As with any other industry, it is important to keep staff motivated in supply chain and logistics.

Motivating your employees helps create a climate of continuous improvement.

Employee engagement should not be underestimated as it can have an impact on the general costs of the company. This is because it is directly linked to the commitment that each worker has in carrying out a certain activity. This in turn influences the entire performance of the warehouse.

Supply chain work can be repetitive, mundane, and highly stressful. Hence it is important to keep employees excited about their work.

Can I measure the employee engagement rate in logistics?

The rate of involvement in operations defines the efficiency of an operator in carrying out his/her tasks in the workplace. We can use the following formula to calculate this figure:

Activity level = 100 x (Time allotted to perform a task / Actual time utilized to perform it)

The above can be measured using time studies. Of course, the idea is to achieve an activity level of 100%, but this is very rarely practically possible.

The level of engagement can be used to monitor the operational performance of a warehouse. In other words, it allows you to make a comparison between the estimate of the time it takes to carry out a set of operations vs the time it should have taken. It can be compared month on month to better understand seasonal changes and other trends.

How to motivate logistics staff?

Motivated operators usually do their job effectively. However, even the best motivation can wear out when the work becomes extremely repeatable. When boredom and the absence of prospects for improvement take over, staff may experience a decline in interest and focus in activities.

Team Building

The team-building concept aims to strengthen and consolidate the cohesion of a work team. It is particularly useful to the company as it leverages the collective spirit, it also works on the motivation of the individual. Uniting individuals and forming a winning team is the result of a long process. To achieve great results in team building, being consistent is important. Team building activities are not one-off events and will do little to foster team spirit one their own.

Monetary Incentives

An economic incentive could be one of the pillars of your employee management strategy. In addition to involving workers, it helps to stimulate them to give their best. All this is reflected in the speed at which tasks are performed. You can assign an economic incentive individually or collectively. This strategy has proven its reliability over the years, but it’s important to emphasize that it doesn’t and really should not be your only motivational tool. It works well when combined with other tools and methods of motivation. Employees should not start to take incentives for granted. If not carefully implemented, it may appear as if incentives are part and parcel of the employee’s compensation package.

Empathy

Empathy means worrying about others and their well-being. Developing this trait requires embracing various positive daily behaviors such as: showing gratitude, being available, empowering with trust, and leading with optimism. A successful manager is able to put in place a positive attitude and is predisposed to listen actively to the opinions of the colleagues around him/her including the employees reporting to him/her. The ability to empathize coincides with being flexible, especially with the requests of the staff: manage the schedules, customize them and let each person combine his professional life with his personal life.

Diversification of employee tasks

Diversifying the work done by operators provides many benefits. Each team member will be able to perform a variety of tasks. Learning new skills will not only give employees satisfaction, but the company will also be able to count on more trained staff. This will allow the company to assign back-ups to critical roles when primary points of contact go on leave.

Employee motivation is not simple!

When workers enter a company, they always start with a good deal of motivation, and it is important that the spirit and enthusiasm that they have are not lost over time.

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