Warehouse and Operations as a Career

I heard of three individuals, in 3 different states, losing their positions this week, and that bothered me a bit. Two of them I’d worked with on and off over the last year. All three were right at the year mark in their positions, and each believed they had found their long term if not their retire from organization. What struck me as odd was that as all 3 shared their thoughts with me, each used the word comfortable when explaining what had happened. Two of them stated they had messed up, quit paying attention to their tardiness, probably had gotten a little laxed in regard to the rules and procedures, one even mentioned he had quit thinking of or being focused on safety to the degree he should have. The third guy, although admitting he’d fallen into routines and probably fell into the drama the breakroom can expose us to, he felt like, him being a long-term employee, he’d been working there for 14 months, he felt that he should had been given another chance.  Now all three shared that they had been spoken with at least 2 times or had a couple of coaching’s in their file on attendance, tardiness, and I think 1 of them had been coached on gossiping or speaking about others personal lives in the workplace. Like I said earlier, all 3 had said something like I had gotten too comfortable at work, and one added the thought or word complacent to me.  So today, I want to talk about something every warehouse professional will experience at some point in their career, comfort. Now, don’t get me wrong, being comfortable in what we do isn’t necessarily bad. It can mean we’ve mastered our craft, we’ve gained confidence, and we can get through our tasks with efficiency and ease.  But here’s the catch, being too comfortable can be dangerous. It can slow us down, cloud our judgment, dull our attention to safety, and even limit our growth.  In the light industrial world, in warehousing, production, manufacturing, distribution, and transportation, we depend on routine. But routine, if not managed with purpose, can quietly become complacency. And complacency is what costs people their jobs, it can affect their safety, and sometimes even their careers. Being comfortable in your job means you know your equipment, your process, and your role. You’re confident in your ability to perform your duties safely and efficiently. You’re reliable. You’ve earned that comfort through experience, repetition, and effort.  But complacent, that’s when we may stop paying attention. We start cutting corners because “we’ve done it a thousand times.” We stop double-checking our surroundings. We stop asking questions or looking for ways to improve.  Complacency feels a lot like comfort, but the difference is small, and dangerous. One helps us grow; the other quietly holds us back.  When we first start a new job, we’re alert and focused. Everything is new, we’re learning procedures, meeting coworkers, and trying to make a strong impression. We check our pallet jack twice before using it. We double-check labels, counts, and load sheets. We want to get it right.  Then time passes. A few months in, we’ve learned the ropes. A year or two in, we can do it with our eyes closed. That’s when the risk can creep in.  It’s human nature, we settle into patterns. But in our world, that pattern can dull our edge. Productivity may hold steady, but initiative fades. We stop asking “why” and just focus on how. That’s when opportunity starts passing us by, those same people who started after us might start moving ahead, taking the lead or trainer positions, while we’ve quietly stayed in the same spot. Stuck in our routine.  It’s just a fact. In warehousing and operations, growth rewards attention. The person still learning, still questioning, still improving, that’s the person who gets noticed, especially by the frontline management team.   From an operational view, complacency costs companies more than most realize.  Take safety, for instance. A comfortable but inattentive operator is more likely to have a preventable accident. Maybe a forklift operator forgets to sound the horn at an intersection. Maybe a selector doesn’t double-check their pallet cube or height and ends up tipping a load. Or maybe a loader forgets to secure a pallet or bulkhead, load bar or e strap because I’ve done this a thousand times before.  All it takes is one overlooked detail to turn a good shift into an incident report.  Operationally, being complacent can cost in other ways too. Decreased productivity, we may stop pushing for efficiency. Quality issues, incorrect counts, wrong product being pulled or loaded, or labeling errors. Oh, and my biggie. Missed opportunities: we may stop volunteering for new tasks or training because of the old, it’s not my job mindset.  When a team becomes too comfortable, improvement stalls, and that affects the entire operation’s performance metrics, from CPH (cases per hour) to on-time percentages, and our thruput.   Here’s a truth that surprises people new to the warehouse, being comfortable should never be our goal. I feel our goal should be competence, growth, and professionalism.  Comfort feels good, but it’s temporary. The industry changes. Technology keeps coming. Slotting systems, scanners, dispatch software, powered equipment, and safety protocols evolve. If we’re standing still, we’re actually falling behind or backing up!  Every professional, from a general laborer to a supervisor, has to fight against that natural drift toward comfort. We could be comfortable in school, but this is work, our career.  Our light industrial environment rewards adaptability. The person who keeps learning, stays alert, and remains teachable, that’s the person management turns to when opportunities open up.  I jotted down a couple of examples to help us relate. We’ve all probably seen something like these before.   First up is Jake. Jake’s been running a stand-up forklift for seven years. He’s good, reliable, fast, and safe. But over time, he’s stopped inspecting his equipment thoroughly and turning in his pre-shift report. It’s always fine, he says. One morning, a hydraulic line finally gave out mid-shift. It could have been caught during a pre-shift inspection, but now there’s downtime, a spill, and an incident report.  Jake’s not a bad operator, he just got too comfortable.  Next up, and I’m sure we all know an order selector like this. Lisa started off strong, top in productivity, always hitting her targets. But after two years, she’s in the middle of the pack. She’s not unsafe; she’s just on autopilot. She’s stopped looking for faster ways, or asking for feedback. When a new voice-pick system is introduced, she struggles to adjust, her comfort zone didn’t prepare her for change.  Let’s do one more, let’s see, oh here’s a supervisor thought. Mike’s been leading his crew for years. He’s respected, dependable, but he’s stopped holding pre-shift safety talks. They already know the routine, he figures. But the team’s focus starts slipping, more mis-picks, more near misses. His leadership didn’t fail overnight; it faded quietly with comfort.  Each of these examples shows how comfort quietly steals excellence, and excellence is what keeps us employable, promotable, and respected by our peers and management team.  In our industry, safety and comfort often conflict. The safer we feel, the less cautious we can become.  Ever notice that most injuries don’t happen on someone’s first week? They happen after six months to a year, when they’ve stopped worrying and started feeling at home.  That’s why the best companies emphasize retraining, refresher courses, and daily safety talks. They’re not reminders for the new boots, they’re reminders for the veterans. It’s easy to forget that even our daily tasks and equipment can surprise us.  When we get too comfortable, we may skip our PPE because it’s just a quick task. We may not report a small near miss. We don’t question a shortcut we see someone else take.  Each of those moments’ chips away at our safety culture. A strong safety record doesn’t come from fear, it comes from respect of that culture. Respect for the job, the process, and the risks that never go away no matter how long we’ve been there.  Let’s look at it from a career point of view.  If we’ve been in the same position for years, doing good work but never stepping forward, that’s a warning sign. Our world offers tons of opportunities for us, if we want them. Like trainer, equipment or machine operator, a lead, or quality auditor, dispatcher, supervisor, safety coordinator, or any of the hundred other positions we’ve talked about! But those opportunities go to the people who show hunger, who ask to learn new systems, shadow other departments, or volunteer for cross-training.  Getting too comfortable means we stop standing out.  Managers notice engagement. They notice effort. When they’re deciding who to promote, they look for the person still growing, not the one who’s just coasting or comfortable. In today’s operations, especially with technology driving change, being static is the fastest way to become replaceable. Comfort resists change; growth embraces it.  So how do we balance the two? Because let’s be honest, we should feel confident and comfortable enough to perform our jobs efficiently and safely. The key is to stay sharp, focused, and professional. We need to keep learning. Ask to cross-train. Remember how I’m always pushing to learn the task before and after our own. Learn how another department works. Understand the bigger picture of the operation. And stay engaged. Don’t just complete your checklist for each shift, look for ways to improve it. Seek feedback. Even when you think you’ve mastered your job, ask your supervisor what you can do better. And I put a star by this bullet point. Challenge yourself. Try to improve your personal metrics, maybe shave a few seconds off a task while keeping it safe and accurate. And be involved in Safety. Speak up during too

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today we’re talking about something that reaches far beyond the warehouse floor, beyond any title, and beyond the company walls, we’re talking about leadership.  Now, when you hear the word leader, most people instantly think of a boss, a supervisor, or someone in charge. But I’d like to challenge that a bit today. Because, in my opinion, leadership is not a title. It’s not assigned. It’s something we live, something we show, and something that earns respect, not demands it.  I feel every one of us, no matter what position we hold, is responsible for something. We’re responsible for our own lives, our families, our goals, and yes, our jobs. But leadership takes that personal responsibility one step further. It’s about influencing others through what we do, not what we say.  Leadership isn’t about the clipboard, the badge, a different colored vest, or the fancy office. It’s about how we act when no one’s watching. It’s how we respond when things go wrong. And it’s about how we treat people, not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s hard.  A title identifies a position, not a person, leadership defines and identifies a person.  I’ve seen great leaders wearing steel-toed boots and safety vests, working shoulder-to-shoulder on the warehouse floor. And I’ve seen people with impressive titles who couldn’t lead a team out of the breakroom.  Leadership starts when you take ownership, when you decide that safety, productivity, and teamwork matter to you personally. You don’t have to wait for a promotion to lead. In fact, some of the strongest leaders I’ve ever met were associates who just quietly got things done, helped others, and took pride in their work every single day. You may remember me talking about a dear friend, a forklift operator for over 30 years, he was the strongest leader I’d ever met as an order selector. He’d keep all us selectors motivated in the aisles every night, and helped challenge us with cases per hour and aging us all along each night.  You see, leadership begins the moment you stop saying, “That’s not my job,” and start saying, “That’s my responsibility.” Getting those doors open or closed is my job.   One of the biggest misconceptions in the workplace is that leadership means being in charge. But real leadership is actually about serving others. Taking care of others.   I like saying the best leaders don’t command, they support. They remove obstacles, provide tools, and help others succeed. They understand that their job isn’t to be the smartest person in the room, it’s to bring out the best in the people around them.  I think of it like this: a boss says, “Go do this,” but a leader says, “Let’s go do this or let’s do this together.” That one word , let’s, changes everything.  True leaders ask themselves every morning, “What can I do to make my team’s job easier today? How can I help someone succeed?” That attitude builds trust, and trust is the foundation of every great team. Remember that first night I was taken back to the high-rise department and passed on to a teammate as an operator? He could have threw me to the wolves, I’d have never got my numbers, but he was a leader, wanted me to succeed, and helped turn me into and ace in the department.   Now, let’s talk about one of the most important parts of leadership, setting the example.  You can’t talk your team into greatness. You have to show them what it looks like. That means being the first to follow the safety rules. It means showing up on time, keeping a positive attitude, and treating everyone with respect, even when you’re having a bad day.  People may hear what you say, but they’ll remember what you do. Your example is what teaches others what’s expected. It’s not the HR’s handbook or the poster on the wall, it’s you.  If you show that you care, your team will care. If you cut corners, they’ll think that’s acceptable. If you treat people fairly, they’ll do the same for others.  A leader’s greatest tool isn’t authority, I feel it’s consistency.  Processes, policies, and procedures are all important. But let’s be honest, people make them work. A process can’t motivate itself. A machine can’t fix morale. That’s where leadership comes in.  Leaders know that their success depends on the success of others. They listen. They communicate. They check in with their people, not just about numbers or goals, but about how things are going. They know when someone’s struggling, and they step in before it becomes a bigger issue.  Leadership is about connection. It’s about empathy. It’s understanding that every associate, every teammate, is a human being with a life outside those warehouse doors or that tractor.  When you lead people well, they’ll take care of the process all on their own. When you ignore people, even the best process is going to fall apart.  Now leadership isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it means standing alone.  It’s easy to make the popular decisions. It’s much harder to make the right ones.  I’ve had to make tough calls over the years, about safety violations, attendance, fairness, productivity and accountability. And I’ll be honest, those conversations aren’t fun. But leadership means having the courage to protect both your people and your company, because one can’t survive without the other.  Doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy, earns trust. It shows integrity. And integrity, once earned, gives your leadership meaning to the team and to our peers.  Here’s another quick truth: leadership isn’t a destination, its a path, no path is the wrong word, it’s a journey. You don’t wake up one morning and say, “I’m a leader now.” It’s something you build every single day.  And Leaders are learners. They read. They ask questions. They take feedback, even when it stings. They don’t think they have it all figured out. And most importantly, they help others grow.  One of the best feelings in the world is watching someone you’ve trained or mentored step into their own leadership role. That’s how you know you’re doing it right, when the people around you are growing too.  As I’ve said before, leadership is measured not by how far you go, but by how many people you bring with you. One of my early mentors told me to always be training another to fill my role. He taught me I couldn’t advance if he had no one to do my job.  For me leadership doesn’t end when you clock out. It’s who you are, at work, at home, in your community. A culture of one if you will! It’s how you treat people at the grocery store, or how you respond when someone cuts you off in traffic. It’s the choices you make when no one’s keeping score. Handling myself outside of work has always been harder for me than on the floor.  In our industry, warehousing, manufacturing, distribution and even transportation, leadership shows up in small moments every day. It’s the associate who stays late to help finish a load. It’s the forklift operator who stops to pick up debris instead of driving past it. It’s the supervisor who takes time to explain, not just correct. It’s the recruiter who listens to an applicant’s story instead of rushing them through an interview.  For me, those moments and things like that, are real leadership.  Now, let’s circle back to where we started, the idea that leadership isn’t about a title.  Titles come and go. They change with promotions, reorganizations, and even new companies. But leadership? That’s something you carry with you everywhere you go.  When you take responsibility, real, personal responsibility, for your work, your attitude, and your influence, you become a leader. Not because someone gave you permission, but because you chose to be one.  The warehouse, the office, the road, they all need leaders. Not more bosses, not more rule enforcers, but leaders who care, who listen, and who show up with integrity every single day.  So, what is leadership?  I don’t think its power. I’ve never thought of it as authority. It’s not the corner office or the parking space by the door. Leadership is responsibility. It’s service. It’s consistency. It’s the courage to do what’s right, the example that others can follow, and the growth you inspire in the people around you.  Whether you’re on your first day in the warehouse or your 40th year in operations, leadership starts with you. Be the person others look to for guidance, not because you have to lead, but because you choose to. It will be noticed, and you may just develop instill that culture throughout your whole facility.  I’ll leave you with this thought:  “A boss has a title, but a leader has the respect of their team.”  Let’s all aim to be that kind of leader, at work and in life. We will be successful.  OK, I’ll stop here and quit rambling. Leadership is a subject I’m quite passionate about and could talk for an hour on it!  If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a friend, a coworker, or maybe that new supervisor who’s still learning what leadership really means!  And remember, leadership isn’t about being in charge. It’s about being responsible, being consistent, and being someone others can count on.  Until next time, stay safe, stay focused, and as always, keep leading by example.   

