, but who are also willing to help the operation succeed when needed.
Now, that doesn’t mean job descriptions don’t matter. They do. But they’ve shifted from rigid rulebooks into broader descriptions. And that shift is an opportunity. Here’s something you know I strongly believe, learning more can never be a bad thing. When you learn another role, you gain perspective. When you gain perspective, you make better decisions. And when you make better decisions, you become more valuable. Remember how many times you’ve heard me say how important it is to learn the position before and after ours, where that case just came from and where it’s going after we’ve touched it!
A picker who understands receiving makes fewer mistakes. A forklift operator who understands outbound stages freight better. An associate who’s helped with inventory control starts paying closer attention to accuracy. Cross training builds awareness, and awareness improves safety, quality, and productivity. That benefits the company, yes, but it also benefits us employees as well.
From a career standpoint, wearing more than one hat, to use a recruiters phrase, is a plus. The more skills you have, the more valuable you become, not just to your present employer, but to the industry as a whole. When someone can share with a hiring agent or recruiter, I’ve worked inbound, outbound, this or that type of equipment, and inventory, that gets noticed. Those are the people who get tapped for lead roles. Those are the people who stay employable when things tighten up or change.
Many supervisors, managers, and operations leaders didn’t get there because they stayed in one lane forever. They got there because they were willing to learn one more process, help one more department, and take on one more responsibility. That’s how careers are built in this industry.
Now, let’s be clear here though. This doesn’t mean accepting unsafe work practices, and it doesn’t mean skipping training. It doesn’t mean being taken advantage of in any way. Employers have a responsibility here too. Cross training should be structured. It should be safe. Expectations should be clear. No one should be thrown into a role without proper instruction or support. When done right, cross training builds confidence instead of resentment. With that being said I’ll take this opportunity to remind us all to never get on a piece of powered industrial equipment without being trained and certified to operate it. And that goes for production or manufacturing machines also.
For us employees, I think mindset matters. If you see cross-training as punishment, it will feel like punishment. And if you see it as opportunity, it becomes one. Asking questions. Being curious. Showing interest in how the operation works as a whole, those things send a powerful message. They say I care about my job. I care about my team. I care about my future. I promise you that attitude gets noticed every single time.
Our light-industrial world rewards adaptability. The people who keep learning stay relevant longer. The ones who refuse to grow often struggle when processes change or roles disappear. Wearing more than one hat prepares you for what’s next, whether that’s a lead position, a specialized role, or simply long-term job security. It builds confidence. It builds competence. And it builds careers.
Next up is a question from, well, they didn’t include their name, but the question was, how could I get or ask for a raise.
Well, that’s a fair question. And a little complicated question, especially in our light industrial, warehouse, and distribution environments.
Ok, lets look at how pay works, what managers are actually looking for, and how you can put yourself in the best position when opportunities come up.
First, we need to understand the business side. In most light industrial operations, wages are set by position. General labor could pay a certain range, Forklift operators will have a range, Inventory control, leads, supervisors, etc, all of our roles are budgeted for well in advance.
Companies don’t usually have the flexibility to give raises on the spot. Pay increases are planned during budget cycles, performance reviews, promotions, or when new responsibilities are added. Now that doesn’t mean raises don’t happen. It means they are earned, planned for, and justified. So instead of thinking, How do I ask for more money?
I’d ask, how do I make myself worth more to the operation? How can I make my manager notice me?
It’s important to know that managers notice patterns, not promises. The associates who get raises and promotions aren’t usually the loudest. They’re the most consistent.
Here’s what always got my attention. First was attendance. And we talk about this all the time. Showing up on time, every shift, matters more than almost anything else. In a productivity driven environment, reliability is everything. When a manager knows they can count on you, you’re already ahead. Second is attitude. Of course this doesn’t mean every day has to be perfect. But staying professional, avoiding constant negativity, and being that solution focused team member makes a difference. Positive employees strengthen teams, and managers notice that. Third, and here’s that statement again, a willingness to learn and cross train. Again, Cross training is huge. Like we mentioned earlier, when you raise your hand to learn another role, another department, or another piece of equipment, you increase your value. You also make scheduling easier for your management team and that matters. And, Fourth would be ownership. Take responsibility for your work. Follow safety rules. Follow procedures. If you make a mistake, own it and fix it. That level of maturity builds trust and will get us noticed as well.
Now lets talk about how to have that conversation. Walking into an office and saying, I need a raise, usually doesn’t get us very far. A better approach would sound something like this. I understand pay is based on positions and budgets. I enjoy working here and I want to grow. What do you need to see from me to be considered for a raise or promotion when the opportunity comes up? That shows professional maturity, it shows respect for the business. And something like that opens a productive conversation. Now you’ve turned a raise request into a development and growth plan.
In our industry, raises often come through movement. General labor to equipment operator. Pallet runner to selector, receiver to inventory control, fork driver to lead. Lead to supervisor. Etc. Those steps may come with structured pay increases. But you don’t get there by waiting, you get there by preparing and planning. I’ve experience that Managers promote people who are already doing parts of the next job.
Oh, and I want to mention that some positions, especially in distribution may have something like productivity pay or activity based pay, like a high productivity order selection environment, maybe even a tiered pay structure based on CPH or PPH. Where we’re paid based on what we do individually.
I want us to remember though that a raise isn’t just about today’s paycheck. It’s about your future. The associates who consistently show up, stay engaged, and keep learning are the ones managers think of when new roles open up. Those opportunities usually start with something like hey, we’ve got something coming up, and we thought of you. That doesn’t happen by accident.
So if you’re asking how to get a raise, here’s the honest answer, I know it’s not a simple answer but we need to be reliable, be positive, be willing to learn, be ready for more before you ask for more.
That’s how raises and careers are built in the light industrial world.
Well, I got to talking too much and ran out of time! I hope you got the answers you wanted. I know all that seems simple, and did you notice how and that we, ourselves, in this industry anyway, can control more of our direction and path than what we may have thought we could. If you enjoyed todays episode please share it with a friend or coworker. I appreciate you stopping in each week, and please feel free to check in on our Facebook using @whseops and our Instagram waocpodcast. And as always keep those questions coming in. Have a great, productive, positive, and safe week out there.
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. This has always been my favorite time of year. Not just because of the holidays, although I do enjoy a little time off and getting to spend some quality time with family and friends. It’s always been my reset or reboot time of year. I know a lot of people that look at spring as their reboot season. I don’t know, maybe because one year is closing and another one is opening, for me, reflecting on the last 52 weeks and planning on the next 52 just gives me pause, and I look forward to it!
So, let’s see, we’ve been at this now for what, just over 7 sets of 52 weeks, or a little over 7 years. When I started the podcast I envisioned doing 50 episodes, and here we are at 347!
OK, 2025, what a year right. This year we covered a wide range of topics, we’ve talked about 32 different light industrial task or positions. We’ve learned a little about our handling our finances, a lot about the supply chain, and spoke about the many different career opportunities in this industry. I hope we’re all a little better off, or more prepared for and in our careers for it!
I’d like to make this first episode of 2026 about reflection, planning, professionalism, and purpose. I was telling a group of managers and facility managers yesterday that purpose is going to be my go to word for the 1st quarter. I’m making Purpose about ethics and commitment. It’s about doing the job right, even when the job isn’t glamorous. And most importantly, it’s about understanding that this is a long game, and the end goal for all of us is retirement, not burnout, definitely not injury, and not regret in any form or fashion.
This year I’ve had the fortune to see at least 3 people advance to executive management positions. And I think 2 directors move up to V.P. roles. Well over 14 team members from the floor promoted to supervisors, and I think 9 individuals move into lead roles. And a wealth of associates moved into other departments or tasks.
And on the negative side, no that’s the wrong word, not negative. Let’s say there was also a lot of us still finding our footing and growing. I heard of a few instances where management had terminated associates, probably no more than 10 or 20 though. And every year we hear of several hundred that terminate or fire themselves. Remember how we’ve talked about those attendance rules, tardy rules, safety rules, and how insubordination, losing our tempers, or just accepting a position that isn’t a good fit for us, what else, oh, the NCNS. Things like that I think we can all agree we kind of ended our position on our own. But you know what. That’s OK. I’m sure we learned from it, and we’ll take that knowledge to our next opportunity. Every job isent for everybody. So those situations aren’t even close to being a negative, we learned something about ourselves so its a positive in my eyes.
A few things I ask myself this time of year is did I show up consistently? I don’t mean daily or on time. I mean was I there mentally, and focused on my job every day. And did I follow direction, or did I cut corners? Every position in our field of light industrial work has some type of regulatory, safety, record documentation or reporting we’re responsible for. It’s so easy to cut a corner here and there. That’s one I really work on every year. And here’s my favorite one, did I take ownership of my role? This is a hard one, and I’d like to say I did a good job with it this year! And of course I have to ask myself, did I improve my skills every month, or did I just repeat the same month 12 times?
I’ve definitely learned that growth doesn’t come from activity alone, it comes from intentional improvement. You can work hard and still stand still if you’re not learning, listening, and adjusting when necessary. And as we’ve learned, that’s especially true in the light industrial world. Warehousing, manufacturing, and transportation demand discipline, precision, and trust. This isn’t a place where chaos survives for long.
Another word I’ve taught to this year was ethics. Ethics aren’t just about stealing or dishonesty. Ethics show up in whether you follow safety procedures even when a supervisor isn’t nearby, whether you handle equipment responsibly, and whether you raise your hand when something goes wrong. Ethics are about doing the right thing when it would be easier not to. In our industry, ethical shortcuts can get people hurt. They damage equipment. They cost jobs. They end careers early. And they don’t stay hidden for long. The associates who last, the ones who get promoted, trusted, and grow, are the ones management never has to worry about regarding rules and procedures being followed.
And that makes me think about commitment. I made like 25 commitment forms this year for a host of different positions. I think, somewhere along the way, the idea of job commitment got twisted. Now, commitment doesn’t mean giving your life to a company. It simply means doing what we said we’d do, showing up when we said we would, being dependable, taking responsibility for our role, and understanding that our actions affect others. Sounds simple right? In a warehouse, one person not doing their job can create downstream chaos. Missed picks, delayed trucks, overtime, safety risks, all because someone decided their role wasn’t that important. We learned this year that they are all important. I forgot what episode we said, Every role matters. Every shift matters. Every decision matters. Commitment isn’t old-fashioned, we just need to bring it back into the fold!
Oh, here’s one, I hear it all the time, and you know it makes me frown. It’s just a warehouse job. No, it’s a professional environment with real risk, real responsibility, and real opportunity. Professionalism shows up in how we speak to our coworkers and supervisors. How we handle feedback, how we accept and wear our PPE, and how you treat equipment and safety procedures. One thing I shared with an unloader this week was, you don’t become professional after you get promoted. Professionalism is what earns you that promotion. People notice the associate who listens, adapts, and carries themselves with respect. They also notice the ones who complain, argue, and resist direction.
In the light industrial world, following instructions isn’t about control, it’s about safety, efficiency, and consistency. We learned this year that procedures are written because someone got hurt, or something was damaged, time was lost, or money was wasted. You don’t need to like every instruction. And you don’t need to agree with every process. But we do need to follow them. As long as there legal and safe.
I have a picture hanging in my office, a quote from Vince Lombardy that says, The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. I read that every Monday morning!
Another thing we learned this year is that If you’re doing the same job the same way you did two years ago, you’re falling behind, even if you’re good at it. Technology changes. Equipment changes. Expectations change. Learning doesn’t always mean formal training. It can mean us asking better questions or more questions, watching how the top performers work, and understanding the why behind the process, oh and accepting coaching without getting defensive. I think the most career damaging words in any operation are, that’s how we’ve always done it.
For me, constant improvement is a mindset. Improvement doesn’t require massive changes. It just needs small, consistent adjustments. Better communication. Better time management. And better focus. Those small improvements compound over time. And over a 20-, 30-, or 40-year career, they make a massive difference. I’m living proof of that!
OK, enough of 2025! And although this is my magical time of year, goals don’t magically work because the calendar changes. If you and I want 2026 to be different, you and I need, Clear expectations, Measurable goals, and to hold ourselves accountable, even when it’s uncomfortable and gets tough. We need to ask ourselves, what skill do I need to improve? What habit do I need to change? What behavior is holding me back? I write those answers down and talk about them, and I revisit them monthly.
And I want to talk about the part nobody explains clearly enough to us. The end goal of this game isn’t just a paycheck. The end goal is retirement with health, dignity, and options. That means protecting your body, avoiding injuries, managing stress, saving consistently, and making smart career moves. You don’t wake up one day ready to retire, we have to build toward it slowly, intentionally, and patiently. Another way to put it is plan for it! Every safe shift, every certification, every promotion, every smart financial decision gets you closer.
As we close out 2025, remember this, You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be intentional. Ethics matter. Commitment matters. Professionalism matters. And learning matters. And the choices we make today shape the options we’ll have tomorrow.
So lets all plan with purpose. Work with pride. And never forget, this isn’t just a job. It’s a career, and it’s leading us somewhere.
So welcome to 2026, another 52 weeks to change what we want! Let’s have fun with it, be safe doing it, and make it the best and safest work year yet.
I feel Looking for Work Is Hard Work. One of the biggest misunderstandings about unemployment or career change is the idea that looking for work is something you do casually, or in between other things. A few clicks here, a few applications there, maybe scrolling on some job boards late at night from the couch. And then the frustration sets in when the phone doesn’t start ringing.
The truth is simple, and sometimes uncomfortable to hear but looking for work is hard work. And I think if we don’t treat it like a job, it rarely is going to produce job level results.
We need to remember that finding work requires structure, discipline, preparation, and accountability, just like any role on the warehouse floor, in operations, or in leadership. The people who land jobs consistently aren’t lucky. They’re intentional. They are working a plan.
I’m Marty and today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career I wanted to expand on how hard looking for a job is. We spoke on a few of the topics back in week 37, what was that title, oh, week 37 & Jobs, and I mentioned the phrase on last weeks show. I received a couple of questions on it so I thought we’d spend a few minutes on it today.
I always say treat the job search like our present job. If you were scheduled to work a shift, you wouldn’t roll out of bed whenever you felt like it. You wouldn’t decide halfway through the day whether you felt motivated enough to show up. You’d get up, get ready, and get started. Our job search deserves the same respect! We still need set our alarm. Start our day with purpose and block out time or schedule what hours we’re going to spend specifically for job searching.
That means planning for things like reviewing the online job boards, checking local classified ads, monitoring all your local Facebook job groups, following company career pages, and planning time to make phone calls, sending out follow-ups, and networking.
This isn’t something you squeeze in when you have time. This is our work. I mentioned job boards, I see too many people rely on a single job board and assume that’s enough, and its not! We need to check those things multiple times a day or throughout our scheduled hours for the day. Oh, and it’s proven that our friends are an excellent resource. They have jobs and they can share the good and the bad about them. Maybe we can even get a referral from them. We’ll want to be careful there though, in our industry, sometimes hiring relatives or friends are frowned on. But I’ve always found them to be a great resource.
Ok, where was I, I think I skipped a few bullet points there, oh, and I wanted to say you’d be surprised how many job openings never make it to the job boards and are hired through word of mouth.
I think we have to network like our career depends on it. Just let people know what kind of work you’re looking for and what experience we bring to the table. We need to mention what shift or role we’re open to and when we’re available. I’ve found a short, honest conversation can open doors faster than 100 online applications.
Next is our resume, your resume must match the job you want. And please remember a resume isn’t a life story. It’s more of sales document. Its sole job is to clearly show what you can do, where you’ve done it, and how that experience matches the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a forklift position, your resume should highlight equipment types, years of experience, and the different environments you’ve worked in, things like narrow aisle, the outside yards, ramps, coolers or freezers, those types of things. And keywords like safety training and any certifications we’ve had and productivity expectations we’ve worked with. If you’re applying for leadership role, it should mention your team oversight and training responsibilities, any metrics you managed and the accountability you were held to. One generic resume for every job rarely works. Tailor it to the position you’re applying for.
And please only apply for jobs you can actually succeed at. This is one of the most important, and most ignored points. One-click apply buttons have created bad habits. Clicking apply on dozens of jobs you aren’t qualified for doesn’t increase your chances. It actually hurts them. It wastes your time, and the recruiter or the hiring manager’s time.
Remember recruiters are reviewing hundreds of resumes. When they see applicants who clearly don’t meet basic requirements, it creates frustration, and it lowers the quality of the process for everyone. Our resume may end up in a discard pile just because we have no experiences for that position. Even if we’d be a great fit for something else they have open.
Apply for jobs where you meet the basic core qualifications, where you have experience in the position and you can realistically perform the work. In our light industrial world quality beats quantity every time.
Another biggie, be honest with recruiters. Recruiters aren’t the enemy. Think of them as the gatekeepers. We should be honest about our experience, our availability, our transportation, our work history, and very important, what you want, and what you don’t want. Overselling yourself may get you a phone call, but it rarely gets you called in for the face to face or hired long-term. Worse, it can damage our reputation with a company or an agency.
And if you schedule an appointment, show up. Nothing ends a job opportunity faster than a no-show interview. If something comes up, communicate. Life happens. But our silence looks like irresponsibility.
I won’t harp too much on this one, I get several emails every time I bring it up, but clean up your social media, they can and will look. This part surprises people, but it shouldn’t. Social media is public, and right or wrong, opinions can be formed from it. Recruiters and hiring managers often check social media. Not to judge your personal life, but to look for red flags. At least ask yourself. Is my profile public? And by the way locked profile may be considered a red flag. What would an employer see in 10 seconds? Do my posts reflect maturity and professionalism? Offensive language, threats, constant negativity, or posts bragging about skipping work don’t help your case. You don’t need to erase who you are, just be smart about what you display publicly. Ok, enough on that!
Moving on, lets be ready for the phone interview. And this is important. The phone interview is not casual. It’s often the most important 5 minutes of the entire process. You may have only 30 seconds to make an impression. By the time the recruiter calls they’ve reviewed dozens, maybe hundreds of resumes. They’re deciding quickly who moves forward.
Now this is going to be a cold call. If we are busy, watching the children, or outside, or maybe driving, we can share that, and ask if we could give them a call back at so and so time. They do not mind that. They want us focused, and ready to speak with them. We need to be ready when they call or we call them back. That means have your resume in front of you, be in a quiet place, be focused, answer clearly and confidently. Be ready know how to explain our experience, why we’re a good fit, and what we’re looking for or why we answered this ad. Preparation matters. This is our one shot at getting that face to face interview.
When you walk into that interview, you’re already being evaluated, before you say a word. Remember to dress for the role. If the position requires steel-toe footwear wear them, dress in warehouse attire, look ready, and talk about PPE awareness, show and state what you know. You don’t need to overdress, but you do need to show you understand the environment and are prepared to work in it. It sends a clear message, I’m ready to go to work today.
Now if we like the job and are offered it, when we say yes or accept it, show up. There is nothing wrong with saying this position isn’t going to be for me. We shouldn’t shake our head yes if inside we know we’re saying no. Of course, things may come up, and all we have to do is communicate that. Don’t burn bridges. If another place has called us and we’re accepting that job, just call and let the hiring agent know.
Like I mentioned earlier, discipline wins the job search. Looking for work can be exhausting. It’s easy to get discouraged, especially after rejections or silence. But the people who succeed are the ones who stay the course, and stay disciplined.
They treat the search like a job, stay organized, follow up, show up, prepare, and are confident.
All that makes it sound easy, it’s not, but it will happen. I’ve always felt that a job search isn’t about luck, It’s about effort and consistency.
If you’re serious about finding work, treat the process with the same seriousness you would expect from an employer. Show up for it, prepare for it, and respect it. Because looking for work is hard work, and when you do it right, it leads to something even harder, and much more rewarding. A career.
Well, there’s a bit on the subject. If you know of anyone seeking employment, please recommend the episode to them, and as always please feel free to send us a message with any thoughts or comments. We love getting questions and topics from the group. On top of all that, please be safe out there, our loved ones need us happy and well this time of year and always.
Ghosting has become a two-way street in today’s hiring world. Job seekers feel like recruiters disappear after they send in their application or even after a face-to-face interview. Recruiters, on the other hand, feel that applicants vanish just as often, not showing up for interviews, not returning calls, or even skipping their first day after completing the entire onboarding process. And at the same time, recruiters are overwhelmed with applicants who apply for jobs they’re not qualified for or who have no experience in the industry at all.
In our light industrial, warehousing, and logistics sectors, I feel this problem is amplified. These environments move fast. Productivity, shipping schedules, and labor shortages collide with the reality of high turnover, long shifts, and job seekers searching for stability. Somewhere in the middle of all that, communication breaks down, and both sides are feeling frustrated.
I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today I want to take a look at these frustrations and talk about what’s going on and what both sides could do a little differently.
I hear from applicants that Recruiters don’t care about me. When an applicant submits a resume or fills out an online application, they often attach hope to it. They picture the job, the schedule, the pay, and what it would mean for their family. When they don’t hear back quickly, or at all, it can feel personal. One person shared with me that there are too many automated systems, and not enough real interaction.
I’d have to agree that most companies now rely on automated applicant tracking systems. These systems filter applications, sort resumes, and may even generate a generic we’ve received your application email. The problem is that applicants crave human feedback. When all they get is an automated message and no follow-up, they assume they’ve been ignored. And when they do talk to someone, only to never hear back again, it feels like being dismissed all over again.
It’s important to remember the fast pace of the industry though. Warehousing and manufacturing don’t slow down. Recruiters are juggling open orders, client requests, resignations, no-shows, and internal deadlines, all at the same time. When 100 people apply for a forklift job, and only 12 actually meet the minimum requirements, it’s simply not feasible to call each of the remaining 88 applicants personally to explain why they are not qualified.
Applicants interpret this as ghosting, but, or I feel, in most cases it’s not intentional. It’s more of a bandwidth issue.
I recently had a hiring agent tell me that applicants don’t always realize they don’t meet the requirements. And I think this is an uncomfortable truth, but an important one.
Many applicants may believe, If I apply, maybe they’ll call and train me. Or I’ve been in a warehouse before, so I can drive a forklift or pick it up really quick, I’m a fast learner. Or maybe they could be thinking, I’m sure they’ll make an exception.
I’m certain recruiters wish they could take more chances, but safety regulations, productivity metrics, and client expectations don’t allow it. Some jobs simply require knowledge, certifications, or experience that the applicant doesn’t have yet.
When an applicant assumes they’re qualified and the recruiter sees clearly that they are not, the communication gap widens, and silence can feel like disrespect.
Looking for work is stressful. You may have seen our webinar Looking for work is hard work. When a candidate feels rejected, especially without explanation, it hits hard. They may assume they weren’t good enough. Their experience isn’t valuable. And that recruiters don’t care. And with that mindset, even small delays can feel like we’re being ghosted.
And the recruiter’s perspective is that applicants disappear just as much, sometimes more! Recruiters feel the ghosting too, and in many cases, the impact is heavier on them because it affects production, client expectations, and the entire shift lineup. Even their pay, or commission.
Let’s see, I had a list of what a recruiter friend called her pain points. Here it is. Ok, number 1, The No-Call, No-Show Interview. This is one of the biggest frustrations recruiters faces. They schedule interviews, send reminders, follow up with calls and texts and then the applicant simply doesn’t show up. No message, no explanation. Sometimes the recruiter learns the applicant accepted a competing offer. Sometimes they don’t find out anything at all.
Number 2. is dropping out after the job offer. Even after a successful interview and onboarding, applicants stop answering calls. They disappear after receiving the offer. They accept the job but then take a different offer with a higher pay rate. Recruiters understand, people need to do what’s best for themselves and their families. But when deadlines are tight and clients are waiting, this ghosting creates real operational challenges. A phone call could go a long way. I always think about not burning bridges. Of course I’m going to take the better job, but who knows. I may need to reach back out to this recruiter someday!
Alright, number 3. The most painful ghosting, not showing up on the first day. Remember or recent episode titled NCNS? Anyway, this one is devastating for clients and recruiters. After investing time, energy, paperwork, background checks, and orientation, the applicant simply does not show. And many never call to explain why.
In the light industrial field, where schedules are built tightly around shift needs, one missing person can throw off picking rates, loading times, assembly line speeds, shipping windows, and overall productivity.
Recruiters and hiring agents understand that emergencies happen. Cars break down. Kids get sick. People change their minds. But the absence of communication leaves recruiters scrambling, often long after the applicant has already moved on.
In my opinion, or the way I look at it, by the way, that and a dollar will get you a donut, but I feel Ghosting isn’t really about disrespect. It’s more about fear, stress, assumptions, and misaligned expectations.
Here are my thoughts towards the root causes of driving the cycle. Theres too much automation, not enough human contact. Technology sped up the hiring process but it also removed the personal element both sides need. And job seekers apply to dozens of positions at once. One-click applications mean applicants may not even remember all the jobs they applied for. Recruiters then spend hours calling candidates who barely recall applying. And a big one, many applicants apply for jobs they aren’t qualified for. Not out of laziness, but out of hope. Here’s one I experienced this week. Recruiters are managing heavy workloads. When you’re trying to fill 20 positions by tomorrow, one on one follow-up becomes impossible.
It’s easy for all of us to assume the worst. Applicants think, They didn’t call, so I must not matter. Recruiters think, If they’re not answering now, they won’t show up on the job. These assumptions kill communication before it even begins. And quite frankly I think their cop outs and ridiculous!
So, now that we know all that, how can, us as applicants, reduce the chance of being ghosted. While nothing eliminates ghosting entirely, here are ways we can dramatically increase our chances of hearing back and staying in the running. First, lets apply only to jobs we meet the minimum qualifications for. This shows the recruiter you’re serious and saves you both time. Next, answer our phone and check voicemail. I know, we’re all getting 10 spam calls a day so we screen them. But remember, a recruiter may be making 50 calls for our position. Recruiters move fast. Missing a call by two hours can mean the position is already filled. Here is one few of us do. We shouldn’t have to but it helps. Follow up professionally. A simple message, voice mail or email, goes a long way, Hi, just checking on the status of my application. I’m still very interested. And letsbe honest about our schedule and abilities. Recruiters will respect transparency. And lastly, if you change your mind, tell someone. Closing the loop builds a good reputation, especially with agencies you may want to work with later.
OK, so how can recruiters do more to reduce ghosting from us applicants? I know that recruiters can’t fix every no-show, but they can improve engagement. They can communicate early and clearly. Us applicants respond better when we know timelines and expectations upfront. Maybe send short, personal texts. A text feels more human than an automated email. Or an email with our name in it! And her is a big one. Explain the job requirements before the interview. List details in your ad. This prevents surprises and encourages honesty from us. As recruiters, you are busy, very busy, but try and treat applicants with respect, even when declining them. Don’t make us feel bad and leave us with no hope! Candidates remember how they were treated. Remember we still have to search for a position. Oh yeah, and please avoid overselling the job. Honesty builds that long-term trust.
Everybody wants the same thing right? Applicants want stability, fair pay, communication, and a chance. Recruiters want reliable workers, honest communication, safety, and productivity. Neither side wakes up intending to ghost anyone most of the time, the silence isn’t personal, it’s situational.
When both sides understand the pressures the other is under, communication gets better, expectations align, and opportunities become clearer. Ghosting might not disappear entirely, but it loses a bit of its sting. And more importantly, it opens the door to better hiring relationships where respect runs in both directions.
Now that one of the larger opportunities in our industry is solved, we’ll call it a wrap. Seriously though, we’re all people, our needs and agendas are different, but we can and should help each other when it comes to our professional lives. Have a great week and be safe in all you do. We want to see you back here next week.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, and today I thought we’d have another Ask Me Anything episode. I always like these because the questions don’t come from textbooks, supervisors, or managers, they come directly from real associates and warehouse workers with real concerns. Our industry welcomes so many first time job seekers, and those wanting to change career paths. Some of its rules and regulations just aren’t found in other industries and I hope talking about them helps us slow down a bit, and put in the time.
Alright, we received three really good questions for today, and honestly, if these three people asked them, I’m confident a hundred others are thinking the same thing, so let’s jump in.
First up, my boss wants me to work overtime several times a week, even on Saturdays getting ready for the holidays. I want work-life balance, but it feels like all we do is work.
First, I want to say, yes, work-life balance is extremely important, and I encourage everyone in this industry to protect that balance. Our mental health, physical health, and family lives matter.
But at the same time, we also need to understand the industry we chose to work in. Light industrial, warehousing, distribution, logistics, these sectors live and breathe on production and shipping. That’s not just a management saying. It’s literally the foundation of how the supply chain operates.
Most companies don’t schedule overtime because they like spending more money on labor. Technically, overtime costs them more. Time-and-a-half adds up quick. So why do they do it? Because freight keeps moving. Product keeps arriving. Orders keep coming in. Your customers keep shopping. Especially around peak seasons.
Here’s something I’ve shared with new associates many times. The supply chain doesn’t care what day of the week it is. Transportation doesn’t stop. Warehouses don’t stop. Retail stores don’t stop. People don’t stop buying things.
Now we absolutely deserve balance, but balance doesn’t always mean every week looks the same. Sometimes balance looks like working a few heavier months out of the year, and lighter months later.
Some of the best operators, selectors, receivers, I mean the real professionals, use peak season as an opportunity. I had one guy tell me how he plans for his peak season. More hours. more pay. more learning, and more exposure.
And remember If you’re wanting advancement, leadership looks for who’s stepping up. Overtime shouldn’t be looked at as punishment, it’s opportunity.
No, we shouldn’t work seven days a week every week of the year. But during heavy shipping periods, stepping up is part of being in this field. And honestly, it’s part of being valuable.
Nobody likes mandatory overtime, but everybody likes having a job, and that job depends on productivity and meeting the needs of our customers.
You’re not working more hours because someone likes it, you’re working more hours because our industry requires it from time to time.
Use overtime as a career tool, not as a pain point.
If you want promotions, forklift certification, lead roles, better assignments, full-time status or long-term job stability. Then be the person your boss can count on when the workload is highest.
We all get worn out from time to time, keeping our eye on the long-term goal will help us stay focused, we’ll get through it.
Question #2, why are corrective actions taken so seriously? It feels like you get 1 verbal, 1 written, and then you’re terminated. Why so strict?
This is another great question. I hear this complaint a lot, especially from new associates.
Here’s the truth. Yes, many companies use a progressive corrective action system. Verbal, written, and a final or termination. Some use a point system, some use write-ups, but the purpose is the same, behavior correction, not punishment. You’ve heard me talk about coaching. I prefer that word instead of correcting or warning.
Sometimes those coaching’s are in regards to Safety. Warehouses are dangerous. Not maybe dangerous. They are dangerous. As we discussed last week, every rule you’ve ever been told exists because, someone got hurt or something went seriously wrong.
Corrective Action can mean Prevention. Corrective action isn’t about protecting the company, it’s about protecting people. If you get coached on attendance, PPE, equipment rules, dock safety, stacking pallets etc, …it’s not because management is strict. It’s because it’s the right thing to do. OSHA standards are there to protect us. The insurance company has rules. Liability is real and Injuries are expensive for our company and us as individuals. We all know warehouse environment can go from safe to serious in seconds.
And Productivity matters too. We are in a productivity-driven industry. Pieces per hour, pallets per hour, inbound receiving time, dock turnaround. Every minute counts. Every delay costs money. So rules are there for productivity and safety. And please keep in mind, no matter what else you hear, safety is your priority one in any task. Period
Ok, Let’s be honest. Many corrective actions start because our attendance is inconsistent, or we repeatedly ignore safety instructions. Most write-ups aren’t about big dramatic incidents, they’re about repeated small behaviors that impact safety or production.
If you were running a business with forklift traffic, heavy freight, metrics and deadlines, you would expect consistency too.
The good news? Stay safe, follow direction, communicate, and show up on time…and you’ll never get close to corrective action.
Corrective actions exist to protect careers, not end them.
Alright, and I picked this next question because it comes up at least once a month out in the field. Why don’t companies offer more training on forklifts and EPJs? I want to learn, but it seems like nobody wants to take the time to train me.
This is one of my favorite questions because I’ve trained a lot of equipment operators and trainers, and I’ve been on both sides of that frustration.
Here’s the big picture. There are no quick training courses. Forklifts and rider pallet jacks cause the majority of damages and injuries in warehouses. When a new operator climbs on equipment too early, bad things can happen fast.
Certification is not a reward, it’s a responsibility. Experience matters. You’re not just learning how to drive. You’re learning, balance, center of gravity, safety, spotting, loading, rack structure, pallet weight, equipment limitations, battery versus propane rules and about a hundred other dangers. You’re learning how to see things before they happen. And that takes time, and experiences.
And yes, the sad truth is that companies want trained equipment operators. They need more operators, they want productivity. And they have to have safety. They need people who show up consistently, are safe on the floor, have good work habits, follow rules, can communicate well and take direction. If you want to be trained on equipment, be that person.
You earn it by being dependable. Think about it from management’s point of view. Who are they going to invest in and spend time training on a forklift? Someone who is absent twice a week, or someone who is early every day? Someone who argues, or someone who listens? Someone who complains or someone who volunteers?
PIT or powered industrial trucks are not like video games. Forklifts don’t forgive mistakes. Electric rider pallet jacks can be very unforgiving. One accident or incident can change a life. So yes, training takes time. Yes, it’s slow. But slow means safe.
My advice. And it’s a time proven opinion. Be patient. Be present. And be consistent. Ask for learning opportunities, but also show that you’re ready for them. If you want to be a forklift operator, start by being a great warehouse employee first. That is what opens doors.
Everyone catch how all three of these questions have something in common? The warehouse environment is demanding, it’s productivity driven, safety is paramount, expectations are real and experience matters. And I think most of us know that deep down, even when we don’t like the answers.
But here’s the good news! If you, show up, listen, learn, work safely, and treat others professionally. Our industry will reward you. Every single time. You’ll grow. The opportunities and pay will come.
Because the supply chain doesn’t stop, distribution doesn’t stop, and operations never stop.
So wrapping it up I guess the question is, are you going to be the employee that helps keep it moving?
I hope these answers helped someone today. And please keep the questions coming, I love doing these Ask Me Anything episodes, and every time you ask a question, someone else learns as well.
Until next time, stay safe, work smart, keep learning, and remember, you are building careers out there.
In warehousing and operations, none of us begin our shifts planning to create risk or endanger someone. Most of us show up, jump on the forklift, our rider pallet jacks, or another piece of powered industrial equipment, to put away pallets, run freight across the dock, build loads, and try to hit our numbers. We hear the safety rules during orientation, we sign the training sheets, we watch the videos. And then we get comfortable. We convince ourselves that “just this once,” or “just for a few minutes” won’t hurt anything. Until it does.
I’m Marty and today here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career I want to talk about a real scenario. A young forklift operator lost her job because she placed a stack of pallets in front of an egress doorway. She felt wronged. Her reasoning?
It was only going to be there for a few minutes. I was going to move a few things around and would have come right back.
She had been trained not to block doorways, exits, electrical panels, and fire extinguishers. She understood it in theory. But she didn’t understand why the rule was there. And that is the key difference between training and comprehension. Between compliance and belief. Between I heard you say it and I understand why doing it matters.
In our industry, the difference between those two mindsets determines careers, safety, and sometimes even lives.
Let’s begin with something easy to understand. Warehouse safety regulations exist because someone, somewhere, died or was severely injured before they were written. No safety standard, especially those around emergency exits, came from a textbook. They came from tragedy. Blocking egress routes, doorways, exit paths, hallways, or marked access points, has been a contributing factor in warehouse fatalities, factory fires, mass casualty incidents, and evacuation failures. In high-risk environments, you cannot predict when the emergency will come. You only know that if it does, people must be able to get out.
When OSHA, the fire marshal, or an insurance company says Do not block exits, they aren’t being bureaucratic. They’re telling us history has proven that someone WILL eventually need that doorway in a moment they did not expect.
Let’s take our forklift operator. She put those pallets there temporarily. In her mind, temporarily meant harmless. But here is the reality, Emergencies don’t wait until you’ve moved your pallets. Fires don’t pause. Workers don’t stop breathing because you need three more minutes to finish your task. Someone having a panic attack or a medical emergency doesn’t get to choose a different exit. And in the worst case, a forklift battery explosion, a flash fire, a pallet collapse, well, seconds are going to matter.
Imagine this, A fire starts thirty feet away. A worker runs to the nearest exit, the same one blocked by her pallets, and they cannot push through. That delay, one or two seconds, might be the difference between smoke inhalation and survival. Suddenly just a few minutes isn’t a harmless mistake. It’s life-changing.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve watched workers go through is the realization that danger never announces itself. We forklift operators spend hundreds of hours moving pallets around. We get comfortable. We get to moving fast. We develop their rhythms and our shortcuts. And shortcuts are where careers end.
I heard once that a shortcut is a decision built on the belief that risk is low, but made without proof. There is no risk assessment. There is no redundancy. There is only the operator’s personal confidence. But confidence is not the same as being right.
Blocking an exit, stacking pallets where they shouldn’t be, driving faster because no one is looking, those aren’t skill-based decisions. They’re complacency-based decisions.
And like we learned about 6 weeks ago with episode #337 titled The Cost of Comfort and Complacency is that complacency ends careers.
Companies don’t train us because they are trying to check a box. Not in warehousing. Not in distribution. Not in our light industrial environments where 11,000-pound lift trucks are working around humans every minute.
When you go through PIT training, when you sign the safety sheets, when the manager says Do not block emergency exits, that is a contract. The company is investing in our safety. The company is protecting the other employees. The company is following regulations. And by acknowledging that training, you are agreeing to follow those standards.
One thing I remind new associates is, when you violate safety rules, you don’t just break the rule, you break the trust that permitted you to operate equipment in the first place. That forklift is a privilege, not a right. A license to operate PIT equipment was earned. It is maintained and kept through our behavior.
You can be the fastest replenisher on the night shift. You can be the best put-away driver in the building. If you block an exit, you have demonstrated to leadership that you value speed over safety. And no company will tolerate that.
It’s important for us to remember that warehouses are not just workplaces, they are regulated environments. OSHA standards are not guidelines. They are mandatory requirements. If a facility allows blocked exits, that facility can be fined, investigated, or shut down.
If an employee is injured because an exit was blocked the company can be held liable, the manager, the supervisor, and we as the operator can be held liable.
That’s the uncomfortable truth. Our few minutes of pallets could cost a company millions of dollars, or cost someone their job, their home, or their career. In cases involving fatalities, people can go to prison. Not because they were malicious. Not because they wanted to hurt someone. But because the law recognizes that preventing access to emergency exits is negligent, reckless, and dangerous.
Some people hear a story like this and say, she should have gotten a warning. They didn’t have to fire her over that. But here’s what we have to remember. She was trained not to do it. She acknowledged the training. She violated a life-critical rule. Someone saw it before she corrected it. Had an emergency occurred, lives could have been at risk.
Companies cannot wait for the second violation when the first one clearly shows that the person is willing to gamble with safety.
Imagine hiring a truck driver who decides they don’t need to wear a seat belt because it slows them down getting in and out of the cab.
Do you wait until they crash to discipline them? No, you remove the risk before the tragedy. Firing her wasn’t punishment. It was prevention.
And I get it, some young warehouse associates and PIT operators look at rules through a personal lens. Is this slowing me down?, Is this inconvenient?, Is anyone watching? It’ll only be a minute. But supervisors, trainers, and safety managers think differently, and we need them thinking differently. Who will be harmed if this goes wrong? Will someone be able to escape? What risk does this create? What message does allowing this send to others?
Safety is not about the present moment, it is about that worst-case moment.
A forklift operator who blocks an exit is telling leadership, I understand the rule, but my time, my pallet, and my shortcut matter more than everyone’s safety. That is not a person you can trust with equipment.
I’ve seen many young operators get blindsided when decisions like this end their employment. They’ll say, they didn’t even give me a chance. I was just trying to work fast. I wasn’t hurting anyone. I didn’t think it was a big deal. But that last statement I didn’t think it was a big deal is the reason they’re let go. Safety programs are built on the assumption that associates understand the seriousness of the rules. Not that they can be persuaded to obey them. Companies cannot risk people who don’t think blocking exits is a big deal.
And they cannot gamble that a worst-case scenario won’t happen.
That forklift operator may feel wronged, but she was fired for the same reason someone would be fired for driving a forklift while lifting someone on a pallet, operating equipment without a harness at height, Removing the guard on a machine, smoking near propane tanks or ignoring lockout/tagout procedures. Each one of those behaviors is a small decision with catastrophic potential. Companies must act before catastrophe, not after.
You’ve heard me say it before and I’ll say it again. Warehouse and light industrial work isn’t about simply getting the doors opened and closed for our shift. It’s about doing it the right way.
There are rules that are flexible, like whether a pallet is stowed in location A or location B.
But safety rules are not up for negotiation. No horseplay. No racing forklifts. No blocking egress routes. No disabling horns or alarms. No driving with obstructed visibility. And no storing pallets against fire extinguishers. These aren’t annoyances. They’re the foundation of professionalism and a culture of safety.
The best operators in the industry understand this. They know that anyone can make numbers. The people who build careers are the ones who make numbers and keep everyone safe while doing it.
I’m sure we have all learned that rules exist because someone didn’t follow them once. Standards exist because someone paid the price. As an operator we see pallets and a doorway. Leaders see risk, liability, and potential tragedy.
When we block an exit, even for two minutes, we are gambling with lives you will never meet, for reasons that will never matter in hindsight. Warehouse safety isn’t about intent. It’s about consequences. And when the consequence could be someone not getting out in time, there is no such thing as only for a few minutes. I know that sounds harsh but it’s factual. We’ve been trained, and accepted the position, and it’s on us to be accountable right?
People losing their position is always a tough subject. I’ve been told by many that it’s a good thing sometimes. I hope that both parties learn from it. Anyway, there’s a few of my thoughts on the subject! Until next week, Lets focus on being professional, being productive, and above all, being safe both at home and at work.
Welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today I want to talk about something a listener asked a few weeks ago. How does one choose a career, and more specifically, how do they end up in the light industrial, warehousing, and transportation fields.
One of the things I’ve learned over the decades is that very few people wake up at 18 years old and say, I’m going to be a forklift operator, or I’m going to build a career in a distribution center. In my opinion most careers aren’t chosen, they’re found. They’re shaped by our experiences, opportunities, influences, and sometimes just plain necessity.
But once people get here, once they get that first real taste of what this work is like, the stability, the opportunity, the teamwork, a lot of them stay. And that’s what I’d like to talk about today.
Let’s start with a simple truth: most people don’t choose a career the way a high school guidance counselor might describe it. It’s not a straight line. It’s often a mix of exposure, timing, skill, personality, and need.
Let me try and make that make sense. Many of us choose careers based on what we’ve seen growing up. If your parents, uncles, or neighbors worked in a warehouse or drove trucks, that’s what you were exposed to. If your first job was unloading trucks at a retail store or working seasonal shifts for a local DC, that experience sticks with you. My father was president of a regional catalogue distribution center. From a young age I was exposed to the warehouse, all the inbound and outbound chaos and seeing all the equipment in action. I was in DECA in high school, my junior and senior years I went to school half a day and then off to work after that. Distributive Education Clubs of America was an eye opener for me and helped point me towards a work ethic I still hold today. Anyway, I digress a bit there. What was I talking about. Ok, I don’t know where I was going, I think I wanted to mention my first jobs we’re in a warehouse because I had an in to those distribution centers! All that’s a story for another episode.
I think a lot of young people today enter this industry because a friend says, Hey, my place is hiring, or they hear that a local warehouse pays a few dollars more per hour than their retail job. That’s what I mean by exposure. You can’t choose what you don’t know exists.
Now, in our world, once someone takes that first general labor position or that first shift at loading trailers, something happens. They either realize it’s not for them, or they say, You know what, I think I like this. And that’s often the moment their career begins, sometimes without them even realizing it.
Another major factor I mentioned earlier is need. Jobs are often chosen because someone needs a paycheck this week, not a degree three years from now. And that’s one of the biggest advantages of the light industrial and warehousing world, it is accessible.
You don’t need an ivy league education. You don’t need months of training. A good staffing agency or warehouse can hire you, orient you, and get you earning a paycheck quickly in a week.
For someone supporting a family, or someone just starting out and needing to get on their feet, that’s huge. A lot of careers begin because the industry said, we’ll give you a chance right now.
People also lean into what they’re naturally good at. Some people are hands-on workers. Some learn best by doing. Some have great attention to detail. Others thrive in louder, busier environments.
Warehousing fits a wide range of capabilities. If you like movement, there’s selecting, loading, unloading. If you like operating equipment, there’s forklift, rider pallet jacks, and PIT operation. If you’re detail-oriented, there’s inventory control and quality assurance. If you’re a natural leader, there’s a path from lead to supervisor to manager.
Many people choose this industry simply because they discover, sometimes accidentally that the work fits who they are.
We sometimes forget that personality drives career choice as well. Some individuals do not want to sit at a desk. They don’t want to be in customer service all day. They want to move, think, act, sweat, accomplish, and see their results.
Warehousing and transportation offer that. Every shift has a measurable outcome. Pallets moved. Trailers loaded. Orders filled. Goals hit or exceeded. For the right personality, that environment feels rewarding, even energizing.
And this might be the most important factor of all. A single person can completely influence someone’s career path. Our mentors, even unknown mentors, have a lot more influence on us than we may realize. Maybe it was a supervisor who said, you’d be great on a forklift, let’s get you trained. Maybe it was a lead who showed you how to wrap a pallet right and said, you’re picking this up fast. Maybe it was a trainer who spent extra time showing you a safer way to work and said, I see potential in you, you’ll be able to take my place one day. That’s 3 true examples I experienced.
Those moments matter. They turn jobs into careers. They help people believe in themselves, sometimes for the first time.
