In the distribution center, active floor supervision could assist the supervisors to improve performance in 3 key ways. Be sure to frequently walk the floor to stay abreast of problems.
It helps to identify which workers may need more training by having regular presence on management on the floor. These frequent visits could be utilized to see who might be the next to be promoted to a supervisory position; it shows you consider the floor and everything which happens there and the workers to be essential to the overall operation and extremely important; finally, you can address problems as they arise.
Determine the Utilization of Space: First, you must determine the cube utilization within you workspace, making sure to examine how much empty space is situated near the ceiling. Implementing higher racks and narrow aisles and certain forklifts that operate in those types of settings could really increase how you store and transport supplies. What might not look like a lot of wasted space could translate into thousands of extra dollars and square feet with a few adjustments.
Check for Obsolete Inventory: Like for instance, if a SKU or stock-keeping unit has not moved in more than a year, then it is considered to be consuming valuable space. As well, if you have numerous half-full pallets staged or stored in aisles, you are also not using available space to its full potential. By re-organizing existing stock and doing an inventory overhaul, much space can be made to accommodate faster moving objects.
How is the Flow of Product? Take the time to trace how exactly product flows in your facility on a regular basis. Check to see if the flow is logical and sequential. Roughly 60 percent of direct labor within the warehouse is allotted to traveling from place to place. You could potentially have less personnel completing the same amount of work by being aware of product flow. Being able to move personnel to finish different other jobs instead of having personnel doubled up transporting things will get more work out of the same amount of staff.
The order filling procedure must be reviewed and if it is identified that a variety of SKUs are mixed-up in one location. If orders do not need things of this mix, pickers are wasting time. Another big time-waster is having the same SKU located in many locations within the warehouse. Get the employees used of going to a specific place for each and every specific item so that they are simply looking in one area and not traveling all around the warehouse checking more than one location for the same thing. These small changes could greatly enhance the overall effectiveness inside your warehouse.