Creating job satisfaction not only helps retain people for warehousing, but also makes the warehouse more efficient and safer. This was shown by a workshop organised by temporary employment agency Tempo-Team during Safe Warehouse Day, the annual event organised by evofenedex and BMWT. Warehousemen who enjoy going to work are engaged, work more productively, report sick less often and are more likely to raise the alarm in case of unsafe situations. But how do you do that, create job satisfaction?
A 7 for employee satisfaction does not create a work culture where everyone is motivated to work safely. "In a warehouse with a 7 for job satisfaction, people come to work, but that's where it ends," argues Marie-José Neerscholten, senior manager of development and employment at Tempo-Team. "Maybe they see unsafe situations on the warehouse floor, but they don't feel inclined to report them because they don't feel engaged in their work. So if you score a 7 as a warehouse, nothing is going to change."
Together with the University of Leuven, Tempo-Team has been researching job satisfaction in companies for years. The temp agency employs a behavioural scientist to help interpret the results from the scientific research. "This shows that only when the score is 8 or higher do you also create psychological safety," Neerscholten knows. "This creates a culture in which people talk to each other when things are not going so well. Then productivity also goes up and the workplace actually becomes safer."
More productivity in warehousing
Now why is that difference between a 7 and an 8 so big? "Because then you see significant differences emerging in terms of loyalty, trust and the extent to which they recommend the company as an employer," replies Neerscholten. "We also see it with our own temporary workers. If they give an 8 or higher for job satisfaction, they are 10 per cent more productive, are 2.2 times less likely to report sick and stay 25 per cent longer. At the same time, we see that people with job satisfaction work better together and show more commitment and ownership. And that they feel part of the team."
Neerscholten cites the example of a warehouse where an idea box was placed to make it easier to report unsafe situations. The ideas that ended up in it were discussed collectively. "One idea concerned the labels that regularly fell off the boxes. As those labels were the same colour as the floor, people could easily slip on them. The idea was to make those labels bright orange to make them more visible. A simple solution that immediately made the warehouse floor a lot safer. By giving these kinds of ideas a stage, such an idea box will probably not even be needed in the long run. A culture will then have developed in which people report those ideas in person."
Retaining energy after work
The importance of job satisfaction is endorsed by Martin Schenkel, founder of the Fun Factory. Schenkel has managed five factories and warehouses in his long career. "Over the years, I have become increasingly convinced that job satisfaction is the real core of success. Three factors are important for job satisfaction. First of all, it is important that you have a little energy left, that the work does not drain you completely. Next, it is nice if you are given room for personal development. And the third factor is commitment - people want to be able to personally commit to the company's goals."
Global research shows that employee engagement in particular leaves a lot to be desired. The average score is between 15 and 20 per cent. "I find that extremely low," Schenkel argues. "Perhaps engagement is higher in the Netherlands. Suppose it is around 50 per cent here. Then still half of the people are less involved. Those are the people who score no higher than a 7 for job satisfaction. The question is how you make sure those people are 'on'."
Building relationships on the floor
Schenkel lists five steps warehouses can take to increase job satisfaction. The first step is to work more purposefully. "Make sure your people know what they are doing the work for. You would expect that to be clear. Then remember that a forklift driver doesn't think in years or months, but in days. Tell him what is important today, or preferably in the next hour. What are the specifics? How many orders need to be processed?"
The second step involves building strong relationships. "That is a basic need for intrinsic motivation. People want to belong, to be part of the team. This is especially difficult with temporary employees," Schenkel knows. "Strong relationships result in trust. Do people dare to ask for help? Or do they let that request for help sit and start thinking up an answer themselves? That creates a security risk."
Company blind in warehousing
Stimulating curiosity is also an important step. "After just three months in a new warehouse, people become company-blind. New employees are still curious, the rest think they know what's going on. The challenge is to keep people sharp and curious," Schenkel knows. "Another point concerns continuous learning: hearing new things, picking up new things with your brain. That too turns people 'on'. In most companies, often only management is trained, because that is cheaper than training the whole shop floor."
The final piece of advice is to take small steps. "Reduce your goals for next month to what you need to do in the next hour. Anyone can take small steps, so everyone can participate," says Schenkel. "These five steps are crucial to get your people 'on'. And that, in turn, is important to change people's behaviour. So that they report it if a scanner or camera is not working, if a colleague is not doing so well or if visibility at an intersection is a bit poor."
Walking safety rounds
Schenkel shows a real-life example. This is about a company that has started taking safety rounds. A schedule has been drawn up for this, indicating which parts of the warehouse are checked for safety and when. Each time, a manager goes out with a random employee. This can also be at another site. "That is a great way to work on the mutual relationship and to stimulate curiosity. That way you kill two birds with one stone."