And then let’s be honest, sometimes people end up in a job simply because it was the easiest open door.They applied. They got hired. They started. And they stayed.And there’s nothing wrong with that. Many long, successful careers begin by chance. But what matters is what happens after that first step.
So now, let’s talk about why so many workers who enter this field end up staying and building entire careers here. There are a lot of reasons. Not everyone is meant for college. And not everyone wants it. Warehousing levels the playing field. You can start with a high school diploma, a GED, or just the willingness to learn. You don’t need prior experience. You don’t need certifications. You don’t need years of training. If you show up consistently and work safely, the industry will teach you everything else. That opens doors for thousands of workers who want a real career but don’t have access to college or technical schools or the time those commitments take to start earning.
One of the biggest advantages of our field is that advancement is based on performance, not the politics. A general laborer who works hard, shows up every day, and follows safety rules and procedures can move from position to position quickly. I see it all the time. General labor to Forklift operator, Forklift operator to Lead, Lead to Supervisor, Supervisor to Manager, and Manager to Operations leadership like Director or Vice president.
If you want to climb the ladder, the ladder is there, and it’s real. I’ve seen people go from sweeping floors to running departments. I’ve even seen people go on to run entire facilities.
That’s the beauty of this career path, you can grow as fast as your attitude and effort will carry you.
People sometimes think warehousing is just moving boxes. But as we’ve learned this last couple of quarters, this industry is incredibly diverse. There are roles in Equipment operation, Inventory control, Quality assurance, I should have made some notes here, what else, oh, Replenishment, Receiving, Shipping, Dispatch, Transportation, building Maintenance, and two of my favorites Safety, Training, many different Management positions, and even HR and recruiting.
The variety gives us workers options. We can grow sideways, upward, or into completely new areas, all within the same building. What other industry can give us all that!
And many entry-level associates discover quickly that general labor in a warehouse pays several dollars more per hour than retail or food service. Then they see the overtime opportunities. The shift premiums. And the potential bonuses. Suddenly, they’re not just earning a paycheck, they’re earning a living. I think this is one of the top reasons people stay. Warehousing and transportation reward productivity and effort. And that motivates workers to commit to the industry long-term. One of my opinions for free!
Some people need to feel accomplished. They want to look back at the end of the shift and say, everything is all wrapped up.
Warehousing gives them that. You see progress. You see results. You see the work you put in. You don’t have to wonder if you made an impact, you can see it in the cases picked, pallets stacked, trailers loaded, and shift goals achieved. That sense of accomplishment always kept me coming back for the next shift.
And It’s a Stable, Growing IndustryLet’s face it, the supply chain isn’t going anywhere. Even during recessions, warehouses keep running. Even during pandemics, trucks keep moving. People always need, Food, home Products, Medications, and Supplies. And as e-commerce continues to grow, so does the demand for distribution centers, fulfillment centers, cross-docks, last-mile delivery, and transportation. Workers like stability. They like knowing their job will still be here tomorrow. Warehousing and the supply chain offers that.
And this industry teaches skills we can take anywhere, equipment operation, Safety practices, systems and RF scanners, Inventory processes, Quality checks, Time management, the importance of accuracy and Leadership and communication. These aren’t just job skills, there our they’re career skills. And once you have them, you’re employable in almost any warehouse or distribution environment across the country.
Another thing I’ve always loved about the industry is howWarehouses are often 24/7 operations. That means people can choose shifts that work best for them and the family, mornings, afternoons, nights, weekends, or rotating even schedules. For young parents, students, or workers with second jobs, that flexibility can be a major advantage.
I feel, when you look at the big picture, people choose warehousing, light industrial, and transportation careers because they see opportunity. These industries offer that chance to start immediately, a chance to earn a good wage, the opportunity to grow fast and to learn valuable skills that can support our family and to build a long-term, stable career.
And the most important part? They provide it to anyone willing to work, show up, stay safe, and take pride in what they do. So, if you’re new to this industry or you’re just getting started, or if you’re trying to find your path, know this. You don’t have to have all the answers today. You don’t need to have your life all figured out. You just need to start. Build skills. Learn. Ask questions. Show up. Stay safe. Take pride in your work.
As you know I could talk about operations all day, so I’ll move on and say thanks for joining me today, and thanks for being part of an industry that keeps America running.
Until next week, stay safe, stay focused, and keep building your career one shift at a time!
When we think about goals and planning, most of us picture big dreams, buying a house, raising a family, finding stability, choosing a career, or one day reaching retirement. But for today’s young light industrial workforce, many of those ideas feel far away, maybe even impossible. And honestly, it’s not their fault. The world changed fast, faster than the rulebook was updated.
But here’s the truth, or my belief anyway, is that goals and planning matter more now than ever.
Especially in the warehouse environment, where opportunities are everywhere, pathways are wide open, and advancement is 100% achievable for anyone willing to invest in themselves.
Today, I want to talk about why planning matters, why so many young workers struggle with goal-setting, and how building a personal roadmap, both in career and finances, can set someone up for long-term success. We’ll also talk about one of my favorite and the simplest ways to start building savings, the 52-Week Savings Chart. It’s easy, and honestly kind of fun!
In warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, and production, we often focus on the daily tasks, get the product in, put it away, pick or select the orders, load the trucks, do it accurately, and above all do it safely.
It’s fast-paced. It’s physical. It’s repetitive. And because of that, it’s incredibly easy for young workers to fall into the mindset of I’m just here for today. But here’s the reality, warehouse jobs lead to careers. Careers lead to stability. Stability leads to retirement. You can’t get to retirement if you don’t know where you’re going though.
A 19-year-old forklift operator isn’t necessarily thinking about retirement. But imagine if they did? Imagine if they knew that by choosing the right industry, sticking with the right employer, and building the right habits, they could retire comfortably at 55 or 60 with a strong 401k, or enough savings to enjoy life.
I sometimes feel too many young people think of work as what I am doing today, instead of what I am building for tomorrow. And I get it, it’s hard. And I think it’s harder than it was just 15 years ago. Let’s be honest, today’s workforce is dealing with challenges older generations didn’t face at the same time in life. Definitely a higher cost of living, more job instability, and I don’t want to talk about the gig work out there. And there’s much less long-term planning in schools, faster moving workplaces, and a cultural shift toward right now instead of long-term. Add to that the fact that so many associates weren’t taught how to budget, how to plan, and especially how to set career goals. I was so fortunate to have family and mentors in the industry that taught me to work for the future, not just the present. But retirement can feel so far away it doesn’t even feel real. Promotions feel random. And saving feels impossible.
This is where employers, supervisors, and experienced warehousemen should step in and teach the why and the how, and we as associates should listen and self educate a bit on those finances.
You may have heard me say so many times that a job pays the bills. A career builds a life.
In the warehouse world, workers can start as general laborers, lumpers, pallet builders, sanitation, pickers, unloaders, roles that don’t require experience, just effort. From there, they can move into Forklift operation, Order selection, Inventory control, Quality Control, Dispatch, Lead roles, Supervisory roles, Management roles, Operations, Transportation, Safety, Training, and global logistics like ocean shipping, Import Export. And those are just a few of my favorites! The industry is full of opportunity and movement. But you only move when you know what direction you want to go.
Each one of us should ask ourselves questions like these at least every quarter. Where do I want to be in 3 years? What skills do I need to get there? What industry do I want to grow in, e-commerce, retail distribution, cold storage, manufacturing, production, and my personal favorite, an industry that worked out great for me and my family, food service distribution! Let’s list one more, I jotted down like 20 questions! I’m going with this one. What certifications or equipment experience can I add to my résumé this year? Those are career questions, not job questions.
And when a young worker understands that advancement is planned, not accidental, they start to see their daily tasks differently. They start to realize that every pallet they pick, every shift they complete, and every decision they make is building toward something.
Career growth isn’t just about promotions, it’s also about stability. Stability, an odd but important word. Meriam Webster tells us that stability is the quality, state, or degree of being stable, such as, the strength to stand or endure. I’ve always felt savings and planning could help with stability.
A worker who saves even a little, handles emergencies better, can take a risk on a better job, can move into a higher-paying industry, can invest in certifications or training and can build towards buying a car, a home, or building for that retirement. Saving isn’t about being rich, it’s about being ready.
I think a lot of us struggle with saving because we think it requires big numbers. We think savings has to start at $100 a week, or $50 a week. But saving can actually start small. Consistency beats amount.
I’ve always loved 52-Week Savings Challenge.
This method is simple. You save the same amount of dollars as the week number. Week 1 save $1, Week 2 save $2, Week 3 $3 and so on to week 52 where we’ll stash $52. There’s no stress. No budgeting skills needed. No complicated rules. By the end of the year, we’ve saved $1,378. And that’s before any interest or other investments. That’s the power of consistency. It teaches us that money can add up fast, small steps matter, and that habits matter, planning matters. Anyone can save, no matter their wage.
Imagine a young 18-year-old doing this each year. By age 25? They’ve saved nearly $10,000, not including interest. By age 30? Almost $17,000. And by age 35? They’re in a completely different financial world than their peers.
When we as young warehouse persons learn this concept the entire world opens up. We begin to see that the difference between struggle and stability isn’t luck… it’s planning. We learn that goals matter. That careers don’t happen by accident. That saving isn’t really optional. That retirement isn’t a fantasy, it’s the destination. And most importantly, we learn that we’re in control. Our future isn’t determined by a starting point. It’s determined by our direction.
You’ve heard me say so many times that warehouse work can take you anywhere. But it can’t take you there if you don’t know where you want to go. Career success is built on two pillars. A plan, and the discipline to follow it. Saving money builds discipline. Career planning builds direction. And together, they build a life.
I don’t think today’s young workers are lost. I feel they’re just uninformed. They’re capable, hardworking, loyal, and smart, they just haven’t been taught and helped with the long-term lesson that your goal isn’t today.Your goal is retirement. Every shift, every dollar saved, every skill learned, every certification earned, every good decision, even every safety moment, moves us closer to that future.
Of course we have many more financial obligations, I don’t want to make any of this sound easy because it’s not. But Planning will help us with our day to day bills, raising our family, and making all those major purchases, and help us accomplish all our life goals.
So! With us approaching or wrapping up the 4th quarter of 2025, I’ve started thinking of my 2026 goals whereas from there I can develop my plan for the year.
Thanks for checking in today. During break today, speak to a friend about your plans. And get them started on there’s. It’s great to have an accountability partner! Y’all be safe out there this week.
Few things disrupt operations more quickly than a No Call, No Show (NCNS).
Whether it’s a missed interview, a new-hire training, an equipment certification, or the first day on the job, a single NCNS can derail productivity, frustrate clients or supervisors, and ripple through the schedule of an entire shift. It’s not a new problem, it’s just becoming more visible, more costly, and more accepted than it used to be. In the light industrial and warehouse world, we’ve learned to expect some drop-off after maybe week one, and a few disappearances around the day 30 or the 60 day mark. But lately, the trend has moved to earlier, before the first paycheck is even cut. I’m Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today let’s talk about why this may be happening and what companies and staffing agencies can do to reduce it. It’s not just on us as applicants!
Traditionally, a no call no show meant someone who failed to report to work without notifying their supervisor. In the staffing and HR generalist world today, the definition has expanded to interviews, applicants who confirm a time but never arrive.NCNS to orientation, training, or PIT certifications, candidates who complete onboarding paperwork but skip the class.And NCNS on their BOG or start day, new hires who accept an assignment, get confirmed with the client, and never show up.And then you have the NCNS after week one or month two, associates who vanish after that first full check or after the honeymoon period of the new job.Each version comes with its own cost, and unfortunately, many staffing agencies and employers are experiencing all four.
So why Is This Happening More Often? I don’t think there is a single answer, but several cultural, economic, and communication shifts may be at play. Here’s a few of my opinions.
I think the market has changed in many regions, job seekers have options. A motivated worker can apply to multiple openings online and be scheduled for interviews within hours.
For entry-level light industrial roles, the barriers to applying are low, but the commitment required from the applicant is often equally low. Some candidates see accepting an interview or training slot as just holding a place, not a firm commitment.
If another offer appears first, they may never circle back to cancel.
And I think digital communication has replaced accountability. A generation ago, a candidate would have to call a recruiter or manager directly. That conversation required a degree of respect and responsibility. Today, with texts, emails, and online scheduling portals, communication feels transactional. People can disappear silently.
Recruiters tell stories of applicants who will text on my way and never show up or ghost them entirely after being offered the job.
It’s not always malicious, often it’s discomfort, anxiety, or simple avoidance. That human nature thing I’m always talking about.
Many NCNS events trace back to practical issues, unreliable transportation, last-minute childcare cancellations, or fear of missing other financial opportunities. Warehouse work often starts early, could require travel across town in some of our larger commercial complexes, and can be physically demanding. If a new associate isn’t fully prepared for that reality, or doesn’t have stable support, it’s easier to just not show up than to face embarrassment or confrontation.
For that first-time warehouse associate, the fear of failure can trigger avoidance. The thought of walking into a huge facility, operating equipment, or being surrounded by seasoned workers can intimidate some. Without encouragement or connection, what I call pre orientation by the recruiter or hiring agent before day one, anxiety often will win.
Oh andwe can’t ignore the gig economy stuff either. Many modern workers grew up in an environment where flexibility is prized, take the job that feels right today, and move on tomorrow if it doesn’t. That attitude is at odds with the warehouse culture, where consistency, reliability, and teamwork are going to define success.Recruiters and supervisors sometimes assume everyone knows that, but in reality, the expectation has shifted for many, maybe most.
Where was I, oh here.And for employers, the cost is both direct and indirect.Wasted recruiting and onboarding time, every NCNS represents hours of effort spent sourcing, scheduling, and preparing, and all that ad spend.Then we have all the lost production, when one associate doesn’t show up, others must cover and make up those hours. That may mean slower lines or overtime.And Disrupted morale, consistent NCNS patterns create resentment among reliable workers.And the big one for the agencies are the damaged client relationships, each missed start can erode trust with the customer.When no-shows are expected and accepted as part of the game, accountability slowly erodes across the workforce.
I don’t think there’s a perfect fix, but there are strategies that can help us reduce the early ghosting.I think that human connection will always beat automation.Technology is efficient, but relationships create commitment. Like a personal phone call, not just a text or auto generated reminder can help establish a sense of accountability.Before orientation, have a recruiter or coordinatorreconfirm details personally, something like We’re excited to see you tomorrow at 9 AM, do you still have that time free?Ask open-ended questions How’s your transportation looking? or Do you have everything you need for tomorrow? Can help.And Express confidence We’re counting on you, this is going to be a great fit.That short conversation can turn a scary transaction into a relationship.
And another quick opinion, I thinkmany candidates drop off because the process feels complicated. If the interview or onboarding system requires multiple logins, confusing links, or long wait times, motivation is going to fade quickly. I think we have to streamline everywhere we can.Combine paperwork steps, offer text based confirmations, and reduce the time gap between application and start date when possible.Every extra day between Yes, I’ll take it and Show up at this time increases the chance of a no show.
And I think our light industrial work can sometimes be undervalued by the very people who rely on it most. A good recruiter should sell the value of the job, stability, benefits, skill growth, and a path to permanent placement. Instead of saying, it’s an entry level position, say this is a get your foot in the door at one of the best distribution centers in town, many of their full timers started exactly where you’re starting. When people feel the opportunity has meaning, they treat it seriously. Or so I believe!
What else did I jot down, I made so many side notes here. Oh yeah.Text reminders the night before and morning of orientation or start date are simple but can be powerful.
Include a name and personal touch, not just a generic Reminder: Your shift starts at 6 AM.
Maybe like, Hi Michele, this is Chris from Belmar, just checking that you’re ready for your 6 AM start at ABC Distribution. There looking forward to meeting you.It sounds human, not robotic, and that makes all the difference.
Now even when associates make it through orientation and their first week, retention remains a challenge! That’s when the next round of no shows can appear, often right after payday or around the end of the first month, or a Monday or Friday.
One of my mentors felt that the first seven days are going to define the relationship. Supervisors should meet every new associate personally, learn their name, and make sure they know where to go and who to talk to.A simple how’s it going so far check in can uncover issues before they grow into a problem. An associate will share if given a chance. Maybe things like transportation struggles, unclear expectations, equipment challenges, orconfusion about pay or hours.People are far less likely to disappear when they feel someone notices their presence.
Oh, and speaking of pay. One of the biggest frustrations new hires face and report on is misunderstanding pay schedules or deductions. If a worker expects to be paid Friday and learns mid-week it’s next Friday, frustration can turn into ghosting. It’s important to review pay cycles during onboarding, confirm when direct deposits hit, and explain how to check hours. Clarity builds trust. And don’t wait for 90 days to recognize success. If a new associate shows up every day for the first week, mention it, tell them I appreciate you being here every day this week, that’s how great careers start. After week one, week four, and week eight, schedule short check-ins.
These don’t have to be formal reviews, just conversations. You’re doing well. Anything you’d like to learn next? Do you feel like the job fits your expectations? When workers know their performance is noticed, they may be less likely to vanish.
And here’s another opinion that some my disagree with. Reducing NCNS isn’t just the recruiter’s job or the employer’s job, it’s a shared responsibility.Recruiters or facility managers should stay in touch with supervisors, not just during placement but throughout the first 30 days. A two-minute update can catch red flags. He’s been late twice. She mentioned childcare issues. They seem overwhelmed.I feel thatagencies and clients that communicate closely can intervene early and prevent some walk offs.
Now of course all that only works if expectations are transparent. We must explain to candidates that showing up and performing reliably is what leads to full-time placement.
And we should explain to clients that constructive feedback and inclusion help that associate feel part of the team.When both sides honor the spirit of the agreement, conversion rates rise, and NCNS events fall.
I think agencies should measure things like interview-to-show ratio, Orientation, training or PIT certification attendance rate and our day-one NCNS percentage and week-one retention. Trends tell the truth. Data removes guesswork.
Sometimes the issue isn’t attendance, it’s alignment.
If candidates continually NCNS specific shifts, locations, or clients, that’s a signal.
Maybe the pay doesn’t match the physical demands, or the commute is too long. A better fit can reduce ghosting.
The warehouse environment runs on reliability. Forklifts don’t run themselves, trucks don’t get loaded and ship without people, and production doesn’t flow when half the crew doesn’t show.
Reducing NCNS requires bringing back a sense of professional pride to even entry-level work. And I feel we can do that by emphasizing Respect for the opportunity, showing up means something. Stressing professionalism at every level, warehouse associates are skilled tradespeople, not replaceable bodies. Communication is responsibility, if you can’t make it, just say so.
Sometimes it’s as simple as teaching new workers what professional courtesy means in this industry. Many just haven’t been taught.
No Call No Shows aren’t going away entirely, people are people, and life happens. But the frequency we see today isn’t inevitable. I believe that when staffing agencies and employers build relationships instead of transactions, set clear expectations, and treat light industrial work as a career path instead of a placeholder, attendance is going to improve.
At the end of the day, showing up is the first step to success, in warehousing, in business, and in life.
Let’s make sure our teams, our associates, and our applicants know that their presence matters, because it truly does.
Well, there’s a lot more of my opinions on an important topic. It is not all on us as applicants, and that’s my two cents.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll visit again next week. Until then, be safe in all we do as that is our priority one, always..
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today we’re talking about staffing agencies, what they are, why they exist, and the benefits they bring from both a client’s perspective and the applicant’s perspective.
In our light industrial environment, warehousing, distribution, production, and manufacturing, staffing agencies play a massive role. They help keep product flowing, equipment running, freight moving, and departments staffed. But they also help workers build careers, explore opportunities, and prove themselves in real-world environments before committing long-term.
So today, let’s talk about the advantages that staffing agencies bring to both sides of the employment coin, and why the try-before-you-buy approach is not only smart, but strategic for both parties.
Now why do staffing agencies exist, you may ask.
If you’re newer to this industry, you might wonder why wouldn’t a company just hire people directly?
And that’s a very good question. The answer is tied to cost, responsibility, speed, and risk.
Companies can face fluctuating labor demands, seasonal spikes, turnover challenges, hiring backlogs, training expenses, and safety responsibilities.
Meanwhile, agencies specialize in finding, screening, onboarding, payroll, insurance, and coaching. They’re built to do it, efficiently and consistently.
Think of it like this, you wouldn’t hire a plumber full-time just in case a pipe leaks once a month. You use the right tool when the situation demands it. I read that somewhere, kind of corny but it does make the point.
If you’re a business, partnering with an agency provides several major benefits:
The first one, and maybe the biggest one is the Try-It-Before-You-Buy-It hiring
In a direct hire situation, once that associate is on your payroll, you’ve taken on unemployment liability, workers’ comp exposure, benefits administration, HR documentation, corrective action processes.
And if that hire doesn’t work out? Now you’re dealing with attendance issues, disengagement, a poor fit, or even safety concerns.
With a staffing partner, you get to evaluate attendance habits, cultural fit, productivity levels, work ethic, and their safety mindset.
If the fit isn’t right, you simply request a replacement. No conflict. No termination paperwork. No damage to morale. Just the right person for the right task.
Secondly the agency carries the responsibility for loss.
During the contracted period, the agency is the employer. That means the agency is responsible for workers’ compensation claims, unemployment claims, payroll taxes, reporting injuries, policy enforcement, training documentation and maybe a host of other responsibilities.
That protection alone can save companies thousands, in risk exposure.
And then lower administrative cost. Recruiting and hiring is expensive. Before a single associate clocks in, companies can spend hours screening resumes, hours interviewing candidates, money advertising positions, labor and cost performing background checks, time onboarding, time entering payroll data. An agency handles all of that.
Companies stay focused on production and productivity, instead of paperwork.
Let’s see, what’s next, oh, a quick response to labor fluctuations.
Warehousing and manufacturing don’t operate at the same speed year-round. Anyone who has survived produce season or holiday time knows what I’m talking about!
One week you’re short-handed. Next week you’re over-staffed. A staffing partner can scale it daily, weekly, seasonally, even shift-to-shift.
That’s flexibility you simply cannot replicate with a direct hiring model.
And another benefit is access to candidates you might not reach. Agencies recruit from online job boards, local networks, trade schools, neighborhoods where your company may not be visible, referrals, job fairs, social media. They cast a wider net. They fish deeper in the same pond and often find talent companies never see.
And a good business development person will tell you you’ll experience a better hiring outcome.
A good agency screens for reliability, attitude, past performance, safety awareness, shift availability, even equipment experience. That means better alignment once boots hit the ground.
Now Let’s Look at the Applicant’s Perspective
A lot of people miss this one, agencies aren’t just for companies. They offer tremendous value to us workers too.
First up would be career exploration with zero risk.
Some people think they want to be a pallet runner and operate an electric pallet jack, until they try it. The pace and responsibility can be a bit more than expected. Others discover they love inventory control. Some didn’t know they’d enjoy production work until they tried it.
Through an agency, you can explore you may be able to explore things like inbound receiving, order picking, packing, labeling, kitting, machine tending, eventually forklift operation, and about a hundred others. Yes, we may need to work our way into some of these positions, but they are all attainable. And you get paid while doing it.
If you don’t enjoy a role? Talk to your recruiter about something else. Simple.
And then, what I call, getting your foot in the door.
Some companies don’t hire entry-level workers directly. They require previous experience, a clean work history, and equipment experience. Etc Agencies can get you into those facilities, where you can prove yourself from the inside.
And once you’re in? Promotions, skill certifications, and full-time hiring opportunities are within reach.
Next is the opportunity to build and expand our skills. Working through an agency can give us experience with WMS systems, exposure to production KPIs, OSHA safety practices, equipment operation skills, palletizing and material handling knowledge.
Those skills make you far more employable, even if you never stay with that specific facility.
Oh here’s a good one, weekly pay. Most agencies pay weekly. That can be incredibly helpful for budgeting, emergencies, and unexpected expenses.
Another benefit to us may be some coaching and help. A good recruiter can helps you build a résumé, explains attendance expectations, reviews workplace professionalism, advocates for safety, prepares you for interviews, coaches through workplace conflict or their observations of the environment. Another words you’re not alone.
And this one was brought up to me last month. The opportunity to prove yourself.
Some people struggle in traditional interview environments. Maybe nerves get in the way. Maybe their résumé doesn’t reflect their true ability.
With a staffing partner, you can prove your value through action like showing up early, working hard, communicating clearly, working safe, supporting your team. And your production numbers don’t lie.
And then maybe you need Flexibility.
Want nights? Weekends? Temporary work while deciding your next step? Agencies can align your schedule with your life.
Theres several benefits from both perspectives for us to ponder over. So, moving on, lets see. Here’s a strong bullet point.
Turnover is expensive.
When companies hire too fast, they often find the wrong cultural fit. Likewise, when applicants accept jobs, they don’t understand, they burn out or quit.
Agencies create a trial period, applicants get to make an informed decision, companies get to evaluate performance. That can help prevent early resignations, terminations, and wasted training hours. Retention can improve dramatically.
And then there’s hidden cost of a rushed hire. When someone’s not the right fit trainers lose productive hours, supervisors burn time coaching, HR gets involved, equipment sits idle, orders fall behind. That’s expensive. Agencies can minimize that waste.
Some associates think I don’t want to work for an agency. I want a real job. Well, here’s the truth. Agencies place thousands of workers into full-time roles every year. Many warehouse supervisors, leads, and managers started as agency workers. Agencies are how a huge portion of our industry staffs. It’s not just real, it’s strategic.
If you put in the work, show up every day, follow instructions, commit to safety, communicate, and maintain a positive attitude, supervisors and managers will notice. And when conversion time comes? You’re at the top of the list.
So, who should consider a staffing agency? Applicants who want to explore a new industry, need work fast, have gaps in their work history, want weekly pay, need schedule flexibility, are entering the workforce for the first time, are re-entering after time away.
And a company experiencing seasonal spikes, struggling with turnover, requiring specialized recruiting, can’t carry full-time payroll, operate multiple shifts, and want to avoid unemployment costs.
In short, just about everyone at some point.
How can we maximize the experience, after all it must be a positive for us right?
If you’re an associate you cannot over communicate, and we should always be on time, treat recruiters with respect, what else, ask for feedback, and be honest about our availability and experience, and we need to lean into and accept any learning opportunities.
If you’re a client, partner closely with your agency, provide clear job descriptions, give feedback quickly, don’t ghost your recruiter, and treat agency workers with the same dignity as direct hires.
That’s how you turn a vendor into a partner.
In our industry, staffing partners are not a shortcut. They’re a strategic advantage. They help reduce turnover, improve safety, and connect great talent with great employers, often faster and more effectively than traditional hiring ever could.
If you’re a business struggling with staffing challenges, consider partnering with an agency.
If you’re an associate looking for opportunity, consider applying through one.
Because sometimes the right door requires the right key. And an agency can be a win win!
And now I’d like to thank you for joining me today. I hope this helped shine a little light on the benefits of staffing partners in the warehouse and operations world. Until next time, everyone have prosperous and productive week and above all a safe one.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I’m Marty, and today we’re diving into something that quietly runs the show in almost every modern warehouse, the Warehouse Management System, or WMS.
If you’ve ever scanned a label, followed a pick path, dropped a pallet in a location, or received directions from a handheld or voice system — you’ve been interacting with it. But how often do we stop and think about why it exists, how it works, and how critical it is to follow its directions exactly as given?
Today, we’ll explore, from our perspective, or from the floor, what a WMS is and how it came to be. The advantages it brings to operations and us as associates, the importance of accuracy and compliance in both inbound and outbound tasks, and finally, how something as simple as mis-placing a pallet can cost a company, and us, valuable, non-recoverable time.
Todays topic came to light through a message from Shannon. His facility runs a pretty tight ship and he was coached for misplacing a pallet of extremely valued product. He was counseled for manually entering or confirming he had placed a pallet vs scanning it to the location, and then the other shift could not locate it in a timely manner. He did not see it as a big deal, and asked me what I thought of all the WMS system blankety blank.
Well Sir, you may not like my answer, and I do understand your point of view, but let’s explore the subject for a bit and see if we can find some common ground!
I guess we should start with what a warehouse management system is?
A Warehouse Management System, or WMS, is essentially the digital backbone of the warehouse. I’d say digital brain but in today’s world we could confuse the word brain with AI, so I’m going to say backbone! It manages inventory, directs product flow, and keeps everything in sync from the moment goods arrive at the dock until they’re shipped out the door. The system touches every component and department.
Before WMS, warehouses operated on paper, clipboards, handwritten lists, and manual counts. You’d have receiving sheets, pick tickets, and paper bills of lading. Inventory accuracy depended on people’s handwriting, math, and memory. And as warehouses grew larger and customers demanded faster and more accurate deliveries, paper just couldn’t keep up.
That’s when WMS technology came into play, starting with simple barcode scanning in the 1980s and 90s, evolving into complex, real-time systems that talk directly with all our IT software, transportation systems, and even automated equipment today.
At its core or simply put, a WMS answers three questions every minute of every shift. Where is every product and case located? What needs to happen next? Who is best positioned to do it?
So why, beside just the fact that all that paperwork was getting over whelming, why did the WMS Come to be.
Well, as supply chains grew more complex, companies needed better control of a few things. One of them was Inventory accuracy, knowing exactly how much of every item is on hand. Next up was space utilization, making the most out of every square foot of warehouse space. Remember, real estate is expensive. We needed to make every inch count. Another huge factor was labor efficiency, ensuring that the right departments and the right people are doing the right jobs at the right time. And then speed and traceability, getting products to customers faster, and knowing where everything is at all times.
Paper and manual systems created too many opportunities for errors, double receipts, missed picks, unrecorded damages, and misplaced pallets.
The WMS was designed to eliminate those gaps by assigning every product, every location, and every movement a digital identity. It tells the operator what, where, and when, while recording who did it, all in real time.
That transparency is what keeps operations flowing smoothly.
What are the advantages of WMS?
A well-implemented and followed WMS provides advantages across every department. Accuracy being a big advantage. The system reduces human error by scanning every move. When every pallet and case is tracked by barcode, mistakes drop dramatically. And I mentioned efficiency earlier, it optimizes travel paths for selectors and for operators, no more backtracking or hunting for items. And a biggie for us on the floor is the inventory control aspect. The system knows where every item is stored and how much is available, reducing lost product, write-offs, and cycle-count discrepancies for the company but for us as order selectors and fork operators it helps keep those pick slots full! And then the labor management side of things. WMS data ties directly to performance metrics like cases per hour, pallets per hour, and pick accuracy. It helps both associates and supervisors measure productivity fairly and objectively. And I want to say something about customer service or customer satisfaction. When orders are picked accurately and shipped on time, customers stay happy, and that’s what keeps our jobs secure.
I’ll try to break it down by departments.
Let’s talk about the inbound side first, the start of the product’s warehouse journey.
Inbound includes receivers, forklift operators, and inventory control personnel.
Our merchandising department orders the product and the logistics group schedules the order to arrive at the warehouse. That appointment is usually the first entry in our WMS.
Then, when a trailer backs up to the dock, the receiver’s job is to unload product and confirm that what’s arriving matches the purchase order. The WMS creates a digital record for every pallet, assigning each a temporary staging location and eventually a permanent “home” in the warehouse.
If that receiver doesn’t verify barcodes correctly or misses a damaged pallet, that error enters the system, and everything downstream or after that point is affected.
Once received, a forklift operator moves the product to its designated storage slot.
Here’s where following WMS direction becomes critical. And this is what messed Shannon up.
If the system says to place pallet “A123” in location “R-24-05,” and the operator accidentally sets it in “R-24-15,” the system will now believe it’s still in 05.
The next time an order calls for that product, the selector’s scanner will direct them to an empty slot, causing confusion, time loss, and frustration.
Inventory control teams rely on WMS data to audit counts and correct variances. When pallets are misplaced or scanned incorrectly, IC spends hours searching, recounting, or re-labeling, all of which is indirect time that produces no revenue or progress.
Ok, Now let’s move to the outbound side, order selectors, loaders, outbound forklift operators, and replenishment operators.
When the WMS assigns a selection path, it’s carefully optimized for travel efficiency and slot rotation.
If an order selector decides to “freestyle” and pick out of sequence, maybe grabbing a nearby item early to save a few steps, it breaks that optimization. The system still expects that item to be there later, which can throw off the next picker’s route or the replenishment schedule.
For loaders, the WMS assigns which pallets belong to which trailer or route. Skipping a scan or loading the wrong pallet can mean a delivery truck leaves missing a customer’s product, and someone’s day just got a lot longer fixing it. And a lot more money may be spent.
Forklift drivers supporting outbound operations, especially replenishment operators, are the backbone of order flow. When the system says slot A needs replenishment, it’s based that on live data from order picks. Delaying a move, dropping product in the wrong location, or working ahead outside of the WMS instructions can cause product shortages or double replenishments.
It’s easy to think the WMS is just a guideline, but in reality, it’s a precision system built on logic, timing, and workflow.
When we follow it exactly, everything stays synchronized. When we don’t, we create ripples that affect everyone down the line.
Imagine this. You’re an inbound forklift operator. The system tells you to place a pallet of canned goods in location A-3-10. You’re in a hurry, the slot looks full, so you drop it in A-3-12 instead. I’ll fix it later, you think.
Two days later, an order selector goes to pick from A-3-10, and the product isn’t there. He calls for inventory control. They spend time searching for it, maybe call a supervisor. Ten minutes turns into thirty, then an hour.
That single pallet caused multiple associates to stop their direct work, all because one instruction wasn’t followed.
I’ve mentioned indirect and direct time, let’s break that down even further.
Direct time is the time we spend performing productive, billable, or goal-driven work, the tasks that move freight and generate value. Picking an order, loading a trailer, receiving product or moving a pallet to a directed slot, that’s direct time. It contributes to throughput, efficiency, and measurable results.
Indirect time, on the other hand, is time spent doing things that do not directly add value, often caused by inefficiencies, rework or down time. Searching for misplaced pallets, Re-counting inventory on the fly, fixing labeling errors, and waiting for product to be found or replenished. Indirect time eats into productivity and can never be recovered. Once that minute is gone, it’s gone forever.
If five associates spend 15 minutes looking for one misplaced pallet, that’s 75 minutes of indirect time, over an hour of lost productivity. Multiply that across a week or a month, and it can equal days of lost output.
In warehouse operations, small mistakes multiply quickly. A pallet misplaced in receiving leads to, Incorrect inventory counts, replenishment not triggering when needed, order selectors searching or shorting orders, delayed truck loading, customer dissatisfaction, and eventually, management having to justify labor cost overruns or that lost productivity.
Every action we take, every scan, every move, has a digital footprint in the WMS. Following it correctly keeps the entire system balanced and efficient.
And the WMS doesn’t just track inventory, it also tracks performance.
Each associate’s scans show how efficiently tasks are being completed, and that data drives labor metrics, incentives, and evaluations.
When you follow directions, you’re not just helping the system, you’re protecting your own numbers, accuracy scores, and reputation. Supervisors can see who’s consistently accurate and who’s not. That accuracy builds trust, and we’ve learned that trust leads to opportunities.
Sometimes we associates feel like the WMS is the boss, that it takes away decision-making. But it’s actually the opposite. It gives us information so we can make better decisions within the process.
The system’s logic is based on years of data and engineered labor standards. It’s designed to reduce waste, increase safety, and help us all work smarter, not harder.
Teamwork means understanding that every person’s task supports the next. Receivers feed putaway, putaway feeds selectors, selectors feed loaders, and loaders feed transportation. The WMS ties them all together.
Following WMS direction is also about safety. When operators work off-system, they often skip checks or go out of sequence, which can create congestion, near-misses, or unsafe travel paths.
WMS routes are often designed with traffic flow and equipment separation in mind. Ignoring those routes increases the risk of accidents, damage, or injury.
So, compliance isn’t just about accuracy, it’s also about keeping everyone safe.
At the end of the day, the WMS is only as strong as the people using it.
It can direct, record, and guide, but it can’t move a pallet, scan a label, or notice a damaged case.
That’s where the human element matters most.
When we take ownership of our part in the process, double-checking scans, verifying slots, and asking questions when something doesn’t make sense, we strengthen the entire system.
The WMS supports us, but we make it work. The Warehouse Management System isn’t just a piece of software, it’s the heartbeat of modern operations.
It was designed to eliminate guesswork, reduce waste, and make our work more efficient and accurate.
When we follow its direction, we keep inventory accurate. We protect our own productivity, we help our teammates succeed. And we keep customers satisfied.
A misplaced pallet, a skipped scan, or a shortcut might seem small in the moment but in a warehouse, every small action ripples through the entire operation.
Direct time drives production. Indirect time drains it.
And once indirect time is lost, you can never get it back.
So next time your scanner beeps or your screen gives you a task, remember, that’s the WMS doing its job. It’s our aid to a smooth, safe, and successful shift.
Follow it, trust it, and take pride in being part of the system that makes it all work.
Now before all the engineers, merchandisers, distribution service groups chime in that a WMS is so much more, I agree, it is, and its so much more. But today we’re talking about us using it, us on the floor, and we’re talking about being coached for losing a pallet.
And with that being said, I’ll leave you with hopes of seeing you next week right back here at warehouse and operations as a career, and please remember that safety is always your priority one, we all have friends’ family counting on us.
I heard of three individuals, in 3 different states, losing their positions this week, and that bothered me a bit. Two of them I’d worked with on and off over the last year. All three were right at the year mark in their positions, and each believed they had found their long term if not their retire from organization. What struck me as odd was that as all 3 shared their thoughts with me, each used the word comfortable when explaining what had happened. Two of them stated they had messed up, quit paying attention to their tardiness, probably had gotten a little laxed in regard to the rules and procedures, one even mentioned he had quit thinking of or being focused on safety to the degree he should have. The third guy, although admitting he’d fallen into routines and probably fell into the drama the breakroom can expose us to, he felt like, him being a long-term employee, he’d been working there for 14 months, he felt that he should had been given another chance.
Now all three shared that they had been spoken with at least 2 times or had a couple of coaching’s in their file on attendance, tardiness, and I think 1 of them had been coached on gossiping or speaking about others personal lives in the workplace. Like I said earlier, all 3 had said something like I had gotten too comfortable at work, and one added the thought or word complacent to me.
So today, I want to talk about something every warehouse professional will experience at some point in their career, comfort. Now, don’t get me wrong, being comfortable in what we do isn’t necessarily bad. It can mean we’ve mastered our craft, we’ve gained confidence, and we can get through our tasks with efficiency and ease.
But here’s the catch, being too comfortable can be dangerous. It can slow us down, cloud our judgment, dull our attention to safety, and even limit our growth.
In the light industrial world, in warehousing, production, manufacturing, distribution, and transportation, we depend on routine. But routine, if not managed with purpose, can quietly become complacency. And complacency is what costs people their jobs, it can affect their safety, and sometimes even their careers. Being comfortable in your job means you know your equipment, your process, and your role. You’re confident in your ability to perform your duties safely and efficiently. You’re reliable. You’ve earned that comfort through experience, repetition, and effort.
But complacent, that’s when we may stop paying attention. We start cutting corners because “we’ve done it a thousand times.” We stop double-checking our surroundings. We stop asking questions or looking for ways to improve.
Complacency feels a lot like comfort, but the difference is small, and dangerous. One helps us grow; the other quietly holds us back.
When we first start a new job, we’re alert and focused. Everything is new, we’re learning procedures, meeting coworkers, and trying to make a strong impression. We check our pallet jack twice before using it. We double-check labels, counts, and load sheets. We want to get it right.
Then time passes. A few months in, we’ve learned the ropes. A year or two in, we can do it with our eyes closed. That’s when the risk can creep in.
It’s human nature, we settle into patterns. But in our world, that pattern can dull our edge. Productivity may hold steady, but initiative fades. We stop asking “why” and just focus on how. That’s when opportunity starts passing us by, those same people who started after us might start moving ahead, taking the lead or trainer positions, while we’ve quietly stayed in the same spot. Stuck in our routine.
It’s just a fact. In warehousing and operations, growth rewards attention. The person still learning, still questioning, still improving, that’s the person who gets noticed, especially by the frontline management team.
From an operational view, complacency costs companies more than most realize.
Take safety, for instance. A comfortable but inattentive operator is more likely to have a preventable accident. Maybe a forklift operator forgets to sound the horn at an intersection. Maybe a selector doesn’t double-check their pallet cube or height and ends up tipping a load. Or maybe a loader forgets to secure a pallet or bulkhead, load bar or e strap because I’ve done this a thousand times before.
All it takes is one overlooked detail to turn a good shift into an incident report.
Operationally, being complacent can cost in other ways too. Decreased productivity, we may stop pushing for efficiency. Quality issues, incorrect counts, wrong product being pulled or loaded, or labeling errors. Oh, and my biggie. Missed opportunities: we may stop volunteering for new tasks or training because of the old, it’s not my job mindset.
When a team becomes too comfortable, improvement stalls, and that affects the entire operation’s performance metrics, from CPH (cases per hour) to on-time percentages, and our thruput.
Here’s a truth that surprises people new to the warehouse, being comfortable should never be our goal. I feel our goal should be competence, growth, and professionalism.
Comfort feels good, but it’s temporary. The industry changes. Technology keeps coming. Slotting systems, scanners, dispatch software, powered equipment, and safety protocols evolve. If we’re standing still, we’re actually falling behind or backing up!
Every professional, from a general laborer to a supervisor, has to fight against that natural drift toward comfort. We could be comfortable in school, but this is work, our career.
Our light industrial environment rewards adaptability. The person who keeps learning, stays alert, and remains teachable, that’s the person management turns to when opportunities open up.
I jotted down a couple of examples to help us relate. We’ve all probably seen something like these before.
First up is Jake. Jake’s been running a stand-up forklift for seven years. He’s good, reliable, fast, and safe. But over time, he’s stopped inspecting his equipment thoroughly and turning in his pre-shift report. It’s always fine, he says. One morning, a hydraulic line finally gave out mid-shift. It could have been caught during a pre-shift inspection, but now there’s downtime, a spill, and an incident report.
Jake’s not a bad operator, he just got too comfortable.
Next up, and I’m sure we all know an order selector like this. Lisa started off strong, top in productivity, always hitting her targets. But after two years, she’s in the middle of the pack. She’s not unsafe; she’s just on autopilot. She’s stopped looking for faster ways, or asking for feedback. When a new voice-pick system is introduced, she struggles to adjust, her comfort zone didn’t prepare her for change.
Let’s do one more, let’s see, oh here’s a supervisor thought. Mike’s been leading his crew for years. He’s respected, dependable, but he’s stopped holding pre-shift safety talks. They already know the routine, he figures. But the team’s focus starts slipping, more mis-picks, more near misses. His leadership didn’t fail overnight; it faded quietly with comfort.
Each of these examples shows how comfort quietly steals excellence, and excellence is what keeps us employable, promotable, and respected by our peers and management team.
In our industry, safety and comfort often conflict. The safer we feel, the less cautious we can become.
Ever notice that most injuries don’t happen on someone’s first week? They happen after six months to a year, when they’ve stopped worrying and started feeling at home.
That’s why the best companies emphasize retraining, refresher courses, and daily safety talks. They’re not reminders for the new boots, they’re reminders for the veterans. It’s easy to forget that even our daily tasks and equipment can surprise us.
When we get too comfortable, we may skip our PPE because it’s just a quick task. We may not report a small near miss. We don’t question a shortcut we see someone else take.
Each of those moments’ chips away at our safety culture. A strong safety record doesn’t come from fear, it comes from respect of that culture. Respect for the job, the process, and the risks that never go away no matter how long we’ve been there.
Let’s look at it from a career point of view.
If we’ve been in the same position for years, doing good work but never stepping forward, that’s a warning sign. Our world offers tons of opportunities for us, if we want them. Like trainer, equipment or machine operator, a lead, or quality auditor, dispatcher, supervisor, safety coordinator, or any of the hundred other positions we’ve talked about! But those opportunities go to the people who show hunger, who ask to learn new systems, shadow other departments, or volunteer for cross-training.
Getting too comfortable means we stop standing out.
Managers notice engagement. They notice effort. When they’re deciding who to promote, they look for the person still growing, not the one who’s just coasting or comfortable. In today’s operations, especially with technology driving change, being static is the fastest way to become replaceable. Comfort resists change; growth embraces it.
So how do we balance the two? Because let’s be honest, we should feel confident and comfortable enough to perform our jobs efficiently and safely. The key is to stay sharp, focused, and professional. We need to keep learning. Ask to cross-train. Remember how I’m always pushing to learn the task before and after our own. Learn how another department works. Understand the bigger picture of the operation. And stay engaged. Don’t just complete your checklist for each shift, look for ways to improve it. Seek feedback. Even when you think you’ve mastered your job, ask your supervisor what you can do better. And I put a star by this bullet point. Challenge yourself. Try to improve your personal metrics, maybe shave a few seconds off a task while keeping it safe and accurate. And be involved in Safety. Speak up during toolbox talks, report near misses, and mentor the newer teammates. And maybe the most important after safety is to avoid auto-pilot mode. Every shift, remind yourself. I’m a professional. Treat each day as a new opportunity to perform, not just another day to get through. And I’m going to throw this one out there too. Mentor someone. Teaching others keeps our own knowledge sharp. It forces us to stay current and mindful.
Comfort is fine, as long as we remain aware that comfort is temporary. The warehouse will evolve whether we evolve with it or not!
And from a management or leadership perspective, one of the hardest things to combat is employee complacency. Supervisors see it all the time. The dependable worker who stops growing, the veteran who doesn’t want to attend training or the daily start ups, or the team that stops listening because they’ve heard it all before.
The best leaders handle it through, being visible and accessible, walking the floor, recognizing good work, and asking for ideas. And offering cross-training opportunities, keeping employees challenged with new skills. Then most importantly, celebrating effort, not just output, rewarding curiosity and initiative just as much as productivity.
A comfortable team is stable, but an engaged team is unstoppable.