What do you think of when you think of forklifts? I’m sure a lot of us picture those forks sliding into a pallet, lifting it up, and moving it across the dock or racking it in the air to a reserve location. But the forklift can do so much more than just move and store pallets. I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And today let’s talk about attachments. And specifically, three attachments that I run across weekly on my visits to facilities.  The slip sheet attachment, the barrel clamp, and the clamp or squeeze clamp. Each of these was designed for a specific purpose, and each one makes our work easier, but if we don’t use them correctly, they can cost us big in product damage, safety risks, and lost efficiency. We’ll cover where they came from, why they exist, how to use them, and, just as important, how not to use them. And I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me say it but please let’s remember to never get on or operate a powered industrial truck or attachment, or any type of machine we haven’t been trained and certified to be on and to operate. Even manual equipment let’s get that training and demonstration before touching them. Ok, I’ll move on! Let’s start with the slip sheet. Slip sheets came about because the industry wanted a lighter, cheaper alternative to pallets. Think about it, a wooden pallet can weigh 40 pounds or more. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands in a warehouse, and you’re talking about a lot of weight and a lot of space taken up. A slip sheet is basically a thin sheet of plastic, cardboard, or heavy laminated paper. Instead of the forklift’s forks sliding into a pallet, the truck is outfitted with a push-pull attachment. This attachment has wide, flat platens and a gripper that clamps onto the lip of the slip sheet. It literally pulls the load onto the platens and pushes it back off when it’s time to unload. Now, where do we see slip sheets? Industries like food and beverage, paper production, and retail use them a lot. They’re especially popular in export shipping, where every pound and inch of container space matters. In my experience slip sheets only work well if the entire supply chain is set up for them. If the manufacturer ships on slip sheets but the distributor doesn’t have the right forklift attachments, or slotting configurations you’ve got a problem, and that load will have to be unloaded onto pallets. And misuse or improper training? That’s where we get into trouble. If the operator doesn’t get that gripper securely onto the slip sheet tab, the whole load can slide right off. Unlike pallets, there’s no wooden base keeping the cartons together. If the stack isn’t perfect, it can topple mid-move. And if an operator tries to handle a slip sheet like forks, scraping or pushing product around, you’ll end up with torn packaging and damaged goods. Slip sheets are efficient, but they demand precision and training. Next up, the barrel clamp. Think about how many industries ship product in 55-gallon drums, chemicals, oils, beverages, syrups. Way back when, workers had to roll or wrestle those barrels into place. And that’s not safe, not fast, and certainly not efficient. That’s why the barrel clamp attachment was developed. It’s basically curved, padded arms that clamp snugly around the sides of a drum. No pallets required. The forklift can pick them up directly. Depending on the model, you can grab one, two, or even four barrels at once. Some clamps even rotate, so you can pour or empty the contents right from the seat. You’ll find barrel clamps in chemical plants, food and beverage warehouses, and pharmaceutical distribution. And I’ve seen a variation of the barrel clamp, called a roll clamp used to carry those huge rolls of paper and plastic stock in production plants. But, like the slip sheet, there are risks if they’re not used correctly. The big one is over-clamping. If the pressure is set too high, the drum can dent, split, or even rupture. Imagine spilling hundreds of gallons of syrup or chemicals on your warehouse floor. That’s not just lost product, that’s a safety nightmare. On the flip side, if the operator doesn’t clamp tightly enough or misses alignment, the drum can slip out mid-transport. A falling barrel is dangerous on its own, but add in liquid, and you’re talking about a slip hazard, potential injuries, and cleanup costs. Barrel clamps save a lot of back-breaking manual work. But they only work when the operator knows how to set the clamp pressure correctly and checks that every drum is secure before moving that first inch. And then we have the squeeze clamp, sometimes just called a clamp attachment. This was the first attachment I was trained on. We we’re unloading laundry washers and driers from rail cars. Now this one is really versatile. Instead of forks, you’ve got two big flat plates that open and close hydraulically. They grab and hold the load by squeezing it, no pallet needed. Think about products like refrigerators, chest type freezers, washing machines, dryers, or sofas. They’re bulky, boxed, and heavy. You don’t really want them on a pallet. A clamp grabs them from both sides and lets you move them safely. You’ll see clamp attachments in appliance warehouses, furniture distribution centers, and even in paper and Styrofoam production plants. Now, the danger here is the clamp pressure again. Too little, and the load slips right out, crashing to the floor. Too much, and you crush the product inside the box. I’ve seen refrigerators come off the truck looking fine, but inside the coils are damaged because the clamp pressure was cranked too high. There’s also balance to think about. If the clamp isn’t centered on the load, the weight distribution can throw the forklift off balance. Tilt too far forward when setting it down, and you risk tipping the product or the truck itself. The takeaway? A clamp attachment is an incredible tool, but it requires training, patience, and respect. What do slip sheets, barrel clamps, and squeeze clamps all have in common They’re designed to make our work easier, faster, and safer. They replace manual labor, save on packaging, and help us move products that just don’t belong on pallets. But, and this is important, they’re also unforgiving when misused. They demand training. They demand awareness. And they demand respect. A slip sheet system saves freight costs but only if it’s gripped and moved correctly. A barrel clamp saves backs but can crush a drum if pressure isn’t adjusted. A squeeze clamp can move a refrigerator without a pallet, but it can just as easily destroy it if handled wrong. Those three attachments are probably the most used in distribution, production, and manufacturing environments but there’s so many others, and all of them present their own specific uses and dangers. Things like fork extensions. There used to extend the length of your forks to handle long or oversized loads. Using them we’ll need to keep the load weight within the lifts lifting capacity and make sure the extensions are secured before lifting. And side shifters, for moving forks or the attachment left or right without moving the truck. Handy for precise pallet placement. And remember to only shift when the load is close to the ground. The carpet pole is another handy tool I run into pretty often. There used to lift and transport rolls of carpet or other large rolls. The pole is slid into a core or tube in the middle of the roll of carpet. You’ll want to move slowly and avoid swinging these rolls. And be careful, watch your weight capacity and center of gravity at all times. You have to be careful around people and racking. What else here, there’s so many different types, Oh we need to mention the man baskets or work platforms. These are baskets or cages used to safely lift workers for maintenance or such. I’ve seen them used for inventory counts. They need to be Osha approved for that purpose and the occupants must always be trained on and use fall protection. And one more, sweepers. These can convert our forklifts into maintenance tools. I’ve seen facilities build a magnetic bar that’s placed on our forks and ran all around the truck yard picking up nails, screws and metal debris. We have to go slow and be on flat surfaces when using these type of accessories as well. And a few others real quick. Fork Positioners, we can adjust fork spacing hydraulically. Brick & Block Clamps, can handle construction blocks and pavers. Tire Handler Clamps help us  move large vehicle tires.  And Invert-A-Pallet / Pallet Turners, Flip loads to change pallets. As you’ve probably gathered, we could go on and on.  So, here’s the bottom line: forklift attachments are tools, and like any tool, they’re only as good as the person using them. In the right hands, they’re assets that improve safety, efficiency, and cost savings. In the wrong hands, they’re accidents waiting to happen. If you’re working around these attachments, or if you’re an operator running them, take the time to learn how they work. Get the training, practice the alignment, and respect the equipment. Its the law. Remember to never get on, even touch, or attempt to operate a powered industrial truck, truck attachment, or any type of machine you have not been trained and certified to operate. Again, its the law. We, as professionals, follow the laws, rules, and processes, because at the end of the day, our goal is always the same, move the product, protect the product, and get everyone home safe, with no incidents or accidents. Thanks for joining me today on Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Until next time, learn something new, stay focused, and be safe, we all have family and friends counting on us to come home at the end of our shifts.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Today, I want to talk about turnover.  I’m not talking about the dollars it cost , the HR paperwork, maybe some orientation expenses. Some look at just the expense of it. But in operations, we know there’s more to it. Turnover isn’t just about dollars. It’s about disruptions, headaches, safety concerns, and sometimes even customer complaints.  And, turnover looks different depending on which side of the fence you’re standing on. For management, it’s lost productivity and constant hiring. For associates, it’s frustration, unmet expectations, or simply searching for stability.  I’m Marty and today I’d like to walk through both sides, and I’ll share a few stories from my own experiences along the way.  Back when I was a supervisor, we had an order selector quit right after his second week. The company had already paid for his drug screen, background check, orientation, and two weeks of training. We spent several thousand dollars before he ever made it to full production. That’s money we’d never get back. Multiply that by ten associates over a few months, well, you can do the math. But again, I want to try and stay away from the money side of it or those concerns!  Here’s a good operational struggle. I remember a time we lost three reach truck drivers in the same month. We scrambled to backfill with temps and cross-train floor associates, but the result was slower inbound put-aways and a backlog of freight. Supervisors who should’ve been coaching were on lifts moving pallets themselves. And what happened? Errors went up, overtime went up, and morale went down. That’s what turnover does on the floor.  And I’ve got to share a quick safety story too right! We once had a brand-new forklift driver who was still nervous behind the wheel. He was an experienced operator, but from another industry and he was getting used to our pick paths and aisles. Because of turnover, he was thrown into the mix faster than he should’ve been. One day, he clipped a bollard post at the end of an aisle by a fire door crossing. Nobody got hurt, thankfully, but the cost of repairing the concrete and writing up the incident, and closing down that cross dock area or cut through really slowed things down for about two days.    I’ve always felt that every time someone leaves, the breakroom talk gets louder. “Why’d they quit?” “Where’d they go?”  Did they go somewhere better? Before long, you’ve got three other associates wondering if the grass is greener somewhere else. I’ve seen one resignation turn into three within a week just because people start second guessing their own situation.   So what can us as leads, supervisors, managers, directors and V.P’s do to help with turnover in our industry?   One thing is better onboarding or better hiring, whatever you want to call it. I once worked at a facility where new hires were just dropped on the floor and told, “Follow Joe around for tonight”. That’s not onboarding or welcoming. Compare that to another warehouse I visited later, they had a structured two-day orientation, introduced the new hires to their supervisors, and even paired them with mentors for the first week. Guess which site had lower turnover?  I’m going to use one of my favorite words real quick. Communication. We as managers, we have to be clear, and our recruiters or hiring agents have to be transparent. One of the fastest ways to lose people is by not being upfront about expectations. I’ll never forget when an associate told me, “I was hired for four 10-hour shifts. Now you’re telling me five 12s?” He quit that same day. If schedules change, communicate them asap. If standards and the task or the productivity are tough, explain the “why.” Associates will handle tough work if they trust you to tell the truth.  And we should be recognizing a job well done. People want, and deserve, recognition. At one warehouse, we started giving out gift cards to the top two selectors each week. It wasn’t a fortune, but it made people feel noticed. Turnover dropped by almost 20% over the next quarter. Sometimes, recognition is worth more than a raise.  Oh, and here’s another word I love. Listening. As frontline managers we have to have listening skills. I worked at a site where selectors complained nonstop about how far apart fast-moving slots were. Productivity suffered, and people left because the job felt impossible. When we reslotted the warehouse to bring those SKUs closer together, guess what? Productivity went up, frustration went down, and people stuck around.  Here’s a short listening story. Early in my career, I was a “get it done” type of lead. I pushed production pretty hard, and I didn’t always listen as well as I should have. Turnover in our department was pretty high. When I learned to coach instead of command, listening to associates, helping them find solutions, showing them I valued their input, the numbers improved immediately. People want to share, and they should be listened to. And it’s our job as those leads, supervisors, managers, directors, and V.P.’s to listen to them. I promise you that you’ll learn something new every day if you do.   I don’t want to take up to much time talking about the company’s cost and challenges with turnover, I want to get to the other side of the coin real quick. The cost or challenges of turnover to us as associates.   Ok, We all want to be appreciated, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask. I once sat down with an associate who told me, “I’ve been here three years, and nobody’s ever said ‘thank you.’” That made my heart sad. He was a solid worker, but he left a month later. Associates want to know they matter. This was at a customer’s facility. I of course shared my talk with his supervisor, but I think it was to little too late.   Now, what if, and I’m not saying it was his responsibility, but what if he had gone and spoken with his supervisor. Things may have been fixed, and his supervisor may have grown as well.   A young guy I knew started with me as a loader. He was sharp, fast, and wanted more responsibility. He kept asking about training on the reach truck, but the answer was always, “We’ll get to it.” After his first month, he quit and joined another company that would train him. That turned out to be a missed opportunity, and a preventable turnover. I’ve shared with you that within my first month I knew loading trucks wasn’t for me. My friend had told me he could get me on over at his new place and I was pretty interested. I went to my boss, shared what was going on, and was moved to the back in the hi-rise area and trained on the high-rise machine. As you long term listeners know, I stayed with that same company for many more years.  And again, safety is important to us as associates. I heard from an employee once who said, “I don’t feel safe here. People are running backwards in the aisles, not honking their horns and nobody cares.” Two weeks later, he was gone. Safety isn’t just compliance; it’s part of our retention.   And here’s an important one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard: “I never know when I’m working.” Associates don’t quit because of hard work. They quit because they can’t plan their lives. A predictable schedule is worth as much as a raise to many people. A predictable schedule doesn’t have to be a set hour. But it has to be communicated. In our business it’s usually start to finish. Thats one of the points that should be mentioned at our startup meetings. It’s easy to share what time we’ll probably be getting off each day. We know the cases per hour, the headcount or available man hours and the total cases for the shift. It should be shared with us.   What else, let me see, what did I leave off. Ok, Let’s be honest, unloading 1,000 cases by hand in the summer heat for xx an hour feels different than running a cash register in the air conditioning for the same pay. Associates will weigh effort against reward, growth and career opportunity, and if the balance feels unfair, they’re gone.  All these examples do hurt us as well though. At almost every interview I’m asked or will ask, and why did you leave so and so job? If we say because I didn’t get to operate a lift, or my hours was unpredictable, or I wasn’t earning enough, those things could sound negative and hurt us even more.   I’ve always found that talking it out first, communicating, will sometimes, or usually, help us sort things out.   Well, when we put both perspectives side by side, the picture is clear. Turnover is tough, and more expensive, than I brought up today. And turnover is not a positive thing for our careers either.   Turnover, for us on the floor, both as management and as associates is frustrating, obstructive, demoralizing, challenging, can be a safety concern, and just flat out gets in our way regarding growth.  Oh, I’d made this little note for myself.   From management’s view, turnover wrecks productivity, raises costs, and adds safety risks. From the associate’s view, turnover happens when we feel invisible, unsafe, or stuck.  I guess I said the same thing in a different way!   Anyway, the solutions overlap. Good onboarding, communication, recognition, fair processes, and supportive supervisors reduce turnover on both sides. And when turnover goes down, operations stabilize. Customers get better service. Associates build careers instead of bouncing between jobs. Period  So, the next time turnover comes up in a meeting, don’t just think of it as an HR expense. Think about the overtime your supervisors are working, the backlog building in receiving, the safety incident that almost happened, or the good associate you lost because no one said thank you.  Turnover is not just about money. It’s about operations. And fixing it is about people.  And for the associates listening, remember, you have a voice in this too. If you’re looking for stability, speak up. Ask about training. Ask about career paths. Find

