As the world slowly yet steadily comes out of the pandemic, companies face another disruption – labor shortages. The lack of frontline workers in roles from hospitality to warehousing has a far-reaching effect on the economy, eventually trickling down to us, the end consumer in shipment delays, fewer choices, and increased prices. In order for the economy to make a fast recovery, companies need to fill these vacant roles or find ways to minimize the impact of the shortage.
How to deal with the current labor shortages
Companies are trying everything they can to attract, engage and retain employees, from incentive programs to recognition. A particularly high-demand, low-supply segment is supply chain planners. The backbone of any supply chain, planners help ensure the smooth movement of inventory, manage bottlenecks, and even manage the job duties of many workers. In the absence of adequate planners, companies need to find more efficient ways to manage their supply chain, increase warehouse visibility, and boost productivity.
A relatively easy fix to this problem would be for companies to increase their warehouse visibility to make educated, confident decisions on tasks and activities conducted in the warehouse. Utilizing warehouse visibility tools to help manage the already short supply of labor and companies can increase productivity; by tracking labor metrics in real-time, companies can optimize labor utilization and productivity.
Rebus Intelligent LaborIt is important to understand where you are doing better than expected in times like this, recognize those employees, and reallocate resources accordingly. Programs such as employee recognition, pay for performance that employers can use reward employees based on productivity and other incentives to retain talent and improve performance. A recent customer case study implemented the Rebus Intelligent Labor solution that enabled labor sharing across multiple sites, translating to a 9% labor saving equating to $1.3 million.
As we continue to navigate this frontline worker labor shortage, companies must understand their alternative options and exercise them to minimize the negative impact. Even though a warehouse visibility tool is essential, ensuring that the tool measures tasks instead of just reporting them is critical. Companies equipped with the right tools can weather any disruption that comes their way.