Let’s take this out of the warehouse for a second. Last week we talked about leadership in our lives, both personally and professionally. I think we can become comfortable and complacent in both. So, let’s mention it here as well!
In life, comfort can be just as tricky. Whether it’s a relationship, finances, or personal goals, when we stop striving, we start slipping backward or risking becoming complacent. Just like at work. Every day we show up, we’re either building momentum or losing it.
As professionals, our confidence should come from our ability to adapt, not from the idea that we’ve got it all figured out. The moment we think we’ve learned everything we need to know, that’s when we stop being professionals and start being passengers.
Comfort is earned. It’s the reward for experience, for showing up every day, learning, adapting, and performing. But it should never be the destination.
In our world, the light industrial, warehousing, and logistics world, things move fast. Processes evolve, expectations shift, and technology keeps pushing us to do more, faster, safer, and smarter.
So, the next time you walk into work, ask yourself, Am I growing? Am I staying sharp? Am I still curious? Those are three questions I ask myself each Monday morning at 10 a.m. It’s in my daily journal. Well, there I go off in a different direction again so I’ll stop talking for today!
Thanks for visiting with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and until next time, remember that every shift is a new opportunity to prove not just that you can do the job, but that you are the best of the best.
Stay safe, stay alert, and stay engaged out there.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career.
I’m Marty, and today we’re talking about something that reaches far beyond the warehouse floor, beyond any title, and beyond the company walls, we’re talking about leadership.
Now, when you hear the word leader, most people instantly think of a boss, a supervisor, or someone in charge. But I’d like to challenge that a bit today. Because, in my opinion, leadership is not a title. It’s not assigned. It’s something we live, something we show, and something that earns respect, not demands it.
I feel every one of us, no matter what position we hold, is responsible for something. We’re responsible for our own lives, our families, our goals, and yes, our jobs. But leadership takes that personal responsibility one step further. It’s about influencing others through what we do, not what we say.
Leadership isn’t about the clipboard, the badge, a different colored vest, or the fancy office. It’s about how we act when no one’s watching. It’s how we respond when things go wrong. And it’s about how we treat people, not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s hard.
A title identifies a position, not a person, leadership defines and identifies a person.
I’ve seen great leaders wearing steel-toed boots and safety vests, working shoulder-to-shoulder on the warehouse floor. And I’ve seen people with impressive titles who couldn’t lead a team out of the breakroom.
Leadership starts when you take ownership, when you decide that safety, productivity, and teamwork matter to you personally. You don’t have to wait for a promotion to lead. In fact, some of the strongest leaders I’ve ever met were associates who just quietly got things done, helped others, and took pride in their work every single day. You may remember me talking about a dear friend, a forklift operator for over 30 years, he was the strongest leader I’d ever met as an order selector. He’d keep all us selectors motivated in the aisles every night, and helped challenge us with cases per hour and aging us all along each night.
You see, leadership begins the moment you stop saying, “That’s not my job,” and start saying, “That’s my responsibility.” Getting those doors open or closed is my job.
One of the biggest misconceptions in the workplace is that leadership means being in charge. But real leadership is actually about serving others. Taking care of others.
I like saying the best leaders don’t command, they support. They remove obstacles, provide tools, and help others succeed. They understand that their job isn’t to be the smartest person in the room, it’s to bring out the best in the people around them.
I think of it like this: a boss says, “Go do this,” but a leader says, “Let’s go do this or let’s do this together.”
That one word , let’s, changes everything.
True leaders ask themselves every morning, “What can I do to make my team’s job easier today? How can I help someone succeed?” That attitude builds trust, and trust is the foundation of every great team. Remember that first night I was taken back to the high-rise department and passed on to a teammate as an operator? He could have threw me to the wolves, I’d have never got my numbers, but he was a leader, wanted me to succeed, and helped turn me into and ace in the department.
Now, let’s talk about one of the most important parts of leadership, setting the example.
You can’t talk your team into greatness. You have to show them what it looks like.
That means being the first to follow the safety rules. It means showing up on time, keeping a positive attitude, and treating everyone with respect, even when you’re having a bad day.
People may hear what you say, but they’ll remember what you do.
Your example is what teaches others what’s expected. It’s not the HR’s handbook or the poster on the wall, it’s you.
If you show that you care, your team will care. If you cut corners, they’ll think that’s acceptable. If you treat people fairly, they’ll do the same for others.
A leader’s greatest tool isn’t authority, I feel it’s consistency.
Processes, policies, and procedures are all important. But let’s be honest, people make them work.
A process can’t motivate itself. A machine can’t fix morale. That’s where leadership comes in.
Leaders know that their success depends on the success of others.
They listen. They communicate. They check in with their people, not just about numbers or goals, but about how things are going. They know when someone’s struggling, and they step in before it becomes a bigger issue.
Leadership is about connection. It’s about empathy. It’s understanding that every associate, every teammate, is a human being with a life outside those warehouse doors or that tractor.
When you lead people well, they’ll take care of the process all on their own.
When you ignore people, even the best process is going to fall apart.
Now leadership isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it means standing alone.
It’s easy to make the popular decisions. It’s much harder to make the right ones.
I’ve had to make tough calls over the years, about safety violations, attendance, fairness, productivity and accountability. And I’ll be honest, those conversations aren’t fun. But leadership means having the courage to protect both your people and your company, because one can’t survive without the other.
Doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy, earns trust. It shows integrity. And integrity, once earned, gives your leadership meaning to the team and to our peers.
Here’s another quick truth: leadership isn’t a destination, its a path, no path is the wrong word, it’s a journey.
You don’t wake up one morning and say, “I’m a leader now.” It’s something you build every single day.
And Leaders are learners. They read. They ask questions. They take feedback, even when it stings.
They don’t think they have it all figured out. And most importantly, they help others grow.
One of the best feelings in the world is watching someone you’ve trained or mentored step into their own leadership role. That’s how you know you’re doing it right, when the people around you are growing too.
As I’ve said before, leadership is measured not by how far you go, but by how many people you bring with you. One of my early mentors told me to always be training another to fill my role. He taught me I couldn’t advance if he had no one to do my job.
For me leadership doesn’t end when you clock out. It’s who you are, at work, at home, in your community. A culture of one if you will!
It’s how you treat people at the grocery store, or how you respond when someone cuts you off in traffic. It’s the choices you make when no one’s keeping score. Handling myself outside of work has always been harder for me than on the floor.
In our industry, warehousing, manufacturing, distribution and even transportation, leadership shows up in small moments every day.
It’s the associate who stays late to help finish a load.
It’s the forklift operator who stops to pick up debris instead of driving past it.
It’s the supervisor who takes time to explain, not just correct.
It’s the recruiter who listens to an applicant’s story instead of rushing them through an interview.
For me, those moments and things like that, are real leadership.
Now, let’s circle back to where we started, the idea that leadership isn’t about a title.
Titles come and go. They change with promotions, reorganizations, and even new companies.
But leadership? That’s something you carry with you everywhere you go.
When you take responsibility, real, personal responsibility, for your work, your attitude, and your influence, you become a leader. Not because someone gave you permission, but because you chose to be one.
The warehouse, the office, the road, they all need leaders.
Not more bosses, not more rule enforcers, but leaders who care, who listen, and who show up with integrity every single day.
So, what is leadership?
I don’t think its power. I’ve never thought of it as authority. It’s not the corner office or the parking space by the door.
Leadership is responsibility. It’s service. It’s consistency.
It’s the courage to do what’s right, the example that others can follow, and the growth you inspire in the people around you.
Whether you’re on your first day in the warehouse or your 40th year in operations, leadership starts with you.
Be the person others look to for guidance, not because you have to lead, but because you choose to. It will be noticed, and you may just develop instill that culture throughout your whole facility.
I’ll leave you with this thought:
“A boss has a title, but a leader has the respect of their team.”
Let’s all aim to be that kind of leader, at work and in life. We will be successful.
OK, I’ll stop here and quit rambling. Leadership is a subject I’m quite passionate about and could talk for an hour on it!
If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a friend, a coworker, or maybe that new supervisor who’s still learning what leadership really means!
And remember, leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about being responsible, being consistent, and being someone others can count on.
Until next time, stay safe, stay focused, and as always, keep leading by example.
What do you think of when you think of forklifts? I’m sure a lot of us picture those forks sliding into a pallet, lifting it up, and moving it across the dock or racking it in the air to a reserve location. But the forklift can do so much more than just move and store pallets.
I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And today let’s talk about attachments. And specifically, three attachments that I run across weekly on my visits to facilities. The slip sheet attachment, the barrel clamp, and the clamp or squeeze clamp. Each of these was designed for a specific purpose, and each one makes our work easier, but if we don’t use them correctly, they can cost us big in product damage, safety risks, and lost efficiency.
We’ll cover where they came from, why they exist, how to use them, and, just as important, how not to use them. And I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me say it but please let’s remember to never get on or operate a powered industrial truck or attachment, or any type of machine we haven’t been trained and certified to be on and to operate. Even manual equipment let’s get that training and demonstration before touching them. Ok, I’ll move on!
Let’s start with the slip sheet.
Slip sheets came about because the industry wanted a lighter, cheaper alternative to pallets. Think about it, a wooden pallet can weigh 40 pounds or more. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands in a warehouse, and you’re talking about a lot of weight and a lot of space taken up.
A slip sheet is basically a thin sheet of plastic, cardboard, or heavy laminated paper. Instead of the forklift’s forks sliding into a pallet, the truck is outfitted with a push-pull attachment. This attachment has wide, flat platens and a gripper that clamps onto the lip of the slip sheet. It literally pulls the load onto the platens and pushes it back off when it’s time to unload.
Now, where do we see slip sheets? Industries like food and beverage, paper production, and retail use them a lot. They’re especially popular in export shipping, where every pound and inch of container space matters.
In my experience slip sheets only work well if the entire supply chain is set up for them. If the manufacturer ships on slip sheets but the distributor doesn’t have the right forklift attachments, or slotting configurations you’ve got a problem, and that load will have to be unloaded onto pallets.
And misuse or improper training? That’s where we get into trouble. If the operator doesn’t get that gripper securely onto the slip sheet tab, the whole load can slide right off. Unlike pallets, there’s no wooden base keeping the cartons together. If the stack isn’t perfect, it can topple mid-move. And if an operator tries to handle a slip sheet like forks, scraping or pushing product around, you’ll end up with torn packaging and damaged goods.
Slip sheets are efficient, but they demand precision and training.
Next up, the barrel clamp.
Think about how many industries ship product in 55-gallon drums, chemicals, oils, beverages, syrups. Way back when, workers had to roll or wrestle those barrels into place. And that’s not safe, not fast, and certainly not efficient.
That’s why the barrel clamp attachment was developed. It’s basically curved, padded arms that clamp snugly around the sides of a drum. No pallets required. The forklift can pick them up directly. Depending on the model, you can grab one, two, or even four barrels at once. Some clamps even rotate, so you can pour or empty the contents right from the seat.
You’ll find barrel clamps in chemical plants, food and beverage warehouses, and pharmaceutical distribution.
And I’ve seen a variation of the barrel clamp, called a roll clamp used to carry those huge rolls of paper and plastic stock in production plants.
But, like the slip sheet, there are risks if they’re not used correctly. The big one is over-clamping. If the pressure is set too high, the drum can dent, split, or even rupture. Imagine spilling hundreds of gallons of syrup or chemicals on your warehouse floor. That’s not just lost product, that’s a safety nightmare.
On the flip side, if the operator doesn’t clamp tightly enough or misses alignment, the drum can slip out mid-transport. A falling barrel is dangerous on its own, but add in liquid, and you’re talking about a slip hazard, potential injuries, and cleanup costs.
Barrel clamps save a lot of back-breaking manual work. But they only work when the operator knows how to set the clamp pressure correctly and checks that every drum is secure before moving that first inch.
And then we have the squeeze clamp, sometimes just called a clamp attachment. This was the first attachment I was trained on. We we’re unloading laundry washers and driers from rail cars.
Now this one is really versatile. Instead of forks, you’ve got two big flat plates that open and close hydraulically. They grab and hold the load by squeezing it, no pallet needed.
Think about products like refrigerators, chest type freezers, washing machines, dryers, or sofas. They’re bulky, boxed, and heavy. You don’t really want them on a pallet. A clamp grabs them from both sides and lets you move them safely.
You’ll see clamp attachments in appliance warehouses, furniture distribution centers, and even in paper and Styrofoam production plants.
Now, the danger here is the clamp pressure again. Too little, and the load slips right out, crashing to the floor. Too much, and you crush the product inside the box. I’ve seen refrigerators come off the truck looking fine, but inside the coils are damaged because the clamp pressure was cranked too high.
There’s also balance to think about. If the clamp isn’t centered on the load, the weight distribution can throw the forklift off balance. Tilt too far forward when setting it down, and you risk tipping the product or the truck itself.
The takeaway? A clamp attachment is an incredible tool, but it requires training, patience, and respect.
What do slip sheets, barrel clamps, and squeeze clamps all have in common
They’re designed to make our work easier, faster, and safer. They replace manual labor, save on packaging, and help us move products that just don’t belong on pallets.
But, and this is important, they’re also unforgiving when misused. They demand training. They demand awareness. And they demand respect.
A slip sheet system saves freight costs but only if it’s gripped and moved correctly. A barrel clamp saves backs but can crush a drum if pressure isn’t adjusted. A squeeze clamp can move a refrigerator without a pallet, but it can just as easily destroy it if handled wrong.
Those three attachments are probably the most used in distribution, production, and manufacturing environments but there’s so many others, and all of them present their own specific uses and dangers.
Things like fork extensions. There used to extend the length of your forks to handle long or oversized loads. Using them we’ll need to keep the load weight within the lifts lifting capacity and make sure the extensions are secured before lifting.
And side shifters, for moving forks or the attachment left or right without moving the truck. Handy for precise pallet placement. And remember to only shift when the load is close to the ground.
The carpet pole is another handy tool I run into pretty often. There used to lift and transport rolls of carpet or other large rolls. The pole is slid into a core or tube in the middle of the roll of carpet. You’ll want to move slowly and avoid swinging these rolls. And be careful, watch your weight capacity and center of gravity at all times. You have to be careful around people and racking.
What else here, there’s so many different types, Oh we need to mention the man baskets or work platforms. These are baskets or cages used to safely lift workers for maintenance or such. I’ve seen them used for inventory counts. They need to be Osha approved for that purpose and the occupants must always be trained on and use fall protection.
And one more, sweepers. These can convert our forklifts into maintenance tools. I’ve seen facilities build a magnetic bar that’s placed on our forks and ran all around the truck yard picking up nails, screws and metal debris. We have to go slow and be on flat surfaces when using these type of accessories as well.
And a few others real quick. Fork Positioners, we can adjust fork spacing hydraulically. Brick & Block Clamps, can handle construction blocks and pavers. Tire Handler Clamps help us move large vehicle tires. And Invert-A-Pallet / Pallet Turners, Flip loads to change pallets.
As you’ve probably gathered, we could go on and on. So, here’s the bottom line: forklift attachments are tools, and like any tool, they’re only as good as the person using them. In the right hands, they’re assets that improve safety, efficiency, and cost savings. In the wrong hands, they’re accidents waiting to happen.
If you’re working around these attachments, or if you’re an operator running them, take the time to learn how they work. Get the training, practice the alignment, and respect the equipment. Its the law. Remember to never get on, even touch, or attempt to operate a powered industrial truck, truck attachment, or any type of machine you have not been trained and certified to operate. Again, its the law.
We, as professionals, follow the laws, rules, and processes, because at the end of the day, our goal is always the same, move the product, protect the product, and get everyone home safe, with no incidents or accidents.
Thanks for joining me today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Until next time, learn something new, stay focused, and be safe, we all have family and friends counting on us to come home at the end of our shifts.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today, I want to talk about turnover.
I’m not talking about the dollars it cost , the HR paperwork, maybe some orientation expenses. Some look at just the expense of it. But in operations, we know there’s more to it. Turnover isn’t just about dollars. It’s about disruptions, headaches, safety concerns, and sometimes even customer complaints.
And, turnover looks different depending on which side of the fence you’re standing on. For management, it’s lost productivity and constant hiring. For associates, it’s frustration, unmet expectations, or simply searching for stability.
I’m Marty and today I’d like to walk through both sides, and I’ll share a few stories from my own experiences along the way.
Back when I was a supervisor, we had an order selector quit right after his second week. The company had already paid for his drug screen, background check, orientation, and two weeks of training. We spent several thousand dollars before he ever made it to full production. That’s money we’d never get back. Multiply that by ten associates over a few months, well, you can do the math. But again, I want to try and stay away from the money side of it or those concerns!
Here’s a good operational struggle. I remember a time we lost three reach truck drivers in the same month. We scrambled to backfill with temps and cross-train floor associates, but the result was slower inbound put-aways and a backlog of freight. Supervisors who should’ve been coaching were on lifts moving pallets themselves. And what happened? Errors went up, overtime went up, and morale went down. That’s what turnover does on the floor.
And I’ve got to share a quick safety story too right! We once had a brand-new forklift driver who was still nervous behind the wheel. He was an experienced operator, but from another industry and he was getting used to our pick paths and aisles. Because of turnover, he was thrown into the mix faster than he should’ve been. One day, he clipped a bollard post at the end of an aisle by a fire door crossing. Nobody got hurt, thankfully, but the cost of repairing the concrete and writing up the incident, and closing down that cross dock area or cut through really slowed things down for about two days.
I’ve always felt that every time someone leaves, the breakroom talk gets louder. “Why’d they quit?” “Where’d they go?” Did they go somewhere better? Before long, you’ve got three other associates wondering if the grass is greener somewhere else. I’ve seen one resignation turn into three within a week just because people start second guessing their own situation.
So what can us as leads, supervisors, managers, directors and V.P’s do to help with turnover in our industry?
One thing is better onboarding or better hiring, whatever you want to call it.
I once worked at a facility where new hires were just dropped on the floor and told, “Follow Joe around for tonight”. That’s not onboarding or welcoming. Compare that to another warehouse I visited later, they had a structured two-day orientation, introduced the new hires to their supervisors, and even paired them with mentors for the first week. Guess which site had lower turnover?
I’m going to use one of my favorite words real quick. Communication. We as managers, we have to be clear, and our recruiters or hiring agents have to be transparent.
One of the fastest ways to lose people is by not being upfront about expectations. I’ll never forget when an associate told me, “I was hired for four 10-hour shifts. Now you’re telling me five 12s?” He quit that same day. If schedules change, communicate them asap. If standards and the task or the productivity are tough, explain the “why.” Associates will handle tough work if they trust you to tell the truth.
And we should be recognizing a job well done. People want, and deserve, recognition.
At one warehouse, we started giving out gift cards to the top two selectors each week. It wasn’t a fortune, but it made people feel noticed. Turnover dropped by almost 20% over the next quarter. Sometimes, recognition is worth more than a raise.
Oh, and here’s another word I love. Listening. As frontline managers we have to have listening skills.
I worked at a site where selectors complained nonstop about how far apart fast-moving slots were. Productivity suffered, and people left because the job felt impossible. When we reslotted the warehouse to bring those SKUs closer together, guess what? Productivity went up, frustration went down, and people stuck around.
Here’s a short listening story. Early in my career, I was a “get it done” type of lead. I pushed production pretty hard, and I didn’t always listen as well as I should have. Turnover in our department was pretty high. When I learned to coach instead of command, listening to associates, helping them find solutions, showing them I valued their input, the numbers improved immediately. People want to share, and they should be listened to. And it’s our job as those leads, supervisors, managers, directors, and V.P.’s to listen to them. I promise you that you’ll learn something new every day if you do.
I don’t want to take up to much time talking about the company’s cost and challenges with turnover, I want to get to the other side of the coin real quick. The cost or challenges of turnover to us as associates.
Ok, We all want to be appreciated, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
I once sat down with an associate who told me, “I’ve been here three years, and nobody’s ever said ‘thank you.’” That made my heart sad. He was a solid worker, but he left a month later. Associates want to know they matter. This was at a customer’s facility. I of course shared my talk with his supervisor, but I think it was to little too late.
Now, what if, and I’m not saying it was his responsibility, but what if he had gone and spoken with his supervisor. Things may have been fixed, and his supervisor may have grown as well.
A young guy I knew started with me as a loader. He was sharp, fast, and wanted more responsibility. He kept asking about training on the reach truck, but the answer was always, “We’ll get to it.” After his first month, he quit and joined another company that would train him. That turned out to be a missed opportunity, and a preventable turnover. I’ve shared with you that within my first month I knew loading trucks wasn’t for me. My friend had told me he could get me on over at his new place and I was pretty interested. I went to my boss, shared what was going on, and was moved to the back in the hi-rise area and trained on the high-rise machine. As you long term listeners know, I stayed with that same company for many more years.
And again, safety is important to us as associates.
I heard from an employee once who said, “I don’t feel safe here. People are running backwards in the aisles, not honking their horns and nobody cares.” Two weeks later, he was gone. Safety isn’t just compliance; it’s part of our retention.
And here’s an important one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard: “I never know when I’m working.” Associates don’t quit because of hard work. They quit because they can’t plan their lives. A predictable schedule is worth as much as a raise to many people. A predictable schedule doesn’t have to be a set hour. But it has to be communicated. In our business it’s usually start to finish. Thats one of the points that should be mentioned at our startup meetings. It’s easy to share what time we’ll probably be getting off each day. We know the cases per hour, the headcount or available man hours and the total cases for the shift. It should be shared with us.
What else, let me see, what did I leave off.
Ok, Let’s be honest, unloading 1,000 cases by hand in the summer heat for xx an hour feels different than running a cash register in the air conditioning for the same pay. Associates will weigh effort against reward, growth and career opportunity, and if the balance feels unfair, they’re gone.
All these examples do hurt us as well though. At almost every interview I’m asked or will ask, and why did you leave so and so job? If we say because I didn’t get to operate a lift, or my hours was unpredictable, or I wasn’t earning enough, those things could sound negative and hurt us even more.
I’ve always found that talking it out first, communicating, will sometimes, or usually, help us sort things out.
Well, when we put both perspectives side by side, the picture is clear. Turnover is tough, and more expensive, than I brought up today. And turnover is not a positive thing for our careers either.
Turnover, for us on the floor, both as management and as associates is frustrating, obstructive, demoralizing, challenging, can be a safety concern, and just flat out gets in our way regarding growth.
Oh, I’d made this little note for myself.
From management’s view, turnover wrecks productivity, raises costs, and adds safety risks.
From the associate’s view, turnover happens when we feel invisible, unsafe, or stuck.
I guess I said the same thing in a different way!
Anyway, the solutions overlap. Good onboarding, communication, recognition, fair processes, and supportive supervisors reduce turnover on both sides. And when turnover goes down, operations stabilize. Customers get better service. Associates build careers instead of bouncing between jobs. Period
So, the next time turnover comes up in a meeting, don’t just think of it as an HR expense. Think about the overtime your supervisors are working, the backlog building in receiving, the safety incident that almost happened, or the good associate you lost because no one said thank you.
Turnover is not just about money. It’s about operations. And fixing it is about people.
And for the associates listening, remember, you have a voice in this too. If you’re looking for stability, speak up. Ask about training. Ask about career paths. Find a place that values you and commit to it. That’s how you turn a job into a career.
At the end of the day, reducing turnover is about alignment. Companies and associates both want the same thing: stability, safety, and success. If we can get there together, everyone wins.
I think we’re at a stopping point, so we’ll end with that. Thanks for stopping by again this week, have a safe week ahead, and let’s help each other grow in our professional lives this quarter.
Hello all! Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and I’m glad you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes with us today.
Now, I was sitting down the other day thinking about a simple question: Why do we work? Of course we work for a paycheck. But when you dig in a little deeper, there’s more to it. A lot more, actually.
So today, I want to share some thoughts on three things. Why we work, why the light industrial industries, or warehousing and transportation, are such great places to build a career, and why attitude is one of the most important tools you’ll ever carry with you. I swung that at you from left field didn’t I!
We’re kind of pulling from the hip today, I’m working off of some bullet points I jotted down out on the patio over the last week or so!
Ok, Now, sure, we all work to pay the bills, rent, mortgages, car notes, groceries, keeping the lights on. That’s the easy part to figure out.
Back when I first started, I was unloading trailers. Hard, sweaty work. And sure, that paycheck mattered, but at the end of the day, there was this pride I felt. I could look back at those empty trailers and think, “I did that. Those deliveries are going to get made.”
And I’ll share with you, I’ve seen it happen for others too. I once worked with a young man who started out just sweeping floors in the warehouse. That was his whole shift, broom in hand, keeping the aisles clear. He could’ve looked at that job as meaningless. Instead, he took pride in it. He made sure every aisle was spotless, every shift. The equipment operators appreciated and respected him. He made their jobs easier. Within a year, he was on a forklift himself. Within three years, he was a lead. Last I checked, he was running the inbound department. Why? Because he didn’t just see a broom, he saw a task.
I feel work gives us more than money. For me it gives us identity. When someone asks, “What do you do?” your answer becomes part of who you are. And in our line of work, when you can say, “I’m in warehousing” or “I’m in transportation,” you’re saying, “I help move the products that keep life going.” I take pride in that.
And finally, we work for growth. Every shift teaches you something. Maybe it’s how to wrap a pallet tighter, maybe it’s how to work better with your teammates, maybe it’s how to handle frustration when things go wrong. Over time, all those lessons add up. In my opinion that’s what turns a job into a career.
Now, let’s talk about our industries, warehousing, logistics, and transportation.
You know I feel that we’re the backbone of the economy. Everything, and I mean everything, passes through a warehouse and a truck before it gets to the shelf or the doorstep.
I’ve been in this field for over 40 years, and here’s one thing I love about it, the opportunity is always there. I’ve seen so many people walk in as temps, nervous, unsure if they’d even last the week, and within a couple of years they’re supervisors or managers. Or some love what they do so much you can just see the passion in their faces.
I thought of this one guy that had come in through a staffing agency. First day, he’s unloading freight by hand. He didn’t complain, he just worked. Week after week, he kept showing up, kept learning, kept volunteering for cross-training. Within 18 months, he was operating three different types of equipment. Four years later, he was promoted to a lead. And here’s the kicker, he eventually got his CDL, moved into transportation, and last I heard, he has his own route and is top in his region.
And it’s not just the upward mobility, it’s the variety that hooked me. Not everyone wants the same thing. Some people love operating equipment. Some like the fast pace of order selecting. Others find their niche in inventory control or dispatch, maybe a clerk, or auditing. Our industry has a path for everyone.
And let’s not forget stability. The world doesn’t stop needing food, medicine, and home goods. Even in tough economic times, the supply chain keeps moving. I remember the 2008 downturn, while a lot of industries were cutting back, warehouses and transportation kept hiring. And more recently with the pandemic, we’ve all seen how critical these industries are when things get tough. We don’t shut down, we step up.
So yeah, when people say, “It’s just warehouse work,” they don’t get it. I laugh at them, It’s not just a job. It’s an essential part of life. If I’m interviewing you, please don’t say I’m looking for just a warehouse job!
And that brings me to attitude. This was my original thought out on the patio!
If I could pass along just one piece of advice to anyone starting in this field, it’d be this, your attitude will carry you further than any skill you have on day one.
Years ago, I had two order selectors starting at the same time. Both learned the equipment fast, the electric rider double pallet jack. Both could move product safely and efficiently, and both had adequate or average productivity. But one of them always complained, about the workload, about the heat on the dry side or the cold in the cooler, and about the supervisors. The other one? He stayed positive, even on the rough days. He volunteered to help new hires, he asked questions, he kept pushing forward.
Guess which one I promoted? That second operator is now a warehouse manager, and I think he’s on his way to being a director. The first one, he bounced around jobs, working at most all the competitors. I’m not sure what he’s doing today.
That’s the power of attitude.
It affects safety too. A positive worker may pay closer attention. They follow the rules, they look out for their team. Maybe staying a little more focused. A negative worker? They may cut corners. And cutting corners in a warehouse or behind the wheel of a truck is how accidents can happen.
It affects teamwork. We’ve all worked shifts where one or two people bring down the whole group. But I’ve also seen one upbeat person completely change the tone of a shift. Attitude is contagious.
And it affects longevity too. Our work isn’t easy. The hours are long, the pace can be unbelievable. But I’ve noticed that the people who last, the ones with 10, 20, 30 years in, are the ones who show up each day with that positive mindset. They focus on the opportunities, not the obstacles.
Now I’m not saying all that is in stone, but more times than not a positive attitude will be a winning attitude, in our professional careers and our personal lives.
So think about it. Why do you work? Sure, for the paycheck. But also for pride, identity, growth, and to contribute to something bigger than yourself I bet.
And tell yourself why you’re in the light industrial fields. I bet, at least in part, it’s because they offer opportunity, variety, stability, and the chance to be part of the backbone of our economy.
And why is attitude everything? Because it impacts your safety, your teamwork, your advancement and opportunities offered, and whether this field becomes just a job or that rewarding career.
I’ll leave you with this thought, your career is what you make of it. I’ve seen people build incredible futures starting with a broom in hand or unloading cases in a trailer. And I’ve seen people with all the skill in the world stall out because they didn’t carry the right attitude.
So, wherever you’re at in your journey, whether you’re on the floor, on the dock, behind the wheel, or in the office, remember your own “why,” and take pride in this industry, and bring the best attitude you can. I feel it’s not our bosses, managers, or companies that hold us back or advances us. We can change those things. It’s us, ourselves, that determine and control our careers, just like we control and are responsible for them.
And there’s a couple of opinions for ya. Thanks for spending this time with us today. If you will, please share the podcast with a friend, and shoot us a short message to warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com with any comments or topic suggestions. I’ll get you an answer or find someone that can! Stay safe, stay positive, and I’ll see you next week.
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I want to start off by saying a huge “thank you” to every truck driver out there. This week, Sept 14th thru the 20th, is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week here in the states, and I can’t think of a better time to talk about just how important our drivers are, not only to the supply chain but really to every single one of us. The food on our tables, the clothes on our backs, the equipment in our warehouses, everything on the store shelves, none of it gets there without a driver behind the wheel.
Today, I want to explore what this career looks like. I think we’ll all have a better appreciation for what it means to be a professional driver, whether it’s piloting an 18-wheeler across the country or running local routes in a day cab in your hometown.
When most people picture a truck driver, they imagine the big rigs: those 18-wheelers hauling freight from coast to coast. That’s certainly one of the most visible sides of the industry, but the truth is, there are many kinds of truck driving careers. We’ve talked about drivers before, but it was in a little different context, so I’d like to walk through a few of those opportunities again really quick.
First up, let’s start with the Over-the-Road or OTR drivers. These are the folks who live life on the road. OTR drivers run long-haul loads across states and sometimes across the entire country. They might be gone for weeks at a time, and their sleeper cab becomes their home. We may be ½ of a team and have a partner to share the driving with. Now OTR isn’t for everyone, but for those who love the freedom of the open road and seeing new places, it can be the perfect choice.
Then we have the regional drivers. Regional jobs cover a smaller area, usually a few connecting states. Drivers may be gone during the week but often get home on weekends. It’s a middle ground, you still cover a lot of miles, but you’re not always weeks away from home.
And we can’t leave out the Local or City Drivers. This is where many drivers find balance. Local routes usually mean you’re home daily, running deliveries within a city or metro area. Foodservice, grocery, beverage, spirits, and retail companies rely heavily on these drivers. The hours can be long and physically demanding, think unloading cases or rolling kegs down a ramp, maybe touching every case on your trailer to get it unloaded, but the advantage is being home each night. I think this may just be the most physically demanding position in the driving arena.
Next up you have all the Specialty Driving tasks. Flatbeds, tankers, refrigerated units, oversized loads, and hazmat carriers all require special training and license endorsements. These jobs can pay a premium, but they also bring extra responsibility. Securing a load on a flatbed or hauling hazardous material safely takes a special level of focus and dedication to the trade.
And we have Corporate Fleet Drivers too. Think of your big box chains and huge brands that are delivering their product and maybe to just their stores.
Those companies run their own private fleets. These jobs usually come with stability, benefits, and predictable schedules. The company invests in its drivers, and drivers become part of the larger corporate family. Depending on the company, they may try and promote from within, train from other departments like the warehouse, production, or manufacturing floors. Some companies have great training programs!
Cartage and Transportation Companies are popular with the more seasoned operators.
These are the big carriers you see on the highway. They contract with shippers, moving goods for multiple clients. The advantage here is variety, you might haul something different every week.
And the one I think most people think of when getting their commercial licenses are the owner operators.
This is a whole different ball game. Owner operators own their own trucks and contract with companies to haul loads. Independence at its finest, but it comes with many potential risks like fuel, maintenance, insurance, and regulatory or compliance concerns and costs are all on the driver. For those with a business mindset, though, it can be rewarding.
Now, I want to be honest with you for a moment. Truck driving is not just a job or even a career, it’s a lifestyle. And like any lifestyle, it comes with challenges.
One of the first things going in, we need to understand the long hours and regulations.
Drivers often work long days, and they’re bound by hours of service rules that dictate how long they can drive before resting. Managing that clock, finding safe parking, and still making delivery windows can be stressful. I had a friend last month trying to get back home on a Thursday. I forget where he was at on his hours, but he had to pull over in a parking lot and have his wife and kids come pick him up. He was just 34 miles from the house.
Speaking of wife and the kids, we should mention the Time Away from the loved ones.
For OTR and even regional drivers, being away from home is part of the deal. Missing birthdays, holidays, and family events is tough. It takes a strong family support system to make it work.
And what about the Stress of the Road. Driving a truck isn’t just about steering a big vehicle. It’s about handling unpredictable traffic, weather conditions, I always think of the rains, high winds, snow and ice, then you have the tight delivery schedules, and sometimes unfriendly shippers or receivers. All those things can affect our pay! That stress adds up.
There’s a physical toll also. You can be sitting for long stretches, odd and disrupted sleep cycles, and the challenge of eating healthy on the road all impact a driver’s health. Many drivers struggle with fatigue, back issues, or weight management.
Oh, and Safety Responsibilities. When you’re hauling 80,000 pounds down the interstate, you’re responsible not just for your load but for everyone else on the road. That’s a huge responsibility that professional drivers take seriously. Shoot, they live by it.
But there’s many rewards of a trucking career, or that’s one of my few opinions! With all those challenges I just mentioned, you might wonder why people would choose this career. I’ve asked several drivers just that over the years. You may remember way back in episode 22, Driving, Transportation, & Logistics Opportunities, let’s see, when was that, February 23rd of 2017! That’s been a while. I’ll see about visiting with another operator in the next couple of months. Anyway, check out our interview with Ellie, and I’m sure her YouTube channel is still up as well. Ok, I got off track there for a bit, so, I think we were talking about some of the rewards trucking can bring us.
I’ll pick back up with pay and benefits. Truck driving can be a solid paying career. Many entry level drivers start out making a good wage, and with experience, especially in specialized fields, pay can be very competitive. Add in benefits, retirement plans, and sign-on bonuses, and it’s an attractive package.
The word I always hear when speaking with drivers as to the why they chose driving is Independence. Once you’re on the road, you’re your own boss in a sense. You’re trusted to get the job done without someone looking over your shoulder all day.
Another big draw is seeing the country. Few jobs let you see as much of the country as driving does. From mountain passes to city skylines, drivers experience it all.
A lot of drivers mention Pride in the work. Drivers know that without them, the economy doesn’t move. That pride, being the one who literally delivers the goods, is a powerful motivator.
I think another thing thought about is career progression. Many drivers move into or come from dispatch, fleet management, safety, or even logistics leadership roles. Driving can be a springboard into a long and varied career in transportation.
This is an industry that’s changing and changing fast.
Technology is huge! GPS, electronic logging devices or ELD units, and automatic transmissions have made the job more efficient, though some drivers miss the old-school feel of paper logs and manual shifting. The friend I mentioned earlier, he had to stop and log out due to his ELD unit.
Some great technology is the safety and assist features today. Collision avoidance systems, lane departure warnings, and other driver, assist technologies are becoming standard. These tools help keep drivers safer, but they also require adaptation and use.
There has always been a demand for drivers. The driver shortage is real. With retirements outpacing new entrants, the demand for qualified drivers remains high. That means job security and plenty of opportunities.
So, where does all that leave us? Truck driving is a career filled with opportunity, pride, and independence. But it’s also a career that asks for sacrifice, long hours, time away from loved ones, and handling stress most people never see.
During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, let’s take a moment to thank the drivers in our lives and communities. Whether they’re hauling groceries to the local store, delivering building materials to a job site, or running freight across the country, they’re the reason the shelves are stocked, and businesses keep running.
If a truck is slowing you down, or you’re having to wait in the parking lot for him or her to back their rig around vehicles and into an alley way, or there trying to merge in on an entrance ramp on the freeway, or, and especially, trying to change lanes in front of you, please let them, and appreciate them.
To anyone out there considering driving as a career, know that it’s not just a job, it is a lifestyle. But if you’ve got the determination, the discipline, and the heart for it, trucking can take you places, literally and figuratively!
And to all the drivers out there listening, a heartfelt thank you from warehouse and operations as a career. Your sacrifices don’t go unnoticed, and your hard work keeps America moving.
Well, that’s it for today. Until next week, stay safe, stay focused, be productive, and let’s keep making it happen.
Here we are in week 37, about to end the 3rd quarter of 2025. I’ve always found this time of year to be an important part of the year in the light industrial fields. The kids just went back to school, people are starting to think about, and plan for the upcoming holidays. I noticed this week that jobs are opening up. Staffing agencies are flooding the social media job groups with ads, and all the major job boards are full of posted opportunities. I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for stopping in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career for episode 331.
We’ve had a lot of questions come up over the last several weeks regarding the series on job positions and tasks in the warehouse and transportation fields, and this week I believe I’ve lived through several of those scenarios. So today I’d like to walk through a few scenarios we could find in our jobs and how one may handle them. Some good and some bad, some the right way and some the lesser right way.
Ok, where to start, oh, this one’s good, and I hear about it almost weekly from recruiters or hiring agents.
Scenario one. An applicant comes in for a face-to-face interview. I assume they’ve been seeking employment, and have invested time in looking at ad’s, been entertaining both phone interviews and driving out for interviews, anyway, now he or she has scheduled an interview with an agency. This person arrives. Parking, on the street, is congested, and there’s pay meters. The individual comes in, registers, speaks with the recruiter and asks if you have to pay to park. The agent says yes, but you can park in the back for free. The applicant leaves, it’s assumed to move the car around to the back, however, they never return. Now, there’s several things in action here. Possibly the applicant took the recruiters statement about parking in the back out of context or felt like it wasn’t delivered properly. I don’t know. The agency, based on the resume, did have a position to offer. The qualifications were met, they had the work tenure and the experience the account was looking for. Why leave. Was it a communication issue? Looking for a new job is stressful, and we’re going to be anxious. But it’s a process, we have to take our time, take a deep breath and push through it. It’s hard but we can do it. Communication seems to be the hardest thing for us humans to conquer or overcome!
Scenario two. Along the same lines but even more effort and time was put into this example. So, the candidate had applied online, had a phone interview and came in for a sit down interview. The recruiter visited with them, discussed the extensive equipment experience the applicant had and was quite impressed. The open position was explained to them, things like the hours and schedule, the pay, the job description, the safety policies, and expectations the customer had. The recruiter was so impressed that they reached out for an unscheduled PIT class to get them certified so they could start the following day. So, to recap, the prospect had about 30 minutes tied up on the phone interview, another 30 minutes of travel round trip, and about 45 minutes for the sit down. About 1.75 hours were tied up so far. The applicant was asked if a 9 a.m. class or a 1 p.m. class would work better for them. They opted for a 1 p.m. and it was scheduled. Well, 1p came, then 1:05p, then 1:10p. The trainer called and reported the individual as a NCNS. Now as a side note. The recruiter had reported to the facility manager and customer that, based on a successful PIT class, the position had been filled. It’s so important to communicate. I’m not sure what happened, but that’s over two hours invested, and a job secured, just to walk away. I always think maybe the job just wasn’t for them. Instead of burning our chances of getting another position with the agency, why not just be upfront and honest, if that was the reason. Do you think the applicant knew they weren’t going to go to PIT or accept the job? Again, job hunting is stressful. But, now, this agency is off limits to us.
And here’s another scenario. This is something we all need to realize. Whither we agree or disagree with it, its legal and your hiring agent will probably do it. Our social media. Let’s be honest, our feeds are written for our friends. While you’re seeking employment, I urge you to clean it up. Locking it could even be worse for us. It’s important to remember that our recruiter probably has over a hundred applicants to look at. If there’s something on our page reflecting violence, alcohol, drugs, or even what we ourselves recognize as poor or questionable decision making, we will be skipped over. And if we’re honest, we know which post to hide for that week or two we’re looking for work. One guy told me that he posted nothing his grandmother couldn’t see! If we’re going to leave something on there, we believe is funny, let’s let the recruiter know its there, tell them I started to take it down, but I just think it’s funny, it doesn’t depict my beliefs. Communicate and share, I’ll leave it at that!
What’s another one, ok, I hear this one a lot. As we know, we’ve spent time on the job boards, did the phone interview, and had the face to face interview. Our work history is a little light in the warehousing field. We’ve worked in retail and at fast foods and want a warehouse job. We’re here and are being offered a GL position within a 30 minute drive from where we live. We’re offered x number of dollars an hour. We state that we can’t work for less than x number of dollars an hour. Now, lets reflect for a minute. We replied to an ad that stated the job description and pay rate. We’ve invested our time in the phone interview, where we could have brought up any pay rate questions or statements, sit through the in person interview without asking about it and bring it up once the job is offered to us. So some thoughts on this scenario.
One recruiter had shared with me, a story where a person was offered x dollars an hour but stated they needed at least this amount per hour. They were asked, and why do you believe it should pay that amount. Now this is rarely going to happen but its our chance to at least share something about our experiences, our equipment use, our past accomplishments, anything to justify our ask. This recruiters applicant answered that its a living wage.
Remember this was a GL position, a really good get our foot in the door job with a large corporation. These jobs are not necessarily long term careers. They are positions that can give us experiences to work towards those long term careers. There not built and structured for that. Anyway, I’m getting lost with opinions there. So this individual turned down the job. Didn’t accept it until something better came along, or accept it and show the managers what a great employee they were. They just turned it down. I don’t know what their responsibilities were, like rent, food, etc, but they obviously didn’t have to have a weekly paycheck. I think some better communication could have helped us here, or at least a little better planning.
Theres three or four scenarios that came up this week and each goes along with a question we’ve had over the last several weeks.
Seeking a job is tough work. Having a job is hard work and can be frustrating to keep it. We all, or most of us anyway, are going to have to work until we can retire. And it’s up to us to make sure we have the resources to retire when that time comes. I feel we alone own that responsibility.
When I hear things like we’ve talked about today I wonder if those applicants we’re really needing a job. I mean of course they needed work, they wouldn’t have invested the time otherwise. But I mean did they need a job. Like food on the table, gas or car money, a cool or warm place to sleep, and just spending money? I don’t know. But I know, what I described earlier wasn’t the way to handle it, and it burnt a bridge that we may not be able to cross again.
Share your thoughts on Facebook or X by using @whseops or on Instagram at waocpodcast and you can always email us at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com.
I’d like to end by saying, whither you’re an applicant, production associate, lead or supervisor or an executive management team member, communicate, communicate, and communicate more. Tuesday, I had a young worker tell me that communication is growth. Let that sink in for a minute. Until next week please be safe as that’s what leads to a long life.
Warehouse and Operations as a Career the podcast. Marty T Hawkins here. We need to get to a lot of questions being sent in regarding several of the positions we’ve been speaking on so I’ll try and get something put together in the next couple of weeks. I had to charge our equipment over at the distribution training center this week, so I thought of today’s battery changers and how different the position is today, so let’s talk about that for a few minutes.
For electric powered industrial equipment, the battery changer keeps the heartbeat steady. Uptime, safety, and battery life all flow through this role. Over the past two decades, the job has shifted from heavy, manual swaps in a back room to a data-driven, safety-critical function that touches maintenance, EHS, and operations. Today’s battery changer is part equipment handler, part technician, and a lot of times, part systems operator.
Twenty years ago, and thirty years ago for me, many facilities still used chain hoists and hooks to lift and place those 1,500–4,000 lb lead-acid batteries. A battery beam, In my humble opinion, in today’s world, they should never be used! And the charging areas! Hydrogen gas from charging required ventilation, but controls were simpler, logging was paper-based; rotation was whoever grabs the next charged battery. Everyone required designated charging areas with ventilation, spill-neutralization supplies, and fire protection, but execution, well simply put it varied quite a bit.
Later on came the, what we called, the push pull. Mobile and pallet-jack-mounted battery carriages with magnet or vacuum extraction reduced manual handling and sped change-outs to just a few minutes. Standard fit battery racks made working with the heavy batteries much easier and safer.
Today the room is smarter. Battery room management systems (BRMS) and networked chargers track state of charge, temperature, rotation, and cool-down; visual cues tell operators which battery to take, protecting life cycles and eliminating guesswork. High-frequency (HF) chargers improve energy efficiency and support opportunity charging, reshaping shift patterns. In some fleets, lithium-ion packs and fast charging units can reduce or eliminate mid-shift swaps.
I always felt like the beams were so dangerous to work with, and the push/pull attachment was efficient for its time but, well, with each of us equipment operators changing our own equipment I’ve got to be honest, we weren’t really concerned with maintaining proper charging protocols. We wanted a hot battery and took one. Probably shortening the life of the battery by half many times!
Back then it was a whooping. We’d have to align the truck, sling the battery, control that swing, mind your fingers and toes, and stick the landing perfectly. And that chain hoist, those slow gears.