Hello all! Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and I’m glad you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes with us today.  Now, I was sitting down the other day thinking about a simple question: Why do we work? Of course we work for a paycheck. But when you dig in a little deeper, there’s more to it. A lot more, actually.  So today, I want to share some thoughts on three things. Why we work, why the light industrial industries, or warehousing and transportation, are such great places to build a career, and why attitude is one of the most important tools you’ll ever carry with you. I swung that at you from left field didn’t I!   We’re kind of pulling from the hip today, I’m working off of some bullet points I jotted down out on the patio over the last week or so!   Ok, Now, sure, we all work to pay the bills, rent, mortgages, car notes, groceries, keeping the lights on. That’s the easy part to figure out.  Back when I first started, I was unloading trailers. Hard, sweaty work. And sure, that paycheck mattered, but at the end of the day, there was this pride I felt. I could look back at those empty trailers and think, “I did that. Those deliveries are going to get made.”   And I’ll share with you, I’ve seen it happen for others too. I once worked with a young man who started out just sweeping floors in the warehouse. That was his whole shift, broom in hand, keeping the aisles clear. He could’ve looked at that job as meaningless. Instead, he took pride in it. He made sure every aisle was spotless, every shift. The equipment operators appreciated and respected him. He made their jobs easier. Within a year, he was on a forklift himself. Within three years, he was a lead. Last I checked, he was running the inbound department. Why? Because he didn’t just see a broom, he saw a task.   I feel work gives us more than money. For me it gives us identity. When someone asks, “What do you do?” your answer becomes part of who you are. And in our line of work, when you can say, “I’m in warehousing” or “I’m in transportation,” you’re saying, “I help move the products that keep life going.” I take pride in that.  And finally, we work for growth. Every shift teaches you something. Maybe it’s how to wrap a pallet tighter, maybe it’s how to work better with your teammates, maybe it’s how to handle frustration when things go wrong. Over time, all those lessons add up. In my opinion that’s what turns a job into a career.  Now, let’s talk about our industries, warehousing, logistics, and transportation.  You know I feel that we’re the backbone of the economy. Everything, and I mean everything, passes through a warehouse and a truck before it gets to the shelf or the doorstep.  I’ve been in this field for over 40 years, and here’s one thing I love about it, the opportunity is always there. I’ve seen so many people walk in as temps, nervous, unsure if they’d even last the week, and within a couple of years they’re supervisors or managers. Or some love what they do so much you can just see the passion in their faces.  I thought of this one guy that had come in through a staffing agency. First day, he’s unloading freight by hand. He didn’t complain, he just worked. Week after week, he kept showing up, kept learning, kept volunteering for cross-training. Within 18 months, he was operating three different types of equipment. Four years later, he was promoted to a lead. And here’s the kicker, he eventually got his CDL, moved into transportation, and last I heard, he has his own route and is top in his region.   And it’s not just the upward mobility, it’s the variety that hooked me. Not everyone wants the same thing. Some people love operating equipment. Some like the fast pace of order selecting. Others find their niche in inventory control or dispatch, maybe a clerk, or auditing. Our industry has a path for everyone.  And let’s not forget stability. The world doesn’t stop needing food, medicine, and home goods. Even in tough economic times, the supply chain keeps moving. I remember the 2008 downturn, while a lot of industries were cutting back, warehouses and transportation kept hiring. And more recently with the pandemic, we’ve all seen how critical these industries are when things get tough. We don’t shut down, we step up.   So yeah, when people say, “It’s just warehouse work,” they don’t get it. I laugh at them, It’s not just a job. It’s an essential part of life.  If I’m interviewing you, please don’t say I’m looking for just a warehouse job!  And that brings me to attitude. This was my original thought out on the patio!  If I could pass along just one piece of advice to anyone starting in this field, it’d be this, your attitude will carry you further than any skill you have on day one.  Years ago, I had two order selectors starting at the same time. Both learned the equipment fast, the electric rider double pallet jack. Both could move product safely and efficiently, and both had adequate or average productivity. But one of them always complained, about the workload, about the heat on the dry side or the cold in the cooler, and about the supervisors. The other one? He stayed positive, even on the rough days. He volunteered to help new hires, he asked questions, he kept pushing forward.  Guess which one I promoted? That second operator is now a warehouse manager, and I think he’s on his way to being a director. The first one, he bounced around jobs, working at most all the competitors. I’m not sure what he’s doing today.   That’s the power of attitude.  It affects safety too. A positive worker may pay closer attention. They follow the rules, they look out for their team. Maybe staying a little more focused. A negative worker? They may cut corners. And cutting corners in a warehouse or behind the wheel of a truck is how accidents can happen.  It affects teamwork. We’ve all worked shifts where one or two people bring down the whole group. But I’ve also seen one upbeat person completely change the tone of a shift. Attitude is contagious.  And it affects longevity too. Our work isn’t easy. The hours are long, the pace can be unbelievable. But I’ve noticed that the people who last, the ones with 10, 20, 30 years in, are the ones who show up each day with that positive mindset. They focus on the opportunities, not the obstacles.  Now I’m not saying all that is in stone, but more times than not a positive attitude will be a winning attitude, in our professional careers and our personal lives.  So think about it.  Why do you work? Sure, for the paycheck. But also for pride, identity, growth, and to contribute to something bigger than yourself I bet.  And tell yourself why you’re in the light industrial fields. I bet, at least in part, it’s because they offer opportunity, variety, stability, and the chance to be part of the backbone of our economy.  And why is attitude everything? Because it impacts your safety, your teamwork, your advancement and opportunities offered, and whether this field becomes just a job or that rewarding career.  I’ll leave you with this thought, your career is what you make of it. I’ve seen people build incredible futures starting with a broom in hand or unloading cases in a trailer. And I’ve seen people with all the skill in the world stall out because they didn’t carry the right attitude.  So, wherever you’re at in your journey, whether you’re on the floor, on the dock, behind the wheel, or in the office, remember your own “why,” and take pride in this industry, and bring the best attitude you can. I feel it’s not our bosses, managers, or companies that hold us back or advances us. We can change those things. It’s us, ourselves, that determine and control our careers, just like we control and are responsible for them.   And there’s a couple of opinions for ya. Thanks for spending this time with us today. If you will, please share the podcast with a friend, and shoot us a short message to warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com with any comments or topic suggestions. I’ll get you an answer or find someone that can! Stay safe, stay positive, and I’ll see you next week.

Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I want to start off by saying a huge “thank you” to every truck driver out there. This week, Sept 14th thru the 20th, is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week here in the states, and I can’t think of a better time to talk about just how important our drivers are, not only to the supply chain but really to every single one of us. The food on our tables, the clothes on our backs, the equipment in our warehouses, everything on the store shelves, none of it gets there without a driver behind the wheel.  Today, I want to explore what this career looks like.  I think we’ll all have a better appreciation for what it means to be a professional driver, whether it’s piloting an 18-wheeler across the country or running local routes in a day cab in your hometown.  When most people picture a truck driver, they imagine the big rigs: those 18-wheelers hauling freight from coast to coast. That’s certainly one of the most visible sides of the industry, but the truth is, there are many kinds of truck driving careers. We’ve talked about drivers before, but it was in a little different context, so I’d like to walk through a few of those opportunities again really quick.   First up, let’s start with the Over-the-Road or OTR drivers. These are the folks who live life on the road. OTR drivers run long-haul loads across states and sometimes across the entire country. They might be gone for weeks at a time, and their sleeper cab becomes their home. We may be ½ of a team and have a partner to share the driving with. Now OTR isn’t for everyone, but for those who love the freedom of the open road and seeing new places, it can be the perfect choice.  Then we have the regional drivers. Regional jobs cover a smaller area, usually a few connecting states. Drivers may be gone during the week but often get home on weekends. It’s a middle ground, you still cover a lot of miles, but you’re not always weeks away from home.  And we can’t leave out the Local or City Drivers. This is where many drivers find balance. Local routes usually mean you’re home daily, running deliveries within a city or metro area. Foodservice, grocery, beverage, spirits, and retail companies rely heavily on these drivers. The hours can be long and physically demanding, think unloading cases or rolling kegs down a ramp, maybe touching every case on your trailer to get it unloaded, but the advantage is being home each night. I think this may just be the most physically demanding position in the driving arena.  Next up you have all the Specialty Driving tasks. Flatbeds, tankers, refrigerated units, oversized loads, and hazmat carriers all require special training and license endorsements. These jobs can pay a premium, but they also bring extra responsibility. Securing a load on a flatbed or hauling hazardous material safely takes a special level of focus and dedication to the trade.  And we have Corporate Fleet Drivers too. Think of your big box chains and huge brands that are delivering their product and maybe to just their stores. Those companies run their own private fleets. These jobs usually come with stability, benefits, and predictable schedules. The company invests in its drivers, and drivers become part of the larger corporate family. Depending on the company, they may try and promote from within, train from other departments like the warehouse, production, or manufacturing floors. Some companies have great training programs!   Cartage and Transportation Companies are popular with the more seasoned operators. These are the big carriers you see on the highway. They contract with shippers, moving goods for multiple clients. The advantage here is variety, you might haul something different every week.  And the one I think most people think of when getting their commercial licenses are the owner operators. This is a whole different ball game. Owner operators own their own trucks and contract with companies to haul loads. Independence at its finest, but it comes with many potential risks like fuel, maintenance, insurance, and regulatory or compliance concerns and costs are all on the driver. For those with a business mindset, though, it can be rewarding.  Now, I want to be honest with you for a moment. Truck driving is not just a job or even a career, it’s a lifestyle. And like any lifestyle, it comes with challenges.  One of the first things going in, we need to understand the long hours and regulations. Drivers often work long days, and they’re bound by hours of service rules that dictate how long they can drive before resting. Managing that clock, finding safe parking, and still making delivery windows can be stressful.  I had a friend last month trying to get back home on a Thursday. I forget where he was at on his hours, but he had to pull over in a parking lot and have his wife and kids come pick him up. He was just 34 miles from the house.   Speaking of wife and the kids, we should mention the Time Away from the loved ones. For OTR and even regional drivers, being away from home is part of the deal. Missing birthdays, holidays, and family events is tough. It takes a strong family support system to make it work.  And what about the Stress of the Road. Driving a truck isn’t just about steering a big vehicle. It’s about handling unpredictable traffic, weather conditions, I always think of the rains, high winds, snow and ice, then you have the tight delivery schedules, and sometimes unfriendly shippers or receivers. All those things can affect our pay! That stress adds up.  There’s a physical toll also. You can be sitting for long stretches, odd and disrupted sleep cycles, and the challenge of eating healthy on the road all impact a driver’s health. Many drivers struggle with fatigue, back issues, or weight management.  Oh, and Safety Responsibilities. When you’re hauling 80,000 pounds down the interstate, you’re responsible not just for your load but for everyone else on the road. That’s a huge responsibility that professional drivers take seriously. Shoot, they live by it.   But there’s many rewards of a trucking career, or that’s one of my few opinions! With all those challenges I just mentioned, you might wonder why people would choose this career. I’ve asked several drivers just that over the years. You may remember way back in episode 22, Driving, Transportation, & Logistics Opportunities, let’s see, when was that, February 23rd of 2017! That’s been a while. I’ll see about visiting with another operator in the next couple of months. Anyway, check out our interview with Ellie, and I’m sure her YouTube channel is still up as well. Ok, I got off track there for a bit, so, I think we were talking about some of the rewards trucking can bring us.   I’ll pick back up with pay and benefits. Truck driving can be a solid paying career. Many entry level drivers start out making a good wage, and with experience, especially in specialized fields, pay can be very competitive. Add in benefits, retirement plans, and sign-on bonuses, and it’s an attractive package.  The word I always hear when speaking with drivers as to the why they chose driving is Independence. Once you’re on the road, you’re your own boss in a sense. You’re trusted to get the job done without someone looking over your shoulder all day.  Another big draw is seeing the country. Few jobs let you see as much of the country as driving does. From mountain passes to city skylines, drivers experience it all.    A lot of drivers mention Pride in the work. Drivers know that without them, the economy doesn’t move. That pride, being the one who literally delivers the goods, is a powerful motivator.  I think another thing thought about is career progression. Many drivers move into or come from dispatch, fleet management, safety, or even logistics leadership roles. Driving can be a springboard into a long and varied career in transportation.  This is an industry that’s changing and changing fast.  Technology is huge! GPS, electronic logging devices or ELD units, and automatic transmissions have made the job more efficient, though some drivers miss the old-school feel of paper logs and manual shifting. The friend I mentioned earlier, he had to stop and log out due to his ELD unit.  Some great technology is the safety and assist features today. Collision avoidance systems, lane departure warnings, and other driver, assist technologies are becoming standard. These tools help keep drivers safer, but they also require adaptation and use.  There has always been a demand for drivers. The driver shortage is real. With retirements outpacing new entrants, the demand for qualified drivers remains high. That means job security and plenty of opportunities.  So, where does all that leave us? Truck driving is a career filled with opportunity, pride, and independence. But it’s also a career that asks for sacrifice, long hours, time away from loved ones, and handling stress most people never see.  During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, let’s take a moment to thank the drivers in our lives and communities. Whether they’re hauling groceries to the local store, delivering building materials to a job site, or running freight across the country, they’re the reason the shelves are stocked, and businesses keep running.   If a truck is slowing you down, or you’re having to wait in the parking lot for him or her to back their rig around vehicles and into an alley way, or there trying to merge in on an entrance ramp on the freeway, or, and especially, trying to change lanes in front of you, please let them, and appreciate them.   To anyone out there considering driving as a career, know that it’s not just a job, it is a lifestyle. But if you’ve got the determination, the discipline, and the heart for it, trucking can take you places, literally and figuratively!  And to all the drivers out there listening, a heartfelt thank you from warehouse and operations as a career. Your sacrifices

