Lower Your Employee Turnover in Your Warehouse With These Tips

A shocking 52% of all employees plan to leave their current employer in 2021, according to Achievers Workforce Institute’s annual Engagement and Retention Report. It’s true that the COVID-19 pandemic upended everything we thought we knew, so perhaps it isn’t all that surprising that workers are rethinking what they want to do with their lives. But recruiting, hiring, and training costs both time and money, so it only makes sense to retain as many employees as possible.

Here are a few tips to lower your employee turnover in your warehouse.

Gain Feedback

Are your employees unhappy? If so, why? What specific changes would they like to see at the warehouse as a whole, or within their specific teams? If you can’t answer these questions, you’re at greater risk for employee turnover. Start actively soliciting feedback and opening as many lines of communication as possible. Find out what your employees want, or they’re likely to seek it elsewhere.

Then follow up on the feedback you receive. You can’t give everyone everything they want, but you can aggregate the data to pinpoint the biggest problem areas, and start making changes accordingly. Most importantly, be transparent throughout the process. Let people know what’s changing, why, and how they can be part of the change.

Emphasize Engagement

There are always exceptions, but trends show that the bigger the warehouse, the higher the turnover rate is likely to be. This is largely due to the fact that employees in large warehouses tend to feel less engaged with the company. So make it a priority to help them feel valued. Implement employee recognition programs. Offer training and development courses. Empower team leaders to mentor their employees, and to help them design individualized career pathways. Workers who feel that they’re making a real difference are less likely to want to leave.

Improve Work-Life Balance

2020 was a tough year for everyone, and many workers are both exhausted and struggling with mental health concerns. Now is an excellent time to review your management policies. Focus on your workers’ needs, and implement as much flexibility as possible. Provide them with resources such as an employee assistance program (EAP) to seek counseling or other assistance, help them find balance, and show them how to prioritize self-care.

Employee turnover in a warehouse can be expensive in both time and money. Fortunately, following a few simple tips can help lower turnover and keep your current employees feeling happier and more engaged.

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If you’re ready to bring on new temp-to-hire, temporary, or permanent employees, Pirate Staffing is here for you. Learn what we can do to help, and then contact us to get started.