Today we can use a battery extractor/carriage, often mounted on a powered pallet jack, with a magnet or vacuum that grips and can push and pull the battery. Transfer happens across roller beds with stops at each point. Skilled placement is still needed, but the machine does the moving and muscle part. Newer extractors can get a battery changed in 3 to 4 minutes in the larger facilities
Back then: we were supposed to use paper charts, what we charged and what we used. That was a pretty thin book! And an Equalize charge! I had a maintenance man who’d ask how my second shift could function without equalizing a charge.
Now, BRMS/IoT displays indicate the one battery that’s fully charged and ready to be used and enforce the rotation. Computers and monitors flag missed equalize cycles and bad batteries, cells, or misreading units. And for maintenance & housekeeping!
We used to wipe the tops, check all the cables, and keep the eyewash station from getting dusty.
Today the battery changer monitors ventilation, the eyewash and spill kits, rack condition, and charger leads. He or she performs basic inspections, and issues or defects, reporting them immediately to the maintenance department.
Back in the day I’d report that we did 20 changes last night.
Now, KPIs include change-out time, wrong batteries used, charger utilization, battery temps, watering compliance, equalize usage, and preventative maintenance reporting. Today’s systems make all this possible.
And now you’ll see High-frequency chargers & opportunity charging.
High frequency chargers deliver better electrical efficiency than the older type units and support opportunity charging during breaks, keeping trucks in service longer and reducing change events per shift. That maintenance guy I spoke about earlier would throw a fit if we ever plugged our pallet jack in at break or lunch! It used to be so bad on the batteries, but that was 20 and 30 years ago!
There are some amazing systems out there now. Computerized racking, dashboards, data analysis on each battery, its charge and change history. Pretty much anything you’d ever want to know about it, and, how your associates are following your charging protocols.
In many facilities, lithium-ion packs and batteries are being used. Less maintenance, no watering, and utilizing partial charging as well.
Designated charging areas with ventilation, spill neutralization, fire protection, and protection for charging units are modern today.
Eyewash/showers & neutralization stations are maintained well, and Lockout/Tagout or LOTO programs are built in, structured, and part of the programs.
And then there’s training beyond just PIT awareness, today’s changer needs training on chemical hazards, electrical safety around chargers, LOTO, and use of the room’s specific systems, those BRMS dashboards, HF chargers, extractor equipment.
A few of the more important things considered today that may not have been considered several years ago that we now consider for the rooms and the position. Gosh, lets see, where do I start. The room layout & flow I guess. We want marked, dedicated aisles and striped parking lanes and where charger leads can be kept tidy and off the floor. Running over a charge terminal is the quickest way to upset that maintenance guy! We need to install roller stands at consistent heights, and an easy way to document any components like magnets and vacuums, or terminals, maybe something linked to our warehouse management systems. And of course, ventilation in the room that keeps any gases low during charge and equalize cycles.
I think all the new systems are great in helping to Take-the-right-battery every time by being system directed. No more I’m taking this one! The maintenance guy loves how they help Equalize on a proper schedule that the BRMS or charger system directs and records our compliance!
The battery changer handles all the maintenance basics too. Watering programs, keeping the tops and vents clean, all the corrosion control
And then they oversee the metrics, things like, Change-out cycles, battery/charger utilization; temperatures, oh and the room 5S scores; incident/near-miss rate opportunities in his or her charging room
The job has moved from a no skill or training position that all associates may have performed to a more skilled and trained position, with responsibility and accountability.
We have Hands-on skills, equipment operation, alignment and transfer procedures, connector etiquette, hose and vent cap checks, housekeeping. And reading charger displays, understanding BRMS, and all the alarms, and we’ll learn and use basic data entry.
And of course, safety. Using the correct PPE’s, acid handling, spill response, eyewash usage and procedures, our LOTO rules, and proper and required ventilation.
Where can this position take us? Senior battery technician, maintenance tech, energy/charging program lead, EHS coordinator, or facilities or operations roles. As fleets digitize, the best battery changers become the room experts, people who speak the language of both uptime and safety.
The battery changer’s work is still about getting the right power pack into the right truck at the right time and safely. What’s different now is our toolkit, the engineered extractors, roller racks, HF chargers, and the workflow with system driven results, and the responsibility of owning a safety-critical, analytics driven assisted processes.
Imagine what the next 5 to 10 years are going to bring us!
We’ll theres a bit on the battery changer position. Please send us a message through our Facebook or X feeds using @whseops or comment on Instagram at waocpodcast, even go old school and send me an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com.
If you have a position you’d like to know more about, ask away, and I’ll find someone to help us learn about it.
Until next week, be productive and be safe in all you do, on the job and at home.
Hey everyone, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. As we continue our series on job descriptions, task, and their opportunities, I thought we’d stick with transportation as a topic. Tonight, I want to dig into a position that doesn’t always get the spotlight but is absolutely critical across several industries, the driver helper. It’s one of those roles that can look a little different depending on where you find it: the moving industry, the furniture world, beverage distribution, and foodservice distribution to name a few. But no matter where you’re starting out, it’s a position that teaches you the fundamentals, sets you up for growth, and can really be a gateway to a rewarding career.
So, what’s a Driver Helper? Well, it’s someone who works alongside a driver to make sure deliveries are completed efficiently, safely, and often with a bit of customer service thrown in for good measure. The driver is responsible for the vehicle, the route, and the delivery paperwork, but the helper? They’re the hands, the muscle, and sometimes even the face of the company on the customer’s doorstep.
It’s a role built on teamwork too. A good driver and helper pair up like a well-oiled machine, each knows what the other is doing, they split the work, and they get those deliveries done.
Now, let’s start with the moving industry.
Think about it—when you’re moving from one house to another, or when a business relocates, it’s the moving crew that shows up. The helpers are the ones carefully carrying furniture, boxes, appliances, and loading or unloading the trailer along with the driver. He or she is also in charge of the paperwork, any manifest or paper work and knows the directions!
A few tools of the trade would be, dollies and hand trucks. We’ll be talking about several different types of dollies and hand trucks today with each industry’s take on each model. A moving dolly is typically a square platform with 4 caster wheels on it, where you can lay an item on it, office cubical, household item, bulky item and such, and roll it around, or use it to ease something around a corner. They may also use a hand truck with a wide upright on it with a rachet belt on it, it’ll hold things against the frame. Think of things like a refrigerator or desk credenza. Other typical tools are furniture pads and straps, shrink wrap, tie-downs, and sometimes ramps, but more often a box truck with a tommy lift on it, which is a hydraulic liftgate, a device that lifts heavy cargo into or out of a box truck or trailer.
Helpers here learn about proper lifting techniques, weight distribution, and packing skills, because if something shifts or gets damaged, the whole company hears about it.
From helper, you can move into being a lead mover, then into a driver role. Many who start as helpers in this industry eventually earn their CDL and become household movers or even owners of small moving businesses. It’s a great spot to learn both the physical side of the job and the customer service side.
Now, let’s shift into the furniture and appliance industries. Similar, but also a bit different. Here, the deliveries are often to the customer’s home or sometimes into office spaces. Think couches, tables, desks, beds, washers, dryers, and refrigerators and freezers.
Here we’ll use those furniture dollies, straps, and sliders. We’ll also have and know how to use tools for assembly or disassembly. Think wrenches, drills, screwdrivers, dryer vents, ice cube water lines, stuff like that.
We’ll need a little training on handling bulky but fragile items, no one wants a scratch on their brand new dining table. It’s a bit more of a team effort, we’ll work closely with the driver.
What makes this industry unique is the customer interaction. You’re not just dropping off a package at the door—you’re inside the customer’s home. That means training in professionalism, communication, and respect for someone’s space. Helpers here often learn to assist in assembling products, which gives them additional skills.
Here, from helper, you might move into driver, storage supervisor, or even customer service and sales. A lot of furniture companies like to promote from within, and that hands on experience with the product makes you valuable in roles beyond just delivery.
Now, let’s get into the beverage distribution world, one of the most common places you’ll find driver helpers.
This is the guy or gal riding shotgun with the route driver who’s delivering sodas, beer, or water to convenience stores, restaurants, or grocery chains. And each one of those end users bring unique differences and challenges along with them.
These Two-wheelers or hand trucks are a bit different. The frames are going to be a little narrower, the blades will be a bit longer and thinner, for scooping stacks of cases. This industry may also use lift gates. Sometimes special equipment for moving kegs safely. Depending on what there carrying and where there delivering you may see those truck mounted forklifts, sometimes called piggyback forklifts, and I’ve heard them called spiders, and a moffett. Moffett is actually a well known brand name for this type of forklift
We’ll want and need a little training in handling cases, stacking, and rotation of product.
And I want to throw in, since we mentioned a piece of powered equipment, to never touch or get on a piece of equipment you’re not trained on and certified to operate.
This is physical work—cases can weigh 30–50 pounds, and kegs even more, and helpers may move hundreds of cases in a shift. But it’s steady work, and it teaches you about time management, route efficiency, and merchandising. Again, teamwork and customer service come into play with this position.
A beverage helper might work into a route driver position, then into route sales, and even into supervisory or merchandising roles. It’s one of those industries where the helper role is really seen as a steppingstone. Many distribution companies even design it that way, you start as a helper, you show up every day, and when the company has an opening, they’ll put you through CDL school and you’ll have your own truck, routes and customers.
And now let’s talk about the foodservice distribution driver helper.
These helpers will be using ramps or lift gates as well, two-wheelers or hand trucks, breakdown hand trucks, hand trucks with brakes even. Maybe even small electric pallet jacks, designed to move around in the back of trailers, and run pallets on the delivery dock at hotels, hospitals, or on sidewalks at restaurants, schools, and nursing homes. Rolling carts can be used for things like breads and packaged products.
Foodservice deliveries can be one of the toughest helper jobs physically. These deliveries can be hundreds of cases per stop, often down ramps, through kitchens, or into storage rooms. Helpers learn quickly about organization, safety, and efficiency. Here again, helpers often become drivers. But from there, opportunities branch out, into warehouse, routing and dispatch, even into management.
So across all these industries, what’s common? Of course safety training. Proper lifting, PPE, hydration, and knowing your limits. Equipment use. Hand trucks, dollies, straps, lift gates, ramps. Customer interaction. Whether you’re in someone’s living room or a restaurant’s back door, you’re representing the company. Oh, and time management. Routes are tight, schedules are strict. Helpers learn to hustle without cutting corners.
Many companies also provide training in ergonomics, defensive driving awareness, and even customer service workshops.
Now, let’s talk about where this role can take us.
Being a helper can be the first step toward a CDL license. Many companies want to promote helpers into driver positions because they’ve already proven themselves. It’s easier to invest in someone who knows the product, the job, the routes, and the customers.
Helpers often move into warehouse roles like loader, unloader, or selector. Routing and dispatch positions. Sales and merchandising for beverage and foodservice industries. Supervisory or lead roles, eventually moving up into management.
I’ve seen helpers go from pushing a two-wheeler of soda cases to becoming route supervisors, distribution managers, and even regional VPs. That’s the power of starting in the trenches, you know the work, and you earn respect along the way.
The Driver Helper role might not sound glamorous, but it’s the kind of position that teaches you discipline, teamwork, and grit. You’ll learn tools, customer service, and efficiency. And if you stick with it, show up on time, and give it your best, it can absolutely be the launchpad to a long and rewarding career.
So, whether you’re helping a family move across town, delivering a new sofa, stacking cases of soda, or running foodservice deliveries, remember, helpers today can be drivers, leaders, and even executives tomorrow.
Well, we could go on for another hour talking about the driver helper positions, and transportation as a whole. But I need to get back to work! Thanks for stopping in again today and I hope you make it again next week. Until then, keep the freight moving and be safe out there.
When we talk about logistics, warehousing, and distribution, transportation is the vital link that keeps everything moving. Without trucks on the road, vans on the streets, and skilled professionals planning routes, freight doesn’t move, and shelves don’t get replenished. While warehouses store and organize, transportation makes the connection to customers, businesses, and ultimately, our communities. And just like warehouses, the transportation industry offers a wide range of careers, from entry-level roles to executive leadership, each critical to the supply chain.
It was pointed out to me last week that a career in the transportation field was just as worthwhile as warehousing. And I couldn’t agree more. Look around the room you’re in. Unless one of the kiddos or grandma made it it’s been hauled by a truck at some point. Maybe even after a ship’s brought it over across the seas and oceans. I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today let’s talk transportation.
One of the most visible and recognized roles in transportation is the over-the-road truck driver. These are the men and women who move goods across states, sometimes coast-to-coast, hauling everything from dry goods and produce to automobiles and hazardous materials. Everything.
OTR drivers keep America’s economy flowing. Without them, manufacturers can’t get raw materials, and stores can’t stock products.
They often cover thousands of miles a week, keeping supply lines open 24/7.
So, what does it take to be an OTR operator? Long haulers are a special breed. I tried it for one trip, 13 days once. When I got back to Texas I found a warehouse job. At the time I wasn’t ready for all that responsibility. You are the president of the company once you leave the dock, and everyone holds you accountable for everything!
No, seriously, I respect every man and woman driving the nation. It is an awesome career and can present us with an unbelievable career path.
Many OTR drivers start with company sponsored training programs or independent CDL schools. From there, they might progress into specialized hauling, flatbed, tanker, refrigerated trailers or move into local driving as their lifestyle changes. Eventually, some become owner-operators or even transition into dispatching and training roles.
At the other end of the spectrum are delivery drivers, often working with smaller trucks or vans. Think about the rise in e-commerce, companies like FedEx, UPS, and Amazon rely heavily on delivery drivers to get packages directly to the consumer’s door.
These drivers represent the “last mile” in logistics, completing the chain from warehouse to customer.
They are often the only face us retail customers see, making professionalism and customer service just as important as safe driving.
A quick side note. I was asked last month if the gig work or gig driver should be considered a driver. You know, like food delivery services, and ride sharing. My answer was definitely. They pick up a product, are responsible for getting it safely to its final destination, they drive the roads, are out in the traffic, and, the way I understand it, is, they have regulatory obligations and are considered professionals.
Even though they are using a standard license or class C here in Texas, well, maybe some services or trucks may need a class B license due to weight, ok, I’m getting way off topic here. Where was I going, oh yeah,
We were talking about the delivery driver. Just like all kinds of drivers, customer service skills are there number 1 needed skill, after safety of course. Being friendly, professional and a great communicator goes a long way.
Physical fitness is important too, since deliveries may involve heavy lifting, stairs, and multiple stops each day.
Delivery driving can be a steppingstone to supervisory roles or even route planning positions within your organization. With the growth of same-day and next-day delivery services, demand is steady, and opportunities are there.
Similar to delivery drivers but with a more predictable and repetitive schedule, route drivers often handle things like beverage delivery, my personal favorite, food distribution, retail and chain replenishment. They visit the same clients regularly, delivering products and sometimes handling returns or collections.
Route drivers are some of the best obstacle drivers there are. Navigating a large van, or 36 foot trailers, or a 48 or 53 ft trailer around parking lots and alleys or around cars, a true art form in my humble opinion!
Now these drivers build long-term relationships with customers. And they ensure consistency and reliability in their customers delivery schedules.
Route drivers have to have strong time management and problem-solving skills, as routes can change due to traffic or customer needs.
Route drivers often progress into route supervisors or other transportation roles. I had several drivers move into sales oriented roles, given their close customer interactions.
We talked about this in a recent episode but it’s important to mention again as I think it is a great career path. Behind every driver is a dispatcher, that person making sure loads are assigned, routes are scheduled, and customers are updated. Dispatchers are the communication hub between drivers, customers, and management.
The dispatch can be a gateway into operations management, logistics planning, or fleet supervision.
Ok, what else is out there. Without well-maintained vehicles, the transportation system will grind to a halt. Diesel mechanics and fleet technicians are essential to keeping trucks, trailers, and delivery vehicles safe and operational. They help prevent breakdowns that can delay freight and ensures our vehicles meet safety standards. I can think of 6 drivers that moved into the fleet maintenance side of our facility and went on to careers they loved. Many mechanics advance into shop foreman or maintenance manager roles, and some eventually run their own repair businesses.
And we’ve got to mention the Safety and compliance position. Transportation is one of the most regulated industries there is, and for good reasons. Safety and compliance roles ensure drivers, vehicles, and companies follow DOT rules, hours-of-service limits, and workplace safety standards. They help to prevent costly fines and accidents, protecting us drivers, our cargo, and the public. And as with most all safety or compliance skills, one will need knowledge of federal and state transportation regulations. Have attention to detail traits and a proactive approach to safety. And we’ll have to have strong communication skills for training and coaching drivers.
Compliance specialists can move into risk management, safety director positions, or broader human resources and operations leadership roles.
And it’s important to remember that not all transportation careers are behind the wheel. Freight brokers and logistics coordinators are middlemen who arrange shipments between carriers and shippers. They help shippers find trucks and carriers find freight, optimizing efficiency. They negotiate rates and solve problems when things do not go according to plan.
To some degree they have to have a touch of Sales and negotiation skills in them. And they have to have an understanding of freight markets and pricing. You can’t be successful in this role without strong organizational skills. This task can grow into brokerage or third-party logistics (3PL) roles, sometimes even opening their own firms.
Many transportation jobs overlap with warehousing. We’ve talked about these but I wanted to mention them real quick. The yard jockeys move trailers around distribution centers, load planners optimize shipments, and inventory coordinators ensure product is ready for pickup. These hybrid roles are critical for keeping freight flowing seamlessly.
Like warehousing, technology is reshaping transportation. GPS tracking, electronic logging devices or ELDs, and route optimization software are now standard tools. These tools are creating new opportunities in transportation IT support, data analysis, and systems management. All these are fascinating careers.
One of the most important considerations in transportation careers is lifestyle. OTR drivers may be away from home for weeks at a time, while delivery and route drivers are usually home nightly. Dispatchers and mechanics work more traditional schedules, though emergencies can, no, I’ll say, add unpredictability to our schedules. The variety means there’s something for everyone, from those who thrive on independence and travel to those who prefer a steady routine close to home.
Transportation isn’t just about entry-level driving jobs. With experience, professionals can grow into, Fleet Managers overseeing dozens or hundreds of vehicles. Operations Managers, running the daily transportation functions of a company, to Directors of Logistics, being over large regional or national supply chain networks, to Executive roles like VP of Transportation and Logistics driving strategy, innovation, and profitability or beyond.
And transportation careers don’t stop at the city limits or even national borders. For those who want to advance and explore the international side of logistics, there are important opportunities across the oceans. Many professionals start as truck drivers, dispatchers, or warehouse associates and eventually move into roles that coordinate global freight. We recently mentioned a few of these, lets see, what episode was that, I think it was episode 323 where we talked about the global supply chain so I won’t rehash a lot of these but, hey, were talking about transportation so, I’m going to include the highlights!
A fascinating life can be in the Ocean Cartage and Shipping Lines industries. Ocean cartage refers to the movement of freight by ship, usually large, containerized cargo that travels between continents. Think of the massive container ships docking at ports around the world. We could be ocean freight coordinators, vessel operators, and maritime logistics specialists. We’d need knowledge of international shipping laws, port operations, customs compliance, and scheduling of course, but imagine living in and working all over the world.
Port and Terminal Operations is another strong industry where transportation is concerned. Ports are complex hubs where ocean freight is unloaded, inspected, and transferred to trucks, trains, or warehouses. Port operations managers, crane operators, yard planners, and dock worker are always needed. And these are great get our foot in the door tasks.
Lets see, just one or two more, oh, here’s a good one. Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers. They act as the go-between for shippers and carriers, arranging the movement of goods across borders and ensuring all customs paperwork is correct. These are very interesting careers, we’ll need a strong understanding of international trade agreements, documentation, and tariffs of course. Many freight forwarders begin in domestic brokerage or warehouse based export/import roles before moving on to international freight.
Just like ocean freight, air cargo is another area professionals can grow into. Air cargo agents, airline freight coordinators, and international logistics planners. Many start in domestic trucking or warehousing before transitioning into airport based freight operations.
Just like in warehousing, the opportunities for growth are real for those who commit to learning, safety, and professionalism.
So, just like in the warehouse, the opportunities in transportation are endless. Whether you want to be behind the wheel, turning wrenches, solving problems as a dispatcher, or managing international freight across oceans and air, there is a role for you.
And the best part? This industry rewards experience. If you show up, do the job, and learn along the way, there’s no limit to how far you can go.
That’s the transportation side of our world, and I hope it gives you a sense of just how many doors are out there to walk through. From the first mile to the last mile, and even across the seas and air, transportation is full of great careers.
Thanks for riding along with me today and thanks for the emails, thoughts, and suggestions and please keep them coming. If you haven’t reached out, send us a message to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com, share something with us.
Until next week, stay safe, stay focused, and keep your career moving forward.
Here we are in the middle of the 3rd Quarter already. Schools are starting back up here in the states, the summer vacations were great, visiting with all the friends and family was a bit exhausting and everyone’s getting ready for that final push through to the holidays next quarter.
I mention all that because this is a unique time of year regarding employment, careers, and opportunities in our light industrial industry. Production plants are wrapping up the Christmas runs, the manufacturing arena is resetting for the next year, and distribution centers are running full bore again. The kids are back in school and we all are ready for the sprint to the end of the year!
I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for stopping in with Warehouse and Operations as a Career today! We’re going to continue with our Job Description or Warehouse Positions series, but I wanted to take a few minutes and get a few of your questions answered. Going forward we’ll throw in an AMA segment every once and a while, an Ask Me Anything minute or two. It’s so cool to review all the thoughts and ideas being sent in every week, and please keep’em coming!
Speaking of questions. Someone asked about the baler in the warehouse, lets see, this came from Valeria in Spokane Washington. Today we’ll get that explained and try and gather up some answers to a few other questions as well as speak to the unique time of year it is!
Let’s start the episode off with a broad question from Malone. Malone asked why attendance is such a big deal. She is working, or was working, her first warehouse job. Her background was in the food service industry. Her struggle point was why is tardiness and the occasional call in treated like the associate doesn’t want the job or that they don’t care about the company. She stated her restaurant employers understood employees better.
Retail and restaurant, even fast food and convenience store jobs are great and all of them can make great careers as well. Their management positions can be quite lucrative. And yes, they can be a bit more lenient than the manufacturing, production, and distribution jobs. Its not a difference in the managers or the bosses, its that the responsibilities, regulatory concerns, the workplace environments and the dangers that are present in so many more ways. If we’re late for our department startup meeting we may not be able to work our shift. That’s where we’ll learn about our day, our KPI’s, our production needs, the shifts expectations, and any safety related concerns for the day. That meeting, depending on the job, may be required by some agency, our handbook may stipulate the meeting to be mandatory. You can imagine if your manager had to cover the same speech three or four times as people straggled in.
Yes, the occasional tardy should be worked with by our employer. Things like traffic, wrecks, and congestion can happen to us. Thats why it’s important for us to make it the exception and not the rule .
You may have heard me, and I always get reprimanded when I say it, that our warehouse careers are like being in the major leagues, or in the big’s! Not that the jobs are better or more prestigious, but that, or I feel that, there’s more responsibility and yes, more growth possible in our industry! I’ll get a few emails about that statement!
Our industry doesn’t let NCNS’s slide, the leave earlies and coming in lates don’t work. Our industry has production needs to be met. Safety concerns that need full time focus. A commitment to excellence if you will.
I hope that answered Malones question. Attendance is paramount in our industry.
Ok, which position are we discussing today, let’s talk about that piece of equipment that’s often tucked away in a corner of the warehouse, but plays a big role in both cleanliness and cost savings, the baler or compactor.
If you’ve worked in a distribution center or large warehouse, you’ve probably seen one. Big, boxy, and maybe a little intimidating, these machines handle our leftover cardboard, plastic shrink wrap, and sometimes other recyclables.
A baler is a machine that compresses recyclable materials like cardboard or plastic film into dense, stackable bales. These bales are then tied off with wire or plastic strapping and can be easily moved with a forklift or pallet jack.
Now a compactor works kind of the same way, but instead of creating bales for resale, it compresses waste materials into a container for disposal. In some facilities, both functions are combined in one position.
The primary purpose is to reduce the volume of waste materials. Loose cardboard or plastic can take up a massive amount of space in a dumpster or recycling area. By compressing it, we not only keep our docks and aisles clear, but we also reduce hauling and disposal costs.
In the day-to-day flow of warehouse operations, we generate a surprising amount of packaging waste. Palletized goods arrive wrapped in layers of stretch film. Products often come in bulk cases packed inside cardboard boxes. Pallets of small items may have multiple layers of protective packaging.
Without a system to manage all this plastic and cardboard, it would quickly pile up, create clutter, and become a safety hazard for the team. Your facility we may have a sanitation department that separates and brings us cardboard and plastics to bail.
Here’s how the process typically works. Sanitation, us, or associates gather empty boxes and plastic wrap at workstations or at collection points like at the end of aisles or the end caps. Then the waste is transported to the baler/compactor area, often using rolling carts, bins, or cages. I’ve seen some great wire cages created for the plastic and cardboard slipsheets.
So how does this monstrosity work? These matchings can be big and quite intimidating!
As the bailer or compactor agent, we’ll open the feed door and load our material into the chamber. The door is big, thick, and heavy. You’ll notice the large locking hooks that secure it. This door can be dangerous if not locked properly.
We need to stack the waste in layers to help the machine create a uniform, dense bale.
Once enough material is inside, we’ll secure the door back in place and engage the compaction cycle. The hydraulic ram compresses the material, reducing it to a fraction of its original volume.
When the chamber is full and pressure can’t compress further, the machine signals that the bale is ready. We’ll thread baling wire or plastic ties through the little pre-cut slots to secure the bale. Once we tie off the wire or crimp the ties we’re ready for the machine to eject the bale onto a pallet where we’ll haul it off or have a forklift operator haul it and stage it for pickup by the recycler.
Why did facilities create this position you may ask. Couldn’t everyone just use the baler when necessary. Absolutely, and some facilities may train several people on how to use it. Like many other tools or machines in the warehouse the baler can be a dangerous machine, its under immense pressure when compacting. And like many of the others,
when operated properly its safe and a great tool for us. Its use offers several advantages. Lets see, I made some notes here.
Space Savings, cardboard and shrink wrap can take up huge amounts of space if left loose. A baler reduces that volume dramatically, keeping floors and dock areas clear.
Safety Improvements, loose materials on the floor are tripping hazards, especially those slick plastic slipsheets. And stacks of uncompressed cardboard can tip over and block doorways or exits. Keeping materials contained improves housekeeping and reduces potential OSHA violations.
And we can’t overlook the environmental impact. Recycling cardboard and plastic reduces landfill waste. Many companies use their recycling programs as part of sustainability initiatives, which is increasingly important to customers and corporations.
And then there’s the revenue from recyclables. Baled cardboard and plastic film can be sold to recycling companies. Prices vary, however larger facilities can generate thousands of dollars annually from these sales, easily offsetting the operational costs.
Lower Waste Hauling Costs is another huge advantage for facilities that pay by the dumpster or by the haul, compacting means fewer pickups, saving on fees.
While the benefits are clear, and I briefly mentioned it earlier, balers and compactors are also extremely dangerous if used improperly.
We have to keep in mind things like crushing hazards: The hydraulic ram exerts tremendous force, enough to crush materials into dense blocks. That same force can cause severe injury or death if a person’s hand, arm, or any part of their body is inside the chamber during operation. We can’t get tangled up either. Loose clothing, jewelry, or long hair can get caught in its moving parts.
Bales can weigh hundreds of pounds. If improperly tied or ejected without care, they can fall and cause injury.
Performing maintenance or clearing jams without shutting down and locking out the machine is a leading cause of compactor-related injuries. Lockout and tag out.
The big one for me is untrained associates operating the machine increases the risk of accidents. As you’ve learned here at WAOC, never touch or even get close to a piece of equipment or machine that you haven’t been trained on and certified to operate.
Your facility should require that all baler and compactor operators be trained and authorized to use the equipment. Safe practices include:
Our training of course should cover the proper loading, operating, tying, and ejecting procedures. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), gloves to protect hands from sharp edges on cardboard or metal ties. Safety glasses when cutting or tying wire. Steel-toed shoes for protection from the heavy bales.
And people, never bypass safety devices. Most machines have interlock switches to prevent operation when doors are open. Never override or disable these features.
Clear communication is a must, see how I through that word in there again. If multiple people work around the baler, operators should signal before starting a compaction cycle.
And proper material handling is important. Never put non-approved materials in the baler (e.g., metal, glass, hazardous waste). Load evenly to prevent jams. And remember your Lockout/Tagout training, always shut down and lock out the power before performing any maintenance or clearing jams.
The baler or compactor position may not be the flashiest position in the warehouse, but it’s a vital one. Poor baler management can cause clutter, reduce safety, and slow down operations. A good operator keeps the whole recycling process running smoothly.
The baler or compactor is one of those behind-the-scenes machines that keeps a warehouse efficient, safe, and clean, while also adding a little extra revenue to the bottom line. But it’s also a machine that demands respect. Proper training, adherence to safety procedures, and an understanding of its role in the bigger picture of operations make all the difference.
So next time you pass by that big machine in the corner, you’ll know it’s doing more than just crushing boxes!
Ok, I’ve got to get back to work myself now. If you enjoyed todays talk please urge your friend to check it out on there favorite podcatcher and send them over to our Facebook and Instagram pages using @whseops and send us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com with an idea or two.
Have a great week, be productive, be on time, and be safe in and out of work, the family is waiting at home for us.
Welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today we’re going to shine a well-deserved spotlight on a role that might not always get the recognition it deserves—but one that most large warehouses relies on.
We’re talking about the floor sweeper/scrubber, the man or woman behind that buzzing machine who glides through the aisles after a long shift, preparing the warehouse for the next wave of productivity.
This is the associate who wraps up the day with a purpose. And believe me—there’s a lot more to their job than just cleaning the floor.
Now, if you’ve worked in a warehouse environment, you’ve probably heard the familiar hum of that ride-on or push behind scrubber making its rounds toward the end of the shift. It’s almost like a signal—it tells you the day is coming to a close.
But this role isn’t about appearance or a shiny floor for looks. The sweeper/scrubber operator is often the final quality control point, an unsung hero focused on safety, cleanliness, and setting up the next team for success.
Let’s talk about what they actually do for a minute.
This position, as all positions really, will vary from facility to facility, but here’s a universal list of responsibilities:
First up we’ll be operating the floor sweeping and scrubbing equipment, both walk-behind and ride-on, to remove debris, dust, liquid, and residue from floors.
And it’s our job to inspect the facility floor for hazards, such as broken pallets, loose shrink wrap, fallen products, or other trip and slip risks.
We’ll need to clean up spills that might have occurred during shift operations—think oil, water, broken product, or even battery fluid in some facilities. I mention battery fluids because just this week I had to do a little boil over clean up, well not really boil over, more like over fill, with some baking soda myself. I’d like to take this moment to point out that you need to be trained on how to clean up and dispose of any chemical before touching it period. Lost my place, where was I! Lost my train of thought.
Anyway, it’ll be our job to empty and refill tanks with clean water and cleaning solution, disposing of dirty water in designated areas.
Clean and inspect the machine, bristles, squeegees, and water tanks, ensuring it’s operational and ready for the next shift. And we’ll need to be careful with the squeegee blades, those little strips of rubber are expensive!
And as always, the paperwork is always important. We’ll need to document or report safety hazards, such as broken dock plates, loose floor tiles, cracks in the concrete, or equipment leaking on the warehouse floor.
This person has their eyes on everything, and that gives them a unique perspective.
Here’s something I learned early in my career: how a shift ends has a direct impact on how the next one begins. If you walk into a warehouse that’s cluttered, sticky, and scattered, you immediately feel rushed and frustrated. Your pace is off. You’re reacting instead of performing. And anytime you’re reacting your loosing productivity.
But when you walk into a freshly cleaned, reset warehouse? It feels like your part of something organized. It sends a message:
We care about this place. We care about the people who work here. We’re ready to succeed. Or that’s how I felt after climbing down off of my Tenant scrubber a number of years ago!
As many of you know I was in the food service distribution arena for about 24 years.
There’s a term I love: “setting the plate.” Ever heard it?
It comes from the culinary world. In a professional kitchen, setting the plate means prepping everything for the next cook. It’s a sign of pride and respect—making sure your workstation is clean, your tools are ready, and your ingredients are stocked so the next shift can come in and do their job right.
In the warehouse, setting the plate means doing your part to prepare the environment for success. Clearing aisles, wrapping leftover pallets, disposing of trash and debris, plugging in equipment, sweeping under racks, and reporting anything that’s broken or unsafe.
And at the heart of that culture is our sweeper/scrubber operator.
Think about this: the sweeper/scrubber goes everywhere, they touch almost every inch of the warehouse floor. That makes them the last set of eyes before the next shift comes in.
They notice things others miss. That forgotten pallet in Receiving that’s been sitting there for hours, the oil leak near Door 12, a busted case of yogurt in the corner of the cooler, and that loose dock plate up front.
They’re not just cleaning, they’re assessing, preventing, and protecting.
I’ve always thought of it as a bit of a safety role as well. A clean floor reduces, slip and trip hazards, getting rid of debris that causes damage to wheels or jacks, obstructions that slow down productivity, and in a food production area foreign materials that could contaminate food-grade products.
In food storage or cold storage environments, this job is critical. Sanitation isn’t just a nice to have task it’s a regulatory necessity.
I’ve seen entire trucks delayed due to unsanitary floor conditions. And I’ve seen accidents occur because a driver hit a patch of spilled product that should’ve been flagged hours earlier. This role is on the frontlines of injury prevention.
The best floor scrubber operators I’ve worked with understood their value. They knew their role was about more than just cleanliness. They were a part of the rhythm and flow of the operation.
This position works closely with almost every department as they wrap up their tasks. Like Forklift drivers to avoid traffic, loaders to clean docks after trucks depart, inventory teams to alert about product out of place.
They were trusted. When a supervisor needed an end-of-day walk-through, they’d often check in with the scrubber operator first: “How’s the floor? Anything we need to address?” Same with the safety department, they’ll check in to get our final thoughts.
I’ve gotta be honest though, this isn’t the most glamorous job in the building. It’s dirty. It’s physical. It’s repetitive. But here’s what separates a good warehouse from a great one:
In great warehouses, every role is respected. The scrubber operator is valued, listened to, and supported. They’re seen as part of the team, not someone just doing “the dirty work.”
And for all you young leads and supervisors out there. When you give someone ownership over a task, something amazing happens. They take pride in their work. They go the extra mile. They become the person you can count on.
I once had a young associate tell me, “I’m just the sweeper.” And I stopped him right there. I said, “You’re the final defense line before our product hits the dock. You’re the first person who notices a problem before it gets out of hand. You’re the reason the next shift can walk into a clean and safe environment. Don’t ever say you’re just the sweeper.”
Because truthfully, without this role, things fall apart.
And here’s the kicker—this job is often a stepping stone. I’ve seen sweepers move into, inventory control because they knew the floor layout better than anyone, Safety teams because they had the eye for detail, Maintenance, Shift leads as well
If you’re listening and working this role right now know this, your job is valuable and can absolutely be a launching pad into more advanced positions.
Let me leave you with a few quick takeaways or thoughts I had when working the scrubber.
Walk the area first – Identify obstacles, debris, or spills before getting started. I learned this the hard way, you’ll get tired of climbing up and down off the thing! Don’t rush, speeding through the job leaves streaks and misses some of the yucky stuff.
Maintain your machine – A dirty squeegee or clogged filter makes the job harder and less effective.
Report issues immediately – You’re the eyes of the floor—your feedback matters.
Take pride in your work – You’re contributing to the success of the shift. The order selectors and forklift operators will love you for a job well done!
And for you Supervisors.
Recognize the importance and value of the role, celebrate a well-cleaned floor and safe handoff. It’ll contribute to your productivity and thru-put.
Give feedback and support – Ask scrubbers what they’re seeing out there.
Rotate training, let others learn this task, it builds respect and teamwork.
You can pair it with responsibility. Include end-of-shift checklists and safety reporting.
Promote from within, keep an eye on your scrubber operators, many may have leadership potential.
When we talk about setting the plate for the next shift, we’re really talking about respect, professionalism, and teamwork.
A clean floor might seem like a small thing. But in our world, where the doors have to get opened and closed, space is limited, and safety is everything—it’s a big deal.
So to all the floor sweeper/scrubber operators out there, I’m saying thank you. You’re not just cleaning up the mess. You’re setting the stage for the success of the next team. You’re closing out the shift with dignity and care. And you’re making it possible for others to walk into a workspace they can take pride in.
And that, my friends, is what being part of a true operation is all about.
Until next week, stay safe, stay sharp, and don’t forget to set the plate.
It’s week 31 of 2025. Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, and today we’re diving into two important yet often misunderstood roles within the warehouse world—Inbound Dispatchers and Outbound Dispatchers.
Now, if you’ve worked in a distribution center, chances are you’ve interacted with one or both of these dispatch teams. But for those new to the field—or maybe just curious about how the flow of goods really works behind the scenes—today we’re going to shed some light on how these roles function, how they differ, and why each one is vital to keeping operations smooth and efficient.
Ok, let’s break it down.
Lets start off with the inbound side.
Inbound Dispatchers are the coordinators of the incoming chaos. They manage freight coming into the warehouse—be it raw materials, finished goods, or vendor-supplied inventory. Their job begins well before the truck ever backs into a dock door.
There responsible for all the:
Freight Scheduling: They coordinate with vendors, suppliers, and transportation companies to schedule delivery appointments. This isn’t a simple calendar task—it involves prioritizing freight based on inventory needs, product shelf life, dock availability, and labor schedules.
Working with Receivers and Unloaders: Inbound Dispatchers are in constant contact with the warehouse receiving team. They ensure that when a truck arrives, there’s someone ready to receive the load. It’s a real-time dance—balancing manpower and incoming volume.
Assigning Dock Doors: Efficient dock usage is crucial. Inbound Dispatchers assign specific dock doors to each trailer based on the type of freight, space needed, and how quickly it needs to be offloaded.
Merchandising Coordination: In foodservice and retail, inbound teams may also work closely with merchandising departments to prioritize high-demand items or seasonal goods. Some loads may be broken down and sent straight to production or shipping without ever touching storage shelves.
Documentation and Tracking: Bills of lading, appointment confirmations, temperature logs for cold freight—Inbound Dispatchers handle it all. Compliance is key.
Now let’s talk about the pace. Inbound Dispatchers work in a rhythm that’s steady but unpredictable. A delayed truck can impact the entire receiving schedule. A last-minute load? That can throw off staffing plans or overload the docks. These dispatchers have to stay cool under pressure, think on their feet, and communicate with multiple stakeholders throughout the day.
And the outbound side is just as busy!
If Inbound Dispatchers are the gatekeepers for everything coming in, Outbound Dispatchers are the last line of defense on the way out. Their focus is entirely on what’s leaving the building and making its way to customers.
Things like Load Planning and Carrier Scheduling: They assign freight to outbound trucks, ensuring orders are complete and ready to roll. They work with route planners, customer service reps, and third-party carriers to get shipments out on time and in full.
Coordinating with Pickers, Packers, and Loaders: Outbound Dispatchers must keep tabs on where each order is in the process. Are the pallets wrapped? Has the paperwork been printed? Is the truck at the dock yet?
Trailer Assignment and Door Scheduling: Much like the inbound side, outbound has to manage dock space carefully. Some facilities may have designated outbound doors, but even then, timing is everything. One late loader can delay three other trucks.
Communication with Customers or Delivery Sites: Especially in retail or foodservice, outbound teams often deal directly with customers or store managers. They’re the ones rescheduling late deliveries or rerouting loads when necessary.
Documentation and Auditing: They ensure freight matches the pick ticket, and that everything complies with DOT regulations, customer requirements, and internal policies.
While Inbound Dispatchers deal with the unpredictability of vendors and carriers, Outbound Dispatchers deal with the pressure of customer expectations. Orders must be right. They must be on time. And in today’s world, that means sometimes tracking a truck in real-time or getting creative with alternate routes or backup carriers.
Both roles require excellent communication, the ability to juggle multiple priorities, and a calm, detail-oriented personality. These aren’t just “office” jobs either—many dispatchers work out on the floor or at dockside desks to stay close to the action.
Inbound and outbound dispatch roles can be steppingstones to other logistics positions. Many Warehouse Managers, Transportation Coordinators, or Supply Chain Analysts got their start in these roles.
Dispatchers see the whole picture of a warehouse’s operation. They understand, Vendor relationships, Carrier performance metrics, Labor flow and dock optimization, Inventory turns, service level agreements
If you’re looking to move into leadership or planning roles, starting in dispatch is a great way to build that foundation.
Some of those skills that translate well will be all the work with excel and warehouse management systems (WMS), transportation management systems (TMS) those awesome time management skills, your problem solving abilities and your strong written and verbal communication, and we can’t forget all the work with conflict resolution and vendor relations.
I wrote down a couple of real life examples and didn’t mention them earlier.
Here’s a quick inbound story.
A refrigerated produce vendor calls—they’re running 3 hours behind due to a blown tire. The Inbound Dispatcher has to adjust the schedule, notify receivers and merchandisers (because that product needs to hit picking lines fast), and maybe even move another truck into their dock slot to prevent idle time.
And an outbound scenario.
A carrier driver arrives 45 minutes early for pickup. The order isn’t wrapped yet because two pickers called in sick. The Outbound Dispatcher must make the call—hold the driver? Reassign labor? Call another carrier? Or just make the carrier wait? The goal is to keep freight moving without compromising accuracy or safety.
Both roles can be high-pressure. You’re dealing with time-sensitive freight, unexpected delays, and a two dozen moving parts all at once. But they’re also incredibly rewarding. When everything goes right—when that 18-wheeler pulls in and leaves on time, fully loaded and compliant—it feels like winning the day.
And you will build relationships. Inbound teams get to know drivers and vendor reps. Outbound dispatchers become problem solvers for customers and delivery points. You become the go-to person when something goes wrong—and the first one thanked when it all goes right.
Inbound and Outbound Dispatchers sit on opposite ends of the warehouse. They are the lifeblood of the operation, keeping inventory flowing in and finished orders flowing out. If you’re looking for a career that’s fast-paced, detail-oriented, and critical to the operation—this is it.
Whether you’re exploring dispatching as your next step or just want to better understand how goods get to and from the dock, I hope today we gave you a deeper appreciation for two more important roles in the warehouse.
A that’s it for today! Be sure to subscribe and share Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And if you’re in dispatch or work closely with dispatchers, drop me a line—I’d love to hear your story.
Until next time—stay safe, stay efficient, and keep that freight moving.
Hey all, Marty T Hawkins here, and welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! We’ve spent the mid-week in Bolingbrook Illinois, and I am dreading heading back to the Texas July heat this evening!
Today we’re taking a closer look at three important but often underrated roles within the warehouse. These are the kinds of jobs that don’t always get the spotlight, but if they weren’t done, and done well, the whole operation could grind to a halt.
We’ll be talking about the Pallet Sorter, the Warehouse side of Inventory Control or the inventory control specialist, and the Financial Inventory Control Analyst.
Three different jobs. Three different skill sets. But each plays a major role in moving product, controlling costs, and ultimately serving the customer. So, let’s talk about them.
We’ll kick things off with a position that’s quite literally on the ground floor of warehouse operations, the Pallet Sorter.
If you’ve ever walked a receiving dock or a shipping line, you’ve seen stacks of pallets everywhere. They’re as essential as forklifts or racking systems. But not every pallet is usable, and that’s where the pallet sorter comes in.
So, what does a pallet sorter do?
They inspect incoming pallets for quality and safety. Cracked boards, popped nails, and missing stringers make a pallet unsafe and literally unusable.
They sort pallets by size and type. A 48×40 GMA pallet isn’t the same as a Euro pallet or a block pallet. You can have beverage pallets and small standard wood like a 36×42 pallets.
Some facilities work with exchange programs like CHEP or PECO, and those pallets have to be tracked, scanned, and sorted separately.
They also play a part in cleanliness and compliance. A broken or contaminated pallet can lead to damaged goods or even failed audits.
This position is important because every piece of product we receive, store, or ship moves on a pallet. Damaged pallets can cause injuries, tip-overs, or lead to write-offs from damaged and loss product.
It’s also a numbers game. Imagine a warehouse shipping 500 loads a week. If 20% of those go out on unsorted or poor-quality pallets, that’s a major liability and a cost hit, both to us and our carriers.
This role requires someone who doesn’t mind repetitive work and stays alert throughout the day.
Physical stamina is a must, you’re moving pallets all day, lifting, bending, stacking.
And most importantly, someone who takes pride in doing things safely and correctly.
I know a gentleman that’s held the pallet sorter role for more than 15 years. He loves what he does. He’s made it a career.
And many successful team leads, yard jockeys, and forklift operators got their start on the pallet dock. A good sorter becomes familiar with all the ins and outs of product flow, quality control, and dock operations. Working closely with the unloaders, receivers, and even merchandisers. This role teaches discipline, attention to detail, and how to work within a team, and developing foundational skills that can serve you throughout your career.
Now let’s move from the dock to the inventory aisles.
Inventory Control, often called IC, is the department that ensures what’s in the system matches what’s on the shelves.
There’s two departments of inventory control. The warehouse and the financial departments.
Have you ever had a customer order get delayed because something was shown in stock but wasn’t actually there? That’s where the warehouse side of IC comes in. These folks keep the system accurate and the customers happy.
Cycle counting is a big part of this team’s job. Instead of doing a full inventory once a year, they count small sections of inventory on a rotating schedule, daily, weekly, or monthly. Maybe an aisle at a time.
It’s their job to reconcile all the programs. If the system says there are 12 units in a location, but only 8 are physically there, they investigate the discrepancy.
They must determine what happened. Did receiving short the delivery? Did replenishment put the item in the wrong slot? Did a picker grab from the wrong location?
And there’s an audit component too, IC teams often look at past movements, transfers, and adjustments to find and fix problems.