Here we are in week 37, about to end the 3rd quarter of 2025. I’ve always found this time of year to be an important part of the year in the light industrial fields. The kids just went back to school, people are starting to think about, and plan for the upcoming holidays. I noticed this week that jobs are opening up. Staffing agencies are flooding the social media job groups with ads, and all the major job boards are full of posted opportunities. I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for stopping in with us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career for episode 331.   We’ve had a lot of questions come up over the last several weeks regarding the series on job positions and tasks in the warehouse and transportation fields, and this week I believe I’ve lived through several of those scenarios. So today I’d like to walk through a few scenarios we could find in our jobs and how one may handle them. Some good and some bad, some the right way and some the lesser right way.   Ok, where to start, oh, this one’s good, and I hear about it almost weekly from recruiters or hiring agents.   Scenario one. An applicant comes in for a face-to-face interview. I assume they’ve been seeking employment, and have invested time in looking at ad’s, been entertaining both phone interviews and driving out for interviews, anyway, now he or she has scheduled an interview with an agency. This person arrives. Parking, on the street, is congested, and there’s pay meters. The individual comes in, registers, speaks with the recruiter and asks if you have to pay to park. The agent says yes, but you can park in the back for free. The applicant leaves, it’s assumed to move the car around to the back, however, they never return. Now, there’s several things in action here. Possibly the applicant took the recruiters statement about parking in the back out of context or felt like it wasn’t delivered properly. I don’t know. The agency, based on the resume, did have a position to offer. The qualifications were met, they had the work tenure and the experience the account was looking for. Why leave. Was it a communication issue? Looking for a new job is stressful, and we’re going to be anxious. But it’s a process, we have to take our time, take a deep breath and push through it. It’s hard but we can do it. Communication seems to be the hardest thing for us humans to conquer or overcome!   Scenario two. Along the same lines but even more effort and time was put into this example. So, the candidate had applied online, had a phone interview and came in for a sit down interview. The recruiter visited with them, discussed the extensive equipment experience the applicant had and was quite impressed. The open position was explained to them, things like the hours and schedule, the pay, the job description, the safety policies, and expectations the customer had. The recruiter was so impressed that they reached out for an unscheduled PIT class to get them certified so they could start the following day. So, to recap, the prospect had about 30 minutes tied up on the phone interview, another 30 minutes of travel round trip, and about 45 minutes for the sit down. About 1.75 hours were tied up so far. The applicant was asked if a 9 a.m. class or a 1 p.m. class would work better for them. They opted for a 1 p.m. and it was scheduled. Well, 1p came, then 1:05p, then 1:10p. The trainer called and reported the individual as a NCNS. Now as a side note. The recruiter had reported to the facility manager and customer that, based on a successful PIT class, the position had been filled. It’s so important to communicate. I’m not sure what happened, but that’s over two hours invested, and a job secured, just to walk away. I always think maybe the job just wasn’t for them. Instead of burning our chances of getting another position with the agency, why not just be upfront and honest, if that was the reason. Do you think the applicant knew they weren’t going to go to PIT or accept the job? Again, job hunting is stressful. But, now, this agency is off limits to us.   And here’s another scenario. This is something we all need to realize. Whither we agree or disagree with it, its legal and your hiring agent will probably do it. Our social media. Let’s be honest, our feeds are written for our friends. While you’re seeking employment, I urge you to clean it up. Locking it could even be worse for us. It’s important to remember that our recruiter probably has over a hundred applicants to look at. If there’s something on our page reflecting violence, alcohol, drugs, or even what we ourselves recognize as poor or questionable decision making, we will be skipped over. And if we’re honest, we know which post to hide for that week or two we’re looking for work. One guy told me that he posted nothing his grandmother couldn’t see! If we’re going to leave something on there, we believe is funny, let’s let the recruiter know its there, tell them I started to take it down, but I just think it’s funny, it doesn’t depict my beliefs. Communicate and share, I’ll leave it at that!  What’s another one, ok, I hear this one a lot. As we know, we’ve spent time on the job boards, did the phone interview, and had the face to face interview.  Our work history is a little light in the warehousing field. We’ve worked in retail and at fast foods and want a warehouse job. We’re here and are being offered a GL position within a 30 minute drive from where we live. We’re offered x number of dollars an hour. We state that we can’t work for less than x number of dollars an hour. Now, lets reflect for a minute. We replied to an ad that stated the job description and pay rate. We’ve invested our time in the phone interview, where we could have brought up any pay rate questions or statements, sit through the in person interview without asking about it and bring it up once the job is offered to us. So some thoughts on this scenario.   One recruiter had shared with me, a story where a person was offered x dollars an hour but stated they needed at least this amount per hour. They were asked, and why do you believe it should pay that amount. Now this is rarely going to happen but its our chance to at least share something about our experiences, our equipment use, our past accomplishments, anything to justify our ask. This recruiters applicant answered that its a living wage.   Remember this was a GL position, a really good get our foot in the door job with a large corporation. These jobs are not necessarily long term careers. They are positions that can give us experiences to work towards those long term careers. There not built and structured for that. Anyway, I’m getting lost with opinions there. So this individual turned down the job. Didn’t accept it until something better came along, or accept it and show the managers what a great employee they were. They just turned it down. I don’t know what their responsibilities were, like rent, food, etc, but they obviously didn’t have to have a weekly paycheck. I think some better communication could have helped us here, or at least a little better planning.   Theres three or four scenarios that came up this week and each goes along with a question we’ve had over the last several weeks.   Seeking a job is tough work. Having a job is hard work and can be frustrating to keep it. We all, or most of us anyway, are going to have to work until we can retire. And it’s up to us to make sure we have the resources to retire when that time comes. I feel we alone own that responsibility.  When I hear things like we’ve talked about today I wonder if those applicants we’re really needing a job. I mean of course they needed work, they wouldn’t have invested the time otherwise. But I mean did they need a job. Like food on the table, gas or car money, a cool or warm place to sleep, and just spending money? I don’t know. But I know, what I described earlier wasn’t the way to handle it, and it burnt a bridge that we may not be able to cross again.   Share your thoughts on Facebook or X by using @whseops or on Instagram at waocpodcast and you can always email us at host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com.   I’d like to end by saying, whither you’re an applicant, production associate, lead or supervisor or an executive management team member, communicate, communicate, and communicate more. Tuesday, I had a young worker tell me that communication is growth. Let that sink in for a minute. Until next week please be safe as that’s what leads to a long life.  

Warehouse and Operations as a Career the podcast. Marty T Hawkins here. We need to get to a lot of questions being sent in regarding several of the positions we’ve been speaking on so I’ll try and get something put together in the next couple of weeks. I had to charge our equipment over at the distribution training center this week, so I thought of today’s battery changers and how different the position is today, so let’s talk about that for a few minutes.   For electric powered industrial equipment, the battery changer keeps the heartbeat steady. Uptime, safety, and battery life all flow through this role. Over the past two decades, the job has shifted from heavy, manual swaps in a back room to a data-driven, safety-critical function that touches maintenance, EHS, and operations. Today’s battery changer is part equipment handler, part technician, and a lot of times, part systems operator.  Twenty years ago, and thirty years ago for me, many facilities still used chain hoists and hooks to lift and place those 1,500–4,000 lb lead-acid batteries. A battery beam, In my humble opinion, in today’s world, they should never be used! And the charging areas! Hydrogen gas from charging required ventilation, but controls were simpler, logging was paper-based; rotation was whoever grabs the next charged battery. Everyone required designated charging areas with ventilation, spill-neutralization supplies, and fire protection, but execution, well simply put it varied quite a bit.  Later on came the, what we called, the push pull. Mobile and pallet-jack-mounted battery carriages with magnet or vacuum extraction reduced manual handling and sped change-outs to just a few minutes. Standard fit battery racks made working with the heavy batteries much easier and safer.    Today the room is smarter. Battery room management systems (BRMS) and networked chargers track state of charge, temperature, rotation, and cool-down; visual cues tell operators which battery to take, protecting life cycles and eliminating guesswork. High-frequency (HF) chargers improve energy efficiency and support opportunity charging, reshaping shift patterns. In some fleets, lithium-ion packs and fast charging units can reduce or eliminate mid-shift swaps.   I always felt like the beams were so dangerous to work with, and the push/pull attachment was efficient for its time but, well, with each of us equipment operators changing our own equipment I’ve got to be honest, we weren’t really concerned with maintaining proper charging protocols. We wanted a hot battery and took one. Probably shortening the life of the battery by half many times!   Back then it was a whooping. We’d have to align the truck, sling the battery, control that swing, mind your fingers and toes, and stick the landing perfectly. And that chain hoist, those slow gears.   Today we can use a battery extractor/carriage, often mounted on a powered pallet jack, with a magnet or vacuum that grips and can push and pull the battery. Transfer happens across roller beds with stops at each point. Skilled placement is still needed, but the machine does the moving and muscle part. Newer extractors can get a battery changed in 3 to 4 minutes in the larger facilities  Back then: we were supposed to use paper charts, what we charged and what we used. That was a pretty thin book! And an Equalize charge! I had a maintenance man who’d ask how my second shift could function without equalizing a charge.   Now, BRMS/IoT displays indicate the one battery that’s fully charged and ready to be used and enforce the rotation. Computers and monitors flag missed equalize cycles and bad batteries, cells, or misreading units. And for maintenance & housekeeping!  We used to wipe the tops, check all the cables, and keep the eyewash station from getting dusty.  Today the battery changer monitors ventilation, the eyewash and spill kits, rack condition, and charger leads. He or she performs basic inspections, and issues or defects, reporting them immediately to the maintenance department.    Back in the day I’d report that we did 20 changes last night.  Now, KPIs include change-out time, wrong batteries used, charger utilization, battery temps, watering compliance, equalize usage, and preventative maintenance reporting. Today’s systems make all this possible.   And now you’ll see High-frequency chargers & opportunity charging.   High frequency chargers deliver better electrical efficiency than the older type units and support opportunity charging during breaks, keeping trucks in service longer and reducing change events per shift. That maintenance guy I spoke about earlier would throw a fit if we ever plugged our pallet jack in at break or lunch! It used to be so bad on the batteries, but that was 20 and 30 years ago!   There are some amazing systems out there now. Computerized racking, dashboards, data analysis on each battery, its charge and change history. Pretty much anything you’d ever want to know about it, and, how your associates are following your charging protocols.   In many facilities, lithium-ion packs and batteries are being used. Less maintenance, no watering, and utilizing partial charging as well.   Designated charging areas with ventilation, spill neutralization, fire protection, and protection for charging units are modern today.   Eyewash/showers & neutralization stations are maintained well, and Lockout/Tagout or LOTO programs are built in, structured, and part of the programs.  And then there’s training beyond just PIT awareness, today’s changer needs training on chemical hazards, electrical safety around chargers, LOTO, and use of the room’s specific systems, those BRMS dashboards, HF chargers, extractor equipment.   A few of the more important things considered today that may not have been considered several years ago that we now consider for the rooms and the position.  Gosh, lets see, where do I start. The room layout & flow I guess. We want marked, dedicated aisles and striped parking lanes and where charger leads can be kept tidy and off the floor. Running over a charge terminal is the quickest way to upset that maintenance guy! We need to install roller stands at consistent heights, and an easy way to document any components like magnets and vacuums, or terminals, maybe something linked to our warehouse management systems. And of course, ventilation in the room that keeps any gases low during charge and equalize cycles.   I think all the new systems are great in helping to Take-the-right-battery every time by being system directed. No more I’m taking this one! The maintenance guy loves how they help Equalize on a proper schedule that the BRMS or charger system directs and records our compliance!  The battery changer handles all the maintenance basics too. Watering programs, keeping the tops and vents clean, all the corrosion control  And then they oversee the metrics, things like, Change-out cycles, battery/charger utilization; temperatures, oh and the room 5S scores; incident/near-miss rate opportunities in his or her charging room  The job has moved from a no skill or training position that all associates may have performed to a more skilled and trained position, with responsibility and accountability.  We have Hands-on skills, equipment operation, alignment and transfer procedures, connector etiquette, hose and vent cap checks, housekeeping. And reading charger displays, understanding BRMS, and all the alarms, and we’ll learn and use basic data entry.  And of course, safety. Using the correct PPE’s, acid handling, spill response, eyewash usage and procedures, our LOTO rules, and proper and required ventilation.    Where can this position take us? Senior battery technician, maintenance tech, energy/charging program lead, EHS coordinator, or facilities or operations roles. As fleets digitize, the best battery changers become the room experts, people who speak the language of both uptime and safety.  The battery changer’s work is still about getting the right power pack into the right truck at the right time and safely. What’s different now is our toolkit, the engineered extractors, roller racks, HF chargers, and the workflow with system driven results, and the responsibility of owning a safety-critical, analytics driven assisted processes.   Imagine what the next 5 to 10 years are going to bring us!  We’ll theres a bit on the battery changer position. Please send us a message through our Facebook or X feeds using @whseops or comment on Instagram at waocpodcast, even go old school and send me an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com.  If you have a position you’d like to know more about, ask away, and I’ll find someone to help us learn about it.  Until next week, be productive and be safe in all you do, on the job and at home.

