In today’s busy world, it can be hard to prioritize the organization of your workplace. As a responsible business owner, your top priority is the company’s bottom line. That means intentional organizational strategies can get shuffled to the side.
When it comes to maintaining your business’s warehouse, though, don’t take any shortcuts. Proper organization can not only increase productivity for your employees. It also promotes safety throughout the work environment.
Consider the fact that the warehousing and storage industry is dangerous in some cases. In the year 2017 alone, there were 22 deaths in warehouses throughout the United States. In other words, investing in warehouse organization could be a matter of life and death.
The good news is that you’ve come to the right place by reading this article about organization strategies. Detailed below are nine steps you should consider. That way, you’ll have a more productive, secure warehouse in no time.
1. Develop an Optimized Floor Plan Design
To start, you’re gonna have to do some research. Talk with your employees, for a start.
What needs for organization do they see within the facility? Listening to their perspectives is a great way to make sure your new organized warehouse will optimize productivity.
Your new floor plan design should make the most of every single square foot in the building. You pay for each square foot, after all. Why not make the most of them?
2. Take Out the Trash
Next, it’s common to notice that there are unessential items in a cluttered work environment. This is even true of your warehouse.
If there are areas that have serious clutter issues, don’t be afraid to get rid of anything your business doesn’t need. Otherwise, keeping those items would only be a waste of space that you and your employees don’t have time for.
3. Invest in More Racks and Shelves As Needed
Once you’ve taken out the trash, so to speak, it’s time to reimagine your storage areas within the warehouse. Do you have enough shelving, for example? Adding more storage bins and shelves will indeed cost money.
In the long run, though, the investment will pay for itself when your warehouse is running at its optimal productivity. A clutter-free, well-organized space is crucial for that purpose.
4. Use More Top-Quality Pallets
It’s no secret that using forklifts and pallets are essential in the warehouse industry. Stacking inventory on pallets is the easiest way to transport and store your merchandise.
After you’ve developed a new floor plan design, consider investing in more of these functional pallets. Check out this website for more information on the best teardrop pallet racks on the market. You deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing your warehouse is using the best materials available.
5. Consider Better Inventory Software Services
If you haven’t invested in inventory management software, you’re behind the times. These services allow you to maintain a digital mapping of all the merchandise in your warehouse. Perhaps, even, it’s time for you to invest in a better service to keep track of your inventory.
6. Prioritize Shipping and Receiving Areas
Remember that for your warehouse to function well, the loading docks need to be fully optimized. These areas should be 100% free of clutter and unessential items.
When you receive a new shipment, for example, your employees deserve to transition the goods into your warehouse seamlessly. This can help them unpack and distribute the new goods faster than if a bunch of clutter is in the way.
7. Make Sure Everything on the Floor Is Accessible
Speaking of clutter, it’s important to ensure everything within the warehouse is accessible. It’s common to keep the most used items available with forgotten goods “hidden” away. Avoid this by designing a floor plan that allows employees to reach anything in the building by simply walking up to it.
8. Audit Your Warehouse Organization Regularly
Even after you’ve optimized your warehouse’s space, your work won’t stop there. It’s a good idea to practice a yearly organizational audit for your warehouse to maintain that optimal productivity. Make an event of cleaning the place up with your employees every summer with a company barbeque, for example.
9. Train Your Employees To Keep Your Warehouse Organized
Don’t forget about the most important part of maintaining your warehouse’s organization. You need to include your employees if you want the new floor plan design to work out, after all. Their perspectives are crucial since they’re the ones running the business daily.
On top of that, be willing to invest in proper organizational training to keep the place clean. Productivity, of course, is one of the business’s top goals.
If you want your employees to use the new organization to its fullest potential, they need training. Check out some of these employee training and coaching resources to see how you can optimize their workflow after cleaning up.
Continue Investing in Your Business’s Future
At this point in the article, you should have a pretty good idea of the best warehouse organization strategies. There’s no point in cutting corners when it comes to optimizing space. After all, it’s worth taking advantage of a more productive facility.
Not only should you consider your employees’ perspectives in the workplace. Take the time to think about what functions your warehouse should prioritize.
For one thing, the security of your business is the same thing as the security of your financial future. On top of that, you don’t want to be responsible for injuries in the workplace because of clutter or disarray. Organizational techniques may seem like a waste of time, but you should think again.
We know how important it is to optimize your business’s operations on every level. That’s why we work hard to bring you the resources and expertise you need to keep your profits up.
We encourage you to browse through the rest of our website for top-quality guidance on running your ideal business. To start, check out our article archives on business advice. Then, continue investing in the future of your business and its financial security.