They also work very closely with departments like:
Receiving, to make sure counts and putaway are accurate.
Shipping, to confirm orders are picked properly.
And the replenishment folks, to verify stock is moving from reserve to primary slots or pick locations correctly.
Why is this job so important you may ask?
Well, let’s talk about inventory accuracy. In a world where next-day shipping and real-time visibility are expected, having an error rate of just 1% could translate into thousands of dollars in missed sales, extra labor, or customer dissatisfaction.
Not to mention the costs of emergency replenishment or loss of trust from repeat customers.
So when sourcing for a warehouse inventory control candidate the hiring agent is seeking
a strong attention to detail, you’re often comparing numbers, paperwork, and screens.
And good communication skills are a must, as you’ll be talking to every team in the building to track things down.
You’re going to need to be comfortable with technology, most ICs use a warehouse management system (WMS) and RF scanning equipment all day.
And Critical thinking is important, when something doesn’t add up, you’ve got to figure out why.
It’s important, for our goals and planning, to understand our next step or where can this position take us. This role is often a launching pad into, Inventory lead or supervisor positions. WMS administration or system analyst roles. Even Quality assurance or continuous improvement departments.
And if you’ve got that knack for solving problems and spotting patterns, this might just be the job for you.
Lastly, let’s talk about the office side of inventory, the Financial Inventory Control Analyst.
While warehouse IC is counting products and reconciling physical movement, financial IC is focused on the dollar value of that inventory and ensuring that the company’s financial reports are accurate and compliant.
This group reconciles booked inventory value, what the accounting system says is in stock with actual inventory numbers.
They track and explain shrinkage, spoilage, damage, and obsolescence.
They analyze and report on inventory turns, or how often a company sells and replaces stock.
They ensure inventory is valued correctly, especially for tax purposes, this involves cost methods like FIFO (First In, First Out), LIFO (Last In, First Out), or Average Cost.
They support audits, internal, external, or regulatory by providing documentation and explanations.
We’ll usually find these departments in the corporate office or the back office of large distribution centers. It’s less hands-on, but every decision made affects those of us on the floor.
So, what makes a good Financial Inventory Control Analyst?
We’ll need Strong Excel and data analysis skills.
And Knowledge of financial systems and enterprise software like SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite.
We’ll have to have a strong understanding of basic accounting and inventory valuation.
And gonna have to have a Problem-solving mindset, sometimes the issues are buried in transaction histories or system logic.
And here’s communication again, we must be able to explain complex numbers to both the finance and operations teams.
These analysts can become senior finance managers, cost accountants, or supply chain analysts.
It’s a white-collar role that plays a huge part in company strategy and reporting.
Some even transition into operations leadership with a financial lens — a rare and valuable combination!
What else have I noted today, let me see, oh here is a simple statement of each position I jotted down.
The Pallet Sorter keeps our material handling system flowing and safe. It’s an entry-level but essential role with growth potential. A great sorter doesn’t just see broken boards or stacks of wood. They understand that their job is the first quality checkpoint in the flow of product. If they catch a broken pallet, they’ve prevented damage, delays, and potentially even injury. They’re not just sorting wood, they’re protecting the product and the people.
The Inventory Control Specialist is the accuracy backbone of warehouse operations, constantly chasing discrepancies and improving process flow. This is someone who might start their day with a list of 20 bin locations to count, but ends up having caught an issue that would’ve cost the company thousands. Maybe they found a mislabeled pallet that would’ve gone to the wrong customer. Seeing something wrong and digging until it’s right.
And think of the Financial Inventory Control Analyst as the bridge between the physical product and the company’s financial health, making sure that what’s on paper matches reality. But they don’t just stare at spreadsheets. They’re often the first to spot troubling trends in product shrink, loss due to expiration, or slow-moving items that are tying up capital. They might raise the flag that leads to a product rotation policy, or a change in vendor ordering patterns. One foot in the numbers, one foot in operations.
Each of these positions represents a different step in the inventory chain, from what we stage on, to what we count, to what we report. Together, they create the structure that allows our warehouses and distribution centers to function.
So, if you’re just starting out, or thinking about what your next role could be, keep these three paths in mind. Whether you like hands-on labor, investigative work, or financial analysis, there’s a place for you in the light industrial industry.
And like I always say, show up every day, do the work, and ask for those opportunities and promotions.
Thanks for joining me today here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. If I can answer any questions, please send us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and we’ll get them answered for you. Be safe out there and I hope to see you next week!
Thanks for stopping in at Warehouse and Operations as a Career again, I’m your host Marty and we have a lot of ground to cover today! I hope everyone is having a great week. Can you believe we’re almost through the 1st month of the 3rd quarter of 2025 already. What week are we in, let’s see, 29, week 29 is coming to a close.
Today I thought we’d talk about two different positions. Last week we spoke to several different tasks within the industry, so as discussed, I thought we’d dig in a little deeper.
I had a couple of questions about the front-line management positions, some kind of entry to management jobs. So, first up let’s talk about becoming a Front-Line Supervisor and we’ll work ourselves over to the Global Logistics world.
Now, these two roles couldn’t be more different in some ways—one’s rooted right in the daily warehouse hustle, and the other is all about managing the flow of freight across oceans and international borders. But both roles are vital to keeping the supply chain moving, and both can launch incredible careers.
Let’s get started with the role many of us are closest to:
The front-line supervisor – Most front-line supervisors don’t start as supervisors. They start as order selectors, packers, forklift drivers, or material handlers. They know the floor. They know the work. They’ve came up through the tasks, and they’ve earned the respect of their team by doing the job well—and consistently.
So how do you get there? Remember me always talking about being THAT employee? On-time for every shift, happy, that strong positive outlook!
We have to master every role we’re in. Now that doesn’t mean we are the most productive or best. It means we understand the mechanics of it and how to accomplish it. – Be the associate others look to. Show up early, hit your numbers, and be the one your supervisor can count on.
Communicate – Learn to speak with confidence. Be respectful to coworkers and leaders, and don’t shy away from constructive feedback. An important part of communicating is listening. Listening may be the most important aspect of communication!
Volunteer for Responsibility – Want to be seen as leadership material? Step up for tasks like training new hires or leading a safety meeting. As small as it seems, speaking during the startup and safety meetings will be noticed by both management and your peers. People want someone to follow.
Understand the Bigger Picture – Learn your KPIs or key performance indicators, understand the metrics, know why the shift must hit its numbers, and how your role contributes to the success of the warehouse. Be open to learning. You know how things get done but you do not know everything behind the curtain.
If you’re already dependable and consistent, leadership will notice. But don’t be afraid to express interest in moving up. Many front-line leads get their first shot just by saying, “I’d like to learn more about supervising.” Think about it. If we’re doing a great job, our boss can count on us, knows we’re going to get the job done for them, why would they come see us about leaving them! We have to share our plans and goals with them.
If you like looking at advantages and disadvantages or pros and cons, well let’s talk about that for a minute.
First up, Career Progression or that next step This is the gateway role into leadership. From here, you can grow into warehouse manager, operations manager, or even into roles outside the warehouse in HR, safety, or logistics.
Skill Development – You’ll develop soft skills like conflict resolution, de-escalation, scheduling, communication, and coaching—skills that translate to every industry.
Respect & Responsibility – You become the go-to person. The one who answers questions and helps keep the team on track. That respect can be very rewarding.
And of course, Better Pay & Hours – While it varies, most front-line supervisors receive a pay bump and are often on a more consistent schedule than hourly warehouse workers. Many times, quarterly, annual or incentive bonuses are on the table.
And as with anything, there may be a couple of cons. I guess it depends on how you’re looking at it.
You’re in the Middle – You answer to your managers and also support your team. Sometimes, that means delivering tough messages either way.
Longer Hours & More Stress – Supervisors often stay late to finish reports, walk the floor, or resolve issues. You’re no longer “off” when the shift ends. A quick tip. Never divide out your hours to your salary. Its apple and oranges. And we’re on a path here.
Accountability – If your team doesn’t hit productivity or quality targets, you’re the one who must answer for it. That pressure can be intense.
Difficult Conversations – Coaching, correcting, and even disciplining associates can be uncomfortable. But it’s part of leadership. This is a tough one. Maybe we used to do the same things we’re speaking to them about, maybe we used to do it with them!
Still, for many people, the trade-offs are worth it. If you want to grow in this industry, becoming a front-line supervisor is often the first big step—and it sets the foundation for everything that comes after.
I want to throw in the importance of listening again. Learning to listen, I mean really looking at somebody and hearing them is hard to learn. Don’t be listening and thinking of your response at the same time. I feel the best advice I have for everyone is to learn to listen.
How It Can Set You on Your Career Path
Once you’re a front-line supervisor, doors start to open:
Operations Manager
Warehouse Manager
Trainer or Safety Coordinator
Recruiter or HR Support
Project Lead roles for implementations or transitions
You learn how to lead people, manage time and performance, and solve problems in real-time. These are the skills companies want in their leadership teams. With the right attitude and a few years of experience, the next step may be much closer than you think.
Now let’s shift gears to a very different kind of leadership…
Becoming a Global Logistics Manager
While the front-line supervisor is walking the floor in boots, the global logistics manager is tracking containers from China to California, routing shipments, navigating customs paperwork, and making sure goods arrive on time and intact.
This role operates at the 30,000-foot view. It’s less about boxes on a pallet and more about the movement of freight on ships, planes, trucks and containers around the world.
What Does a Global Logistics Manager Do? Lets look at a few of the 1000 tasks!
Freight Movement – Coordinate the transportation of goods internationally.
Vendor Management – Work with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and ocean carriers.
Compliance – Ensure goods meet import/export regulations in every country.
Scheduling – Plan shipments months in advance and react quickly to delays.
Cost Control – Negotiate rates and optimize shipping methods to control budgets.
Tracking and Reporting – Use software and dashboards to track shipments and generate performance reports.
Unlike the front-line supervisor role, a global logistics manager typically requires a formal education:
Bachelor’s Degree – Often in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or International Business.
Certifications – Like the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) or International Trade Certification.
Software Skills – Knowledge of systems like SAP, Oracle, or transportation management systems (TMS) is critical.
Experience – Most start as logistics coordinators, import/export clerks, or shipping analysts and work up to the manager level.
The great thing is our company may have programs and help us obtain our education. We’ve been a great employee, they’ve invested in us and will want to keep us.
Remember, we’ve been talking to them about our goals and plans. This isent the first time they’ve heard this from us.
A few pros to the position
A High Earning Potential
Strategic Influence – You’re a key part of business success. If you fail, products don’t move. That responsibility comes with status and recognition.
Variety of Work – No two days are the same. One day might be port delays, the next day negotiating new contracts with carriers.
Global Perspective – You gain an understanding of how economies and global trade work, which can position you for international roles or executive leadership.
And some cons
High Pressure – Delays, tariffs, storms at sea—many things are outside your control, but you’re still expected to solve the problem.
Work-Life Balance – Time zones don’t sleep. Freight might land in the middle of your night. Expect emails and calls off-hours.
Complex Regulations – Import/export laws can change quickly. Staying compliant requires constant learning.
Limited Entry Points Without Education – Unlike operations where experience might carry you further, this path usually demands formal qualifications and technical know-how.
And as for a career path
This role can open up high-level supply chain and executive opportunities:
Director of Global Supply Chain
VP of Logistics
Procurement & Sourcing Manager
International Trade Compliance Officer
Operations Director – International
And while it starts global, it can bring you closer to the boardroom. Executives increasingly want leaders who understand the cost, risk, and complexity of global logistics. With the right combination of experience and strategic thinking, this path can take you anywhere—from the port to the penthouse!
So, what’s the takeaway today?
If you’re working the warehouse floor and thinking, “What’s next?”—look at the front-line supervisor role. It’s often the next natural step and a real launching pad for leadership.
If you’re someone with a passion for strategy, numbers, and international business—or maybe you’re working in shipping or receiving and want to level up—exploring a path toward global logistics management could be right for you.
Both paths matter. Both paths offer rewards and challenges. And both prove that in this industry, there’s room for all kinds of growth. Whether you’re leading a shift or coordinating global freight, your part of the backbone that keeps the freight moving.
And that’s what Warehouse and Operations as a Career is all about—helping you discover what’s possible and giving you the tools to get there.
Until next time, stay focused, keep learning, and never stop growing. Stay safe this week and every shift, and I hope to see you back here with us next week.
Hey again, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. We work, that’s how the world works. I’ve had the fortune of working in the light industrial industry or the warehouse and transportation fields for my entire career, over 45 years. I’ve errored, messed up, been irresponsible, negative at times and I consider myself more than lucky for making it through it all, and having the many mentors with their guidance that’s been shared to me.
If I had to pick one individual that made the largest impact on my career, I’m not sure I could. But if I was asked who made the largest financial impact and setting goals impact on me it’d be my first corporate president.
I had started with the company as an outbound loader on nights. I was fortunate to be moved to the hi-rise order selection department my first week. I was 6’ 3in tall and loading the many bobtail trucks of the time was, well, we’ll say quite difficult. Had I not been moved to selection I don’t believe I’d of made it the 24 years I did. I had moved into the warehouse side of inventory control about 2 years later on the day shift, then to the freezer side lead, next as the freezer supervisor.
The operations part of the company, day warehouse departments, as a side note, we had the same fish fry party for the night crews that same night. Anyway, so at the fish fry, my company president at the time called me over to his table, where he was sitting alone. Now, our relationship was a rough one. He had fired me 3 times up to this time. Luckly, he always sent someone to get me before I left the building. I learned something from him every time I spoke with him! So, I went over and sat down, not sure what direction this was going to go! He said something to the effect of Marty, you are doing an alright job, you’ve got to grow up quicker though. Tomorrow you’ll be the director of warehouse and I’m going to add $100/wk to your pay. I of course said something like sure and I can do the job and thanked him. He then asked me what I wanted to be making in 5 years and what did I want to be doing. I told him I wanted the V.P. of Operations and earning more than he was making. I can remember he literally spit out a little of the tea he was drinking. He then said I needed to get back to working. We talked about my goals several times after that, over the next 5 years and a couple of other promotions.
So, where I’m heading today is, how much money are you wanting to earn and what do you want to be doing? If you don’t answer those two questions you are delaying setting or meeting your goals. And that’s on you.
If you’re a long-time listener you’ve heard me talk about the many different positions and career paths in our industry. From general labor, the many different positions in the production industries, line workers, assembly, research and development, and then in the manufacturing industries, analysis, Engerineering, electrical, even chemist educations, and the distribution world, where many of the standard warehouse positions intertwine themselves in all three of the industries. Oh, and then you have all the supply chain jobs, even global shipping careers, and the transportation worlds of trailers, chassis, rail or railroad, and shipping on the seas. Your earning potential is unlimited in our industries. Want to go earn many millions a year. Go do it!
So how do you get started? I received no less that 10 messages or phone calls last month from individuals asking about forklift training. I figured we’d start with that question today.
I want to share this one in particular. A young lady called and asked if we had a forklift training class where she could get her forklift license. I explained how we have worked with organizations and companies, instructing safety on equipment. I asked if she had forklift experience. She said no, she was looking at job ads and the forklift pays more. We discussed how having that card or license wasn’t going to help her get the forklift position, and how companies needed to hire, from the street anyway, experienced operators. I shared that the quickest way to get trained on a forklift was by doing a little research, locating a company that uses the type of equipment you’d like to operate and that you can commit to being on time, for every shift too. Getting your foot in the door, maybe with sanitation, or loading, maybe unloading or general labor. After being THAT employee, you know, on-time, positive, and always wanting to learn more for maybe 3 or 4 months, then approach your supervisor or manager and let them know you want to be a forklift operator, and ask them what’s the next step. Theres just not a short cut. Your management team will start working with you. Maybe in like 6 more months you can be that operator. Such a promotion and increase in under a year is awesome.
I enjoyed speaking with her and was impressed that she knew what she wanted to do and why she wanted to do it. She’s doing her target research now and we’ll be staying in touch.
All you need to know is what would you like your next step to be, do your research, and get started with it. Our industry is an industry where experience is key. You’ve heard me speak about knowing the position before ours and the position after ours. That can be your first step.
OK, let’s briefly look at a few of the positions. We’ll start with a few of my favorites; those get a foot in the door job that applies to most all light industrial industries.
You’ll see a lot of advertisements for general labor. This is sometimes referred to as utility work. It can be anything from an e-commerce associate picking and packing apparel, or small electronic parts, to positioning smallware’s on conveyors. Almost any unskilled position in the warehouse. One of the great things about these jobs is that they are readily available for us career minded individuals because a lot of people work them for a while and leave. We’re going to use the position as a steppingstone though, right?
Two other easy starts are loading and unloading. Not quite as unskilled, in my eyes anyways, but great entry level positions. As an unloader we could be working from a purchase order or breakdown sheet. These will tell us what ti and hi or the stacking configrations we’ll use to place the cases on the pallet for storage. In many instances we’ll be applying a barcoded label to the front lower right corner of the pallet. This will be used by the pallet runner or putaway forklift operator and the receiver to identify what aisle to drop the pallet for the forklift operator and telling them what slot or reserve location to place it after the receiver has scanned the product into the inventory.
Once we secure that Get In The Door position the sky’s the limit for us. Where we can go from here you may ask:
Let’s see, where to start, the Sanitation department, another good entry position that can take us in several career directions. I’ve heard of one gentleman that started his career many years ago cleaning aisles and today is a chemist for a manufacturing plant.
Like I mentioned a bit ago, the pallet runner, a putaway forklift operator, the product receiver, and a few other positions in the industry, the replenishment forklift operator, a dock hauler position, stacker, pallet sorter, picker, packer, being an order selector, truck driver, truck spotter, lets see what else, Inventory Control, Assembler, Machine Operator, material handler, building maintenance, Welder, Grinder, Line Operator, Batch Mixer / Compounder, Quality Inspector and quality control, Production Helper, Die Cast Operator.
And then those positions can take us into the Administrative, Technical, or Supervisory positions, like: Production Supervisor, Manufacturing Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Plant Manager, Continuous Improvement Manager, Lean Coordinator / Six Sigma Black Belt, Production Scheduler / Planner, Maintenance Manager, Process Engineer, Quality Assurance Technician Quality Control Analyst, Compliance Specialist, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Coordinator, Safety Manager, Regulatory Affairs Specialist.
And we havent even gotten to the many Supply Chain and Global Shipping careers or all the technical and support roles or administrative positions. Oh, and I almost forgot about the many levels of management and executive jobs yet.
Todays point being, in our field, the earning potential is ours to set. I’ve shared many times a friends decision to be a forklift operator, turning down every other position in the warehouse and management offerings. He loves being a forklift operator, and he’s been doing it for over 40 years now. He had a plan and stuck with it.
If you’re happy earning an hourly wage with the increases it’ll bring, that’s great, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. And if you’d like more responsibilities, learning every day, reaching for more every year, that can happen in our industry. I think the most important thing to keep in mind though is, you must love what you’re doing. If you hit a wall in a task that you don’t enjoy, change it. We just named a few other things you can do!
Remember that you control your destiny in this industry.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll do a deeper dive into many of the positions we talked about today. What task they entail, how to get to them, and where each can take you from there. Maybe we can even do a few interviews with associates performing them and making a career in them.
No matter what job we hold or task we’re doing, our first priority is, and always will be, safety. Let’s all go home after each shift just like we arrived, our families will appreciate that!
Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and it has been a bit. Life and careers both are why we work. Over the last 7 months, well, off and on longer than that I guess, referring to my lack of weekly episodes, a lot has changed in both life and careers for a lot within our manufacturing, production, and distribution industries. Today I’d like to talk about just a few of the areas that I’d like to understand how we’re handling them as managers and employees. Hence todays title, Our Part!
Lets start with a safety thought. As managers, what I’m seeing across the fields I work with is a “Check all the boxes” mentality. And of course we have to check all the boxes, but we, as management, have to understand , believe in, and know why each box is important. We need to educate ourselves. How can we express to and educate our teams and associates to those topics otherwise. And we as associates. We have responsibilities here as well. And I think we need to remember it can be quite lucrative for us too. We’ve learned over the years that it’s not necessarily our hard work that increases our earning potential but taking on more responsibilities and educating ourselves in other tasks and values.
Let me share a few thing’s I asked a some young supervisors over the last couple of months and was surprised at their answers real quick.
So it’s summer here in the states. Its hot. I’m in Texas, 100 degrees is hot, but I deal with a few accounts in Arizonia where 115 and above is hot as well. And Chicago, there 90 degrees seems as hot to those residents as the Arizonia group. Its all about acclimatization. Do you sense a definition coming! Acclimatization – the Oxford dictionary tells us its the process or result of becoming accustomed to a new climate or to new conditions. No manner what state were in, when its hotter than our norm, its hot and can be dangerous.
Several states have issued standards regarding employers responsibilities to their employees in creating and explaining heat illness guidelines and prevention policies.
We all talk about heat stress around this time of year and it’s a typical topic for our daily start up meetings. Saying stay hydrated states the point of course. But would taking 1 minute longer and explain the signs of dehydration, maybe showing a urine color chart to our team, and explaining how our body will tell us what it needs, and pointing out the importance of keeping an eye on each other while in the aisles, watching for redness and sweating wouldn’t hurt either! Are we as executives correctly teaching our managers how to understand the policies and how to teach their supervisors and associates about heat illnesses?
From a quick review of start up or safety topics I found we needed to put some work in on the topic!
And as an employee, its our bodies, our livelihood. If I go home and don’t hydrate, go to work and drink sodas or energy drinks all day, I am going to get sick. That’s not our employers fault. We should know what to do anyway. Following our employers policies just help with those endeavors.
I won’t go into specifics on a few others, we all get the idea I think.
As employers we need to have a policy for each danger or task and as employees we should think of protecting ourselves and following all safety policies right?
What about carrying a razor blade in our shirt pocket?
And when working around heavy objects should we take precautions to avoid dropping them on our toes, and or wearing proper protective equipment?
When working around a machine with a roller component, its important to keep our fingers away from it.
Lifting, there’s a right way and a wrong way, when team lifting is the policy we should ask a peer for help.
All of those examples have an employer and an employee component and responsibility to them.
Are you doing your part?
One more thought and we’ll move on. I want to bring up First Aid/Cpr/AED training. Probably the cheapest, simplest, and most readily available training, life saving training, available to us in the light industrial arenas. Do you have a person trained on each shift? Is there someone trained to support and help your employee or peer for that 3 to 11 minute period it could take for medical help to arrive? If not please check into it, as an employer and as an employee.
OK, moving on. Lets talk about the new hiring process, that’s something that’s definitely changing! I read this week that two of the largest job board companies have filed for bankruptcy.
As an employer we need to be much more communicative. I’m seeing very weak job descriptions, pay ranges that are way to wide, and expectations that are a bit over the top to be honest. I know its not possible to answer each uploaded email individually but your software can do it. Set it up, don’t just leave us hanging. Are we doing our part?
And as employees we can do a better job communicating as well. I’ve explained how the hiring agent could be receiving over a hundred resumes or answers to every ad. Oh, as a side note here, why do we do the one click option on the job boards? If we do not meet the stated qualifications we are not going to be considered for the position. Highlighting 25 openings and submitting doesn’t mean we’ve applied to 25 openings!
Where was I, oh yeah, our recruiter may receive a hundred resumes along with ours. They may be using a ATS or applicant tracking systems, a computer program that seeks out keywords, achievements, work histories and such. As an employee we need to adjust our resume to the position we’re applying for. And remember our social media, its going to be looked at. Right or wrong it is. If its locked or shows a bunch of partying we could miss an opportunity. And lets be sure to treat the interview, both phone and the face to face like it’s the difference in getting the job and not.
What other opinions do I have to share today! Oh, and this is a passionate one for me. Employers and managers, we need to be respectful of every position and each associate. If you’re having turnover if could just be because of you. Either it’s a bad hire, which could mean the associates experiences doesn’t match the task, or the hours weren’t a good fit for their life needs of lifestyle, or they weren’t trained properly, or maybe they didn’t feel welcomed? And as an employee, lets make sure we’re honest with those listed experiences, and the hours and schedules we’re committing to. Thinking, well, if I can see someone do it I can learn it, or maybe the boss will let me leave an hour early to go to my other job just isent going to work. So again here I’ll ask, did we Do Our Part?
Ok, enough opinions for one day. Thanks for checking out episode 321 and I hope you’ll join us again next week. I’ve been asked about career opportunities and could I put together another series on the positions and career opportunities within the supply chain. I think thatd be fun and I’ll get to work on that. If you have any topic suggestions or comments shoot us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and I’ll get back to you!
Be safe out there, we have people counting on us!
We all work to pay our bills and provide a better living for our families. Some of us, I hope most of us, are fortunate enough to enjoy our jobs so much that it isn’t work at all. I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today I’d like to start off with a question from a gentleman here locally.
You know, we’re often taught and trained how to do our jobs, we’re given all the standard operating procedures, step by step, how to do the task along with all the preferred work methods but maybe we, as managers, or our managers, forget to explain more to the individual aspect of the position. The question was posed “I’m working a lot harder than a guy named Mike yet he always gets more cases than I do. Can you tell me how to scam like he does. We get our pulls from our wrist computer, I can’t figure out how he always gets better pulls.” Well, it sounds like your facility is using a selection system through their WMS. If there’s more than just you 2 selecting there’s not much of a chance that he’s scamming the system. Batches or pulls are downloaded from a que, next selector up gets the batch downloaded to their wrist mount.
When productivity or activity-based pay, even incentive pay programs arrived on the scene they actually disrupted the old “this is only what I need to do mentality”. Now we could work harder than someone next to us and we may earn more pay. But if we work smarter than the person next to us, we will earn more pay. In the world of productivity pay it is not about working hard. It’s all about the clock.
Everyone knows about direct time and indirect time right? Direct time is time handling cases or moving freight. Indirect time is time spent in the restroom, washing our hands, getting our equipment signed out, anything other than handling cases while we are on the clock. Your company may operate on KPI’s or key performance indicators. In your position those measurements could be cases per hour selected or pallets per hour that’s putaway or replenished. A cycle counter may have to count x number of cases an hour and make x number of adjustments. Anything can be measured. Lets go back to the selector. We can know, on average, how many pallets we will load with product and how many drops we will make at the staging area in a given shift. We can determine that because we know how many cases are on an average batch and how much cube we’re selecting. If our WMS is set to say 55 cube, math will tell us the number of pallets we’ll load and how many trips we’ll make to the staging area or doors to be loaded out.
Those standards are determined by measuring everything we will be doing for any given task. Lets stick with selection for a moment. Your larger distribution centers may have an engineering company to come in and assign engineered standards to every part of our task. Everything will be measured. How many inches it is from dock door number one to the last slot of our pick paths. And between each aisle, each bay and each slot even. That’ll be done for each dock door as well. With the entire warehouse now measured they would time how long it takes to drive our pallet jack to each slot and each area within those paths. How long it takes our forklifts to raise to the second level, the third level, the fourth level and so on. Now they can work the math against the average batches or pulls and determine what the anticipated standard should be. Yes, it’s complicated, a lot of math and a wealth of information is gathered. But for us as employees, well, we can use all that to our advantage in an activity based system. All we have to do is work the system like it was designed.
OK, I talked about not working harder but working smarter. Remember, those engineers designed the system and put reasonable numbers in place for an 8 hour shift. They came up with, lets say, 170 cases an hour would equal 100%. The average experienced selector will pull 170 cases an hour. They have added all our human traits in, saying hi to each other, bathroom breaks, maybe slowly separating our pallets for the next batch, going to breaks early and returning a little late. They knew that we were going to stop in the aisles and talk for a minute about our weekend plans. All that is figured on us being the average employee. All we have to do is not be that average employee. And that’s exactly how we work less by thinking more. Maybe I should say focusing more.
I had this friend once, I don’t guess I ever knew his real name, we called him dupee. Dupee always, and I mean every signal night ended up with more cases pulled than I did. I don’t mean occasionally, I mean for 3 years I never beat him case wise. I’d pass him up in an aisle and the next thing I’d know was I was passing him again in another aisle. I’d never see him catch up to me, yet, their’d I be passing him again? We always joked about it, actually, I always accused him of scamming or cheating, not so much joking. Years later the light bulb went off in my head. Dupee wasn’t wasting time driving down aisles he didn’t have a pick in. He’d skip sometimes like 5 aisles and back track, running his path the most efficient route possible, hence why I’d pass him like 3 times in the same hour. Dupee came in, signed out for his equipment, grabbed his pallets and stayed focused on his task at hand. He never stopped and joked with us or complained about anybody, shoot, I don’t even know what he did on the weekends because he never brought it up! He’d be on his equipment when break time arrived and be back on it the minute break was over. Now, Dupee loved lunch time. He’d talk with us and joke around then but he never hung around after the bell. Dupee was just working the system. Every minute the machine was counting him as working or direct time, he had a case in his hands. He only stopped handling cases during scheduled indirect time. He was working 20% less than me and getting 20% more credit for it! Like I said, I figured it out. Took me three years, but I’m a slow learner. Over the next 3 years we were the top performers in the aisles. Once I learned how to stay focused I actually had more fun pulling. It became a game to maneuver the aisles and beat the system.
So to answer the question, your fellow employee Mike probably isn’t scamming the system. That’d be hard to do in this day and age. He’s just working it, as it was designed. Watch him this week, closely, and I bet next week you’ll be out pulling him!
We just walked through how an order selector can work the system but the exact same holds true for any direct positions. Even non-productivity positions can perform better by staying focused and, well, working like we’re being paid for! A couple of weeks ago I had a young gentleman tell me it was his right to talk to people. He’d been coached about spending too much time conversing with others on the front docks. His supervisor had told him he wasn’t in high school any more, we weren’t here to socialize, we’re here to work and for him to get busy. Now I think the supervisor could have handled it a little better, but you’d have to agree he was on point. We’re being paid to do a job and we should just get it done. I’ve been watching the employee for a couple of months now, he’ll make a top producer one day. He’s already one of the better than average unloaders. He’s working the numbers. Once he figures out to stay focused he’s going to be one of the top earners!
I do a lot of talking about having a plan and a goal here at WAOC. Things like what we talked about today is a plan and a goal. The gentleman that presented the question has a plan, he is going to out pull Mike. His goal is to be a top selector. Once we’ve identified our goal it’s easy to develop our plan and easy to achieve it!
So on that note we’ll wrap up another episode! If your enjoying the show please subscribe and maybe tell a good friend about it! And remember we can be found on Facebook and Twitter using @whseandops and one of my favorite groups is the warehouse equipment operator’s community on Facebook as well.
Stay strong and stay Safe in our personal lives and our work environments!
Hello everyone, Marty T Hawkins here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I want to sincerely thank you for checking in with us each week and I hope we mention something that will affect your career in some kind of positive way here today!
I want to share something real quick. I went to the grocery store today, a national chain, it’s close, convenient and frankly just easy for me to get in and out. I’m not a big shopper. I know what I want, I get it and get gone. Today I was the only person in line at lane 5. The cashier was a gentleman that I’d learn in a bit had just turned 20 years old. Now I often will hand out or leave behind a WAOC card or maybe even one of my distribution training center business cards if I’m somewhere local, and today, after paying I handed him a WAOC card and told him if he was ever interested in securing a job in the warehousing or transportation fields to send me an email, that I could probably help him out.
No one else was in line so he took a minute to ask a few questions, and the conversation went something like this:
Could I make more money in a warehouse?
I told him probably and gave him the starting wage for a few entry level G/L positions I am presently working on with Belmar Integrated Logistics in Dallas.
He stated that was a couple of dollars more an hour than he was earning now. I could tell that he was intrigued and wanted more information.
I told him that all those positions would be full time and at least 40 hours a week with a couple of them providing maybe 50 to 55 hours a week. Now I was thinking that would be the icing on the cake right? A full-time position with some over time guaranteed!
Well, he immediately, and I mean without hesitation let me know that he couldn’t work more than 25 to 30 hours a week. That he only worked days and preferred something after 10 am. Maybe 5 to 6 hours a day.
I ask why those kinds of hours, was he going to school or maybe taking care of a family member or something. He stated no, he didn’t need to make more than that and he needed his time off or what he called my chill time!
Being me, I asked what was his plans for retirement? Didn’t he want things? He said he needed to be a kid first. I’m only 20 years old.
I thanked him and went on to my car! Having a WAOC card still in my hand I noticed a young man gathering up empty grocery carts in the parking lot, so I handed him the card and told him if he was ever interested in a warehouse position to give me a shout. He said thanks but no thanks man, my brother works in a warehouse and that is some hard work, I don’t have to work that hard here.
I took my card back and went to the car. I’m still shaking my head a little, but you know what, that may work for them. They may have a better plan figured out. Whither they do or don’t I honestly do wish them the best of luck and an amazing life.
So lets talk some op’s. To all the electric pallet jack operators out there, especially the rider jack operators. Did you check your drive wheel and your load wheels today? I mean really give them a good look over! Both are on your pre-shift equipment report right?
I was cruising YouTube today for a clip of stretch wrap being caught up in our wheels and ran across a short video that was caught by a security camera of a drive wheel literally falling apart while an operator was in forward motion. Needless to say, the machine came to an immediate stop, and he was thrown about 6 feet forward. Luckly he wasn’t hurt. It showed him and a fellow worker picking up chunks of the wheel from under the jack.
It made me think, If I am going to be honest here I have to admit that I do not always back way up and check that my drive wheel doesn’t have cracks running across or around it everyday. I know, I should but, well, it is not something that happens all the time.
I began to wonder how often it does happen, so I reached out to two different pallet jack mechanics I know for some advice. They said that a catastrophic wheel failure like that hardly ever happens. They both felt like a regular preventive maintenance or PM check may have caught it and had the gentleman backed up, bent over and checked the wheel that he would have seen the cracks. They both felt like the incident was preventable.
I reached out to the video channel, but I haven’t heard back from them yet. I wanted to ask him if he ever checked the drive wheel before and if he would be checking it more going forward! Do you check your drive wheels, I mean other than checking for chunks missing by rolling it forward and backward. Honestly, before today, that’s about all I did. but after seeing that film today, I’m going to be checking that wheel out a lot more often! Send us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and share your thoughts with the group, what are you going to do, will you be adding that point to your daily pre-trip?
Anyway, so the reason I was looking for a video about shrink wrap getting wrapped around our load wheels was that I had a student going over to a place, a facility, that I knew always had, let’s say, opportunities with excess wrap being everywhere on the floor. The culture there is if it’s in the way run over it! I was explaining the additional expense wrap spun up in our wheels and mounts cost and the dangers it presents to us as operators if we don’t take proper care of our equipment and I wanted to show him some footage of such. I found some really good ones, a few where the mechanics were showing us how much damage is caused to the bearings and even our hydraulic systems and lifting mechanisms. I think he was quite stunned.
Now our load wheels are easy to check out, I do check them out every day before climbing onto my jack! Do you?
So, I know the maintenance guys at this facility, they’ve been sharing with me for months how many load wheels are replaced, and I got to thinking. Ok, we all know it’s a culture problem. No one brings it up, so the shift just continues to run over the shrink wrap. So, what if a new boot, a new hire eased into it. Brought it up to the supervisor ever so often. Maybe with a little coaching, he could get noticed in a good way. Who know he could bring about some change. Maybe even get recognized as helping to reduce expenses and improving productivity. Imagine how much productivity is being lost with machines not running at full speed or having to be in the shop.
I’ll let everyone know how our plan goes. Either way a gentleman has found a great job and he’s trained and ready to take on the responsibilities of an electric pallet jack operator.
Well, I think that’s enough for this week. Let us know how you handle those drive and load wheels at your facility. I’d appreciate it if you would tell a friend about our little podcast, the more the merrier! And please check out the website at warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and remember by using that little @whseandops that you can find us on both Facebook and twitter! I forget what our Instagram handle is but you can find it. Until next week, be safe, utilize your pre-trips, take that extra 60 seconds, it could mean that you’ll make it back home after your shift.
Marty T Hawkins back with you and another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Is everyone having a fabulous week so far? Today let’s talk about a few of the things that we as employees sometimes must deal with, many times things we possibly bring on ourselves. Throughout my travels each week I hear about lost jobs, NCNS, layoffs, and a lot of reasons why individuals have loss those jobs. This isn’t probably something we like talking about, but I guess it is a part of the job cycle or career cycle so let’s look at it for a bit.
Ok, being a manager for over 30 years I’ve had the fortune of meeting and hiring many an associate, mainly in the realm of operations only to see them move on to something else voluntarily and non-voluntarily. Some found better positions or greener pastures and moved on and some through terminations. I like to believe I’ve never actually ended someone’s job, well I guess I’d have to say I have ended 3, all 3 we’re due to a position actually being done away with due to a loss of cases, through a customer loss or once a particular product line, the selectors job was to pull that one line of product only. In all 3 cases I helped them seek gainful employment at another company or made the effort and offered anyway.
A V.P. of mine, kind of a mentor to me for several years, once told me, that he’d never terminated an associate, that they’d always terminated themselves. He honestly looked at it as the rules, or processes and procedures weren’t being followed and as the associate knew that, that they had terminated themselves. I guess that’s one way to look at it but I subscribe to the belief that I’ve failed in some way or another every time I’ve lost an employee. I always wonder if they we’re given the Orientation properly and received the welcoming, they needed, had they received the training they needed, had management supported them in every way? In previous episodes I spoke to the Corrective Action Process, what I prefer to call the coaching process and presented the question to young managers as “Did we give them every chance to succeed, did we discuss any job-related deficiencies’ we were experiencing with their performance & offer solutions to help them succeed? Personally, I think the Orientation of a new associate is the one thing we as managers have to get right. It’s where we have a chance to express how important they are to the organization, learn a little about them and share the expectations, rules, processes or procedures of the company with them. It’s intimating walking into a new job & managers need to make us feel welcome and allow us to leave that first day wanting to come back early for the second one, right?
Ok, I’ll step down off the soap box now you can see how easily I get sidetracked. Let’s look at a few of the reasons I’m given by associates and managers each week from a few different industries I deal with, all types of positions and regions as to why a term form ends up being turned into our HR departments.
Let’s start with the simplest, this is one I’ve never been able to get my arms around, the infamous NCNS. I mean we as new hires have filled out the application, went through all the hoops to get the job, the interviews, background checks, maybe drug screens, we’ve filled out all the onboarding paperwork, had the job descriptions explained to us, maybe even met our coworkers and bosses and then don’t show up for our first day on the job, don’t call anyone, just kind of disappear? Don’t get me wrong, things certainly come up sometimes and I don’t want you to think I’m being or going negative today at all but this one I’ve never figured out. If we’ve decided the position just isn’t for us, and it’s going to happen sometimes, maybe something comes up in the job description that we figure woah, this isn’t going to be for me. But why don’t we just speak up right there and then? I guess what I hope we think about is if we’re dealing with a staffing or sourcing company we’ve probably just burnt a bridge and while looking for permanent employment we should never burn any bridges!
And then there’s the NCNS when we’re employed. I hear almost weekly from an associate that says yeah, I got mad, or my boss didn’t treat me right so I decided not to go in. I just don’t see how that’s fixed or hurt anyone, I don’t think we’ve won anything by quitting like that have we? If someone’s made us mad or our boss did us wrong, wouldn’t it have been better to communicate that to someone, maybe their boss or our HR departments? There’s not going to be a check with our name on it next week! Again, I know things happen from time to time, but it’s rare I hear a valid reason from anyone concerning a NCNS. A phone call is just too easy to make. If we’re taking off no matter what our boss says, go ahead and do it, but call. Then on our next interview we can say we’d asked off, had a valid reason but my boss fired me for missing. It’ll go over better than them finding out about us NCNSing. The NCNS we’d have to agree we’ve actually quit or terminated ourselves, right?
I hear this one a lot, every week, Excessive Absentees and missing too much work. Our employers are going to need a certain headcount to hit the needed productivity numbers everyday. The hours and shifts were explained to us when we applied for the job and even if the hours were changed later, we were probably told about it and I’d assume we accepted them. We stayed with the company so why are we surprised when our supervisor counsels us 1, 2 or 3 times and then lets us go? Typically, we’re not terminated on our first or second absence in 90 days. Again, I’m not being negative about us quitting our jobs, and I think we all would agree we’ve quit, we just took the long road to doing it, we knew it was coming, I think.
Then there’s insubordination, when I hear this one I come close to understanding sometimes. We here at WAOC have talked a few times now about handling ourselves in a professional manner, and boy that’s very difficult at times isn’t it? If we assume we’re liking our job it’s important to remember we have other recourses than saying no to management or something like “that’s not my job”. As long as the request is ethical and legal we need to do it. Many times, we won’t know the reason or the end result but hey, we’re being paid and it’s just a part of it. I was a high rise selector, I’d only been on the job for about 3 months and a supervisor hurriedly came to the back and asked me to go clean the men’s room real quick and disappeared. I was still a new employee, had 2 kids at home that was going to want donuts when I got home that morning. Yep I was pretty upset but I went ahead and cleaned it up and wiped it down. I hadn’t been finished but for like 5 minutes and another sup came by with an auditor from one of our larger accounts and sure enough they walked right on in to the men’s room to check it out. I ended up working for that company for 26 more years. As employees we have other resources when we get upset, we have management members and our HR departments we can see. Another time, a couple of years later I had a young supervisor come back to high rise and tell me I needed to pull pallets while I was up in the air instead of bringing them down to the ground first. I respectfully told him I was uncomfortable working around our Safety protocol and suggested we go check with the manager first. He told me to go ahead and do it like I wanted to but get it done. We became good friends after that, I’d actually helped him do what was right in that instance. We need our jobs; there’s nothing to be gained by throwing a fit on the docks. Let’s try and do as request and voice our opinions to another member of management. By being insubordinate we’re really just quitting again, we’re probably fully aware of the consequences?
And then there’s horseplay, this ones tough. Our shifts are sometimes long, its hard to maintain our focus for 10 hours, keep our heads down and focus on our jobs isn’t it? You know, there’s Safety concerns, quality concerns and we probably know the rules. I hate hearing about a young employee, meaning a new employee, losing his or her job for horseplay. I just always trust us more tenured associates will kind of mentor or advise the new boots to do the right thing. Once again, I hope the consequences to horseplay has been explained to us. With horseplay there may not be any corrective actions applied to us, It’ll depend on what we were doing I’d think. Anyway, we probably knew better, why do we get upset when we’re dismissed, maybe its just a human nature thing.
Several weeks ago I heard about an order selector that’d done something wrong, or at least his supervisor thought he had. Anyway the selector ended up getting in the sups face and threatening to hit him. In today’s world that’s a threat, could even be a terroristic threat since it happened at work. The associate was walked off the property and honestly didn’t understand how the authorities could have been called. He got hot, calmed down and was now out of a job. That’s a good example how not handling ourselves in a professional manner can really cost us dearly.
Here at WAOC we spend a lot of time talking about how to get our jobs, planning for our advancement and reaching our goals but keeping those positions are just as important. Terminations are a part of the work experiences, and being such we should recognize our responsibilities in keeping those jobs. It’s hard, we’re humans and we all have reactions but I think we’d all agree it’s easier to be in charge of ourselves and in many instances, prevent terminations.
Again, I hope I didn’t come across as negative today, I’d like to think I presented us with something to think about and consider. If you’d like to add to our list of terminations or share an example or situation with our group please shoot an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com we’d love hearing from you! Check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds too, @whseandops & we’d appreciate a Like and Follow should you find any interest there. If you operate any type of powered Industrial Equipment check out the Facebook group Warehouse Equipment Operators Community group, we’re usually hanging around there through the week! Until next week – Be Safe and lets all take care of our Families and our Positions!
Hey hey all, you found Marty and Warehouse and Operations as a Career here again. Here we are in week 50 of 2024. I just realized we haven’t talked about our 2025 goals or plans yet. Maybe we can get that in over the next few weeks. I’m big on goals and planning, and I’m pretty much right on target for the year. Anyway, before I get started running down that path, I’ll get back to today’s bullet points!
I’ve been talking about the workforce out there right now and how we’re seeing people exploring new industries and changing their career goals over the last several weeks. I was asked by a listener if I could talk about warehouse positions, at distribution facilities in particular. She wanted to know how to get started and how do you get into a management position. Speaking with her I found that her work history, although she hasn’t been in the workforce but for about 4 or nearly 5 years I guess, she’s had about 18 months in a production type facility, doing a little picking and packing for assembly parts. I’m not sure what they built though. Her only other jobs had been with 2 restaurants and 3 retail stores. She states she so enjoys the physical aspects of the job and the warehouse environment overall.
One of the comments she made was that, in the restaurant industry, you could be trained as a manager after being there for like 3 months. There was a lot more responsibility given to you and the pay was pretty good, but the hours we’re never set. They we’re different week to week. She was wondering if she could be a supervisor in a few months?
OK, there’s a lot to unpack there. She has a friend working in the distribution world, she’s spoke with them regarding the pay, and I think that’s where we landed on the distribution industry.
So, let’s talk about distribution and delivery!
I thought we’d walk a case of product through the building. We’ll start with that case being purchased. I know a merchandiser or procurement department isn’t actually a warehouse position, however they do interact with the warehouse more than any other office position, and we’ll talk about that more in a bit.
Our merchandiser understands how valuable the real-estate is in our warehouse. Space is at a premium, square footage is expensive, and it has to be utilized to maximize our efficiencies on the floor! So, quantities are purchased with days on hand in mind.
Pick slots are assigned to facilitate that products movement. Meaning how many times a week does our selector stop in front of that slot and how many cases does the warehouse select and ship in a week. Once we know that, we’ll calculate the amount of space needed to store, or slot, that number of cases so we don’t have to move pallets around more times than absolutely necessary. The merchandiser will purchase in that pallet quantity, hopefully, and where possible, even the correct ti and hi configuration for our slot size. Ti meaning how many cases on a layer and hi being how many layers criss crossed or reversed stacked on the pallet.