Hey everyone, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. As we continue our series on job descriptions, task, and their opportunities, I thought we’d stick with transportation as a topic. Tonight, I want to dig into a position that doesn’t always get the spotlight but is absolutely critical across several industries, the driver helper. It’s one of those roles that can look a little different depending on where you find it: the moving industry, the furniture world, beverage distribution, and foodservice distribution to name a few. But no matter where you’re starting out, it’s a position that teaches you the fundamentals, sets you up for growth, and can really be a gateway to a rewarding career.  So, what’s a Driver Helper? Well, it’s someone who works alongside a driver to make sure deliveries are completed efficiently, safely, and often with a bit of customer service thrown in for good measure. The driver is responsible for the vehicle, the route, and the delivery paperwork, but the helper? They’re the hands, the muscle, and sometimes even the face of the company on the customer’s doorstep.  It’s a role built on teamwork too. A good driver and helper pair up like a well-oiled machine, each knows what the other is doing, they split the work, and they get those deliveries done.  Now, let’s start with the moving industry.  Think about it—when you’re moving from one house to another, or when a business relocates, it’s the moving crew that shows up.  The helpers are the ones carefully carrying furniture, boxes, appliances, and loading or unloading the trailer along with the driver. He or she is also in charge of the paperwork, any manifest or paper work and knows the directions!   A few tools of the trade would be, dollies and hand trucks. We’ll be talking about several different types of dollies and hand trucks today with each industry’s take on each model. A moving dolly is typically a square platform with 4 caster wheels on it, where you can lay an item on it, office cubical, household item, bulky item and such, and roll it around, or use it to ease something around a corner. They may also use a hand truck with a wide upright on it with a rachet belt on it, it’ll hold things against the frame. Think of things like a refrigerator or desk credenza. Other typical tools are furniture pads and straps, shrink wrap, tie-downs, and sometimes ramps, but more often a box truck with a tommy lift on it, which is a hydraulic liftgate, a device that lifts heavy cargo into or out of a box truck or trailer.  Helpers here learn about proper lifting techniques, weight distribution, and packing skills, because if something shifts or gets damaged, the whole company hears about it.  From helper, you can move into being a lead mover, then into a driver role. Many who start as helpers in this industry eventually earn their CDL and become household movers or even owners of small moving businesses. It’s a great spot to learn both the physical side of the job and the customer service side.  Now, let’s shift into the furniture and appliance industries. Similar, but also a bit different. Here, the deliveries are often to the customer’s home or sometimes into office spaces. Think couches, tables, desks, beds, washers, dryers, and refrigerators and freezers.   Here we’ll use those furniture dollies, straps, and sliders. We’ll also have and know how to use tools for assembly or disassembly. Think wrenches, drills, screwdrivers, dryer vents, ice cube water lines, stuff like that.  We’ll need a little training on handling bulky but fragile items, no one wants a scratch on their brand new dining table. It’s a bit more of a team effort, we’ll work closely with the driver.  What makes this industry unique is the customer interaction. You’re not just dropping off a package at the door—you’re inside the customer’s home. That means training in professionalism, communication, and respect for someone’s space. Helpers here often learn to assist in assembling products, which gives them additional skills.  Here, from helper, you might move into driver, storage supervisor, or even customer service and sales. A lot of furniture companies like to promote from within, and that hands on experience with the product makes you valuable in roles beyond just delivery.  Now, let’s get into the beverage distribution world, one of the most common places you’ll find driver helpers.  This is the guy or gal riding shotgun with the route driver who’s delivering sodas, beer, or water to convenience stores, restaurants, or grocery chains. And each one of those end users bring unique differences and challenges along with them.   These Two-wheelers or hand trucks are a bit different. The frames are going to be a little narrower, the blades will be a bit longer and thinner, for scooping stacks of cases. This industry may also use lift gates. Sometimes special equipment for moving kegs safely. Depending on what there carrying and where there delivering you may see those truck mounted forklifts, sometimes called piggyback forklifts, and I’ve heard them called spiders, and a moffett. Moffett is actually a well known brand name for this type of forklift  We’ll want and need a little training in handling cases, stacking, and rotation of product.  And I want to throw in, since we mentioned a piece of powered equipment, to never touch or get on a piece of equipment you’re not trained on and certified to operate.  This is physical work—cases can weigh 30–50 pounds, and kegs even more, and helpers may move hundreds of cases in a shift. But it’s steady work, and it teaches you about time management, route efficiency, and merchandising. Again, teamwork and customer service come into play with this position.  A beverage helper might work into a route driver position, then into route sales, and even into supervisory or merchandising roles. It’s one of those industries where the helper role is really seen as a steppingstone. Many distribution companies even design it that way, you start as a helper, you show up every day, and when the company has an opening, they’ll put you through CDL school and you’ll have your own truck, routes and customers.   And now let’s talk about the foodservice distribution driver helper.   These helpers will be using ramps or lift gates as well, two-wheelers or hand trucks, breakdown hand trucks, hand trucks with brakes even. Maybe even small electric pallet jacks, designed to move around in the back of trailers, and run pallets on the delivery dock at hotels, hospitals, or on sidewalks at restaurants, schools, and nursing homes. Rolling carts can be used for things like breads and packaged products.  Foodservice deliveries can be one of the toughest helper jobs physically. These deliveries can be hundreds of cases per stop, often down ramps, through kitchens, or into storage rooms. Helpers learn quickly about organization, safety, and efficiency. Here again, helpers often become drivers. But from there, opportunities branch out, into warehouse, routing and dispatch, even into management.    So across all these industries, what’s common? Of course safety training. Proper lifting, PPE, hydration, and knowing your limits. Equipment use. Hand trucks, dollies, straps, lift gates, ramps. Customer interaction. Whether you’re in someone’s living room or a restaurant’s back door, you’re representing the company. Oh, and time management. Routes are tight, schedules are strict. Helpers learn to hustle without cutting corners.  Many companies also provide training in ergonomics, defensive driving awareness, and even customer service workshops.  Now, let’s talk about where this role can take us.  Being a helper can be the first step toward a CDL license. Many companies want to promote helpers into driver positions because they’ve already proven themselves. It’s easier to invest in someone who knows the product, the job, the routes, and the customers.  Helpers often move into warehouse roles like loader, unloader, or selector. Routing and dispatch positions. Sales and merchandising for beverage and foodservice industries. Supervisory or lead roles, eventually moving up into management.  I’ve seen helpers go from pushing a two-wheeler of soda cases to becoming route supervisors, distribution managers, and even regional VPs. That’s the power of starting in the trenches, you know the work, and you earn respect along the way.  The Driver Helper role might not sound glamorous, but it’s the kind of position that teaches you discipline, teamwork, and grit. You’ll learn tools, customer service, and efficiency. And if you stick with it, show up on time, and give it your best, it can absolutely be the launchpad to a long and rewarding career.  So, whether you’re helping a family move across town, delivering a new sofa, stacking cases of soda, or running foodservice deliveries, remember, helpers today can be drivers, leaders, and even executives tomorrow.  Well, we could go on for another hour talking about the driver helper positions, and transportation as a whole. But I need to get back to work! Thanks for stopping in again today and I hope you make it again next week. Until then, keep the freight moving and be safe out there.  

