Why Warehouse Managers Should Cut Their Employees Some Slack

Earlier this year, a powerhouse multinational technology company was under fire due to protests conducted by their warehouse workers in different parts of the country. For roughly five months, the warehouse workers from said company filed labor complaints due to the quote: “day-to-day dehumanizing” at their workplaces, which included not receiving overtime compensation while working extra shifts during horrible weather conditions. Piling up on these issues is the injuries that some of their workers also experienced that were often severe, according to their own report which was analyzed by Gizmodo.

As a company, it is a must that you make your employees that wear the blue-collar are taken care of. Part of good warehouse management practice is looking after your employees’ health. A factor that negatively contributes to that is overworking them. Hence, here are the reasons why warehouse supervisors should ease off on their workers a little bit:

1.  They get tired

These people that you give tasks to are not built to last an entire shift working their butts off. They get exhausted. Let them take their breaks without interrupting them. Give them time for a quick rest to recharge. Remember, their people too. If you wanted someone who can continuously work without getting tired, you should have hired a machine instead.

2.  Longer work hours does not equate to better work results

There is a threshold that your workers can reach. They are bound to lose their energy thus that will diminish their efficiency. Often employees are that work longer than their schedule will over time deliver less quality work and affect the productivity of the company.

3.  Exhausted workers are prone to commit more mistakes

Workers with less rest have the tendency to have poorer memories. The chances of them forgetting about important work stuff are higher, potentially increasing the hazard around the workplace. And as you know, there are many things inside a warehouse that can cause horrendous injuries.

4.  The negative effect on their families

For those employees that have families of their own, getting overworked also takes its toll on their family life. Not being able to engage with their families in their regular endeavors will not do them well. Something as simple as coming home and eating a meal together with the whole family is very important.

5.  Some of them have more than one job

Most people with blue-collar jobs have more than one of the same. Meaning, they probably work 2 jobs a day, sometimes more than that, just to make a living. They are striving to do their best at 2 or more jobs in a day and they will need all the energy that they need to be productive and earn money.

6.  Burnout

Burnout has been recently classified by the WHO as a valid reason for employees to be absent. For mental health reasons, its necessary to have your workers get the rest that they need.

All companies must always prioritize the health and well-being of their workers, for it may very well ruin their brand and might possibly even result in financial problems over time.

Author’s Bio:

Angelo Castelda works as a contributor for a news magazine in Asia. On his free days, he likes to read books about the logistics industry and warehouse management. He also gets frequently invited to schools and universities to hold talks about the supply chain system and warehouse operations