So, the company has purchased the product, it’s on a trailer and on the way to us!
First the load will need to be scheduled to arrive and be unloaded. Let’s say we’re working at a large facility, with an inbound trailer or container count of, oh, let’s say around 60 loads a day. The first position we’ll discuss is the Inbound scheduler.
In my humble opinion, this is one of the hardest jobs in the warehouse. I didn’t like it and to be honest I never was very good at it! This individual works closely with merchandising and our logistics department scheduling the loads for each day. They are usually working about 2 weeks out. Setting up appointments through freight brokers and over the road operators for date and times to unload. It’s a tough job. Everyone wants the appointment to work with their schedule! This person has to be patient, be able to deescalate many situations a day, handle multiple phone calls a day and deal with people that may have been lied to regarding an appointment already. With all that being said, our case has arrived and the load is given a door to back into!
Now the driver or operator may utilize a lumper or unloading service to remove the product from his or her trailer, segregate each item-by-item number, stack it in the correct pallet configuration using a breakdown sheet, and stage it on the dock for our receiver to work with it.
The lumper position or unloader job is a great get your foot in the door job, an entry level position that can take us on to most any position in the warehouse. We’ll learn every item in the building, by sight. That ability can certainly take us places.
The next position or person to see our case will be the receiver. Now this is a very important job. Typically, a very experienced person will have this position. They are responsible for receiving or verifying the item is what was ordered, the correct quantity, with nothing damaged, and entering it into our inventory. Once received; by accepting the delivery, the receiver is basically writing a check for the product right then and there. He or she works off of a p.o. or purchase order to see what is being delivered, or what should be delivered! They will then tag the pallet as received. At our large dc that tag will have a barcode which states the quantity on the pallet, the item, and any information our WMS, or warehouse management system has been given for it, maybe something like fifo or first in first out, the pick slot location or the reserve location to store the pallet in.
The next position would be the pallet runner position. This person will work from a single, double, or maybe even a triple electric rider platform pallet jack, hauling the received pallets from the dock to the assigned aisles and staging them for the forklift operators to place in the reserve slots or the pick locations as instructed by the information on the barcoded pallet tags. This position may be filled from the lumper position, or off the streets with a person with like 1 + years of electric rider jack experience. It’s referred to as a skilled position, but I feel it still falls in that gaining experience category. It is a PIT position, so we’ll have completed the classroom portion of OSHA’s 1910.178 standard and had the machines operation demonstrated to us and us observed on the equipment in our working environment. A great growth position in my humble opinion.
From here the put away forklift operator takes over. He or she will scan the receiving tag and place the pallet in the proper location, possibly a reserve slot or the pick slot. This position requires quite a bit of experience. Typically, this individual will have several years of warehouse experience and at least 3 years of forklift experience. Your placing pallets many feet into the air, working around others and different types of equipment. This is a job with more responsibilities than most. For all those reasons, and the importance of safety with the task, it usually pays pretty well.
Awe were at the order selector task now. This is considered by many to be the golden ticket in the distribution arena. In our large facility it pays very well. The work is hard, the pace can be unbelievable. We could be paid by the piece and our productivity, so we are focused and moving! Our errors have to all but nonexistent, and safety has to be on the forefront of our minds and actions at all times. Yes, this position pays well but I encourage everyone to have an exit strategy. This is not a job we’ll want to do for 10 years, its rough on our bodies! Many order selectors move on to inventory control, or becoming forklift operators, maybe even receivers. With this position we’ll learn every item in our building and where its located! Again, having that item knowledge give us a leg up on others.
Throughout the selection process the slots are being depleted or emptied, hence our next position. The replenishment forklift operator. This person is responsible for, besides the safe operation of the forklift, to keep the picking slots filled at all times. They bring the freight down from there reserve locations to the pick slots. Now, I know that forklift drivers want to stay on their lifts at all times, and you see a lot of that in the manufacturing and production facilities because a lot of times there moving freight from one location to another department to be worked, but in the distribution centers we’ll probably have to occasionally have to get off our lifts and hand stack product onto another pallet, and pulling empty pallets from slots by hand and stacking them to get them out of the way! This is a very respected position. We’re working in the aisles with others, and people are depending on us to help them hit their productivity numbers. And again, as with any type of equipment or machine usage, safety has to be our first priority. I’ll take this opportunity to slide in the fact that no one should ever, under any circumstances, touch or get on or operate any machine or piece of powered industrial equipment they have not been trained on and certified to operate. I know you get tired of me saying that but it’s just that important.
Where was I, oh, next up is our loaders. Here’s another position I consider a great get our foot in the door position. We’ll be running pallets of selected products or orders into the route trailers to be delivered. In today’s world, I consider this job a bit of a skilled position. We’ll need a little experience on a pallet jack as we could be moving the staged pallets filled with orders into the correct position of the trailer so the driver can find his or her deliveries by stop numbers. In some instances, we may be required to load the trailer by hand or floor load it for various reasons or requirements. This is another position or importance and a productivity driven task. The trailer will have a dispatch time and it’s our responsibility to make sure the driver is ready to roll at that time!
There’s a few other positions in the distribution center we’ll have the opportunity to learn or work in, positions like inventory control, drive helper, slotting coordinator, and then the frontline management positions like warehouse leads, supervisors, managers, and more senior level positions like directors, and vice presidents.
As you can tell, experience opens those doors to growth, more responsibilities, and wages in our industry. Each position or task I mentioned today is a great career in and of itself. We need to be doing what we love.
I don’t know of any other career where we can work our way up to a six-figure income through our experiences and without any formal education or tech schooling. Of course we have to keep self-learning every day, gather as many certifications as offered by our industry and continue to grow personally and professionally. But what a rewarding career we can have.
I wanted to talk a little about that personal and professional growth and goals and planning, but I’ve ran long on time today and we all probably need to get back to work! We’ll get into all that a bit later, I guess.
If you have any questions about anything discussed in today’s episode please shoot us a message to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and I’ll make sure we get an answer back to you.
Until next week, be prosperous, productive, thankful, and safe out there!
It’s been another great week hasn’t it! I’m Marty and I’d like to thank you for joining us again here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. This week let’s spend a few minutes on controlling expenses. I had a conversation last week with a V.P. of Op’s about a facility that had had over 1000 short on truck cases the previous week. That’s a huge error ratio and creates a very real expense to the company, not to mention the disservice to their accounts. I tell you what, we’ll get into all that in a moment, but let’s start with how we handle wasted expense when it’s our own. I’m certain we’ve all, probably on a daily basis, talked or commented to our kids about leaving the lights on in an empty room, or leaving the A/C running way to cool when no one’s home, or how about running the bath for like 15 minutes before their ready to get in it. All that can be a drain, an actual waste of our hard earned money. By managing those expenses or that waste we’re able to have more and do more right? The same holds true in our work lives, our companies can have more, maybe newer equipment or supplies and share or afford more, those monies we as associates don’t help manage could end up in better wages or incentives for our positions!
About two weeks ago I was speaking with a building maintenance supervisor, I’ve know him for about 15 years, hadn’t seen him for like 4 years now though, he’s now working in a new industry. I’d known him from the distribution arena and I’d asked him how he was liking the new job. One of the things that he mentioned was how he didn’t miss all the pallet jacks and forklift maintenance he use to deal with. His biggest complaint was always the shrink wrap and cardboard being ran over by the equipment and all the load wheels he’d have to replace and the cost it incurred for his department each month! We can all realize those wheels aren’t cheap, those bearings we burn up each month not only cost a pretty penny but think how much time our equipment’s down while there being repaired. Oh and speaking of cardboard and shrink wrap, these days a lot of companies recycle them, I’m sure we could all pitch in and save a few more bucks by saving as much as we can and getting it to the proper staging area! One of my old pet peeves was the waste of things like tape and rolls of labels. How many partially used rolls of strapping tape or rolls of labels that get changed out too early because we didn’t want to run out during a batch so we just put in a fresh roll! Our one roll doesn’t hurt anything, but multiply that by 60 of us times 6 days and we could have saved the cost of a whole box. It’s hard, I mean we have a task to perform, thinking about expenses and saving or not wasting that money. But I’m sure we can all agree it’d be a win win if we could do a better job at it!
So shorts or not on trucks. The facility I spoke to earlier typically ships around 400k cases a week, with over a thousand shorts or not on trucks that’d be an error ratio of 1 in 400! That’s 1 case out of every 400 didn’t get delivered to the customer. Think about that cost, there’s an expense to get it ordered again, send a selector out to get it again, get it loaded and then driven back out to the account, times 1000 times. I know that’s an exaggeration but wow. A typical error ratio I work with is at a minimum 1 in 3000 and I know accounts that are hitting 1 in 20,000. Those numbers include misships as well. Short on truck and misships are a huge expense, and we can’t forget the impact to the customer. If we take the family out for a nice dinner and the kids want spaghetti but a selector mispulled stewed okra in the can for spaghetti, well that’s not going to be a good thing.
Ok, so how can those expenses happen, what causes a short on truck and how can we prevent it. And a mispull, how do we grab the wrong thing. If you can answer those questions and eliminate them from the industry you can be a wealthy individual, every corporation would pay you just short of a king’s ransom. Take shorts, we’re selecting our batch and we pull up to an empty slot. The inventory may be off so the machines sold a case that we just don’t have. If we don’t turn that label in as a empty where it can be removed from the invoice, bam, it becomes a short on truck. Its quantity is still on the invoice yet the driver does not have it on his trailer and the customer can’t sell it! Another scenario could be our forklift driver hasn’t yet replenished the empty slot, so when we get there it’s empty. Again, if we’re busy and fail to get that label turned in, bam again, it’s a short! So much has to happen when we’re dealing with an exception, or something happens to take us out of our normal pace or process and it’s then hard to get it done. But we need too, I think we’ll all agree there. And of course I’m sure theirs that one peer that, it may even be one of us, that just isn’t caring at that particular moment and thinks, heck I’m not going to mess with this, and bam bam, it becomes a short on truck again! Human nature takes over, we need to fight against it, and we’ll be better employees if we do, but I’m sure it happens.
And a misship, I’ve always struggled with a misship. Our label or pick ticket will give us the description, the item or sku number or supc number, the pack quantity, color or size etc. We’ll be directed to a slot and we have the opportunity to verify all that, yet the misship is a real thing, happens every shift, and cost our companies and customers. They happen, I’ve made more than my share over the years. Again, if we could solve this problem we wouldn’t have to work for a living anymore.
Errors are costly in every profession and industry. I guess we as associates can help by realizing those cost and helping where we can, maybe paying a little more attention when we can. Again, it’s hard. We have production numbers to hit, we’re making our money. If we can improve with these two areas I’m certain we could see some more incentives. Maybe that’s an idea you could bring to your management team, if you could present them with a way to measure our improvements they very well may just share those savings through an incentive or bonus program. When I was selecting if our names weren’t on the short or misship sheet we’d get a $5 petty cash slip each night. Back then that was quite an incentive, I’d come in every night, check that sheet and go count inventory, talk to the driver and loader, I was always pretty persistent that I hadn’t errored! Sometimes I found it or proved my innocence and sometimes I just had to accept it. There’s no perfect system or WMS or warehouse maintenance system that can eliminate errors, yet anyway, but I’m sure we’ll all agree we could probably try a little harder!
I almost forgot about damages, that’s another expense we can help attack. I’m sure we all see that staging area where we place damages at the end of the shift. Again, it’s just that we’re working, maybe we take a corner too tight and graze the upright or stacking, I was probably the world’s worst stacker, anyway, if we’ve stacked a bit loose and have a tower stack fall over and damage a couple of cases, bam again, expense we maybe could have avoided. And let’s not get into the cost of rack or building damages. Those overhead doors aren’t cheap either!
I was thinking a few minutes ago, when we were talking about running over shrink wrap and cardboard. I wanted to point out the safety aspect of it. If you’ve never had a set of bearings lock up on you when you’re in motion, be thankful. I hate to admit it but once the load wheels were so wrapped up in plastic it locked up and nearly threw me off my machine, and I’ve seen the same thing happen to a forklift a couple of times! Not a safe situation at all! And things like that are incidents too, could even be near misses and could count as a Safety incident. We may expose ourselves to retraining or be hit with a couple of Safety points as well. I know we will if there’s ever any rack damage or one of those overhead doors are involved.
A bit of preaching today, but I’m sure we all understand the opportunities. If you have any ideals or could share what your facility does to combat shorts and errors or damages please email us, host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com so we can share them with the group. Talk about getting noticed by your management team, if you can help reduce those types of expenses you’ll get more than a handshake! And please join in with our discussions on Facebook and Twitter, you can find us @whseandops on both, and we’d love it if you could like our Warehouse Equipment Operators Group on facebook as well.
We hope you stop by again next week, and until them let’s all gather up that cardboard and shrink wrap, maybe pick up those pieces of pallets on the floor and be Safe on our Equipment!
Hi all, it’s Thanksgiving here in the states, a time to spend with family and friends, a time to slow down a bit and reflect on what is really important in our lives and be thankful for what ever that is. We’re working on a few great episodes with some long-time listener’s I consider subject matter experts in the coming weeks that I’m super excited about. But for today, well, I have a few questions that was sent in I wanted to get to and keeping with the theme speak to a couple of things I’m thankful for!
Lets start today with the word attendance. An associate received a written coaching regarding their being absent 4 days in a 30 day period. Their supervisor also, just verbally, brought up their tardiness. The associate had been tardy 8 times in that same 30 days. The associate shared that they had been spoken too about the absences twice before the coaching or write up, and they knew a written coaching was going to be the next step, but, disagreed why it was such a big deal. So lets talk about this individuals work history, and a couple of differences in their previous industry vs our light industrial and warehousing task and why our attendance is so important.
The individual has been in the workforce for almost 6 years, did almost 2 years in the fast food sector and 2 more in the front of house restaurant world, and most recently had been working in retail, they mentioned a big box chain. Throughout their career they felt the pay was decent but the hours, the inconsistent schedules, all the weekend work, and lack of hours just wasn’t working for them as their life responsibilities and bills had grown. They had a friend working for a national food service distribution facility and wanted to get a job there. So, they applied and was hired. Day 1 was an experience like no other was the way they put it to me!
They felt like they were at boot camp! The orientation covered all the company dress codes, the safety procedures, where you could walk and where you couldn’t, how to use a fire extinguisher, where the eye wash station was and how to use it, how to navigate the SDS book, the importance of keeping a clean work area, ergonomics and proper lifting techniques, how to evacuate the building, and they said the rules went on and on!
Their job was loading the delivery trailers. They were hired on at the same hourly wage as they were making while at the retail big box store, however week one gave them 52 hours vs the 30ish they were receiving in the food and retail worlds. They were tired and worn out but liked the physical aspect of the task and really liked the first check after week two. With that first check in hand and in the bank, well the weekend had been a long one, both Friday and Saturday nights had been spent with friends so Sunday night they called in. As many of you know, Sunday and Mondays, like Fridays are not the best shifts to call in on in the fast-paced world of distribution! Monday night, right after the shift start-up meeting the supervisor called them over and asked why they didn’t make it in Sunday night. While honesty is always appreciated and the right story to tell, the associate shared that they had partied over the weekend and was worn out Sunday. Now, that can be ok in the food service, and retail industries, there’s usually backup that can be called in or the employer can get by if needed. But, and their supervisor explained, that their productivity had been missed, and the team had to work much harder to get the loads out without them. The attendance policy was reviewed, and the supervisor had stressed that this verbal warning needed to be taken seriously.
From what I could tell from speaking with them, the associate was good at the job and the Companys management felt like they could be a great asset. Two weeks in the employee shared they had missed that 1 day and had been tardy twice, but only by less than 10 minutes. Well, on the fourth tardy, the supervisor had spoken with the associate about the importance of being at our work station on time and attending the start-up meeting to know what the case counts for the night were, to stretch out the muscles, and review the safety topic for the shift.
The associate felt like the supervisor was being a bit what they called overboard. At their other places of employment, they’d never been counseled on tardiness and attendance. They shared with their friend who worked there that they were getting into trouble. The friend told them they’d been lucky to still have a job and to get their act together!
On day 36, after coming in 7 minutes late, they were terminated.
In our industry, well, and I don’t mean the restaurant and retail worlds, or any other jobs are any more flexible or less dangerous but working in a warehouse is what I want to call the bigs. And yes, I’m a bit biased of our light industrial industry. We can make very good money, and it’s an industry that we can grow in any direction with, the supply chain is a huge industry with 10’s of thousands of different positions. But with that comes responsibilities. I won’t break off into a rant of those expectations today, but, and I think we all know that our jobs are important. To us and for our employers, and most importantly our teammates.
Moral to the story. We accept a job knowing the shift times and scheduled days. Yes, things are going to come up, life is going to get in our way, and that’s why it’s important to not abuse time off and tardiness. That way it’ll never become a problem. Work life balance is important. Jobs in the bigs pay well, the pace has to be enjoyed being successful. When accepting a position, we need to consider all the expectations and remember safety is our first priority is all I’m trying to say!
And a quick success story! I was visiting a warehouse this week, I have an associate working with an agency, that’s been with this account for just a little under 90 days. She had started her assignment as a G/L literally just building boxes at an e-commerce facility. While walking with the account manager, he pointed her out and shared that she was transitioning to their team next week and he would be probably be promoting her to a lead position shortly after that.
At hire she had very little warehouse experience. She had actually targeted that facility, it was close to where she lived, she had researched the reviews of other employees prior to applying with the agency that sourced for their positions. After 30 days of great attendance and working any hours offered, she had approached her lead and expressed a desire for more responsibilities. All that is coming true for her, and I wish her great success, this won’t be her last promotion.
You may have heard me say I’ve only worked a hand full of days in my life. I honestly wake up and look forward to going in every day. I have always loved what I do. I’ve done most every task in warehousing and transportation and held most management positions offered, along with all their responsibilities. I can say I love my job, every job I’ve held. And I’m thankful for each of them, and I’m thankful for every person I’ve met along the way, every mentor that’s giving me their time, and I’m thankful to know each of you!
For the month of December we’ll be offering a live Q&A on Thursday evenings if anyone is interested in joining us. I’ll be posting the link on our Facebook page Warehouse and Operations as a Career, and you can find it using @whseops, and a couple of our more frequented Facebook job boards. It’ll be the first time for that format, we’ll see what it brings!
Think of at least one thing your thankful for this week and share it with someone. I hope to see you again next week, and until then, be safe out there.
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and I thought we’d talk about finding work today, something that’s not always easy. Over the last month or so I’ve received so many questions from job seekers, a lot of frustration with the system and hiring processes, being interviewed, and feeling ghosted, being told your overqualified or under qualified etc. Looking for employment is like a job itself, and it’s a hard one. Let’s make it a little easier today or at least understand more about it.
Let’s start with the job posting itself. Whither we see an advertisement in a classified ad sheet, a newspaper, a flyer placed on our vehicle, or a tear off sheet at our laundromat or grocery story or places like a Facebook Job Group, or Job Boards like Indeed, we need to take the correct approach in calling, emailing, or answering those advertisements.
OK, first off, I’ve never placed quantity over quality. I mean if we answer every ad and send our resumes to every email address advertised, it’ll make us feel better because we’re thinking look at how many ads I’ve answered! But we know a lot of those ads are not fits for us. If we got the job, would we like it? I reached out to a person 2 weeks ago, introduced myself, spoke to the job I was hiring for, and was told, yeah, I don’t want to work those hours, and don’t want to load any trailers, do you have anything else. The advertisement stated the job and hours in the ad. I feel the better approach, a better use of our time, is to target the ads we answer.
We need to understand recruiters and hiring agents may receive literally hundreds of resumes, messages and phone calls about every position they advertise for. And then many may be using a ATS, or applicant tracking system program to help screen all those resumes. Our resume must show our experiences and contain the keywords those recruiters and systems are looking for.
Let’s take a general labor ad for an example. It states the position is a Monday through Friday position with the occasional Saturday scheduled. The start of shift hours will vary between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. and the shift end time being 4:30 p.m. with overtime. The job description or duties or responsibilities listed state unpacking apparel, sorting, tagging, packaging, selecting and e-commerce and shipping. Sweeping, sanitation and box building may be needed as well. Ok, if we’re not interested or can’t work on Saturdays this isn’t an ad we would answer. If 6 a.m. is too early for us or our life situation makes that impossible, this isn’t an ad we would want to answer. If we can’t stay past 4:30 p.m., this isn’t an ad we would want to answer. And if we are not willing to perform any of the task listed in the advertisement, then this isn’t an ad we would want to answer. Yep, it may make us feel like we’re applying and trying to get a job, but we can’t commit to the requirements or at the very least we’re not going to like it. I feel we’ve wasted our time.
Here’s another example. Our experiences are in the hospital or hotel industry. We’re seeing advertisements for warehousing, let’s say order selecting or forklift driving, we like the pay listed so we upload our resume and apply. The advertisement states at least 1 year experience with a electric rider pallet jack or counterbalance forklift. We don’t qualify for these positions, we don’t have the experiences listed, or the equipment certifications. Makes us feel like we’re trying, but we know we be called about this job.
One more example, A position that matches our experiences is listed, it states Sunday through Thursday nights, from 8p to 4:30 a.m. We’re seeking a day shift position; we can’t work nights. Yet we apply. Again, we’re trying right? We can’t accept it because of our life commitments or feelings about working nights. I think sometimes we think, well, if they call me, I’ll tell them I need another shift and it’ll be ok. Theres a 99% chance we’ve wasted our time.
We’re putting all this frustration on ourselves. I think you get the idea. So, lets reduce that frustration and talk about the best practices of seeking employment and how to play the system.
OK, let’s talk about our resumes for a minute. We talked about how recruiters are going to have a hundred resumes to review or their using an ATS to scan for them. First off, we need to be honest about what we list here. Stating an experience we don’t have isn’t going to do us any good. Even if we get the job, we won’t be able to perform it properly. We may need to have a couple of different resumes saying the same thing but just using different words.
Let’s say we’re applying for a G/L position that states warehouse sanitation, experience needed, with at least 1 year warehouse experience. Our experiences are a year in the warehouse unloading trucks. We could state something in our resume like, I have over a year experience working in a warehouse environment, I am used to the fast-paced environments and understand the importance of keeping a clean and uncluttered work area, not only for efficiencies and safety reasons but for sanitation and maintenance purposes as well. All this is true, unloading trailers we were responsible for keeping our work areas clean and we’ve used 7 words the recruiter and or system is looking for. We wrote the words year, experience, fast-paced, clean, uncluttered, efficiencies, safety, sanitation, and maintenance. All these words are in the keyword list for the position. It’s listed as G/L, usually meaning no predetermined skills necessary or training to the individual task will be given. We have not wasted our time replying to this position, we meet the qualifications. We can tweak the same resume, changing a few words here and there to meet a keyword search for similar positions.
Alright, we get the idea now. Our time is an asset to us. And think of the fuel expense driving out to interviews we kind of already know that we don’t meet the listed criteria.
So earlier I mentioned our targeted job search. So, let’s figure out where we want to work. Job boards and job groups are great and there valuable to us, but I want to point out something really quick. So, we all have a distance in mind we’re willing to travel from the home to the job site. We generally know what we want to do for a living, and a lot of the times that’s where our experiences are from. As a side note, say we want to grow our knowledge into other positions, maybe an equipment operator. I’ll share those short cuts here in a minute! Where was I, ok, I think it’s a great idea to look around our neighborhoods or the commercial properties in the area. Or if we know of a particular company we’d love to work for because of their wages or benefits, or growth potential, let’s go by there, see what openings they have, drop off our resume. We don’t have to use advertisements exclusively. Let’s go to the doors and knock on them.
Targeted job search means a position offered within a distance I can commit to showing up every day, and a shift that fits my needs or lifestyle, for the pay my life requires, and matches my present abilities and experiences, and I believe will provide growth within my career working with them.
So, a bit about what happens next. We’ve targeted where to place or upload our well written resumes or work experiences, using keywords that’s going to get us that phone interview. It’s going to be a cold call from a recruiter or hiring agent. Keep a copy of our resumes in our pockets or purses at all times. Know them by heart. If we receive a phone call and we can’t talk right now, say we’re watching the kids, or driving, or not in a quiet area, just share that with the caller. They will understand. Ask if they can call back at so and so time or is it ok if you call them back at a certain time. They are interested in us and want to interview us. They’ll appreciate us wanting to give them our full attention.
When we call back, thank them for considering you for the job. We have like 2 minutes to grab their interest. State an experience we listed in our resume that is on the job task. Give them something to ask questions about. They want to, maybe even need to hire someone for the job, that is how they get paid. Our goal is to convenience them to give us that face to face interview. It’s important that we ask them a few questions also. Without conversation there not going to remember us. Remember, they may be calling 50 people from those hundred resumes they’ve screened. We want to be part of the 20 people there calling in to visit with. A couple of good safe questions to ask could be, is this an additional hire or a replacement position. State how we’re looking for long term employment and growth potential. Maybe ask do you hire from within for other positions. Be nice, professional, we want them to want to see us. And take notes on the resume sheet we’re using to bring up the different points with. We’ll want to bring up the same points they brought up when we’re on that face-to-face interview!
Now for an important thing. I’m not saying I agree with it but it’s just a fact. Many recruiters and companies are now going to head on over to our social media pages to learn a little about us. If they see us with a controlled substance or any type of paraphernalia in pictures or a bunch of handguns covering our bedspread, a lot of vulgarity, odds are there not going to go ahead and call us. Get over it, right or wrong, it’s just a fact. In my experiences, our social media pages don’t really reflect our personalities anyway, they project what we want our personalities to be to others. Anyway, it’s important to clean them up if only while we’re looking for work. A good rule of thumb as it was once explained to me is, if I wouldn’t want to show my grandmother, take it down while I’m looking for work.
Well, they’ve asked us to come in for an interview! We aced the phone interview; we bonded with them on some level and have been invited in to see them. It’s important to bring that same resume we took notes on with us. Think about it, even if we don’t recite anything from it, the recruiter will see how much this means to us and how engaged we’ve been through the process.
We must plan on arriving at least 10 minutes early, if not 15 minutes early. Look at it as our first day of work! We need to be dressed for an interview. Yes, we’re looking for work in a warehouse, but we need to look the part. A pair of jeans and a nice polo shirt or nice tee shirt with no profanity or music groups and such on it. If the job requires steel toes footwear, wear them. It shows we own them and have experience with them. And let’s not have our boyfriend, wife, or girlfriend, or friend, or even parents, back with us when it’s our turn. And do not bring our children to an interview. We won’t be able to bring them to the warehouse with us and remember, this is like our first day of work.
Again, be professional, be honest, answer all questions in a positive manner, ask a few questions of our own. Again, we want them to remember us, they’re going to be interviewing several others, and we want them to remember us!
We’re going to get that Job!
I mentioned that looking for work is hard work. We must put time into it. A lot of the frustrations with seeking employment we can bring on ourselves.
Oh, I mentioned earlier about a short cut to becoming an equipment operator. Target a company that uses the type of equipment you’d like to operate. Get hired onto any offered position. Be on time and a great associate for about 60 days and then approach your boss, sharing that you’d like to be an equipment operator. You’ll have a great chance of them working with you, training you, getting some experience for the job!
I hope the information shared today helps in seeking that new job. WAOC will be offering an updated free webinar coming up on Seeking Employment, check out the website for more details next month. Until then, good luck with the job search, and be safe in all you do.
Hi again to all from WAOC, I’m your host, Marty T Hawkins, and I’m glad you decided to spend a few minutes with us talking about our light industrial careers. I was going to speak to logistics today, but, well, I’ve had a few conversations this week that pushed me to rethink that. Oh, and for all the WAOC subscribers out there, I have to apologize for the technical opportunities with last week’s episode. It appears one podcast player did not pick up Thursdays upload! After working with our webmaster, we got it worked out yesterday! So, here’s a few thoughts that sidetracked me this week! I heard this and it made me think of how things have changed and are changing.
Imagine dedicating 30 years to a company, showing up day after day, hitting productivity goals, mentoring new hires, and contributing to your company’s overall success. For many, retirement after such a journey should feel monumental. But for one associate, the final day felt hollow, missing the celebration and acknowledgment they had envisioned. Where was the recognition from the corporate officers? The grand send-off that symbolized the close of a long career?
This associate’s story echoes a growing sentiment among seasoned employees who feel their decades of loyalty deserve more than a handshake or a final paycheck. For them, long-term commitment once meant job stability and reliable income, and that was enough. However, in today’s workplace, both employees and employers face new expectations around the job’s recognition and daily acknowledgment. So what changed? And why has it?
Today let’s talk about this evolution of workplace recognition and how shifts in corporate culture, generational values, and day-to-day workplace expectations play into how employees today perceive appreciation and value.
Decades ago, work culture placed a high value on stability. Employees often found immense satisfaction in having a steady paycheck, benefits, and the assurance that their job provided for their family’s needs. Recognition was simple and often linked directly to performance: a “thank you” during a meeting, a small bonus at the end of the year, or a promotion based on consistent output. Most employees saw these acknowledgments as a fair exchange for their work, and grand gestures at retirement weren’t really expected.
Today’s workplace environment, however, has shifted significantly. People look for a deeper sense of appreciation, especially around career milestones. Employees today want to feel seen not only for their work but also for the years they invested in building a legacy within the company. The rise of social media and interconnected networks allows workers to see how other companies celebrate retirements, promotions, and achievements, further raising expectations for acknowledgment.
A simple “thank you” may feel less meaningful if employees know other companies offer personalized mementos, gatherings with company leaders, or even social media shoutouts that publicly celebrate years of service. These added touches feed into the modern expectation that employees deserve a tangible acknowledgment of their contributions.
One place I know of, acknowledges birthdays and anniversaries. And it’s a big deal.
In today’s evolving work culture, traditional expectations are mixed with newer ones, sometimes creating a mix of differing priorities. Employees—especially newer generations—seek an environment that not only offers fair compensation but also considers lifestyle needs and personal flexibility. Benefits such as fair share programs, options to leave early on a rotating basis, and perks like stocked breakrooms with free or deeply discounted snacks reflect a trend towards a more employee-centered workplace.
However, these newer benefits can present challenges in structured environments like warehousing, where the operations rely heavily on coordination, timing, and predictability, productivity and metrics. When one team member leaves early or starts late, it can disrupt the workflow, affecting the entire team’s productivity. For warehouse associates who’ve built their careers on consistency and routine, seeing these newer expectations can be confusing, especially when flexibility isn’t feasible for every role.
This cultural shift means managers are tasked with balancing individual needs with the team’s operational requirements. This evolving dynamic has led some associates to see benefits and flexibility as expected rather than additional perks. For example, while flexible schedules may work well in certain roles, many warehouse positions rely on hard start times, shift start up meetings and such to ensure that cases, pallets, and orders flow smoothly through the building.
That structure is foundational in warehousing, where efficiency and safety are paramount and priority one. Rules around attendance, tardiness, and procedures were historically essential to maintaining a predictable environment where employees could rely on each other. Safety procedures, attendance expectations, and time-sensitive workflows weren’t just guidelines—they were the rules of a well-functioning, safe workplace.
With today’s cultural shift, some associates might view rules as negotiable, and suggestions, challenging managers to enforce them without seeming rigid. Allowing flexibility is valuable, but it can also blur the boundaries of what’s expected and lead to inconsistency. This is especially true when new associates see rules as adjustable rather than established principles. Long-term employees who remember the importance of clear-cut rules can feel disillusioned, seeing the erosion of what they valued as core workplace expectations.
In this changing landscape, it’s crucial to reinforce why rules matter. They aren’t merely suggestions; they’re safeguards that ensure everyone’s safety, efficiency, and mutual respect. Flexibility, while appealing, must be balanced with the operational needs of the workplace to ensure that structure remains intact.
I get it, recognition at retirement is important to us, particularly for long-serving employees. Leaving behind a career they’ve committed decades to isn’t simply about ending a job; it’s about closing a significant chapter of their lives. These employees often seek more than just a paycheck; they want validation for the years they’ve invested. For many, retirement feels like a culmination of purpose, and an understated farewell can leave us feeling a bit short changed.
Historically, retirement recognition was simpler, and the paycheck served as a symbolic acknowledgment of that hard work and loyalty. However, today, associates often crave personal and public acknowledgment that validates that long journey. Small gestures like a personal message from a company officer, a farewell event, or a commemorative gift can make a lasting impression. Things like that can create a sense of closure for us, honoring not just the work we’ve done but the dedication and sacrifices we made along the way.
Companies may overlook these gestures, assuming regular pay and benefits are sufficient, but for retiring associates, these more personalized acknowledgments address a need for closure and a sense of belonging. Recognizing a retiring employee’s career allows them to feel valued and appreciated beyond what their paycheck represents. Is it important, I don’t really know. What’s your thoughts, maybe email us at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com, I’m sure there’s quite a few opinions out there.
Oop’s, back to my points, where am I at, ok
The concept of work values has changed with each generation, impacting how employees view recognition, structure, and benefits. And it always has. For long-term associates, stability and a dependable paycheck have been the standard of a job well done. These employees worked through decades when loyalty and reliability were highly valued, and they accepted work, jobs, and careers as a commitment, labor and skills in exchange for financial security.
Younger employees, however, often value work differently. They prioritize balance, personal development, and benefits that support their well-being outside of work. Their view of a “good job” might include flexibility, acknowledgment, and mental health support alongside the compensation. These employees aren’t necessarily uninterested in stability, but they seek a workplace that adapts to their individual needs.
These differences can create different feelings in how employees perceive their company’s role in their satisfaction and longevity. Like I mentioned earlier, those who grew up with strict expectations around attendance and structure may feel that newer associates are seeking “special treatment” rather than being team players. And on the other hand, newer employees may feel that traditional structures and rules are outdated, sometimes viewing requests for flexibility and acknowledgment as fundamental to a respectful workplace.
So, the question is, can traditional values or old school and modern expectations, a younger workforce, coexist in the warehouse environments? Is there a way to honor and respect the longstanding principles that experienced employees hold dear while also meeting the evolving needs of newer associates?
My answer is absolutely they can. And they always have. They have too. Culture will always be changing and evolving.
Companies that succeed in bridging these gap’s often do so by building programs that cater to and recognize both groups. This might mean offering flexibility where possible while reinforcing the importance of consistency and structure or rules. For retirees, it could mean an acknowledgment that goes beyond the basics—a personalized celebration that validates their years of service. For younger associates, it might mean balanced flexibility, clear communication around expectations, and acknowledgment of contributions throughout their career, not just at the end.
For all you young managers out there, creating a culture of mutual respect is what will make you successful. When associates feel valued from their first day to their last, companies are better positioned to meet the needs of both veteran employees and the new boots. By open to conversations, actively listening to different viewpoints, and embracing both traditional and modern recognition practices, you can ensure that every associate, regardless of tenure, feels appreciated and understood.
Well, there’s my 2 cents on an important subject. Share your thoughts with a quick email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com, or start a conversation on Facebook or X using @whseops. We’d love to hear from you. Until next week, be productive, be prosperous, and be Safe!
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I hope you enjoy our show each week and we’re offering up something you can take away from it and it helps you in your career some how or way. We have a lot of fun sharing our experiences and really enjoy getting to throw in an opinion or two every once and a while! Don’t forget about our Facebook & Twitter page’s where you can find us @whseandops, oh and the warehouse equipment operators community group on Facebook, it’s a great place for everyone to share their day and thoughts with a likeminded set of individuals. Well as they say, on with the show I guess so let’s talk about some of the little things that happen to us as warehousemen and transportation employees on literally a daily basis and why its important we always stay focused on our jobs and our positions.
I was speaking with someone who had just received a corrective action for a minor incident with a piece of equipment. He was placing a pallet, with a counterbalance forklift and as he was reversing from the pallet the back of his forklift hit a fire extinguisher that was hanging on an end cap adjacent from the wall slot he was working at. The butt of his lift raked the extinguisher from its hook and it fell to the ground. There wasn’t any real damage, it did discharge however making quite a mess and broke the handle off of it. Now he did the right thing and reported it immediately to his supervisor, as we’ve learned we need to always report any incident no manner how small it is immediately. Anyway she understood and even helped him sweep up all the powder from the floor. I think that’s why he was so surprised about an hour later she called him into the office and counseled him with a written warning. After leaving her office he was really upset and using his words “confused”. Remember, guys and gals a written warning is not a bad thing and there’s no reason to get upset over one. None of us likes to hear that we’ve done anything wrong but I’ve always tried, successfully most of the time, to think of it as a learning experience. If it’s something worth writing down on paper it’s probably something important. In my experience most corrective actions are rooted or based on something we as the employee did, he did hit the fire extinguisher causing it to discharge. After speaking with him he agreed and understood, he said he was actually singing while he was backing up and just not paying attention, he kind of laughed that it happened because he works around that bay 20 times a day. I’ve heard he’s turned in 4 or 5 Near Miss thoughts recently, so in his case that little talk accomplished what it was intended too. The employee is working on staying focused and actually noticing things that could rear up as a problem in the future for himself or others!
That story reminds me of another Associate, he was a pallet sorter, his task is separating the good wood from the broken pallets, responsible for neatly stacking good pallets up in nice stacks for the receivers and the selectors and loading all the broken pallets or bad wood onto a trailer to be sent out for repair. He showed up on a Friday to work his shift but had forgotten his steel toe shoes and his supervisor wouldn’t let him go to work. Well, that upset him quite a bit but he lived pretty close, so he went home and got them and came back to work. After lunch he went over to his Sup, and their pretty good friends anyway, but he apologized to his boss telling him that a few minutes earlier while he was reaching up to drag a pallet off of some bad wood that it’d slid down and landed right on the toes of his boots! If he’d of had his tennis shoes on it’d of smashed his toes big time. Needless to say he wasn’t upset with his boss anymore, at least for the rest of that day!
You know, here at WAOC we talk a lot about rules and why we have them in our industry. I think that’s a good example of a valuable rule. 99% of the time nothings going to happen until it does.
Another quick story, a selector was pulling a case of Bal-sam-ic Vinegar, 4 – 1 gallons, what it was has nothing to do with the story unless you’ve smelled bal-sam-ic vinegar before, anyway she broke one of the glass bottles dropping the case on her pallet and it cracked or broke. She grabbed it pretty quick and got it over to the side at the end cap to a trash can so it didn’t leak the whole gallon onto the floor. She didn’t stop to clean it up and meant to tell the sanitation guy but she got busy and just didn’t do it. Well, on her next batch, driving through the same aisle her pallet jack slid as she was trying to stop and she ended up hitting an upright and breaking a case of another item! Once again, as an employee, she was really upset when she was written up on a warning report for not reporting the original spill and received 2 points on her safety record for hitting the racking and damaging another case with her jack.
Rules, boy I tell you rules seem to be that one thing that us as humans constantly have issues with or regard as unfair, of course there only unfair when we’re the ones that didn’t follow them. I had a buddy that just got a ticket for riding in the HOV lane as a single passenger. An HOV lane which stands for high occupancy vehicle is a lane that you can drive in if you have 2 or more people in your vehicle and of course he’s really upset with the cost of that ticket! Now he knew what the lane was, what it was for and the cost for breaking that particular law or rule yet he’s guilty of ignoring it!
On a heavier note I know an order selector that was creeping his jack, meaning he was walking along side it, just reaching over and rolling the throttle forward as he walked it down the aisle because he had several slots in a row to select from. Sure enough another selector turned into the aisle and bumped the back pallet on his load moving his jack forward and pinning his ankle in between the rack and his standing platform. If he’d been standing on the platform, riding the jack properly or following the preferred work methods that he’d been taught he would of saved himself a lot of pain and the 6 days of lost wages!
I don’t know what it is about rules and why us as humans struggle with them so often. We know they’ve been written to avoid something from happening or to ease our lives in some way but the human nature in us wins out sometimes. Again 99% of the time theirs no cop there when we make that left hand turn from the center lane to avoid waiting our turn, or we can jump in the HOV lane when we’re in a hurry or run that red light so we don’t have to wait 2 more minutes on the next one. 99% of the time nothing happens, but that 1 out of a hundred can be expensive or bad, life altering or even life ending. Same holds true in our work lives. I don’t know why we get upset when we’re clearly, most of the time admittedly doing something the wrong way and someone calls us out on it or we receive a corrective action.
I hope we always receive the proper training for our jobs and that the rules, policies and procedures have been explained to us, and that if we don’t understand something or have questions that we raise our hands and speak up. I feel that’s as much our responsibility as our management teams to make sure we know what to do. That being said though means that we accept the responsibility to follow those very rules, policies and procedures right? I assure you we’ll be safer, advance more quickly in our careers and be a much happier employee ourselves!
I have the opportunity to visit several companies each week and meet new employees and visit with different management teams and another little thing, or what we as employees perceive as a little thing is those pesky time clocks. It’s another one of those tasks that are really our responsibility but, well, human nature kicks in every once and a while and here we go again. It’s so easy to get distracted when we’re arriving to work or on our way to lunch, and its super easy to forget to punch out at the end of our shifts. A very minor issue to us employees but it’s honestly a big deal for our employers. First there’s laws and regulations that they have to follow and there responsible for recording. You would not believe how long it could take at some companies to get our forgotten punch corrected. In many organizations only a few people can even make adjustments to our times and really I guess we’d want it that way. We punch correctly, and we get paid correctly, it’s honestly as simple as that. I’ve seen people get upset and quit their job because they we’re missing a few hours or a days pay while admitting they had forgot to make that punch. I couldn’t blame’ em for being upset but the company was trying to get him the money as quickly as possible but it couldn’t happen that Friday! I felt for him but hey, it starts with us punching in and out. Its going to happen, we’re all human. I tell associates to see their supervisor as soon as they realize a punch’s been missed so they can start the process to get it corrected. One thing we don’t think about sometimes is our weekly payroll has to go in or be processed by Tuesday each week for us to get our checks on Friday’s. If our supervisor turns our time in on Monday morning it’s gone and sent within the next 24 hours. Just another little thing to us, but wow what an impact that little rule can have on us as employees, our companies and, in some instances our families.
Well enough of the little things, I’m sure we all have a hundred examples or stories we could share, I know I’ve had all these things happen to me before and I’ve had my feelings hurt because I was counseled about it, but in the end I’d like to think that I realized I was the responsible party and that I learned from it!
Let’s see, Next week we’re going to talk about Logistics, what it is and all the opportunities those positions can bring us! I’ve had a couple of questions on 3pl’s too, I’m going to reach out to some subject matter experts and we’ll get an episode put together, it’ll be fun learning about those opportunities too.
Thanks for checking in with us here at WAOC today, shoot us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com if you’d like to comment or suggest a topic for us to look into. Until next week, please think Safe and lets all take responsibility for the Rules!
Have you ever heard that you only get one chance to make a first impression? I’m Marty T Hawkins and I’d like to thank you for checking in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Whither you are a Supervisor or a lead, an Employee, Recruiter or an HR Generalist, maybe you’re in Benefits, we’re all some of the first people our new and existing associates see. We greet them, walk them through the on-boarding process and sell them on how great our company is and how happy we are that they chose to work with us! Us as a Warehouse Supervisor, lead or Trainer are going to greet them and its our responsibility to walk them thru our Facility, give them a great orientation to all the rules, safety procedures and processes and cover any regulatory concerns with them, right? As a recruiter or hiring agent it is our job to kind of size them up. Do they possess the skills and have the experience to do the task they’ve applied for? Your probably going to watch our body language, how confidently we speak about our work experiences, then you may even check our references and look us up on social media, and your going to put all that together and decide if we would be a great fit for the position! Ever wonder what that applicant is thinking about you and the experience there having? I spoke with several new hires last week, kind of being a welcoming wagon for them. This gave me the opportunity to observe and set in on several interviews. I also got to follow some of those new hires on through the on-boarding process and all the way to their facility orientation and welcome to the team speeches. I had a blast, I love being around young, new talent and it excites me to see their enthusiasm about getting a new job and earning for their families! As great as everything went, I did have a few thoughts though and today I wanted to talk about, are we as employers and us as employees really doing all we can for each other? Let me give you a couple of examples. OK, a recruiter was interviewing an individual for a skilled warehouse position, I was asked to follow up with the applicant as this was a bit of a unique situation and task. Anyway, the recruiter had interviewed them, told them I would be right in, and went next door to start interviewing another applicant. The recruiter finished up there and came to get me to speak with the first one while telling the other one I’d be with them next. Now, I don’t think the recruiter did particularly anything wrong, but I got to wondering if the applicants maybe felt they we’re part of a conveyor system? As you can imagine, my interviews can take a bit. Especially if I’m trying to ascertain one’s actual skills and work history. You all know how easily I can get of subject and run down an entirely off subject rabbit hole. I mean, isn’t the applicant probability gathering an impression of us and the company too? That’s kind of the first opportunity the prospect has met us, face to face anyway. They may have checked out our website, learned a little about the company, maybe even reached out to a friend that may have had an experience with us, but this is the first time their seeing our building, meeting us and seeing a little interaction around our offices. Do you think we always make a great and grand first impression? If we appear to be hurrying through an interview and trying to get to the next person in the room next door, or maybe have a little bit of a long delay waiting on the second interviewer to come visit with them, even if its just their perception, did we give them the first impression we deserve? We’re good people, we care about them & helping them find work. But could they tell that, do we always make them feel that way as hiring agents, Human Resource and Benefits departments?