When we talk about logistics, warehousing, and distribution, transportation is the vital link that keeps everything moving. Without trucks on the road, vans on the streets, and skilled professionals planning routes, freight doesn’t move, and shelves don’t get replenished. While warehouses store and organize, transportation makes the connection to customers, businesses, and ultimately, our communities. And just like warehouses, the transportation industry offers a wide range of careers, from entry-level roles to executive leadership, each critical to the supply chain.  It was pointed out to me last week that a career in the transportation field was just as worthwhile as warehousing. And I couldn’t agree more. Look around the room you’re in. Unless one of the kiddos or grandma made it it’s been hauled by a truck at some point. Maybe even after a ship’s brought it over across the seas and oceans. I’m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and today let’s talk transportation.   One of the most visible and recognized roles in transportation is the over-the-road truck driver. These are the men and women who move goods across states, sometimes coast-to-coast, hauling everything from dry goods and produce to automobiles and hazardous materials. Everything.  OTR drivers keep America’s economy flowing. Without them, manufacturers can’t get raw materials, and stores can’t stock products.  They often cover thousands of miles a week, keeping supply lines open 24/7.  So, what does it take to be an OTR operator? Long haulers are a special breed. I tried it for one trip, 13 days once. When I got back to Texas I found a warehouse job. At the time I wasn’t ready for all that responsibility. You are the president of the company once you leave the dock, and everyone holds you accountable for everything!   No, seriously, I respect every man and woman driving the nation. It is an awesome career and can present us with an unbelievable career path. Many OTR drivers start with company sponsored training programs or independent CDL schools. From there, they might progress into specialized hauling, flatbed, tanker, refrigerated trailers or move into local driving as their lifestyle changes. Eventually, some become owner-operators or even transition into dispatching and training roles.  At the other end of the spectrum are delivery drivers, often working with smaller trucks or vans. Think about the rise in e-commerce, companies like FedEx, UPS, and Amazon rely heavily on delivery drivers to get packages directly to the consumer’s door.  These drivers represent the “last mile” in logistics, completing the chain from warehouse to customer.  They are often the only face us retail customers see, making professionalism and customer service just as important as safe driving.  A quick side note. I was asked last month if the gig work or gig driver should be considered a driver. You know, like food delivery services, and ride sharing. My answer was definitely. They pick up a product, are responsible for getting it safely to its final destination, they drive the roads, are out in the traffic, and, the way I understand it, is, they have regulatory obligations and are considered professionals.   Even though they are using a standard license or class C here in Texas, well, maybe some services or trucks may need a class B license due to weight, ok, I’m getting way off topic here. Where was I going, oh yeah,   We were talking about the delivery driver. Just like all kinds of drivers, customer service skills are there number 1 needed skill, after safety of course. Being friendly, professional and a great communicator goes a long way.  Physical fitness is important too, since deliveries may involve heavy lifting, stairs, and multiple stops each day.   Delivery driving can be a steppingstone to supervisory roles or even route planning positions within your organization. With the growth of same-day and next-day delivery services, demand is steady, and opportunities are there.   Similar to delivery drivers but with a more predictable and repetitive schedule, route drivers often handle things like beverage delivery, my personal favorite, food distribution, retail and chain replenishment. They visit the same clients regularly, delivering products and sometimes handling returns or collections.   Route drivers are some of the best obstacle drivers there are. Navigating a large van, or 36 foot trailers, or a 48 or 53 ft trailer around parking lots and alleys or around cars, a true art form in my humble opinion!  Now these drivers build long-term relationships with customers. And they ensure consistency and reliability in their customers delivery schedules.  Route drivers have to have strong time management and problem-solving skills, as routes can change due to traffic or customer needs.  Route drivers often progress into route supervisors or other transportation roles. I had several drivers move into sales oriented roles, given their close customer interactions.  We talked about this in a recent episode but it’s important to mention again as I think it is a great career path. Behind every driver is a dispatcher, that person making sure loads are assigned, routes are scheduled, and customers are updated. Dispatchers are the communication hub between drivers, customers, and management.  The dispatch can be a gateway into operations management, logistics planning, or fleet supervision.   Ok, what else is out there. Without well-maintained vehicles, the transportation system will grind to a halt. Diesel mechanics and fleet technicians are essential to keeping trucks, trailers, and delivery vehicles safe and operational. They help prevent breakdowns that can delay freight and ensures our vehicles meet safety standards.  I can think of 6 drivers that moved into the fleet maintenance side of our facility and went on to careers they loved. Many mechanics advance into shop foreman or maintenance manager roles, and some eventually run their own repair businesses.   And we’ve got to mention the Safety and compliance position. Transportation is one of the most regulated industries there is, and for good reasons. Safety and compliance roles ensure drivers, vehicles, and companies follow DOT rules, hours-of-service limits, and workplace safety standards. They help to prevent costly fines and accidents, protecting us drivers, our cargo, and the public. And as with most all safety or compliance skills, one will need knowledge of federal and state transportation regulations. Have attention to detail traits and a proactive approach to safety. And we’ll have to have strong communication skills for training and coaching drivers.   Compliance specialists can move into risk management, safety director positions, or broader human resources and operations leadership roles.   And it’s important to remember that not all transportation careers are behind the wheel. Freight brokers and logistics coordinators are middlemen who arrange shipments between carriers and shippers. They help shippers find trucks and carriers find freight, optimizing efficiency. They negotiate rates and solve problems when things do not go according to plan.  To some degree they have to have a touch of Sales and negotiation skills in them. And they have to have an understanding of freight markets and pricing. You can’t be successful in this role without strong organizational skills. This task can grow into brokerage or third-party logistics (3PL) roles, sometimes even opening their own firms.  Many transportation jobs overlap with warehousing. We’ve talked about these but I wanted to mention them real quick. The yard jockeys move trailers around distribution centers, load planners optimize shipments, and inventory coordinators ensure product is ready for pickup. These hybrid roles are critical for keeping freight flowing seamlessly.   Like warehousing, technology is reshaping transportation. GPS tracking, electronic logging devices or ELDs, and route optimization software are now standard tools. These tools are creating new opportunities in transportation IT support, data analysis, and systems management.  All these are fascinating careers.    One of the most important considerations in transportation careers is lifestyle. OTR drivers may be away from home for weeks at a time, while delivery and route drivers are usually home nightly. Dispatchers and mechanics work more traditional schedules, though emergencies can, no, I’ll say, add unpredictability to our schedules. The variety means there’s something for everyone, from those who thrive on independence and travel to those who prefer a steady routine close to home.    Transportation isn’t just about entry-level driving jobs. With experience, professionals can grow into, Fleet Managers overseeing dozens or hundreds of vehicles. Operations Managers, running the daily transportation functions of a company, to Directors of Logistics, being over large regional or national supply chain networks, to Executive roles like VP of Transportation and Logistics driving strategy, innovation, and profitability or beyond.  And transportation careers don’t stop at the city limits or even national borders. For those who want to advance and explore the international side of logistics, there are important opportunities across the oceans. Many professionals start as truck drivers, dispatchers, or warehouse associates and eventually move into roles that coordinate global freight. We recently mentioned a few of these, lets see, what episode was that, I think it was episode 323 where we talked about the global supply chain so I won’t rehash a lot of these but, hey, were talking about transportation so, I’m going to include the highlights!    A fascinating life can be in the Ocean Cartage and Shipping Lines industries. Ocean cartage refers to the movement of freight by ship, usually large, containerized cargo that travels between continents. Think of the massive cont

Here we are in the middle of the 3rd Quarter already. Schools are starting back up here in the states, the summer vacations were great, visiting with all the friends and family was a bit exhausting and everyone’s getting ready for that final push through to the holidays next quarter.   I mention all that because this is a unique time of year regarding employment, careers, and opportunities in our light industrial industry. Production plants are wrapping up the Christmas runs, the manufacturing arena is resetting for the next year, and distribution centers are running full bore again. The kids are back in school and we all are ready for the sprint to the end of the year!  I’m Marty, and I’d like to thank you for stopping in with Warehouse and Operations as a Career today! We’re going to continue with our Job Description or Warehouse Positions series, but I wanted to take a few minutes and get a few of your questions answered. Going forward we’ll throw in an AMA segment every once and a while, an Ask Me Anything minute or two. It’s so cool to review all the thoughts and ideas being sent in every week, and please keep’em coming!   Speaking of questions. Someone asked about the baler in the warehouse, lets see, this came from Valeria in Spokane Washington. Today we’ll get that explained and try and gather up some answers to a few other questions as well as speak to the unique time of year it is!  Let’s start the episode off with a broad question from Malone. Malone asked why attendance is such a big deal. She is working, or was working, her first warehouse job. Her background was in the food service industry. Her struggle point was why is tardiness and the occasional call in treated like the associate doesn’t want the job or that they don’t care about the company. She stated her restaurant employers understood employees better.   Retail and restaurant, even fast food and convenience store jobs are great and all of them can make great careers as well. Their management positions can be quite lucrative. And yes, they can be a bit more lenient than the manufacturing, production, and distribution jobs. Its not a difference in the managers or the bosses, its that the responsibilities, regulatory concerns, the workplace environments and the dangers that are present in so many more ways. If we’re late for our department startup meeting we may not be able to work our shift. That’s where we’ll learn about our day, our KPI’s, our production needs, the shifts expectations, and any safety related concerns for the day. That meeting, depending on the job, may be required by some agency, our handbook may stipulate the meeting to be mandatory. You can imagine if your manager had to cover the same speech three or four times as people straggled in.   Yes, the occasional tardy should be worked with by our employer. Things like traffic, wrecks, and congestion can happen to us. Thats why it’s important for us to make it the exception and not the rule .   You may have heard me, and I always get reprimanded when I say it, that our warehouse careers are like being in the major leagues, or in the big’s! Not that the jobs are better or more prestigious, but that, or I feel that, there’s more responsibility and yes, more growth possible in our industry! I’ll get a few emails about that statement!  Our industry doesn’t let NCNS’s slide, the leave earlies and coming in lates don’t work. Our industry has production needs to be met. Safety concerns that need full time focus. A commitment to excellence if you will.   I hope that answered Malones question. Attendance is paramount in our industry.  Ok, which position are we discussing today, let’s talk about that piece of equipment that’s often tucked away in a corner of the warehouse, but plays a big role in both cleanliness and cost savings, the baler or compactor.  If you’ve worked in a distribution center or large warehouse, you’ve probably seen one. Big, boxy, and maybe a little intimidating, these machines handle our leftover cardboard, plastic shrink wrap, and sometimes other recyclables.   A baler is a machine that compresses recyclable materials like cardboard or plastic film into dense, stackable bales. These bales are then tied off with wire or plastic strapping and can be easily moved with a forklift or pallet jack.  Now a compactor works kind of the same way, but instead of creating bales for resale, it compresses waste materials into a container for disposal. In some facilities, both functions are combined in one position.  The primary purpose is to reduce the volume of waste materials. Loose cardboard or plastic can take up a massive amount of space in a dumpster or recycling area. By compressing it, we not only keep our docks and aisles clear, but we also reduce hauling and disposal costs.  In the day-to-day flow of warehouse operations, we generate a surprising amount of packaging waste. Palletized goods arrive wrapped in layers of stretch film. Products often come in bulk cases packed inside cardboard boxes. Pallets of small items may have multiple layers of protective packaging.  Without a system to manage all this plastic and cardboard, it would quickly pile up, create clutter, and become a safety hazard for the team.  Your facility we may have a sanitation department that separates and brings us cardboard and plastics to bail.  Here’s how the process typically works.  Sanitation, us, or associates gather empty boxes and plastic wrap at workstations or at collection points like at the end of aisles or the end caps. Then the waste is transported to the baler/compactor area, often using rolling carts, bins, or cages. I’ve seen some great wire cages created for the plastic and cardboard slipsheets.   So how does this monstrosity work? These matchings can be big and quite intimidating!   As the bailer or compactor agent, we’ll open the feed door and load our material into the chamber. The door is big, thick, and heavy. You’ll notice the large locking hooks that secure it. This door can be dangerous if not locked properly.  We need to stack the waste in layers to help the machine create a uniform, dense bale.  Once enough material is inside, we’ll secure the door back in place and engage the compaction cycle. The hydraulic ram compresses the material, reducing it to a fraction of its original volume.  When the chamber is full and pressure can’t compress further, the machine signals that the bale is ready. We’ll thread baling wire or plastic ties through the little pre-cut slots to secure the bale.  Once we tie off the wire or crimp the ties we’re ready for the machine to eject the bale onto a pallet where we’ll haul it off or have a forklift operator haul it and stage it for pickup by the recycler.  Why did facilities create this position you may ask. Couldn’t everyone just use the baler when necessary. Absolutely, and some facilities may train several people on how to use it. Like many other tools or machines in the warehouse the baler can be a dangerous machine, its under immense pressure when compacting. And like many of the others,  when operated properly its safe and a great tool for us. Its use offers several advantages. Lets see, I made some notes here.  Space Savings, cardboard and shrink wrap can take up huge amounts of space if left loose. A baler reduces that volume dramatically, keeping floors and dock areas clear.  Safety Improvements, loose materials on the floor are tripping hazards, especially those slick plastic slipsheets. And stacks of uncompressed cardboard can tip over and block doorways or exits. Keeping materials contained improves housekeeping and reduces potential OSHA violations.  And we can’t overlook the environmental impact. Recycling cardboard and plastic reduces landfill waste. Many companies use their recycling programs as part of sustainability initiatives, which is increasingly important to customers and corporations.  And then there’s the revenue from recyclables. Baled cardboard and plastic film can be sold to recycling companies. Prices vary, however larger facilities can generate thousands of dollars annually from these sales, easily offsetting the operational costs.  Lower Waste Hauling Costs is another huge advantage for facilities that pay by the dumpster or by the haul, compacting means fewer pickups, saving on fees.  While the benefits are clear, and I briefly mentioned it earlier, balers and compactors are also extremely dangerous if used improperly.  We have to keep in mind things like crushing hazards: The hydraulic ram exerts tremendous force, enough to crush materials into dense blocks. That same force can cause severe injury or death if a person’s hand, arm, or any part of their body is inside the chamber during operation. We can’t get tangled up either. Loose clothing, jewelry, or long hair can get caught in its moving parts.  Bales can weigh hundreds of pounds. If improperly tied or ejected without care, they can fall and cause injury.  Performing maintenance or clearing jams without shutting down and locking out the machine is a leading cause of compactor-related injuries. Lockout and tag out.  The big one for me is untrained associates operating the machine increases the risk of accidents. As you’ve learned here at WAOC, never touch or even get close to a piece of equipment or machine that you haven’t been trained on and certified to operate.   Your facility should require that all baler and compactor operators be trained and authorized to use the equipment. Safe practices include:  Our training of course should cover the proper loading, operating, tying, and ejecting procedures. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), gloves to protect hands from sharp edges on cardboard or metal ties. Safety glasses when cutting or tying wire. Steel-toed shoes for protection from the heavy bales.  And people, never bypass safety devices. Most machines have interlock switches to prevent operation when doors are open. Never override or disable these

Welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today we’re going to shine a well-deserved spotlight on a role that might not always get the recognition it deserves—but one that most large warehouses relies on.  We’re talking about the floor sweeper/scrubber, the man or woman behind that buzzing machine who glides through the aisles after a long shift, preparing the warehouse for the next wave of productivity.  This is the associate who wraps up the day with a purpose. And believe me—there’s a lot more to their job than just cleaning the floor.  Now, if you’ve worked in a warehouse environment, you’ve probably heard the familiar hum of that ride-on or push behind scrubber making its rounds toward the end of the shift. It’s almost like a signal—it tells you the day is coming to a close.  But this role isn’t about appearance or a shiny floor for looks. The sweeper/scrubber operator is often the final quality control point, an unsung hero focused on safety, cleanliness, and setting up the next team for success.  Let’s talk about what they actually do for a minute.  This position, as all positions really, will vary from facility to facility, but here’s a universal list of responsibilities:  First up we’ll be operating the floor sweeping and scrubbing equipment, both walk-behind and ride-on, to remove debris, dust, liquid, and residue from floors.  And it’s our job to inspect the facility floor for hazards, such as broken pallets, loose shrink wrap, fallen products, or other trip and slip risks.  We’ll need to clean up spills that might have occurred during shift operations—think oil, water, broken product, or even battery fluid in some facilities. I mention battery fluids because just this week I had to do a little boil over clean up, well not really boil over, more like over fill, with some baking soda myself. I’d like to take this moment to point out that you need to be trained on how to clean up and dispose of any chemical before touching it period. Lost my place, where was I! Lost my train of thought.  Anyway, it’ll be our job to empty and refill tanks with clean water and cleaning solution, disposing of dirty water in designated areas.  Clean and inspect the machine, bristles, squeegees, and water tanks, ensuring it’s operational and ready for the next shift. And we’ll need to be careful with the squeegee blades, those little strips of rubber are expensive!  And as always, the paperwork is always important. We’ll need to document or report safety hazards, such as broken dock plates, loose floor tiles, cracks in the concrete, or equipment leaking on the warehouse floor.  This person has their eyes on everything, and that gives them a unique perspective.  Here’s something I learned early in my career: how a shift ends has a direct impact on how the next one begins. If you walk into a warehouse that’s cluttered, sticky, and scattered, you immediately feel rushed and frustrated. Your pace is off. You’re reacting instead of performing. And anytime you’re reacting your loosing productivity.  But when you walk into a freshly cleaned, reset warehouse? It feels like your part of something organized. It sends a message:  We care about this place. We care about the people who work here. We’re ready to succeed. Or that’s how I felt after climbing down off of my Tenant scrubber a number of years ago!  As many of you know I was in the food service distribution arena for about 24 years.    There’s a term I love: “setting the plate.” Ever heard it?   It comes from the culinary world. In a professional kitchen, setting the plate means prepping everything for the next cook. It’s a sign of pride and respect—making sure your workstation is clean, your tools are ready, and your ingredients are stocked so the next shift can come in and do their job right.  In the warehouse, setting the plate means doing your part to prepare the environment for success. Clearing aisles, wrapping leftover pallets, disposing of trash and debris, plugging in equipment, sweeping under racks, and reporting anything that’s broken or unsafe.  And at the heart of that culture is our sweeper/scrubber operator.  Think about this: the sweeper/scrubber goes everywhere, they touch almost every inch of the warehouse floor. That makes them the last set of eyes before the next shift comes in.  They notice things others miss. That forgotten pallet in Receiving that’s been sitting there for hours, the oil leak near Door 12, a busted case of yogurt in the corner of the cooler, and that loose dock plate up front.  They’re not just cleaning, they’re assessing, preventing, and protecting.  I’ve always thought of it as a bit of a safety role as well. A clean floor reduces, slip and trip hazards, getting rid of debris that causes damage to wheels or jacks, obstructions that slow down productivity, and in a food production area foreign materials that could  contaminate food-grade products.  In food storage or cold storage environments, this job is critical. Sanitation isn’t just a nice to have task it’s a regulatory necessity.  I’ve seen entire trucks delayed due to unsanitary floor conditions. And I’ve seen accidents occur because a driver hit a patch of spilled product that should’ve been flagged hours earlier. This role is on the frontlines of injury prevention.  The best floor scrubber operators I’ve worked with understood their value. They knew their role was about more than just cleanliness. They were a part of the rhythm and flow of the operation.  This position works closely with almost every department as they wrap up their tasks. Like Forklift drivers to avoid traffic, loaders to clean docks after trucks depart, inventory teams to alert about product out of place.  They were trusted. When a supervisor needed an end-of-day walk-through, they’d often check in with the scrubber operator first: “How’s the floor? Anything we need to address?” Same with the safety department, they’ll check in to get our final thoughts.  I’ve gotta be honest though, this isn’t the most glamorous job in the building. It’s dirty. It’s physical. It’s repetitive. But here’s what separates a good warehouse from a great one:  In great warehouses, every role is respected. The scrubber operator is valued, listened to, and supported. They’re seen as part of the team, not someone just doing “the dirty work.”  And for all you young leads and supervisors out there. When you give someone ownership over a task, something amazing happens. They take pride in their work. They go the extra mile. They become the person you can count on.  I once had a young associate tell me, “I’m just the sweeper.” And I stopped him right there. I said, “You’re the final defense line before our product hits the dock. You’re the first person who notices a problem before it gets out of hand. You’re the reason the next shift can walk into a clean and safe environment. Don’t ever say you’re just the sweeper.”  Because truthfully, without this role, things fall apart.  And here’s the kicker—this job is often a stepping stone. I’ve seen sweepers move into, inventory control because they knew the floor layout better than anyone, Safety teams because they had the eye for detail, Maintenance, Shift leads as well  If you’re listening and working this role right now know this, your job is valuable and can absolutely be a launching pad into more advanced positions.  Let me leave you with a few quick takeaways or thoughts I had when working the scrubber.    Walk the area first – Identify obstacles, debris, or spills before getting started. I learned this the hard way, you’ll get tired of climbing up and down off the thing! Don’t rush, speeding through the job leaves streaks and misses some of the yucky stuff.  Maintain your machine – A dirty squeegee or clogged filter makes the job harder and less effective.  Report issues immediately – You’re the eyes of the floor—your feedback matters.  Take pride in your work – You’re contributing to the success of the shift. The order selectors and forklift operators will love you for a job well done!  And for you Supervisors.  Recognize the importance and value of the role, celebrate a well-cleaned floor and safe handoff. It’ll contribute to your productivity and thru-put.  Give feedback and support – Ask scrubbers what they’re seeing out there.  Rotate training, let others learn this task, it builds respect and teamwork.  You can pair it with responsibility. Include end-of-shift checklists and safety reporting.  Promote from within, keep an eye on your scrubber operators, many may have leadership potential.  When we talk about setting the plate for the next shift, we’re really talking about respect, professionalism, and teamwork.  A clean floor might seem like a small thing. But in our world, where the doors have to get opened and closed, space is limited, and safety is everything—it’s a big deal.  So to all the floor sweeper/scrubber operators out there, I’m saying thank you. You’re not just cleaning up the mess. You’re setting the stage for the success of the next team. You’re closing out the shift with dignity and care. And you’re making it possible for others to walk into a workspace they can take pride in.  And that, my friends, is what being part of a true operation is all about.  Until next week, stay safe, stay sharp, and don’t forget to set the plate. 

It’s week 31 of 2025. Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career, I’m Marty, and today we’re diving into two important yet often misunderstood roles within the warehouse world—Inbound Dispatchers and Outbound Dispatchers.  Now, if you’ve worked in a distribution center, chances are you’ve interacted with one or both of these dispatch teams. But for those new to the field—or maybe just curious about how the flow of goods really works behind the scenes—today we’re going to shed some light on how these roles function, how they differ, and why each one is vital to keeping operations smooth and efficient.  Ok, let’s break it down.  Lets start off with the inbound side.  Inbound Dispatchers are the coordinators of the incoming chaos. They manage freight coming into the warehouse—be it raw materials, finished goods, or vendor-supplied inventory. Their job begins well before the truck ever backs into a dock door.  There responsible for all the:  Freight Scheduling: They coordinate with vendors, suppliers, and transportation companies to schedule delivery appointments. This isn’t a simple calendar task—it involves prioritizing freight based on inventory needs, product shelf life, dock availability, and labor schedules.  Working with Receivers and Unloaders: Inbound Dispatchers are in constant contact with the warehouse receiving team. They ensure that when a truck arrives, there’s someone ready to receive the load. It’s a real-time dance—balancing manpower and incoming volume.  Assigning Dock Doors: Efficient dock usage is crucial. Inbound Dispatchers assign specific dock doors to each trailer based on the type of freight, space needed, and how quickly it needs to be offloaded.  Merchandising Coordination: In foodservice and retail, inbound teams may also work closely with merchandising departments to prioritize high-demand items or seasonal goods. Some loads may be broken down and sent straight to production or shipping without ever touching storage shelves.  Documentation and Tracking: Bills of lading, appointment confirmations, temperature logs for cold freight—Inbound Dispatchers handle it all. Compliance is key.  Now let’s talk about the pace. Inbound Dispatchers work in a rhythm that’s steady but unpredictable. A delayed truck can impact the entire receiving schedule. A last-minute load? That can throw off staffing plans or overload the docks. These dispatchers have to stay cool under pressure, think on their feet, and communicate with multiple stakeholders throughout the day.  And the outbound side is just as busy!  If Inbound Dispatchers are the gatekeepers for everything coming in, Outbound Dispatchers are the last line of defense on the way out. Their focus is entirely on what’s leaving the building and making its way to customers.  Things like Load Planning and Carrier Scheduling: They assign freight to outbound trucks, ensuring orders are complete and ready to roll. They work with route planners, customer service reps, and third-party carriers to get shipments out on time and in full.  Coordinating with Pickers, Packers, and Loaders: Outbound Dispatchers must keep tabs on where each order is in the process. Are the pallets wrapped? Has the paperwork been printed? Is the truck at the dock yet?  Trailer Assignment and Door Scheduling: Much like the inbound side, outbound has to manage dock space carefully. Some facilities may have designated outbound doors, but even then, timing is everything. One late loader can delay three other trucks.  Communication with Customers or Delivery Sites: Especially in retail or foodservice, outbound teams often deal directly with customers or store managers. They’re the ones rescheduling late deliveries or rerouting loads when necessary.  Documentation and Auditing: They ensure freight matches the pick ticket, and that everything complies with DOT regulations, customer requirements, and internal policies.  While Inbound Dispatchers deal with the unpredictability of vendors and carriers, Outbound Dispatchers deal with the pressure of customer expectations. Orders must be right. They must be on time. And in today’s world, that means sometimes tracking a truck in real-time or getting creative with alternate routes or backup carriers.  Both roles require excellent communication, the ability to juggle multiple priorities, and a calm, detail-oriented personality. These aren’t just “office” jobs either—many dispatchers work out on the floor or at dockside desks to stay close to the action.  Inbound and outbound dispatch roles can be steppingstones to other logistics positions. Many Warehouse Managers, Transportation Coordinators, or Supply Chain Analysts got their start in these roles.   Dispatchers see the whole picture of a warehouse’s operation. They understand, Vendor relationships, Carrier performance metrics, Labor flow and dock optimization, Inventory turns, service level agreements  If you’re looking to move into leadership or planning roles, starting in dispatch is a great way to build that foundation.  Some of those skills that translate well will be all the work with excel and warehouse management systems (WMS), transportation management systems (TMS) those awesome time management skills, your problem solving abilities and your strong written and verbal communication, and we can’t forget all the work with conflict resolution and vendor relations.   I wrote down a couple of real life examples and didn’t mention them earlier.  Here’s a quick inbound story. A refrigerated produce vendor calls—they’re running 3 hours behind due to a blown tire. The Inbound Dispatcher has to adjust the schedule, notify receivers and merchandisers (because that product needs to hit picking lines fast), and maybe even move another truck into their dock slot to prevent idle time.  And an outbound scenario. A carrier driver arrives 45 minutes early for pickup. The order isn’t wrapped yet because two pickers called in sick. The Outbound Dispatcher must make the call—hold the driver? Reassign labor? Call another carrier? Or just make the carrier wait? The goal is to keep freight moving without compromising accuracy or safety.  Both roles can be high-pressure. You’re dealing with time-sensitive freight, unexpected delays, and a two dozen moving parts all at once. But they’re also incredibly rewarding. When everything goes right—when that 18-wheeler pulls in and leaves on time, fully loaded and compliant—it feels like winning the day.  And you will build relationships. Inbound teams get to know drivers and vendor reps. Outbound dispatchers become problem solvers for customers and delivery points. You become the go-to person when something goes wrong—and the first one thanked when it all goes right.  Inbound and Outbound Dispatchers sit on opposite ends of the warehouse. They are the lifeblood of the operation, keeping inventory flowing in and finished orders flowing out. If you’re looking for a career that’s fast-paced, detail-oriented, and critical to the operation—this is it.  Whether you’re exploring dispatching as your next step or just want to better understand how goods get to and from the dock, I hope today we gave you a deeper appreciation for two more important roles in the warehouse.  A that’s it for today! Be sure to subscribe and share Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And if you’re in dispatch or work closely with dispatchers, drop me a line—I’d love to hear your story.  Until next time—stay safe, stay efficient, and keep that freight moving. 

