Many warehouses are fast-paced environments where talk around the water cooler isn’t overly common. If you’re trying to improve your work culture in this fast-paced environment, here are some ideas.
Sponsor a Weekly Team Lunch
What if you simply shut everything down for an hour on Friday (or another day, if Fridays are busy)? Would your productivity grind to a halt? Not necessarily. Investing in a weekly team lunch is a low-cost way to start building a positive work culture. Take everyone out to a local diner or order delivery to the break room. Either way, this creates a relaxed environment for people to get to know each other.
Recognize High Performers
Remember the old saying, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar?” Positive reinforcement, recognition, and appreciation are time-tested ways to encourage people to give their best. Rather than harping on what everyone does wrong, focus on the positive. Offer public recognition for your top performers, and before you know it, the rest of the team will be clamoring to earn the same public praise.
Offer Scheduling Options
Warehouses tend to run on strict schedules, so you may not be able to offer a lot of flexibility. But to the extent that you can, try to honor people’s needs and requests. You may be able to use job sharing and compressed workweeks as tools to provide additional options for your team members.
Host Teambuilding Events
Escape rooms, painting classes, softball leagues…there are innumerable activities that lend themselves well to teambuilding events. Poll your employees to find out what interests them, and then do your best to make it happen. You could even offer online gaming or learning programs for those who prefer to simply go home at the end of a long day.
Don’t Forget About Third Shift
If your warehouse or logistics facility is a 24-hour operation, it’s easy for third-shift workers to feel left out. They’re coming in to work right as second shift leaves, and going home as first shift arrives. This means that they miss out on exciting work culture events that happen during the day or in the evening. Find ways to build morale and give them their own special celebrations, such as catering a midnight supper or shutting down for an hour for a game of Capture the Flag.
Creating a positive work environment and culture can be hard, especially in a logistics, manufacturing or warehouse environment. It takes extra effort, but the little things can go a long way!
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