I went out to several facilities while the new hires were being walked in and passed on to their new leads, Supervisors or trainers. Now we all know how busy these men and women are, attending to a new hire is quite disruptive to their shifts. One facility did an outstanding job here. The trainer was introduced to her new hires, greeted each new associate, set them down and told them she would be right back. She had her radio with her, she’d been carrying a clipboard, and what looked like some batches she’d pulled out to distribute to trainees she’d been working with. Anyway she showed back up in like 5 minutes, her hands were empty, and she got on her radio announcing to everyone on the other end that shed be walking a group of new hires around and that she’d get back to them in about 30 minutes. And then she turned off her radio! I think that was the most in depth facility orientation and new hire tour I’d ever been through. She spent about 40 minutes with us, as she would explain something to us she’d ask if we had any questions, really selling the supervisors and the company on us. She dropped off the new hires with their assigned supervisors and told each of them that she’d be checking in with them throughout the shift. I almost wanted to go to work with her at that point! Now all the other facilities did good too, but I couldn’t help but wonder if they could’ve done better. During their walkthrough they were constantly interrupted. I couldn’t help but notice the others definitely picked up on the fact that the supervisor was very very busy. He hustled us to the safety stations, eyewashes, evacuation routes, etc all the while explaining the job descriptions, processes and procedures to us. He dropped one guy off with a loader and one guy off with a sanitation person and told them both to follow their teammates instructions and that he’d be back to check on them. Now these were experienced warehousemen. I’m certain that their feelings weren’t hurt at all and that they did fine with the welcoming and their orientation, but I couldn’t help wondering what kind of first impression their new supervisor had left them with?
Well then of course, me being me, I observed what kind of first impression we employees were leaving with the trainer and the supervisors. Oddly, the associates walking with the trainer were very engaged, asking questions, talking about their experience and showing genuine excitement about their new positions! On the other hand, the employees walking with the supervisors that were conducting business during their walk and honestly kind of rushing through it asked not one question. I’m sure those supervisors hated that I was along for the walk. They were perfectly polite to us and did a great job of answering all my questions. I feel or felt like the employees could have changed the whole tempo of these orientations by talking up more. It wasn’t that the Supervisors weren’t willing to take the time to explain more and answer any questions presented, I think the new associates simply fed off that perception of busy and just fell in line with that thought process. So then I got to wondering what kind of first impression we employees had left with the trainer and the supervisors. I’m probably over thinking the whole first impression thing right? But what if I’m not? I think we’d all agree, both employers and employees, we should be working at leaving a better impression of ourselves with others, slow down, and make sure others know how excited and appreciative we are of our new relationships!
Talking about all these behaviors I wanted to share a couple of other things real quick. You know, being a supervisor means, yep I get to look up another definition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervisor Wikipedia tells us a supervisor gives instructions to subordinates. Be held responsible for the work and actions of other employees. No where does it state that our subordinates should be afraid of us, or that we can single out people to pick on or pick at. You know write ups should be used as coaching tools, not big 2×4’s. We as young supervisors need to be taught that, yes we are responsible for our employees actions, but by ensuring there doing their jobs we’re able to perform our jobs right. I have the pleasure of working with a couple of your sup’s right now. It’s a hard job, one of the hardest jobs I know of, but it can be much easier when we accept it as a job. There’s a title but it’s really just a job and now its our job. I’m sure there was a time when we thought, man, when I have that position things are going to be different. Lets watch our behavior, pay attention to the impression we’re leaving with others! Yes, we have to be stern at times, but we’ll make a better impression on others if we’re always fair and consistent with our decisions, right?
And us as employees, I witnessed some behavior this week that left great impressions on me and some definitely not so great impressions as well. Ladies and gentlemen, this is just a job, a career opportunity. What kind of of an impression are we leaving if we’re always complaining, using profanity all the time and not acting like a team player? Now we should certainly speak up if were not being treated right or an injustice has been placed on us but let’s remember to be professional about it. Again, this is a job, nothing larger than that. As an employee have you ever wondered what kind of first impression you made with a new hire or new teammate?
There’s a few of my thoughts on behaviors and first impressions. Please send me an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and share some of your thoughts on the subject or tell me how far off the page I am. If you enjoy our episodes each week, I’d appreciate a quick share to a friend and maybe a like and a follow on our Facebook and Twitter feeds! I hope you enjoyed todays episode, until next week please be responsible, be safe and make a great safety impression on a teammate!
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. How has your week been? Productive, Challenging, Informative, Positive, and Safe is my answer! I hope each of you feel the same way. However, I’ve read about, and spoken with a few people that, well, I’m going to say haven’t had such a positive experience this week. I’ve heard from or read about struggles with or opinions about staffing agencies from present associates, people seeking employment and an agency’s sales person on what they heard from a prospective client, and to be quite honest, I’m scratching my head a little. I came to the conclusion that maybe these individuals are looking at only the top layer of the staffing organizations out there, so today I thought we’d peel back several more layers and see what’s underneath the skin!
I’m Marty and I’ll share a bit on the Staffing Agency today, or at least a few of my own opinions as they relate to our light industrial positions and how they are used in our industry!
Whether you’re working in a warehouse, on a production line, in a manufacturing facility or in a distribution center, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered staffing agencies, either as a worker or a manager. But where did these agencies come from, and how have they evolved over the years?
Let’s start by exploring the origins of staffing agencies in the light industrial field, how they’ve grown into an integral part of the industry and discuss the pros and cons of seeking work through them. Let’s get started.
Staffing agencies, sometimes referred to as employment agencies, have been around for over a hundred years, but their real growth took off in the mid-20th century, meaning the 1940’s and 1960’s. Their primary function has always been to connect employers with temporary workers, filling immediate labor needs. In the light industrial sectors like warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution, the demand for temporary labor has long been tied to economic shifts, seasonal demands, and fluctuations in production or shipping volumes.
The earliest staffing agencies were quite different from what we know today. Many of the first agencies, which appeared in the late 1800s and early 1900s, were focused on clerical, domestic, or agricultural labor. However, with the rise of industrialization, new opportunities were created, particularly in manufacturing and warehousing, where large numbers of workers were needed for assembly lines, packaging, and shipping tasks.
Around the 1940’s, 50’s, and 60’s, the temporary staffing industry started gaining momentum. Agencies began specializing in light industrial labor, offering a flexible workforce that could be scaled up or down depending on the needs of the employer. This was especially critical for companies in industries with fluctuating demand, like retail or manufacturing, where peak seasons required a sudden influx of labor.
Fast forward to today, and staffing agencies have become a fixture in the light industrial sectors. In warehousing, manufacturing, production, and distribution, they are essential partners to employers. Staffing agencies help fill positions like forklift operators, pickers, packers, assemblers, and general laborers. From small operations to large distribution centers, companies rely on these agencies to provide a flexible and cost-effective workforce.
Today’s staffing agencies often provide much more than just temporary workers. They handle background checks, drug screenings, and onboarding processes. Many agencies even offer training to ensure their workers are prepared for the specific tasks required in various roles. They also provide workers with the chance to gain valuable experience in different industries, which can be especially helpful for someone just entering the workforce or changing careers.
In the context of light industrial work, staffing agencies are particularly valuable because they help companies navigate those unpredictable labor needs. Many warehouses or manufacturing plants experience sudden surges in production, whether due to seasonal spikes, new contracts, or urgent shipments. Instead of maintaining a large, full-time staff that may not be needed year-round, companies can rely on staffing agencies to supply labor when demand is high.
For job seekers, especially those in the light industrial sectors, I feel staffing agencies can provide several benefits to us.
Access to Immediate Employment: One of the biggest draws of staffing agencies is their ability to place people in jobs quickly. In some cases, you can be working the very next day after signing up with an agency. This is especially helpful for people who need to start earning immediately.
And many times, they offer a variety of opportunities for us. Staffing agencies often have relationships with multiple employers, which means they can offer a variety of positions. For someone who’s unsure about which sector they want to work in, whether it’s warehousing, manufacturing, or production, agencies can provide the chance to try different roles. Agency salespeople offer the try it before you buy it thought to their customers, well, I think we, as employees, can also try the company or industry before we commit to it as well!
Here’s another big Pro for working with agencies, temporary work can be an ideal solution for people who need flexibility. Whether you’re looking for part-time work, temporary assignments, or a full-time position with the possibility of being hired permanently, staffing agencies often offer a wide range of options.
Many staffing agencies provide what’s known as “temp-to-hire” opportunities. This means that if you perform well during your temporary assignment, you could be offered a permanent position. In fact, like I alluded to a minute ago, many companies use staffing agencies as a way to “try out” workers before offering them a full-time role.
I think another big advantage to working with different companies through a staffing agency can help us job seekers build a wide range of skills and contacts. This can be valuable for anyone looking to gain experience or break into a new field.
While staffing agencies offer many benefits for us, there are also some downsides to consider also. Nothing is all roses right?
Lack of Job Security, one of the most significant drawbacks is the temporary nature of the work. While some assignments may last months, others might only be for a few days or weeks. This lack of stability can make it challenging to plan for the future or feel secure in our employment. Not a bad thing if that’s what we want I guess.
While full-time employees typically will or could receive benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans, temporary workers often do not. Some staffing agencies offer limited benefits, but they usually aren’t as comprehensive as those provided by direct employers and their cost could be supported 100% by us, the employee.
And in many cases, temporary workers are paid less than permanent employees doing the same job. However, for some of us, the opportunity to gain experience or find immediate work outweighs the lower pay. I think the lower pay is part of that “try before I buy thought process” and, as employers, its important to factor in the markup percentage they’ll be paying on top of the wages. All of which covers the loss potential, cost of peripheral expenses, admin costs, taxes and such. All that could be its own episode actually! Where was I before that rabbit hole, let’s see…Oh
And unpredictable schedules, since many light industrial roles are tied to fluctuating production and shipping schedules, temporary workers may find themselves with inconsistent hours. One week you might work full-time hours, while the next, you could only be called in for a few days. This is pretty common if your assignment is with a 3pl facility.
And there may be limited career growth for us within the assignment and while staffing agencies can provide valuable experience to and for us, there’s often little room for advancement within the agency itself. To move up in your career, you may need to seek permanent positions or specialized roles outside the temporary staffing system.
With all that being said, Staffing agencies have become an essential part of the light industrial sectors, from warehousing to manufacturing and distribution. For employers, they offer a flexible, cost-effective way to meet fluctuating labor demands. For workers, they provide quick access to employment and the opportunity to gain experience in various industries.
However, like anything else, there are pros and cons. While staffing agencies can open doors, especially for temporary or entry-level roles, as job seekers we must be aware of the challenges, such as lack of benefits and job security and what they can actually provide. It’s important to remember they are under contract with their customers. That payrates, hiring qualifications, experience requirements, are given to them by that customer. The agencies have very little flexibility in many cases.
As the industry continues to evolve, staffing agencies will undoubtedly remain a key player in connecting us workers with employers and vice versa in the fast-paced world of light industrial operations.
Thank you for joining me on Warehouse and Operations as a Career the podcast today, and I hope we have helped to better explain staffing to you. If you’ve ever worked with a staffing agency or have any stories about your experience, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out on social media using @whseops on our Facebook and X pages or our Instagram @WAOCpodcast, and let’s keep the conversation going. And we love getting email as well using host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com. Until next time, stay safe, stay focused, and keep moving forward.
I’ve had several questions about order selecting lately, I’ve been meaning to get to them, and a young job seeker wrote, I’ve pulled orders at 3 companies before so I have a lot of experience, but I’ve applied at this place offering XX dollars an hour and they say I don’t have the experience. It’s a lot of money and I want that job. So today let’s talk about all the different task recruiters are advertising for and maybe their using the wrong vocabulary with us.
I’m Marty, here on Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I can feel such frustration. We as job seekers have a set of skills and experiences, we’re looking at the job boards and job groups advertising for help and see that payrates can differ more than quite a bit and it just doesn’t make sense. Of course we want to apply at the highest rate! And the position of order selector, order picker, fulfillment associate, inventory picker, stock picker, warehouse picker, lets see, what’s some other things I’ve seen, oh here’s a good one, picking specialist. And the list can go on and on, only limited by the recruiter’s imagination. But all that fancy wording doesn’t help us. Very few ads give us much of a job description to go off of. I try and in terms of high productivity and low productivity. Let’s talk about a few different kinds of selection.
Let’s start out at a small piece assembly line or kitting operation. Things like a gas meter production plant or a telephone assembly facility. An order picker, or whatever they call it, may be responsible for walking a path or aisle and selecting small items like O-rings, washers, little springs and switches for the construction of gas meters, or, different components like ram boards, processors, sensors, cameras, speakers, microphones and antenna’s to build cell phones with. These are very important positions, and accuracy is important, many of the parts can look a lot alike. This selection process may be considered low productivity. Use of warehouse equipment isn’t necessary. We could be walking the bin area or carousel tower and placing those components in a container or tray bin, placing it on a conveyer or roller rack, grabbing another bin and order and starting the process over.
Another example of a low productivity selector would be at something like a produce distributor. Now here we may need experience with operating an electric pallet jack, maybe a walkie or a rider pallet jack. In this position we’ll be responsible for not just accuracy but quality as well. A produce order selector, picker, whatever you choose to call it, is going to occasionally open some boxes, check out the quality of the produce, not only identifying if the produce is good or bad but understand what’s acceptable for the customer its going to. Of course all customers deserve the absolute best produce available, however we’re dealing with a live product. Absolute best should have its own item number, but it still remains our responsibility to select it. I think we can all understand a 5 star Michelin restaurant is going to expect, and pay more for a strawberry than say a mom and pop diner type of restaurant. Maybe that one particular case just doesn’t have even a 2 day shelf life left on it so we’d decide to take it over to the shrink area and not select it for anyone.
These positions may pay a bit more than the parts assembly or kitting organization we spoke of earlier due to the equipment operation experience required and having to be trained and certified to operate it and the knowledge of produce needed but the productivity expectation will fall in that low category.
Oh, and one thing I just thought of, a selector position can be a low productivity task but could be more strenuous than others, think of something like tires, car or tractor tires or built equipment like gas meters and heavy electrical components like transformers and such. Not heavy enough for equipment usage but much heavier than say those picker bins we were speaking about earlier. These positions could pay more than the other two we discussed.
And speaking of equipment usage, we then have something called bulk selection, where we could be using a counterbalance forklift to retrieve orders of pallet quantities at a time. Of course, this position will pay more because of the equipment experience and certification needed, but also, depending on what industry we’re in could fall in the low to medium productivity range. If we’re moving heavy objects like home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators or engine blocks and diesel truck parts or pallets containing cases of disposable paper plates, bowls, and cups.
And then we have what I consider one of the best, most lucrative, yet short term selector positions, the broadline food service distributor order selector. Many broadline distributors may house 6000 plus items, having at least that many pick facings. My previous facility travel distance within the dry side was just a few yards under 1 mile when hitting every aisle. These facilities will utilize the electric or hydrogen fuel cell powered double and even triple platform rider pallet jacks. These types of facilities may incorporate the newest and most efficient systems like AS/AR or Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems, the mini loads and carousels and very complex WMS products or warehouse management systems doing everything from inventory control, to order generation, selection paths to transportation routing and mapping of the loads. Shipping hundreds of thousands of cases each week. An order selector at such an organization may be expected to accurately select a couple of hundred cases per hour. And they are well paid, possibly earning double that plus of a lower productivity position like we discussed earlier. These selector positions will require at least 3 to 5 years electric rider pallet jack experience, along with rf or speech to text scanning experience, and quite honestly the type of work ethic as to come in, get the job done, and go home mentality! These high productivity positions can come with a pay by the piece selected component as well, which can further increase our earnings.
I got to rambling a bit, but you can see some of the different types of selection available in the warehouse a recruiter could be speaking of.
I’ve seen so many advertisements for those larger payrates and it frustrates me to no end. Any recruiters listening today, please add a little more information to your ad, maybe a job description and the type of industry. Otherwise, you could be wasting your time answering all our resumes that are not really qualified for the task and our time, and hopes, on getting a great paying job that we just don’t yet have the work experience or skills to be considered for the position.
Earning those big bucks is achievable for all of us. A selector position is a great job, and as we’ve just spoken to, can be a great career as well.
Another thing about any kind of selection is the growth potential. By learning the positions before the selection process, like unloading, stocking, and inventory, and those after selection like the shipping, transportation and delivery of the goods we’re increasing our value of knowledge. And knowledge and ability, mixed with a little more responsibility, will mean more pay every time!
Well, I have to get back to work myself now. I hope I have given you a little insight to order selection or whatever your recruiter calls it and why the pay levels can be so spread apart.
Thanks for checking in with us, maybe tell a friend about us, and please be safe in all you do.
Hey hey, Marty here, and I’d like to thank you for checking in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career again this week.
A topic that came up two or three times this week was direct deposit. More and more companies, even small facilities, have switched to direct deposit over paper checks.
It’s how we get paid, so I too believe it’s a big deal. And it can be a bit confusing if we don’t understand it.
If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you’ve probably noticed that we don’t get paper checks much anymore. Instead, most companies have transitioned to direct deposits to our bank accounts, pay cards, and internet cards for payroll. These digital methods offer some great advantages, but there are important things to understand about how and when we get paid as well.
One area of confusion for many is why payday is typically Friday, even though some workers receive their funds earlier in the week, like Wednesday or Thursday. That’s thanks to certain banking practices, but it’s important not to get too comfortable or start relying on those early deposits. After all, payday is still officially Friday, and delays can, and are going to happen.
Today, we’ll try and break down why companies use these modern payment methods and why we should be careful about counting on those early payments. So, whether you’re waiting on that paycheck to hit your bank account or wondering why Friday is the official payday, I’ll try and walk us through the ins and outs of payroll in the modern world.
Not all that long ago, payday meant standing in line to pick up your check from the payroll office or having your supervisor walk around handing an envelope to us, then heading to the bank, and waiting for it to clear. Back in the day, it wasn’t uncommon for workers to head straight to the bank, or a mobile banking van, which by the way would charge us a percentage for cashing those checks, after a long shift, and hoping to have our cash for the weekend. But as convenient as this system might have seemed at the time, it had its fair share of problems.
For companies, printing and distributing paper checks was expensive and time-consuming. Payroll departments had to deal with the logistics of printing thousands of checks, packaging them, and distributing them to several companies and on time. This could lead to delays if anything went wrong—lost checks, printer issues, or employees who didn’t pick up their checks right away.
Then there’s the issue of fraud and theft. Paper checks can be easily lost, stolen, or tampered with. Once a check was out of the employer’s hands, they had little control over its security. For workers, this meant additional steps, such as waiting for a check to be reissued or making sure it didn’t get misplaced or even accidently destroyed.
Another big concern was the environmental impact. Think of all the resources that went into printing and distributing millions of paper checks every payday—paper, ink, transportation, the logistics alone could be a nightmare. Over time, these concerns pushed businesses to seek more efficient, secure, and cost-effective payment methods.
Enter digital payments. With advances in banking and technology, companies started shifting to direct deposits and pay cards. This not only reduced costs for businesses but also made payday easier for us employees. Instead of waiting for a paper check, workers could now access their wages directly in their bank accounts or on a pay card, ready to spend or save immediately.
Let’s look a bit deeper into direct deposits and why they’ve become the preferred payment method for most companies. Direct deposits allow companies to transfer money directly into an employee’s bank account. This process happens through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, which facilitates the electronic transfer of funds between banks. Once payroll is processed, your wages are deposited into your account, usually in a matter of hours.
For employees, direct deposits are a game-changer for a few reasons:
Speed and Convenience: Once your employer sends out the payroll file, the funds appear in your account almost instantly. There’s no waiting period for checks to clear, no trips to the bank, and no chance of misplacing a paper check. You can use your debit card to access your money as soon as your financial institution deposits it to your account.
Security: Direct deposits reduce the risk of fraud and theft. Paper checks can be lost, stolen, or altered, while direct deposits go straight into your account, making them much more secure.
And Predictability: With direct deposits, you know exactly when your funds will be available. If payday is Friday, your money will usually be in your account first thing in the morning or maybe even the day before. This consistency makes it easier to budget and plan your expenses.
From the employer’s perspective, direct deposits save both time and money. There’s no need to print checks, and they don’t have to worry about lost checks or reissuing payments. This also reduces the chance of human error during the payroll process.
But what happens if you don’t have a bank account? This is where pay cards and internet cards come in.
While direct deposits are the gold standard for most employees, not everyone has access to a traditional bank account. According to the FDIC, millions of Americans are “unbanked” or “underbanked,” meaning they either don’t have a bank account or rely on alternative financial services like check cashing and payday loans. For these workers, pay cards and internet cards offer a digital alternative to receiving a paper check.
So, what exactly is a pay card? A pay card is a prepaid card that an employer loads with an employee’s wages. It works similarly to a debit card, allowing the worker to withdraw cash from an ATM, make purchases, or transfer funds to another account.
There are several advantages to using a pay card:
One is Accessibility: Pay cards make it easy for workers without a bank account to access their pay without the need for check-cashing services. This can save money on fees and give us immediate access to our wages.
And then there’s Flexibility: Like a debit card, pay cards can be used for purchases online, at stores, and even to pay bills. Many workers find this more convenient than dealing with cash or checks.
And possibly Lower Fees: While pay cards can come with some fees—like ATM withdrawal charges—they’re often lower than the fees associated with check-cashing services. Some pay cards even offer free ATM withdrawals or other perks.
One thing to keep in mind with pay cards, though, is that it’s important to read the fine print. Some cards charge monthly maintenance fees, ATM fees, or fees for making certain types of transactions. It’s worth taking the time to understand the terms and conditions to avoid unexpected charges.
Now let’s tackle one of the most common questions: If I can get my money on Wednesday or Thursday, why is Friday still considered payday?
This happens because of how banks and payment processors handle payroll transactions. When your employer submits payroll, the funds are typically scheduled to arrive in your account on Friday. However, some banks or pay card providers will release the funds early once they receive the payroll information. This is especially common with certain online banks or financial services that prioritize speed.
While getting paid early can feel like a bonus, it’s important to remember that payday is still officially Friday. That means your employer is only required to have your wages available by Friday. If you’re used to getting paid on Wednesday or Thursday, that’s great—but it’s not something you can rely on every time. There are a few factors that can affect when your money is available, like holidays, processing delays, or changes in your employer’s payroll schedule.
This brings us to an important point: Don’t get too comfortable with receiving your money early. It can be tempting to plan your bills, expenses, and spending around getting paid on Wednesday or Thursday, but doing so can set you up for financial stress if your money doesn’t arrive when you expect it.
Here’s why: If a delay happens or your funds are released later than usual, you could find yourself in a tough spot. This is especially true if you’ve set up automatic payments or other expenses that are due earlier in the week. To avoid this pitfall, it’s a good idea to plan your budget around the official payday—Friday—even if you usually get paid earlier.
One way to think about it is to treat those early payments as a bonus. If your money comes early, great! But if it doesn’t, you won’t be caught off guard.
So why do most companies stick to a Friday payday in the first place? The answer has a lot to do with the way payroll processing works. Payroll isn’t just about sending out checks or deposits—employers have to go through several steps to calculate pay, deduct taxes, handle benefits, and comply with labor laws.
These steps take time, and most companies follow a biweekly or weekly payroll schedule that ends on a specific day. Friday is often chosen because it’s the end of the traditional workweek and aligns with other financial practices, like the processing of ACH transfers and banking cycles.
For businesses, sticking to a consistent payday makes it easier to manage their cash flow and ensure that they meet all legal and regulatory requirements. While some companies may explore alternative paydays or more frequent payments in the future, Friday is likely to remain the standard for the foreseeable future.
The move from paper checks to digital payment methods like direct deposits, pay cards, and internet cards has made payday faster, more secure, and more convenient for us employees and our employers. But while early payments are a nice perk, it’s important to remember that payday is still officially Friday. We can’t get upset on that Wednesday when it’s not deposited.
Well, that’ll wrap up that topic. I hope you enjoyed it and found a little value in your time with us today. Please subscribe to the show on your favorite pod catcher app and maybe tell a friend about us!
Thanks and y’all have a safe shift out there!
Hello everyone, Marty T Hawkins with you, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career!
I was looking through the job boards and Facebook groups this week and noticed an unusual amount of advertisements for EPJ operators, and several comments about what does EPJ mean, and do they train, a few asked what kind EPJ. In the business EPJ is short for Electric Pallet Jack. Skimming over the job descriptions I believe the Recruiters are typically referring to the Platform Electric pallet jack or Rider Pallet jack. One comment to the advertisements was do you have to be certified. I’ll go into that here in a few minutes, as a long term listener you’ll remember I have some strong opinions on that sentence and believe you should never operate or even touch a piece of powered industrial equipment or any type of machine you’re not trained, and certified to be on. But, like I said, we’ll get to that in a minute.
So, today, lets focus on that tool that has been instrumental in shaping how modern warehouses operate—the pallet jack. From manual models to the more advanced electric platform rider pallet jacks, these machines have made it easier, faster, and safer to move materials in large and small operations alike.
To give us a starting point I’d like to delve into the history of pallet jack, explore their various types, and examine the different warehouse roles where they’ve become so important. We’ll also take a close look at the safety practices that every operator should follow to ensure efficient and injury-free operation.
We’ll start manual pallet jack which dates back to the early 1900s, a time when the logistics and distribution industry was growing rapidly. Before the introduction of pallet jacks, warehouse workers relied almost entirely on brute strength to lift and move goods. Heavy crates, barrels, and bags were transported by hand or with make shift carts, making the process slow, labor-intensive, and quite frankly dangerous. The introduction of pallets into warehouses marked a pivotal change. As goods started to be stacked on these wooden or metal platforms and skids, a new type of machine was required to lift and move them efficiently—and thus, the manual pallet jack was born.
The design of the manual pallet jack was simple yet highly effective. A hydraulic pump allowed workers to lift a loaded pallet just a few inches off the ground by pumping the handle. The load could then be pulled or pushed across the warehouse floor. This invention increased efficiency and reduced the physical strain on workers, allowing a single person to move loads that previously required several workers. The benefits was huge.
- Increased Efficiency: By using a pallet jack, workers could move heavier loads in far less time than before, improving productivity.
- Reduced Injuries: The risk of back strains, muscle pulls, and other injuries decreased significantly. Workers no longer needed to physically lift the full weight of a load.
- And think of the Cost Savings: Since manual pallet jacks were relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, warehouses could invest in them easily. They didn’t require fuel or electricity, making them an affordable option for smaller operations or facilities with small budgets.
These a great workhorses and even today most warehouses will have several on hand, especially in retail backrooms, and tight spaces where electric or larger pallet jacks may not be practical.
The next significant evolution came with the introduction of electric pallet jacks, also known as walk-beside models. These began appearing in the mid-20th century, around the 1950s and 1960s, as the demand for faster, more efficient warehouse operations increased. Electric pallet jacks were designed to handle larger volumes of goods, reduce operator fatigue, and provide a safer work environment by minimizing the physical effort needed to transport even heavier and larger loads.
An electric pallet jack operates using a rechargeable battery that powers a motor, which assists with both lifting and moving the pallet. With the press of a button, the forks can be raised or lowered, and the motor helps move the pallet over longer distances with ease.
A few of these advantages are:
Increased Speed and Distance: Operators can move loads more quickly than with manual models. This is especially important in larger warehouses where distance can affect productivity.
Reduced Physical Strain: Workers no longer need to manually pump a hydraulic handle or use their body weight to push heavy loads. The electric motor does the heavy lifting and moving, which significantly reduces the risk of injury, particularly repetitive strain injuries.
And as I mentioned they can handle a Higher Load Capacity: Electric pallet jacks can handle heavier loads than manual ones, making them ideal for high-volume environments like manufacturing plants, grocery warehouses, and distribution centers.
In addition to their speed and power, walk-beside models are often equipped with safety features such as emergency stop buttons and reverse controls to prevent accidents. Walk-beside EPJs are now a common sight in medium to large warehouses, even in a few retail operations, where increased load capacities and quicker transport times are required.
As warehouses continued to expand in size and the volume of goods being handled grew, the platform rider pallet jack was introduced to further streamline the material handling process. These models are similar to the walk-beside pallet jacks, but with an important difference: they feature a platform that allows the operator to ride along with the machine, significantly reducing the amount of walking and manual effort required.
For operators, this model is a significant ergonomic improvement. Instead of walking along behind the pallet jack, the operator stands on a platform and steers the jack as it moves. This design is particularly useful in large-scale operations, such as retail distribution centers and fulfillment warehouses where the speed and efficiency of moving goods are paramount. A few key benefits of the platform rider jacks are:
Increased productivity: Operators can move from one end of the warehouse to the other much more quickly while riding the platform, which increases the number of loads they can transport in a shift.
Ergonomic Design: Standing on a platform reduces physical strain and fatigue from walking long distances. Operators can work more comfortably and for longer periods, which helps with efficiencies and reduces the risk of injuries such as foot and leg strain.
Increased Throughput: Since platform rider pallet jacks can carry heavy loads over long distances more efficiently, they help increase throughput in busy warehouse environments. This makes them ideal for fast-paced distribution centers handling large volumes of goods daily, and those paid by the piece payroll models.
You’ll find platform rider pallet jacks in places like e-commerce fulfillment centers, grocery chain distribution hubs, and large manufacturing plants where speed and efficiency are critical to operations.
Pallet jacks are widely used across different positions in warehouse operations. Here are some of the key roles that comes to mind that can rely on these machines:
Order Selectors
Order selectors are responsible for picking products from storage and preparing them for shipment. Manual and electric pallet jacks are critical for this role. A selector typically uses a pallet jack to move an empty pallet or a few selected items as they navigate the aisles. In larger warehouses, they may use an electric ride pallet jack to transport multiple orders at once, especially in high-volume environments like grocery or retail distribution centers.
Receivers and Loaders
Receivers handle the intake of goods into the warehouse. They rely on pallet jacks to unload products from trucks and move them to their designated storage areas. Electric pallet jacks and even rider jacks are particularly useful in this role, allowing receivers to move large shipments quickly and efficiently. Loaders, who are responsible for preparing goods for outbound shipments, can depend on pallet jacks to load trucks for delivery. For high-volume shipping operations, platform rider pallet jacks are often used to speed up the loading process.
Stockers
Stockers are responsible for replenishing shelves or storage areas within the warehouse. Manual pallet jacks are often used for smaller loads or in tighter spaces, but electric pallet jacks are essential when transporting large quantities of products across long distances.
Safety is crucial when it comes to operating any warehouse equipment, and electric pallet jacks are no exception. While EPJs greatly reduce the physical strain on workers, they also introduce new potential risks if not operated properly. Here are some safety tips, well more important that tips I guess because their part of the standard and law that every operator must follow:
Before using an electric pallet jack, it’s essential to perform a pre-operational check or your pre-trip:
Check the battery: Ensure the battery is fully charged and shows no signs of damage or leakage.
Inspect the equipment: Look for any visible wear or damage, especially on the wheels, forks, and control panel.
Test the brakes and controls: Make sure all the controls, especially the emergency stop button, are functional.
Operators should always maintain a clear line of sight when moving a load. Remember the old saying, look before moving the first inch! Operators should also be mindful of their surroundings, watching out for obstacles, spills, or uneven flooring that could cause accidents.
It’s so important to always respect the load limits of the pallet jack. Overloading the EPJ can lead to tipping, mechanical failure, or loss of control. Balancing the load is equally important to prevent accidents and ensure safe transport.
For platform rider models, operators should always stand within the designated area and avoid leaning outside the platform. We have to keep our feet on the platform, especially watching that our toes and heels don’t ever hang off the edges.
Operators have to be familiar with the pallet jack’s emergency stop features and know how to safely shut down the equipment in case of malfunction. Any equipment issues should be reported to a supervisor or maintenance team immediately.
The pallet jack is one of the most versatile and essential tools in warehouse operations. Its evolution from the manual model to the advanced platform rider reflects the changing demands of the logistics and distribution industry. Theres even double and triple pallet jacks now, meaning you can carry one, two, and three pallets at a time. Whether you’re an order selector, receiver, unloader, stocker, etc, understanding how to properly use and maintain these machines is key to improving efficiency and safety in any warehouse setting.
And back to that question of do I have to be certified. Yes, here in the states your employer is required to certify you on equipment operation. Check out the OSHA 29CFR1910.178 for specifics of that certification. You may have heard me get upset, and feel for people that have gone to a training facility that’s ran them through a 2 hour classroom portion of instruction and taken them out to a warehouse environment and demonstrated and observed them on a piece of equipment and given them a card or license that they’ve paid XXX number of dollars for. These men and women then carry these cards to an employment agency or a place of business only to find that they need experience to qualify for a position.
I won’t climb up on my soap box again, but it does remind me that we need to do another episode on how to become an EPJ or forklift operator when you have no experience and some actual short cuts that can be taken or quicker ways to get that experience to learn and perform safely.
Well, I’ve ran long today, and for that I apologize, but, well, I get to talking! Until next week, y’all be safe out there.
Welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today, I want to take a look at a topic that’s crucial to the success of any business. And it’s a tricky subject, because it comes with so many different angles and things to consider. Hang on, don’t roll your eyes when I say it. Ready, ok, here I go, today I want to expand on retention and reducing turnover in our warehouse operations.
It’s something that affects both employers and employees, and understanding the importance from both sides of the coin can lead to a more safe, stable, productive, and enjoyable work environment for everyone.
Turnover, which refers to the rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by new hires, can cause significant disruptions in the warehouse. Retention, on the other hand, focuses on keeping those valuable employees around for the long term. When we think about retention, it’s easy to see it as an employer’s concern, but employees also have a stake in this. There are advantages for both sides when it comes to a stable, committed workforce, and that’s what we’re going to explore today.
Let’s start with why retention is so critical from an employer’s perspective. If you’re running a warehouse, or even managing just a small department, you know the challenges turnover presents.
First off, the cost of turnover is immense. Every time someone leaves, the process to find, hire, and train a replacement can take weeks or even months. And during that time, productivity takes a hit. In the warehouse, where every shift counts, having a gap in staffing can throw off entire workflows. The costs don’t stop at just hiring a new person—there’s also a loss of productivity and experience that walks out the door.
Moreover, there’s the impact on operations. Warehouses thrive on routine, consistency, and efficiency. When someone leaves, the team needs to adjust, and that often means others taking on extra work until the new hire is up to speed. Not only does this affect daily productivity, but it can also lead to mistakes, accidents, and disruptions in the receiving and shipping processes.
Another factor is the companys reputation. Warehouses with high turnover rates quickly get a reputation as being tough places to work. In an industry where word of mouth travels fast, this can make it harder to attract top talent. And don’t forget about social media and reviews. Employees want to work where they feel valued, and if the workforce is constantly struggling, it sends the message that something’s not right. A strong retention rate, on the other hand, indicates a healthy work environment.
So, how can employers combat high turnover? Competitive wages and benefits are a great place to start. Although pay is not always our only consideration. In today’s labor market, employees are looking for stability, not just in their paycheck, but in health benefits, retirement plans, and even perks like paid time off. Offering career development opportunities through training programs is another effective strategy. Employees who feel they can grow within the company are more likely to stay. Promoting from within is huge for that growth.
Finally, building a positive company culture cannot be overstated. Recognizing employees for their hard work, offering support during tough times, and fostering a collaborative environment all contribute to retention. A simple “thank you” or a shout out of a job well done can go a long way in keeping employees engaged.
I’ve always tried acknowledging my associates birthdays, meeting them at shift starts or by the timeclock, and saying happy birthday can go along way!.
Now let’s switch gears and look at why retention is just as important for employees. When you stick with a job for the long term, you get a chance to grow your career. In the warehouse industry, experience is invaluable. Forklift operators, order pickers, and supervisors all need time to master the ins and outs of their roles, tasks, and duties. Staying in one place allows you to become an expert in your position and opens the door to promotions and pay raises down the line. Learning those positions that touch ours can make us most valuable.
Job stability is another big advantage. Knowing that you have a steady income and job security provides peace of mind, which is not something to take lightly in today’s uncertain economic environment. Job hopping can lead to gaps in employment, which can make it harder to land long-term, stable positions.
As an employee, building experience with a single company can also make you more attractive to future employers. Having a solid work history shows that you’re dependable and committed to traits that are highly sought after in the distribution, manufacturing, and production fields. If you’re always changing jobs, potential employers might wonder why you haven’t found a place to settle.
But beyond the financial aspects, retention also plays a role in workplace satisfaction. A good work environment—where you feel safe, supported, and heard—makes a big difference. When you’ve been with a company for a while, you build relationships with your coworkers, and that camaraderie can make even the hardest days more manageable. Safety protocols, good communication, and employee recognition all contribute to making a job worth staying in.
Reducing turnover and increasing retention requires a collaborative effort between employers and employees. For employers, open communication is key. Creating a feedback loop where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns and offering suggestions helps catch small issues before they grow into reasons for quitting. Similarly, training and development programs allow employees to continuously improve their skills, which benefits both them and the company.
From an employee’s perspective, being open to feedback and taking advantage of the opportunities for growth provided by the employer can lead to a more fulfilling career. Work-life balance is another area where both parties need to cooperate. Offering flexible schedules, accommodating personal time off, and supporting employees’ well-being can reduce burnout, which is a common cause of turnover. Again, only open communication can get us to where we need to be.
Lastly, creating a sense of purpose within the warehouse is crucial. Employees who feel that their work is meaningful and aligns with the company’s goals are more likely to stay. It’s about more than just moving boxes or driving forklifts—it’s about being part of something bigger. Being able to grow, and belong.
Retention isn’t just an employer’s responsibility, nor is it just up to the employee to stay put. Employers need to invest in their workforce, and employees need to invest in their own career growth. When both parties come together with a shared goal of long-term success, everyone benefits. A stable workforce creates a more efficient and productive warehouse, and for employees, staying invested in their career can lead to greater financial security, personal growth, and job satisfaction.
Thank you for joining us again today! Send us a message at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com with any questions and comments. We’ll make sure and get an answer back to you! Remember, whether you’re an employer or an employee, creating a positive, stable work environment starts with each of us working together. Until next week, stay safe and keep striving for excellence in your operations.
Thanks for stopping in again, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, as you know, where we talk about warehouse, transportation, and our light industrial careers. Anything and everything to do with the manufacturing, production, and distribution worlds as they relate to us as warehouse men and women.
I was thinking about stalled careers this week. How and, I guess I mean more like Why does it seem like we quit moving forward in our professional lives?
I’m not talking about the person that loves what they do, the people that are not wanting to or looking to move or advance through the system. You’ve heard me mention a hundred times that being great at a task or job is absolutely fine. If you love your job, are the best of the best at it, and it provides you the finances, rewards and happiness you work for that is great. However, if you’re looking to move from position to position, accepting more duties and more responsibilities, and find ourselves, or believe that we’re stuck somehow, well, what causes that?
Today I’d like to talk about a word that came up a couple of times this week.
I want to talk about complacency.
It’s something we all face at some point, especially when we’ve been doing the same task day in and day out. As warehouse associates, whether we’re forklift operators, order selectors, packers, pickers, loaders, or unloaders, it’s easy to fall into the trap of routine. We get comfortable with our roles, and before we know it, we’re going through the motions without thinking twice. While this might seem harmless at first, complacency can have real and dangerous consequences, not only for our safety but also for our efficiency and professional growth.
Today, I want to dive into why complacency is such a critical issue in warehouse operations and, more importantly, how we can combat it. By staying sharp, engaged, and alert, we can ensure we remain focused on our positions and protect both ourselves and our team from preventable mistakes. Not just mistakes with the task but mistakes with our careers!
A few things I thought of where complacency can get in our way.
One of my bullet points, and the most important one are safety hazards we can create by being complacent.
We’d all agree, first and foremost, safety is our number one priority in any warehouse. Yet, complacency often strikes hardest in this area. When we’ve done the same task a thousand times, it’s easy to skip over important safety measures. We start thinking, “I’ve done this a hundred times; nothing bad is going to happen.” But that’s exactly when accidents occur. When we stop paying attention to the little things, the consequences can be huge.
Take the forklift operator task. Every shift, were supposed to inspect our equipment. Check the tires, the hydraulics, the battery, the propane lines, the mask etc. But what happens when we get comfortable? Maybe we skip that pre-shift inspection. Maybe we assume that everything is fine because it was working yesterday. The problem with this thought process is that equipment can fail unexpectedly, and when it does, it could cause serious injury or even death.
Imagine this: a forklift operator doesn’t notice a small hydraulic leak because they didn’t inspect the equipment. Halfway through their shift, the leak gets worse, and suddenly the forklift loses power while lifting a heavy load. That load comes crashing down, potentially hurting someone on the ground, damaging products, and even causing costly downtime.
This example illustrates how complacency can turn a minor oversight into a major safety hazard. It’s not just about forklift operators either. For unloaders, failing to properly stack items can cause those items to fall. For pickers, failing to be aware of your surroundings can lead to collisions with other associates or equipment. Complacency in any role leads to unsafe behaviors, and unsafe behaviors lead to accidents.
When complacency creeps in, it’s not just safety that can suffer. Efficiency and Productivity can take a hit too. Warehouse operations are all about safety, speed and accuracy. Orders need to be picked quickly, packed securely, and shipped out on time. But when we stop caring as much, when we go on autopilot, mistakes start to happen.
Let’s take order selectors as an example. We’re responsible for picking the right items for each order, and accuracy is key. But after a while, we might start to get too comfortable. Maybe we stop double-checking SKU numbers because we think we “know” where everything is. Suddenly, we’re picking the wrong items, which means those orders need to be returned and reshipped. In our world that’s called a misship. That costs time, and in a fast-paced environment like a warehouse, time is money.
In addition to accuracy, speed can also be impacted. When we are complacent, we might move slower, not because we’re tired, but because we’re simply not engaged in the task. We might take extra breaks or stretch out tasks longer than necessary. Over time, we’ll see a dip in our overall productivity. Even if we’re on piece pay or productivity pay. It just happens.
Now, let’s talk about how complacency affects more than just the day-to-day operations. It can also stunt our career growth. In any warehouse, there’s always an opportunity to move up, whether that’s into a supervisory role, learning a new piece of equipment, or gaining certifications. But if we’re too comfortable in our current role, we might miss those opportunities.
Consider this: you’re an experienced order selector. You’ve been with the company for a few years, and you know your job inside and out. But now, there’s a new inventory management system being introduced. You’re comfortable with the old system, so you decide not to put much effort into learning the new one. You think, “I’ll get by with what I already know.” Meanwhile, other associates who embrace the new system are the ones who get noticed by management. They’re the ones who get promoted or given more responsibility. Suddenly, your complacency has limited your growth.
It’s important to recognize that warehouse technology and processes are constantly evolving, especially in today’s environments. If you are not willing to adapt and learn new things, you risk becoming obsolete in your position! Staying relevant is about more than just doing your job well today—it’s about positioning yourself for success tomorrow. Being THAT employee if you will.
So, how can we fight against complacency? Here are some tips given to me, a few things I do to keep me in check.
One of the easiest ways to prevent complacency is through self-assessment. Take time every week, or even every day, to evaluate your performance. Ask yourself: “Am I still following all the safety procedures?” “Have I been cutting corners?” “Am I doing the best I can?”
Being honest with ourselves is key here. If you notice that you’ve been slacking off or falling into bad habits, make a conscious effort to correct those behaviors. Self-awareness is the first step toward staying engaged and preventing complacency from creeping in.
Another great way I work at staying sharp is through ongoing training. Attend safety refresher courses, participate in new training programs, and always be willing to learn. The more knowledge and skills you have, the more engaged you’ll be in your work.
I think cross-training is also an excellent way to combat complacency. If you’ve been doing the same job for a long time, it can start to feel repetitive. Learning a new task—whether it’s operating a different piece of equipment or moving to a different area of the warehouse—can break that monotony and keep us mentally interested. Plus, being cross-trained makes us more valuable to the company and opens up more opportunities for advancement.
Another point is goal setting, you all know how I feel about goals and planning! Goal-setting is a powerful tool for staying motivated. When you have something to work toward, you’re less likely to fall into complacency. Set daily, weekly, or monthly goals for yourself. Maybe you want to improve your picking speed without sacrificing accuracy. Or perhaps you want to learn a new skill by the end of the quarter. Whatever your goals are, make sure they’re challenging yet achievable. The key, for me anyway, is to stay focused on continuous improvement.
Another thing I think is important is that communication word. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your supervisor or team if you’re feeling stuck or complacent. Sometimes, it’s easy to fall into a routine without realizing it, and talking about it can help. Ask for feedback on your performance, or discuss new challenges or responsibilities that you can take on. Supervisors appreciate when associates take the initiative to grow in their roles. It makes their jobs easier!
What else do I have here, lets go back to safety for a minute. Safety meetings might seem unnecessary, but they’re an excellent way to keep safety at the forefront of our mind. When safety becomes routine, it’s easy to overlook it. Random safety audits or drills keep everyone on their toes and ensure that procedures are followed at all times. These drills can simulate real-life situations, like an equipment malfunction or an emergency evacuation, helping everyone stay prepared for the unexpected.
Maintaining our equipment wraps right in with safety. We’ve talked about forklift inspections, but this applies to all equipment. Regular maintenance should never be skipped, no matter how small the issue might seem. Over time, small issues can become big problems, and neglecting equipment and machine maintenance is a prime example of complacency. Always follow the maintenance schedule and report any issues immediately.
Another thing real quick, I have to recognize the warning signs of slipping into routines every week! If you notice that you’re zoning out, multitasking too much, or just going through the motions, that’s a clear sign of complacency. One strategy to stay engaged is practicing mindfulness. Being fully present in your work helps you stay focused and prevents your mind from wandering.
When you actively combat complacency, the benefits are immense. Not only are you keeping yourself and your coworkers safe, but you’re also setting yourself up for long-term success. By staying engaged and relevant in your role, you’re more likely to be noticed for promotions and additional responsibilities. Management always looks for employees who are proactive, adaptable, and committed to and showing continuous improvement.
Additionally, striving for a culture of engagement contributes to a positive work environment. When everyone is committed to doing their best and looking out for each other, the entire team benefits. Productivity increases, morale improves, and the company as a whole becomes more successful.