Hey all, Marty T Hawkins here, and welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career! We’ve spent the mid-week in Bolingbrook Illinois, and I am dreading heading back to the Texas July heat this evening! Today we’re taking a closer look at three important but often underrated roles within the warehouse. These are the kinds of jobs that don’t always get the spotlight, but if they weren’t done, and done well, the whole operation could grind to a halt. We’ll be talking about the Pallet Sorter, the Warehouse side of Inventory Control or the inventory control specialist, and the Financial Inventory Control Analyst. Three different jobs. Three different skill sets. But each plays a major role in moving product, controlling costs, and ultimately serving the customer. So, let’s talk about them. We’ll kick things off with a position that’s quite literally on the ground floor of warehouse operations, the Pallet Sorter. If you’ve ever walked a receiving dock or a shipping line, you’ve seen stacks of pallets everywhere. They’re as essential as forklifts or racking systems. But not every pallet is usable, and that’s where the pallet sorter comes in. So, what does a pallet sorter do? They inspect incoming pallets for quality and safety. Cracked boards, popped nails, and missing stringers make a pallet unsafe and literally unusable. They sort pallets by size and type. A 48×40 GMA pallet isn’t the same as a Euro pallet or a block pallet. You can have beverage pallets and small standard wood like a 36×42 pallets. Some facilities work with exchange programs like CHEP or PECO, and those pallets have to be tracked, scanned, and sorted separately. They also play a part in cleanliness and compliance. A broken or contaminated pallet can lead to damaged goods or even failed audits. This position is important because every piece of product we receive, store, or ship moves on a pallet. Damaged pallets can cause injuries, tip-overs, or lead to write-offs from damaged and loss product. It’s also a numbers game. Imagine a warehouse shipping 500 loads a week. If 20% of those go out on unsorted or poor-quality pallets, that’s a major liability and a cost hit, both to us and our carriers. This role requires someone who doesn’t mind repetitive work and stays alert throughout the day. Physical stamina is a must, you’re moving pallets all day, lifting, bending, stacking. And most importantly, someone who takes pride in doing things safely and correctly. I know a gentleman that’s held the pallet sorter role for more than 15 years. He loves what he does. He’s made it a career. And many successful team leads, yard jockeys, and forklift operators got their start on the pallet dock. A good sorter becomes familiar with all the ins and outs of product flow, quality control, and dock operations. Working closely with the unloaders, receivers, and even merchandisers. This role teaches discipline, attention to detail, and how to work within a team, and developing foundational skills that can serve you throughout your career. Now let’s move from the dock to the inventory aisles. Inventory Control, often called IC, is the department that ensures what’s in the system matches what’s on the shelves. There’s two departments of inventory control. The warehouse and the financial departments. Have you ever had a customer order get delayed because something was shown in stock but wasn’t actually there? That’s where the warehouse side of IC comes in. These folks keep the system accurate and the customers happy. Cycle counting is a big part of this team’s job. Instead of doing a full inventory once a year, they count small sections of inventory on a rotating schedule, daily, weekly, or monthly. Maybe an aisle at a time. It’s their job to reconcile all the programs. If the system says there are 12 units in a location, but only 8 are physically there, they investigate the discrepancy. They must determine what happened. Did receiving short the delivery? Did replenishment put the item in the wrong slot? Did a picker grab from the wrong location? And there’s an audit component too, IC teams often look at past movements, transfers, and adjustments to find and fix problems. They also work very closely with departments like: Receiving, to make sure counts and putaway are accurate. Shipping, to confirm orders are picked properly. And the replenishment folks, to verify stock is moving from reserve to primary slots or pick locations correctly. Why is this job so important you may ask? Well, let’s talk about inventory accuracy. In a world where next-day shipping and real-time visibility are expected, having an error rate of just 1% could translate into thousands of dollars in missed sales, extra labor, or customer dissatisfaction. Not to mention the costs of emergency replenishment or loss of trust from repeat customers. So when sourcing for a warehouse inventory control candidate the hiring agent is seeking a strong attention to detail, you’re often comparing numbers, paperwork, and screens. And good communication skills are a must, as you’ll be talking to every team in the building to track things down. You’re going to need to be comfortable with technology, most ICs use a warehouse management system (WMS) and RF scanning equipment all day. And Critical thinking is important, when something doesn’t add up, you’ve got to figure out why. It’s important, for our goals and planning, to understand our next step or where can this position take us. This role is often a launching pad into, Inventory lead or supervisor positions. WMS administration or system analyst roles. Even Quality assurance or continuous improvement departments. And if you’ve got that knack for solving problems and spotting patterns, this might just be the job for you. Lastly, let’s talk about the office side of inventory, the Financial Inventory Control Analyst. While warehouse IC is counting products and reconciling physical movement, financial IC is focused on the dollar value of that inventory and ensuring that the company’s financial reports are accurate and compliant. This group reconciles booked inventory value, what the accounting system says is in stock with actual inventory numbers. They track and explain shrinkage, spoilage, damage, and obsolescence. They analyze and report on inventory turns, or how often a company sells and replaces stock. They ensure inventory is valued correctly, especially for tax purposes, this involves cost methods like FIFO (First In, First Out), LIFO (Last In, First Out), or Average Cost. They support audits, internal, external, or regulatory by providing documentation and explanations. We’ll usually find these departments in the corporate office or the back office of large distribution centers. It’s less hands-on, but every decision made affects those of us on the floor. So, what makes a good Financial Inventory Control Analyst? We’ll need Strong Excel and data analysis skills. And Knowledge of financial systems and enterprise software like SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite. We’ll have to have a strong understanding of basic accounting and inventory valuation. And gonna have to have a Problem-solving mindset, sometimes the issues are buried in transaction histories or system logic. And here’s communication again, we must be able to explain complex numbers to both the finance and operations teams. These analysts can become senior finance managers, cost accountants, or supply chain analysts. It’s a white-collar role that plays a huge part in company strategy and reporting. Some even transition into operations leadership with a financial lens — a rare and valuable combination! What else have I noted today, let me see, oh here is a simple statement of each position I jotted down. The Pallet Sorter keeps our material handling system flowing and safe. It’s an entry-level but essential role with growth potential. A great sorter doesn’t just see broken boards or stacks of wood. They understand that their job is the first quality checkpoint in the flow of product. If they catch a broken pallet, they’ve prevented damage, delays, and potentially even injury. They’re not just sorting wood, they’re protecting the product and the people. The Inventory Control Specialist is the accuracy backbone of warehouse operations, constantly chasing discrepancies and improving process flow.  This is someone who might start their day with a list of 20 bin locations to count, but ends up having caught an issue that would’ve cost the company thousands. Maybe they found a mislabeled pallet that would’ve gone to the wrong customer.   Seeing something wrong and digging until it’s right. And think of the Financial Inventory Control Analyst as the bridge between the physical product and the company’s financial health, making sure that what’s on paper matches reality.  But they don’t just stare at spreadsheets. They’re often the first to spot troubling trends in product shrink, loss due to expiration, or slow-moving items that are tying up capital. They might raise the flag that leads to a product rotation policy, or a change in vendor ordering patterns.  One foot in the numbers, one foot in operations. Each of these positions represents a different step in the inventory chain, from what we stage on, to what we count, to what we report. Together, they create the structure that allows our warehouses and distribution centers to function. So, if you’re just starting out, or thinking about what your next role could be, keep these three paths in mind. Whether you like hands-on labor, investigative work, or financial analysis, there’s a place for you in the light industrial industry. And like I always say, show up every day, do the work, and ask for those opportunities and promotions. Thanks for joining me today here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career. If I can answer any questions, please send us an email to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com and we’ll get them answered for you. Be safe out

Thanks for stopping in at Warehouse and Operations as a Career again, I’m your host Marty and we have a lot of ground to cover today! I hope everyone is having a great week.  Can you believe we’re almost through the 1st month of the 3rd quarter of 2025 already. What week are we in, let’s see, 29, week 29 is coming to a close.  Today I thought we’d talk about two different positions. Last week we spoke to several different tasks within the industry, so as discussed, I thought we’d dig in a little deeper.  I had a couple of questions about the front-line management positions, some kind of entry to management jobs. So, first up let’s talk about becoming a Front-Line Supervisor and we’ll work ourselves over to the Global Logistics world.  Now, these two roles couldn’t be more different in some ways—one’s rooted right in the daily warehouse hustle, and the other is all about managing the flow of freight across oceans and international borders. But both roles are vital to keeping the supply chain moving, and both can launch incredible careers.  Let’s get started with the role many of us are closest to:  The front-line supervisor – Most front-line supervisors don’t start as supervisors. They start as order selectors, packers, forklift drivers, or material handlers. They know the floor. They know the work. They’ve came up through the tasks, and they’ve earned the respect of their team by doing the job well—and consistently.  So how do you get there? Remember me always talking about being THAT employee? On-time for every shift, happy, that strong positive outlook!   We have to master every role we’re in. Now that doesn’t mean we are the most productive or best. It means we understand the mechanics of it and how to accomplish it. – Be the associate others look to. Show up early, hit your numbers, and be the one your supervisor can count on.  Communicate – Learn to speak with confidence. Be respectful to coworkers and leaders, and don’t shy away from constructive feedback. An important part of communicating is listening. Listening may be the most important aspect of communication!   Volunteer for Responsibility – Want to be seen as leadership material? Step up for tasks like training new hires or leading a safety meeting. As small as it seems, speaking during the startup and safety meetings will be noticed by both management and your peers. People want someone to follow.  Understand the Bigger Picture – Learn your KPIs or key performance indicators, understand the metrics, know why the shift must hit its numbers, and how your role contributes to the success of the warehouse. Be open to learning. You know how things get done but you do not know everything behind the curtain.   If you’re already dependable and consistent, leadership will notice. But don’t be afraid to express interest in moving up. Many front-line leads get their first shot just by saying, “I’d like to learn more about supervising.” Think about it. If we’re doing a great job, our boss can count on us, knows we’re going to get the job done for them, why would they come see us about leaving them! We have to share our plans and goals with them.   If you like looking at advantages and disadvantages or pros and cons, well let’s talk about that for a minute.   First up, Career Progression or that next step This is the gateway role into leadership. From here, you can grow into warehouse manager, operations manager, or even into roles outside the warehouse in HR, safety, or logistics.  Skill Development – You’ll develop soft skills like conflict resolution, de-escalation, scheduling, communication, and coaching—skills that translate to every industry.  Respect & Responsibility – You become the go-to person. The one who answers questions and helps keep the team on track. That respect can be very rewarding.  And of course, Better Pay & Hours – While it varies, most front-line supervisors receive a pay bump and are often on a more consistent schedule than hourly warehouse workers. Many times, quarterly, annual or incentive bonuses are on the table.   And as with anything, there may be a couple of cons. I guess it depends on how you’re looking at it.   You’re in the Middle – You answer to your managers and also support your team. Sometimes, that means delivering tough messages either way.  Longer Hours & More Stress – Supervisors often stay late to finish reports, walk the floor, or resolve issues. You’re no longer “off” when the shift ends. A quick tip. Never divide out your hours to your salary. Its apple and oranges. And we’re on a path here.  Accountability – If your team doesn’t hit productivity or quality targets, you’re the one who must answer for it. That pressure can be intense.  Difficult Conversations – Coaching, correcting, and even disciplining associates can be uncomfortable. But it’s part of leadership.  This is a tough one. Maybe we used to do the same things we’re speaking to them about, maybe we used to do it with them!  Still, for many people, the trade-offs are worth it. If you want to grow in this industry, becoming a front-line supervisor is often the first big step—and it sets the foundation for everything that comes after.  I want to throw in the importance of listening again. Learning to listen, I mean really looking at somebody and hearing them is hard to learn. Don’t be listening and thinking of your response at the same time. I feel the best advice I have for everyone is to learn to listen.   How It Can Set You on Your Career Path  Once you’re a front-line supervisor, doors start to open:  Operations Manager  Warehouse Manager  Trainer or Safety Coordinator  Recruiter or HR Support  Project Lead roles for implementations or transitions  You learn how to lead people, manage time and performance, and solve problems in real-time. These are the skills companies want in their leadership teams. With the right attitude and a few years of experience, the next step may be much closer than you think.  Now let’s shift gears to a very different kind of leadership…  Becoming a Global Logistics Manager  While the front-line supervisor is walking the floor in boots, the global logistics manager is tracking containers from China to California, routing shipments, navigating customs paperwork, and making sure goods arrive on time and intact.  This role operates at the 30,000-foot view. It’s less about boxes on a pallet and more about the movement of freight on ships, planes, trucks and containers around the world.   What Does a Global Logistics Manager Do? Lets look at a few of the 1000 tasks!  Freight Movement – Coordinate the transportation of goods internationally.  Vendor Management – Work with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and ocean carriers.  Compliance – Ensure goods meet import/export regulations in every country.  Scheduling – Plan shipments months in advance and react quickly to delays.  Cost Control – Negotiate rates and optimize shipping methods to control budgets.  Tracking and Reporting – Use software and dashboards to track shipments and generate performance reports.  Unlike the front-line supervisor role, a global logistics manager typically requires a formal education:  Bachelor’s Degree – Often in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or International Business.  Certifications – Like the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) or International Trade Certification.  Software Skills – Knowledge of systems like SAP, Oracle, or transportation management systems (TMS) is critical.  Experience – Most start as logistics coordinators, import/export clerks, or shipping analysts and work up to the manager level.  The great thing is our company may have programs and help us obtain our education. We’ve been a great employee, they’ve invested in us and will want to keep us.   Remember, we’ve been talking to them about our goals and plans. This isent the first time they’ve heard this from us.    A few pros to the position  A High Earning Potential    Strategic Influence – You’re a key part of business success. If you fail, products don’t move. That responsibility comes with status and recognition.  Variety of Work – No two days are the same. One day might be port delays, the next day negotiating new contracts with carriers.  Global Perspective – You gain an understanding of how economies and global trade work, which can position you for international roles or executive leadership.   And some cons  High Pressure – Delays, tariffs, storms at sea—many things are outside your control, but you’re still expected to solve the problem.  Work-Life Balance – Time zones don’t sleep. Freight might land in the middle of your night. Expect emails and calls off-hours.  Complex Regulations – Import/export laws can change quickly. Staying compliant requires constant learning.  Limited Entry Points Without Education – Unlike operations where experience might carry you further, this path usually demands formal qualifications and technical know-how.  And as for a career path  This role can open up high-level supply chain and executive opportunities:  Director of Global Supply Chain  VP of Logistics  Procurement & Sourcing Manager  International Trade Compliance Officer  Operations Director – International  And while it starts global, it can bring you closer to the boardroom. Executives increasingly want leaders who understand the cost, risk, and complexity of global logistics. With the right combination of experience and strategic thinking, this path can take you anywhere—from the port to the penthouse!   So, what’s the takeaway today?  If you’re working the warehouse floor and thinking, “What’s next?”—look at the front-line supervisor role. It’s often the next natural step and a real launching pad for leadership.  If you’re someone with a passion for strategy, numbers, and international business—or maybe you’re working in shipping or receiving and want to level up—exploring a path toward global logistics management could be right for you.  Both paths