Finally, and for me anyway, staying engaged in your work brings a sense of personal satisfaction. When you know you’re doing your best and contributing to the success of the team, you feel a sense of accomplishment. That pride in your work helps keep you motivated over time and prevents burnout.
Complacency is something that we all have to watch out for in the warehouse. It’s easy to become comfortable in our roles, but that comfort can lead to dangerous safety hazards, decreased efficiency, and stunted professional growth. By staying alert, setting goals, continuing to learn, and communicating with our teams, we can combat complacency and ensure that we remain relevant in our positions and safe in our work environments. Remember, your career and your safety are worth the effort—so stay sharp, stay engaged, and keep pushing yourself to improve every day.
I’ll climb down from my soapbox now! If you have any questions on todays topics or suggestions for future topics send us a message to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and we’ll try and get them answered.
Be safe out there and I hope you’ll stop in again next week.
Imagine this: You’re at work, it’s been a long day, and suddenly, a colleague makes a snide comment that hits you in just the wrong way. You’ve been holding in frustration for weeks, and this one comment feels like the last straw. You lash out, words are exchanged, and before you know it, the situation has escalated beyond control. What started as a verbal altercation now turns physical, and in a moment of anger, everything changes.
Hi all! I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, and today I’d like to talk about workplace violence—how a single moment of anger can not only impact your career but can have lasting effects on your personal life, your future, and the well-being of your family. We’ll explore the far-reaching consequences of assault and discuss the vital importance of de-escalation and reporting incidents of bullying or violence in the workplace.”
A few weeks ago I was speaking with a few associates at a large production facility, they were a bit shocked that a recent event, a small pushing scuffle was how they were describing it, had stirred up such a fuss with the management team.
In our industry we’ve learned, and I hope throughout life that we’ve learned, it’s never ok to lay hands on another person, even touch another person, for any reason, in a harmful way at school or work. And you can put a period at the end of that sentence.
We got to talking about what can happen and how serious are those consequences. So lets talk about a few of them.
- Career Impact: A violent incident at work can have immediate and devastating effects on our careers. Employers are increasingly vigilant about workplace behavior, and a record of violence can make it difficult, if not impossible, to find new employment. A physical confrontation can lead to immediate termination. Even if legal charges aren’t filed, your reputation can be irreparably damaged, making it challenging to rebuild your career. Employers want to ensure a safe working environment, and hiring someone with a history of violence is a risk most may not be willing to take.
- Personal and Family Costs: The impact doesn’t stop at work. The personal toll of such incidents can be immense. Legal fees, court dates, and possibly even jail time can strain your finances and relationships. The emotional stress can ripple through your family, causing tension and fear. Children and spouses may struggle with the stigma and stress of having a family member involved in a violent incident. Relationships can suffer, and the stability of your home life may be jeopardized.
- Legal Ramifications: The legal consequences of workplace violence are severe. Depending on the nature of the incident, you could be facing charges that range from assault to harassment. A conviction can lead to fines, probation, or even imprisonment. In addition to criminal penalties, you may also face civil lawsuits from the victim, which can lead to financial ruin. These legal battles can drag on for years, keeping the incident fresh in your mind and in the public record, following you wherever you go. Following you for life!
We all get it, our work environment can be fast paced, it may be hot and it may be cold. We may have production numbers we’re responsible for hitting, our pay may even be based on quantities and those numbers. Even in a slower paced environment we can find that talk is cheap, sometimes people like to gossip amongst themselves and in their little groups.
But we know ourselves and yes, we are responsible for our own actions! Here are a few tips I’ve been given over the years.
- Recognizing Stress and Triggers: Understanding the triggers that lead to anger is the first step in managing it. Workplace stress is inevitable—tight deadlines, difficult coworkers, or challenging tasks can all contribute to our frustration. It’s important to recognize when these stresses are starting to build up within us. Are there certain situations or people that consistently raise your stress levels? Are you feeling overwhelmed or undervalued? Identifying these triggers can help you address the root cause before it escalates and becomes more than we can handle.
- Techniques for Managing Anger: Once you’re aware of your triggers, it’s crucial to have thoughts or plans in place to manage that anger. Simple techniques like deep breathing can help calm my nerves. When you feel your anger rising, try taking a deep breath and counting to ten in your head before responding. If possible, remove yourself from the situation, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Step outside, get some fresh air, and clear your head. Talking to someone—a trusted colleague, a supervisor, or even HR—can also provide a release for your emotions and help you gain perspective and keep your job.
- The Power of Walking Away: One of the most effective ways to de-escalate a situation is simply to walk away. It might feel counterintuitive, especially if you feel wronged or disrespected, but walking away is a powerful statement of self-control. It’s not about letting the other person ‘win’—it’s about protecting your own future. Walking away can diffuse tension and give you time to calm down and think more clearly. Remember, it takes more strength to step back from a confrontation than to engage in one. Yep, that’s hard sometimes but it’s a must in such situations.
- If walking away isn’t immediately possible, verbal de-escalation can be a valuable tool. Start by lowering your voice and speaking calmly. Acknowledge the other person’s feelings without necessarily agreeing with them: ‘I can see you’re upset, let’s talk about this in a bit or later. This can help reduce their aggression and shift the conversation from conflict to resolution. Avoid accusatory language, and instead use ‘I’ statements to express how you feel: ‘I feel frustrated when… rather than ‘You always…
- And remember how non-verbal cues can play a huge role in de-escalating conflicts. Keep your body language open and non-threatening—no crossed arms, no glaring. Maintain eye contact, but don’t stare aggressively. A relaxed posture can help signal that you’re not looking for a fight. Even your tone of voice and facial expressions can influence the outcome of a confrontation. Staying calm and composed can encourage the other person to mirror your behavior.
It may seem like we’re backing down or whatever you want to call it. It’s really using common sense and not letting a 2- or 3-minute confrontation define us for the rest of our lives. And I mean a possibility to properly provide for ourselves and our families for the rest of our lives.
For some reason reporting such events seem to bother us. Its not ratting out someone or telling on them. Its part of the responsibilities we carry with us in the workplace.
- Why Reporting is Crucial: “Those incidents of bullying, verbal assaults, or physical confrontations can never be ignored. Reporting these incidents is not only about protecting yourself, but also about maintaining a safe work environment for everyone. Too often, people stay silent because they fear retaliation or because they don’t want to be seen as a troublemaker. But unreported incidents can escalate, leading to more serious confrontations. By reporting, you’re helping to prevent future violence and creating a culture where safety and respect are prioritized. Even if you’re a witness to such, it’s your responsibility to report it as well. We should help look out for our peers’ jobs and wellbeing as well.
- A safe workplace is one where employees feel comfortable speaking up about issues before they turn into major problems. We have to encourage an environment of open communication where everyone knows that their concerns will be taken seriously. And our Employers should provide clear policies and procedures for reporting incidents, and employees should be educated on how to use these resources. When everyone is committed to creating a safe environment, the risk of violence is significantly reduced.
Workplace violence is not just a momentary lapse in judgment—it’s an action that can have severe, long-lasting consequences. From damaging your career and personal life to facing legal ramifications, the cost is far too high. But these situations can be avoided. By understanding your triggers, managing your anger, and using de-escalation techniques, you can protect your future. And remember, if you witness or experience bullying or violence, reporting it is our responsibility to maintaining a safe work environment for the entire team.
In the end, we all have a choice. We can let anger take control, or we can choose to walk away and keep our careers, our families, and our futures intact. Let’s choose to get along, let’s choose safety, and let’s make sure that our workplaces are environments where everyone feels respected and protected.
We’ll I think we’ll end on that point! I’d like to hear any thoughts you may have on todays topic. Email me, host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and share those thoughts!
Until next week, let’s all have fun, be productive, and be safe at it!
Welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I’m Marty, and today, we’re diving into two, of the many many, responsibilities that every warehouse and operations associate must understand and accept. Whether you’re a seasoned worker or just starting out, understanding and owning these responsibilities can make a world of difference in your career. We’re talking about Safety and the Timeclock—two areas that are important for the smooth operation of any warehouse or facility.
Let’s kick things off with Safety, a topic that should always be at the forefront of our minds. Safety isn’t just a set of rules or guidelines handed down by management—it’s a fundamental responsibility that every employee must take seriously. In a warehouse environment, where the pace is fast and the stakes are high, overlooking safety can have dire consequences for the company and our teammates as well as ourselves.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility, from the top of the organization down to that new boot that started today. It’s not just about protecting yourself; it’s about looking out for your coworkers too. When everyone is focused on safety, the whole team benefits. But why exactly is safety such a shared responsibility? I think it has to be a culture within ourselves and a culture of our group. I do have 4 thoughts though.
1. Collective Well-being: In a warehouse, everyone’s actions impact everyone else. One person’s mistake can lead to accidents that affect multiple people. For example, if the unloader or lumper does not properly stack the pallet he or she is creating, you know, leaving cases hanging over to far or not locking the cases in utilizing the proper ti and hi but rather column stacks the freight or even builds the pallet on a bad or broken wood with bad runners or planks and stages it for the receiver to tag, the runner to run to the aisles and then the forklift operator to rack it, and no one catches the error, well, we could be looking at a near miss opportunity or even a serious accident should cases fall or the pallet breaks. When each employee is focused on safety, the entire workplace becomes safer.
2. Efficiency and Productivity: A safe workplace is an efficient workplace. Incidents and accidents lead to downtime, which in turn affects productivity. By adhering to safety protocols, employees ensure that operations run smoothly, without unnecessary interruptions due to near misses, injuries or accidents.
3. Legal and Financial Repercussions: Safety violations can result in serious legal and financial consequences for both the company and the employees involved. By taking personal responsibility for safety, employees help avoid costly fines, lawsuits, and lost time. We’ve all been trained, and we must follow and abide by that training. Our foremost daily goal has to be for our team and each of us to return home as we left for our loved ones.
4. Moral Responsibility: Beyond the legal and financial aspects, there’s a moral responsibility to ensure that everyone goes home safely at the end of the day. No job is worth putting your health or life at risk, and no one should have to worry about being injured at work. One second, one bad decision, can change a life.
So, how can you, as an employee, prioritize safety in your daily tasks? Here are a few key practices:
• Follow Established Procedures: Always follow the safety protocols and procedures that have been put in place. These are designed to protect you and your coworkers.
• Use the Right Equipment: Make sure you’re using the correct equipment for the job and that it’s in good working order. Think pre trip here. Don’t take shortcuts by using tools or machines that aren’t appropriate for the task at hand. And I want to reiterate that we as professional warehouse persons know not to ever, and will not ever, get on a piece of powered equipment or use a machine or tool that we have not been trained on and certified to operate.
• Stay Aware of Your Surroundings: Always be aware of what’s happening around you. Pay attention to potential hazards, and don’t hesitate to address them or report them to your supervisor. Remember the old saying look before moving the first inch.
• Communicate: If you see something unsafe, speak up. Whether it’s a spill that needs cleaning or a machine that isn’t functioning properly, your voice could prevent an accident. Sometimes I hear, usually after an incident, that so and so was driving to fast all day or so and so didn’t know what he or she was doing, yet, when asked why nothing was said, you hear, well, I didn’t want to snitch or rat on them or well, they were trying I guess. Please, if you have a thought or are concerned about something, say it, and say it loudly. It is our responsibility as a team member.
Safety is drilled into us at the point of hire, every day during our training and at our daily shift startup meetings, yet some associates seem to think of time or productivity, or just our thoughts of outside of work issues like family, sports, or worries, draw from our focus while on the job. Please stay focused on the task at hand. Safety is our number one priority.
OK, I could talk about our responsibilities with safety for an hour but moving on!
Now let’s talk about another responsibility that might seem straightforward but is incredibly important: Our responsibility with the timeclock. Punching in and out might seem like a routine task, but it plays an important role in the operation of the warehouse, the accuracy of payroll, which is our pay, and even legal compliance.
Why does everyone in management throw such a fit regarding the timeclock you may ask. Well, here’s 4 reasons I came up with off the top of my head!
1. Accuracy in Payroll: The timeclock is the tool used to track our hours worked, which directly affects payroll. If we don’t punch in and out correctly, it can lead to discrepancies in pay. This can cause frustration, disputes, and unnecessary delays in getting us paid accurately. I know one managers thoughts are that if we can’t handle properly punching in and out on the clock then how can he feel assured that we can properly complete the task he assigns us. He kind of has a point! Anyway where’s my next point, let me see.
2. Legal Compliance: Timeclock records are often considered legal documents. They can be used in audits or legal proceedings to verify hours worked. Inaccuracies, whether intentional or accidental, can lead to serious consequences, including fines for the company or legal action against individuals.
3. Management’s Time: When employees forget to punch in or out, it creates additional work for managers. They have to spend time tracking down the missing information, making corrections, and ensuring everything aligns correctly with the payroll system. This not only takes time away from their other responsibilities but can also lead to errors in the correction process. Payroll systems is like anything else, the more hands in it or the more times its touched is more opportunities for human errors!
4. Fairness and Accountability: Proper timeclock management ensures that everyone is treated fairly. It prevents situations where some employees may be unintentionally working more hours than they’re compensated for, or others may be underreporting their hours. Accurate timekeeping is a matter of fairness and accountability for everyone on the team. Again, its our responsibility.
Here are 4 best practices that were giving to me like 20 years ago by a payroll supervisor I had way too much interaction with every Monday each week. She turned out to be one of my many mentors.
• Be Consistent: Always punch in and out at the beginning and end of your shift and in and out for lunch. And remember at breaks as well if you’re required to do so.
• Double-Check: After you punch in or out, take a moment to verify that your entry was recorded correctly. Many systems will give you a confirmation—make sure you see it before you walk away.
• Report Issues Immediately: and this is an important one, we’re human but If you forget to punch in or out, or if you notice an error, report it to your supervisor as soon as possible. The sooner it’s addressed, the easier it will be to correct.
• Understand the System: Make sure you’re familiar with the timeclock system your workplace uses. Whether it’s a physical clock, a digital system, or even an app, know how to use it correctly.
Again, its our responsibility!
Safety and the Timeclock may seem like basic responsibilities, but they are foundational to the success of any warehouse operation. By taking these responsibilities seriously, you contribute not only to your own well-being and career success but also to the overall efficiency and safety of your workplace. Remember, in the world of warehouse and operations, every action you take has a ripple effect—make sure your impact is a positive one.
I want to Thank each of you for tuning in today, send us any comments and or topic suggestions to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and we’ll get you some answers or information. Until next time, stay safe, and keep those time clocks accurate!
Welcome to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career, where we explore the unsung heroes who keep our industries running smoothly. I’m Marty, and today we’re diving into the world of general labor tasks in the warehouse and light industrial industry.
Warehouses and light industrial facilities are really the backbone of countless industries. From manufacturing, production and distribution, these environments are where the magic happens—where products are made, stored, and shipped to their final destinations. But what exactly goes into the daily tasks of a general laborer in these settings? And there’s literally thousands of answers. What challenges do they face, and what skills are crucial for success?
So why does the term G/L turn so many people off? This week I heard a hiring agent offer a gentleman a position, used the term general labor, and the individual stated they did not do G/L work. They had applied for a material handler position, the task was defined and listed as unloading apparel from boxes, inspecting as q/c or quality control, remove misprinted tagging, fold, and place in another box to be palletized and stored until needed to ship out. No warehouse equipment usage, machine, nor scanning or anything.
General labor task are hard to define in todays world. Agency recruiters, like staffing groups, seem to use the term when little to no training is involved or needed past like the first day of employment. I like to think the term means and welcomes a new boot to our industry! I mean for all our “get your foot in the door tasks” that can lead us to the more skilled positions, more money, and those long term careers that many of us are working for. And I’d like to throw in here that there is nothing wrong with just working at a job, sometimes careers or long term vision isen’t necessary or not a life being chased. And that’s ok.
So I wanted to ask a pro and I emailed a light industrial recruiter and asked them to define General Labor tasks or positions to me. Here is what I got back. In a warehouse or light industrial setting, general labor refers to a broad range of tasks that keep the operation running smoothly. These tasks can vary widely depending on the industry, the size of the facility, and the specific needs of the employer. However, there are some common duties that most general laborers can expect to perform.
First and foremost, general laborers are often responsible for material handling. This involves the movement, storage, and control of materials and products throughout the warehouse. It can include tasks like loading and unloading trucks, moving products to and from storage areas, and ensuring that inventory is properly organized and accessible.
In addition to material handling, general laborers may be tasked with assembly or production work. In light industrial settings, this could involve assembling products or components, operating machinery, or assisting in the production process. While these tasks might not require specialized skills or training, they do demand attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
Another key responsibility is order picking and packing. As e-commerce continues to grow, the demand for efficient order fulfillment has skyrocketed. General laborers play a crucial role in this process by locating products within the warehouse, packing them securely, and preparing them for shipment. Speed and accuracy are essential here, as mistakes can lead to delays and dissatisfied customers.
Last week we talked about AI in our industry, I just read what I figure was 80% written by AI! However the recruiter did hit on a few points I’d like to explore a bit further.
Of course, none of these tasks would be possible without a focus on safety. Warehouses and industrial facilities can be hazardous environments, with potential risks ranging from heavy machinery to hazardous materials. General laborers must be trained in proper safety protocols and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times. This not only protects them but also ensures a safe working environment for everyone.
I lost my place, ok,Now that we’ve covered the core tasks, let’s talk about some of the challenges that general laborers face in these roles. One of the most significant challenges is the physical demand of the job. General labor tasks often require lifting, carrying, and moving heavy objects, sometimes for extended periods. This can lead to fatigue, muscle strain, and, if not done correctly, injuries.
To reduce these risks, it’s crucial to use proper lifting techniques and to know your limits. Employers should also provide training on ergonomics and encourage workers to take breaks when needed. After all, a healthy worker is a productive worker.
Another challenge is the repetitive nature of many tasks. Whether it’s assembling products on a production line or picking items from shelves, repetition can lead to both physical and mental fatigue. This is where mindfulness and focus come into play. Taking short breaks, stretching, and staying hydrated can help manage the physical strain, while staying mentally engaged in the task at hand can prevent boredom and mistakes.
Efficiency is another critical aspect of general labor work. In a fast-paced environment like a warehouse, time is money. We’re often expected to complete tasks quickly without sacrificing accuracy or safety. This can be stressful, especially when deadlines are tight, or there are unexpected changes in the workload.
To excel in these environments, general laborers need to develop strong time management skills and learn to prioritize tasks effectively. It also helps to be adaptable as things can change quickly in a warehouse, and the ability to pivot and adjust to new priorities is important.
Technology is also playing an increasingly important role in the warehouse and light industrial industries. Automation, robotics, and advanced inventory management systems are transforming how tasks are performed, making some processes faster and more efficient. For general laborers, this means learning to work alongside these technologies and understanding how to leverage them to improve performance. We talked about this last week, remember where I said learn, learn, learn!
For example, barcode scanners and RFID technology have changed inventory management, allowing workers to track products in real time and reduce errors. Oh yeah, and those automated guided vehicles (AGVs) we spoke about can transport materials around the warehouse, reducing the physical burden on workers and increasing efficiency.
However, with the rise of technology also comes the need for new skills. While general labor tasks traditionally required little formal education or training, today’s workers need to be comfortable with technology and willing to learn new systems. This could involve everything from using a tablet to track inventory to operating complex machinery on the production floor.
So, what does it take to succeed as a general laborer in a warehouse or light industrial setting? A few thoughts, and I’d like to hear about yours as well:
- Reliability: Show up on time, ready to work, and consistently meet or exceed expectations.
- Attention to Detail: Small mistakes can lead to big problems, so it’s important to be thorough and precise in your work.
- Physical Stamina: The ability to perform physically demanding tasks over long periods is essential.
- Adaptability: Be prepared to take on new tasks or adjust to changes in the workflow as needed.
- And in my opinion, the most important personal asset is A Positive Attitude: A good attitude can make a tough job easier and is often appreciated by both coworkers and supervisors.
For those considering a career in this field, it’s also worth noting that there are a lot of opportunities for growth. Many supervisors and managers in warehouses and industrial settings started out in general labor roles. By gaining experience, developing new skills, and demonstrating leadership abilities, you can advance to higher-paying positions with more responsibility.
That last comment reminds me of an email I received this week. A long time listener, A gentleman from PA wrote to let me know he, through hard work, learning, and obtaining several certifications, had achieved one of his goals he’d been working on. He is now a warehouse receiving manager, preparing for his next steps as director and then a v.p. position. And you know what, he’s going to achieve all his goals. Maybe we can schedule him to visit with us in the near future and walk us through his plan, how he put it together, and where he plans to go within our industry!
That wraps up today’s episode on general labor tasks in the warehouse and light industrial industry. Whether you’re already working in the field or thinking about getting started, I hope we’ve given you some valuable insights into what the job entails and how you can succeed.
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Warehouse and Operations as a Career and leave us a review. And as always, if you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes, feel free to reach out at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com Until next time, keep working hard and stay safe out there.
It seems, to me anyway, that people are just talking to hear themselves talk sometimes. And I know that’s not the case. I’ve heard so many reasons why people didn’t get hired for a position, and why so and so received a new promotion, why a job pays so little or why a job pays so much. Even opinions on what a job should pay. And a lot of people commenting on background friendly jobs, or lack thereof. And one of my favorites, I was fired because, a fill in the blank comment. Every time I think I’ve heard every reason someone states why they were fired, I’m surprised with a new reason. And all the comments on how AI and robots are going to take all of our jobs away, that’s a good one! I’m Marty and today here on Warehouse and Operations as a Career I wanted to explain some of these myths, which are really just opinions of others, and share a few of my opinions, which are based on my own experiences and facts from the industry!
So lets just dive in and start with a great example of why applicant A didn’t get hired for a position and a person that came in at the same time, applicant B, did. Both were there for the same fork lift position, a counterbalance forklift. Both applicants had answered an ad on one of the major job boards and uploaded their resume and answered the few qualifying questions pretty well.
Applicant A was invited back to interview with a hiring agent. The recruiter was going through the resume, asking questions, the regular type of questions like, why did you leave this or that company, tell me about your day on the receiving dock, was you hauling or racking freight most of your day, how did you feel about your immediate supervisor, did you feel there was growth opportunities etc, y’all know the drill!
Ok, Applicant A, did not have a copy of the resume with them, the recruiter wasn’t sure applicant A even remembered what was written on the resume. The recruiter felt like they had to give leading questions just to get answers. The interview lasted only 15ish minutes. Applicant A didn’t ask any questions, and no thank you as the recruiter thanked them for coming in and expressed they would reach out should they decide to extend an offer.
Now Applicant B was called back for their interview. Applicant B had their resume in their hand. They we’re asked all the same questions and presented answers. This applicant actually had a few short experiences at several places, however, they had and shared, an explanation for each. By the way, this applicant was wearing their steeltoe footwear. The interview lasted 35 or so minutes. Applicant was on-boarded, hired, and given a date to go take their PIT class.
As a side note, Applicant A came in a few weeks later asking to see another recruiter, stating his first one didn’t like them.
Its all about being prepared. If you’re a long time listener you’ll remember from our visits with recruiters the importance of selling yourself, asking questions, showing interest. Applicant B got the job even though their work history wasent as consistent as applicant A.
Its just like when we see a position on a Facebook job board and they give us a phone number, an email address, and maybe a physical address to go apply yet we comment with the word interested.
The recruiter was indifferent between the two candidates, one stood out, had nothing to do with liking either.
Moving on, lets talk about Why I didn’t get the promotion. Worker A had been at the facility for 16 months. They were in the top 3 productivity wise. Worker B had been with them for almost 8 months and was about 12th on the cases per hour sheet.
Worker B came in every day anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes early. Looking at the attendance record, they had missed 2 days, both scheduled, in that 8 months. Worker B had had several fly by visits with the Supervisor, maybe it was the manager I think, regarding how he wanted to do other things someday.
Worker A came in a little early or right on time most days, however they’d been tardy 18 times and called in 11 times in 16 their 16 months.
I’m not sure how they found out there was a lead position opening, maybe someone was being promoted or leaving, any how, both stopped by and mentioned it to the Supervisor. I’m sure the supervisor visited with the manager and it was decided that Worker B would be a stronger associate to invest training in.
Yes, it not necessarily right that we’re judged on our past performances, but I believe we can all understand why the choice was made.
I cant stress enough how important being THAT employee is in our Careers.
Lets talk about AI, we’re all hearing how AI is going to take so many jobs. A great accountability partner of mine explained to me that AI is only going to take jobs from people that don’t know how to use AI. I won’t get on my learning soapbox today but, well, we have to learn, learn, and learn. Have an open mind and vision regarding where we want to be every 3 years or so.
Anyway, there are so many positions in our light industrial industry that can and will be affected by AI but I think, for now at least, the labor positions are safe for a bit!
And robots, OMG, yes, we are and will continue to see automated, to some degree, forklifts, palletjacks, sorter machines etc in the distribution world. However, they are 10’s of years away from presenting a worry to us. Again, it’ll be those that fight it and don’t learn to work within the technology that will be moving on. Think about the manufacturing and production plants. Machinery was introduced to them back in the industrial revolution back in the early 19th century. Think of the steam engine, and the flour mills, and more recently the CNC machines and assembly lines, pressworking operations, and yes AI. They all created positions to run them. Many of the positions just switched from the labor side to the operating, programing, and maintenance side.
Let me see, I think we have time for one or two more opinions!
Here’s one, and this is a serious one, its one I struggle with and quite frankly don’t agree with or understand. Like I said earlier, I don’t necessarily believe that our past is a contributing factor regarding employment but, nor should any of us expect companies or hiring agents to take our word for something. I’ve always wanted to show you what I can do.
We all see job boards, even Facebook job groups that have advertisements for positions that say drug screen and background check required. That could mean that there looking for a clean background or maybe the old 3 and 7 rule! Meaning nothing newer than 3 years since the last misdemeanor or 7 years since a conviction on a felony.
In many instances we may have to forgo that great paying job for now and work our way into it. I suggest to stay away from those post, not always but for now. Lets look for that good paying position in a smaller corporation, get our foot in the door, gain a few years of experience with what we’d like to be doing, and maybe growing within that company or building some time on a job. Then we can go back out into the market and we’ll have more to sell. Again, I want to mention being THAT employee. It’ll take us a long way.
And then, my personal favorite. They fired me. In my experience I’ve known less than a handful of people that’s been fired by a member of management. Now laid off or a reduction in the workforce is not what I’m talking about. I mean fired. To be fired by our supervisor, or manager, or the HR department for no reason, well, that could be just unlawful period. And as employees we have protections and recourses for such of course.
But what I hear 10 times a week across the nation is how associates have fired themselves. Serisouly, think about it. We took the job, we knew the start times, the end time, the shift hours and days, the job description, and all the expectations. And when we do not arrive on-time, or leave early, and don’t show up for each shift, maybe call in to often or tardy to much, or do the task our way vs the way we were trained. Well, so who fired us?
Of course we need time off occasionally and we may have to be late punching in once or twice or need to leave early, maybe even miss our production or productivity numbers a few times. I’m pretty certain we’re not going to be let go as long as those occurrences are the exception and not the rule for us.
As a matter of fact, we’ve probably been spoken to, coached or given a corrective action form if the management team notices or feels like a trend is developing.
If we, what do we want to call it, if we abuse or aren’t concerned with the rules and expectations, didn’t we actually fire ourselves?
The company and shift needs the headcount and productivity scheduled to get the jobs done. We’re in the bigs now, not the retail or food service industries. I like using the word professionals. That’s what we are correct!
I know some of those opinions are a little point blank, but aren’t they all true and factual? I guess it’s how you look at them. That’s why there called opinions, we all have them!
I want to thank you for taking to time to join us here at WAOC today and appreciate you. If you have any questions or would like to comment on any of the topics today you can reach out to our X and Facebook pages using @whseops or emailing us at warehouseandoperationsasacareer. Com.
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Be safe, others are waiting on us to get home each day!
Hello all, Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career the Podcast! Thanks for clicking into another episode, this just happens to be our 300th time to visit and talk about the industry I love, and am quite passionate about!
We’ve entertained many guests over the years, order selectors, driver helpers, forklift operators, pallet runners, over the road truck drivers, warehouse leads, supervisors, managers, staffing agency owners, CSHO’s and OSHA Out Reach Trainers, recruiters, Human Resource managers and we’ve had many roundtable discussions regarding our chosen industries, whether they be in manufacturing, production, or the distribution arenas, gosh, the range of topics goes on and on now that I’m thinking about it!
If you’ve ever taken away any thoughts from us here at WAOC I hope it’s that our jobs and careers is a long term commitment, we’re going to work for the rest of our lives with the objective of eventually walking away financially secure, propping our feet up on the front porch with a cold beverage in our hands with our better halves, the kids and grandkids hanging out with us!
You’ve heard me talk a lot about the importance of planning, goals, things to do and things not to do in the workplace! Probably too often and too many times! Those topics are on my mind today but I’m going to try and steer away from them, well, I may explore the edges a bit!
Anyway, It’s been a strange few months for WAOC. I’ve been doing a little traveling for business and working here in Dallas, Tx, visiting with applicants, recruiters, and what I most enjoy, speaking with the backbone of our industry, the men and women on the floor. Those performing the many different positions out there.
A subject that’s came up across 3 different states recently is workplace violence. I won’t go into the whole class on avoiding violence and its consequences, I mean its pretty much common sense, or you’d think so!
Are you seeing more aggravation or frustration at your facilities? Each recent occurrence I’ve heard about lately have been between individuals with less than 6 weeks on the job. Two gentlemen got into a fist fight over water being splashed onto them. It seems things escalated from simple horseplay with water bottles into one of the guys throwing a punch and the other reciprocating. As we all know, horseplaying in the warehouse never ends well. We’re at work, not a social event or backyard BBQ.
Another instance involved 3 men getting into a fight in the parking lot at break. All three lost their positions.
Here’s a good one. Seems that two women, packers that worked across from each other for like 5 weeks, all of a sudden, as the story goes, just started pushing each other around, ending up on the ground wrestling. Again, both losing their jobs.
Each investigation concluded that these spats grew to the breaking points over a few days or weeks. While conducting the investigations it was learned that others had seen and heard bickering between them, in one instance even threats were made. When asked why they hadn’t said anything it was brought up that they didn’t want to get involved, snitch or get anyone in trouble. People lost there jobs over silly comments, I’m not sure we help our friends when we’re thinking like that.
Each one of those ladies and gentlemen could have been charged with assault. An assault charge stays with you for life. I know, you may have been told that it’s a misdemeanor most of the time and that misdemeanors only stay with you for 3 years. Your hiring manager knows about it, for always. Have you ever been job searching and see comments like “background friendly” or BGF, or something about 2nd chances? Please think long term, work hard to get along. It’s our lives we could derail, not the ones that’s upset us!
Now I don’t necessarily agree with infractions growing up carrying so much weight within our careers, and companies may state that they don’t, but they can and do. DWI’s DUI’s, drug charges, theft, and any kind of assault or domestic violence charges are looked at. They can’t necessarily keep us from getting the job but if there’s 30 other applicants with clean records and the same or more experience with the task, well, you can see how that could turn out for us right?
Another thing I’m hearing more and more about recently is It’s not fair. There is nothing fair about working. We accept a job, know the task at hand, or hopefully asked about the job if it wasn’t explained to us before accepting it. We can’t be concerned about what others, especially in other departments, are doing. Now, I’m not talking about being mistreated by a supervisor, or being picked on by a manager, that’s something different and should be reported immediately to our HR or even higher up the chain if necessary. And it’s important to remember that it is our responsibility do report it, for ourselves and others.
Here’s a good example I heard a few weeks ago. An individual, I think it was only like his 3rd job to apply for replied when asked why he had left company A. He stated that he couldn’t get along with his supervisor so he just didn’t go back in one day. The interviewer then asked about his stay with company B. The applicant stated that his manager wanted him to work to hard there. The interview never made it to the third question.
We’ve talked about how hard an interview is to complete, we’re nervous to begin with and yes, we should be, need to be honest, when answering every question, but we should think about how direct we answer those questions sometimes!
Oh, heres a good example. We should try not to be that new associate that knows more about doing the job than the supervisor and manager that’s been there for 7 years.
An order selector, on his 4th week, after being trained was ready to be turned lose on his own. He’d done great all throughout his training, following direction and learning the company’s SOP’s and selection procedures, he knew what the expectations were. Well, on the first night being left on his own, the trainer noticed he was doing things differently than he’d been shown. When spoken to about it he stated that this was how he used to do it at his last job, the one he was no longer with! A while later into the shift the supervisor witnessed him performing the task incorrectly and spoke with him about it. He received roughly the same answer. The supervisor asked if his trainer had explained their way of selecting and had he signed off on his expectations sheet. The associate said yes but that he felt that his way was better, quicker. The gentleman was walked out at the end of the day. It’s important we pick our battles. The company has rules and standard operation procedures for a reason, and most of the time we will not be privy as to how they came to be. Now, I feel, that its always ok to bring up our ideas, we may have a better way, but we should perform the task as asked until we have those discussions.
I’ve digressed! I’ve got to get back to my bullet points here lol. Where was I?
OK, one thing I wanted to point out is job hopping. Many times, we can increase our payrate each time we change positions, and that shouldn’t be a bad thing. However, when a hiring agent sees we’ve had 5 jobs at different companies in 7 years, they don’t know that we improved, or felt like we had improved our career with each hop. Always make sure, even with such a positive move, that, 1, we explain why we changed jobs, and 2, that we’re looking for a permanent, long-term career and position with a company built on growth coming from within. I know one manager that doesn’t ask questions when they see such, its just on to the next resume. Like we’ve discussed before, during an interview we have to be selling ourselves in order to get the job!
I won’t go into a full blown soap box speech about planning but do you have one? Here in the States, we like to think we’ll be retiring around 65 or 67 years young. In todays world it’s necessary to start planning for retirement in our 20’s, no later than our 30’s.
Our chosen professions, in the light industrial areas, can provide great resources for growth, financial resources, and livelihood. However, it’s our responsibility to take advantage of those many opportunities. Savings are important, investing or taking advantage of things like the companys 401k offerings, and understanding them, is important. Does everyone understand how your social security works, know what the qualifiers are, and how we can mess it up if we’re not careful? And how about any other financial plans our company may offer? Its not a long time between 30 years old and 67!
Think about it all, you’re in a long term endeavor, and it’s a great and rewarding ride if we apply ourselves and commit to it! A career is just really common sense, we all know the difference between right and wrong!
Here in the next couple of weeks we’re going to have a roundtable episode with a recruiter, an HR representative, an operations trainer and a V.P. on the show, each explaining there thoughts on the industry and where they believe its going! It’ll be a blast speaking to all of them.
And as always, if you have any questions about todays topics, send us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer .com and we’ll get you an answer.
Thanks for listening in and being a part of our 300th episode. We look forward to many more and hope each of you enjoy them as much as we do!
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Well, the 2nd quarter is closed and behind us! We’re halfway through the year! I don’t know about ya’ll but […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career here, I’m Marty back with ya and I’d like to thank you for checking […]
Welcome back, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Everyone has had a Productive, Prosperous and Safe week, […]
Hey everyone, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, and I have absolutely no ideal what I’d like […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and I appreciate you listening in today! Everyone know […]
Productivity, productivity is one of those all-encompassing words in our industry, do we really understand it? I’m Marty with Warehouse […]
Hello all, I’m Marty and this is Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Last week we were in the Midwest, […]
Today I thought we’d talk about another Op’s position; it can be a great avenue to the transportation departments and […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and were back at The Taste of Oak Cliff Festival. We […]
We appreciate you stopping in this week, I’m Marty with the Warehouse and Operations as a Career Podcast! We’ve been […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I’m Marty T Hawkins, I think this is the first episode that we […]
Hello again, Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I was asked again this week if becoming […]
Thanks for listening in to Warehouse and Operations as a Career today, I’m Marty, and we appreciate you stopping by! […]
Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career and the 2nd quarter of 2019! I’m Marty T Hawkins and I […]
And another weeks flown by, I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I appreciate you listening […]
Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career here, lets see, what do we have for this week. I wanted […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I’m Marty T Hawkins, everyone having an outstanding week I hope! I was […]
Welcome to Week 10 of 2019 and to Episode 128 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty T […]
Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and today I thought we’d talk a little about the […]
Hey hey, Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career here with you again! Let’s see, it’s been […]
Welcome again to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and we’re grateful you stopped in for a visit! […]
What is the most utilized and can be the most dangerous tool used in our Light Industrial Industry? Care to […]
Thanks for checking back with us here at WAOC this week, I’m Marty T Hawkins, I hope everyone’s having a […]
Anhydrous Ammonia, anyone know what that is? I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and we […]
Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, it’s great to have you back with us this week! […]
Hello all, I brought a bad cold back with me from Atlanta, Georgia last week, I hope my voice isn’t […]
Welcome to our first Episode of 2019, Marty with you here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Last year, […]
2018 is a wrap Ladies and Gentlemen, where’d all the time go? Here we are in Week 52, next week […]
Welcome to Week 51 of 2018, Marty here with you at Warehouse and Operations as a Career! By now ya’ll […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I hope everyone’s had a prosperous, safe and productive week so […]
Hello all, from Warehouse and Operations as a Career, the Podcast where we talk about Warehousing and Transportation and the […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! We appreciate you listening in with us today. Be sure to […]
So it’s week 47 of 2018, and I appreciate you taking the time to listen in to us here at […]
It’s been another great week here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I hope everyone’s had a safe and […]
Welcome back and thanks for checking in with us, I’m Marty and you’ve chosen to listen in to Warehouse and […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and WAOC is back on the road this week! […]
Hello again! Your back with Marty and Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I thank you for listening in […]
Welcome back, and thank you for checking in with us today! I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career […]
Marty T Hawkins with you here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I hope everyone’s enjoying the changing of […]
Thanks for checking in with us today, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! How’s the 4th quarter […]
Thanks for joining us today here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I hope you’re having an outstanding week […]
Welcome to episode number 104 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career, the Podcast where we talk about the many […]
I can’t believe we’re wrapping up the 3rd quarter of the year already can ya’ll? Well Thanks for checking in […]
Marty T Hawkins back with you and another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Is everyone having a […]
Hello and welcome to the Warehouse and Operations as a Career Podcast, I’m Marty and I’d like to thank you […]
Well Welcome to, what I’m feeling is a very exciting episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I’m Marty […]
Thanks for joining us today, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. What do we have on the […]
Marty here with you with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I hope your having a Safe and Productive […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I hope you enjoy our show each week and we’re offering […]
Hello all, I’ve got Joe on the phone with us today and as I promised last week he’s all ready […]
Hey everyone I hope you’re having a great week, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. It’s been […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career back at ya! Let’s see, where we at now, its already week 28 of […]
Hello and Can you believe another week’s wrapping up! Marty here with you with the Warehouse and Operations as a […]
Hello all, Marty T Hawkins here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career where we talk about what we do, […]
Gosh here we are on episode 91 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career, and it looks like we’re winding […]
Hey all, Warehouse and Operations as a Career is in Bolingbrook Illinois today, I’m Marty and I’ve looked up Phillip […]
Welcome back again, I’m Marty here at warehouse and operations as a career. Last week we talked about short on […]
It’s been another great week hasn’t it! I’m Marty and I’d like to thank you for joining us again here […]
Thanks for stopping back in with us today, Marty T Hawkins here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career swung by the Belmar Integrated Logistics Garland office this morning for a quick visit […]
Welcome to the 19th week of the year! I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for joining me here […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, and I hope you’re having a Productive and Prosperous […]
Thanks for stopping in today with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and I hope […]
Welcome everyone, Thanks for checking back in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and we’re in Oak Cliff, Texas today at the Taste of […]
Hello all, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I want to thank you for checking in with […]
It’s Thursday again, I’m Marty and we’ve reached the last week of the 1st quarter. Time’s flying by and we’re […]
Welcome to week 12 of 2018 and I guess we’re on episode 78 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career, Marty here with you again and WAOC’s been invited to attend a large job […]
And we’re back at it again, I hope you’re having a great week and having a good time living it! […]
WAOC, or Warehouse and Operations as a Career here with ya, I hope you’ve had a great & Productive week […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, and I hope you’ve had a Productive, Prosperous and of course Safe […]
Hey Hey, Marty here with you again on Warehouse and Operations as a Career. This week let’s talk about how […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career, and I guess we’re on Episode 72 here today. I’m Marty, and I’m back […]
Welcome back, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Last week we visited with Phillip and were discussing […]
WAOC is on the road this week in Illinois, I’m Marty, and we’re recording this week’s Episode of Warehouse and […]
Hi all, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I spent quite a bit of time on Social […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career back with you again, it’s been a great week, I’m certain we’ve all been […]
So Week 1 of the New Year has arrived! I hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays and is ready for 2018! […]
Well the 4th quarter of 2017 is coming to a close. Marty here with you at Warehouse and Operations as […]
Welcome back everyone, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I’m back in Dallas Texas this week, […]
Hello all, Marty and the Warehouse and Operations as a Career Podcast back with you this week! I’m sure it’s […]
Well here we are in week 49 of the year & Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career […]
Thanks for checking in with us again this week, Marty here with you at Warehouse and Operations as a Career […]
Hello all, Marty with you again from Warehouse and Operations as a Career. It always makes us feel good to […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, Marty here with you again and I’m excited about todays show. […]
Hello all, I’m Marty with you here at warehouse and operations as a career and today I’d like to talk […]
Hello all and welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty and today let’s talk about some of […]
Here we are at Episode 57 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and I of course want […]
Hello everyone, Marty with you here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today I’d like to get caught up […]
And another great week is upon us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Marty with you again and […]
Professionalism – the competence or skill expected of a professional: “the key to quality and efficiency is professionalism” ▪the practicing […]
Hello all and Welcome to our next Episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and I’m pretty […]
Well Welcome to Episode 52 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I can’t believe it’s been a year now, […]
Hey everyone! Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I hope we’re all having a prosperous and productive […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career with you here today, I’m Marty and I’d like to thank each of you […]
Hello, I’m Marty and I’d like to thank you for listening in today with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. […]
Hello and I appreciate you listening in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career today, I’m Marty […]
Can you believe another week has already gone by! I’m Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty and it’s that time of year where we typically […]
And a new week is upon us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, we appreciate you listening in […]
Warehouse and Operations as a Career is Mobile today visiting a Job Fair, well I guess its more like a […]
Welcome to another Episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! I’m Marty and today let’s answer a couple of […]
Marty here again with Warehouse and Operations as a Career! You know sometimes we kind of get focused on the […]
Hello and thanks for taking a few minutes with us today here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m […]
It’s always nice to see the weather changing isn’t it! I welcome Summer, it gets a bit warm here in […]
Hope all finds you well this week, I’m Marty and we appreciate you checking in with us today here at […]
I hope everyone had a Fantastic week, a productive week and a prosperous week so far! Today I’d like to […]
Hello again, I’m Marty back with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, Today Joe and I would like to talk […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career! We had an email question about Hand Trucks, a listener was […]
Appreciate you checking in with us today, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, our Podcast is about […]
Hello all and Thank you for coming back and listening in today, I’m Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as […]
Welcome again, I’ve been looking forward to today’s program, we’ll be visiting with James in a bit and learn all […]
Hello all, and Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Well, we’re in the 2nd quarter of 2017 […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Hope you’re having a great week and I want to thank […]
Welcome back, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today let’s touch on Leadership, we’ve discussed several different […]
Are we ready for work? Hello again, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. We’ll have Joe joining […]
Thanks for joining us here at WAOC today, I’m Marty and I’d like to talk about Production or the Production […]
Hey everyone, thanks for listening in today, I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. We’ve covered a lot […]
Thanks for joining us today, we really appreciate you listening and all the Likes and Follows. The comments and questions […]
Today here on Warehouse and Operations as a Career we visit with Joe, our go to Safety man and discuss […]
Welcome back, we appreciate you checking in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, sharing […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, we had a question from a young man interested in becoming […]
Hi there, Marty here, Thanks for joining us today at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. We’ve mentioned Transportation several […]
Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I hope you’ve had a great & prosperous week so far. […]
Today’s show is our 1st Quarterly Roundtable discussion, we’ll be answering a few questions from our audience and sharing some […]
Today we talked about a couple of different approaches to warehouse Training, the different methods and how in the end […]
Hello all, Last week seemed like a long week right, I hope all was prosperous and productive for you! Welcome […]
Thanks for reaching out and catching Todays Show! I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. One of the […]
Hello all and Welcome to today’s episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty and I’ve gotten a […]
Thanks for listening in with us today! Since we were talking about one of the Warehousing positions utilizing Powered Industrial […]
Happy New Year! Marty here, Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, to a New Quarter & a New […]
Today WAOC spends a few minutes with Rodrigo, a Regional Facilities Manager with a National Sourcing Company and enjoyed his […]
Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Today I’d like to talk a bit about Order Selection, its […]
Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m really excited about this week’s Episode! We’ll be speaking with the […]
Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career as we Interview with Joe, he’ll share a few thoughts from a […]
Today we’ll discuss our Orientation, seeking our New Job was stressful enough, lets review the Orientation process and talk about […]
Today we’ll be discussing Production, a segment of Warehousing that is sometimes over looked yet a really good place to […]
Last week we discussed two great breakthrough positions in Warehousing, Sanitation & Unloading, and today we’ll get a few tips […]
We’re on Episode 6 of Warehouse and Operations as a Career and this week we discuss 2 great positions to […]
Welcome back! Last week we put our Resume together and hit the street with them so lets get ready for […]
Last week we visited with a Recruiter and discovered how important The Resume can be so this week we’ll talk […]
Today we visited with a Recruiter in the field of Warehousing. We took Warehouse and Operations as a Career on […]
This week we’ll review a few more thoughts on What a Career is and discuss the importance of GMP’s or […]
Welcome to Warehouse and Operations as a Career! Through our weekly Podcast I’ll work hard to share experiences and opinions […]