Do you manage a warehouse team?

Implement social distancing

In this video, I explain how I helped one of my retail clients to manage their warehouse team during this uncertain period.

The Desai Despatch – Episode 2

Speaker – Jez Kay (JK)
Speaker – Falguni Desai (FD)

(JK) So in this brave new world, we have situations where bosses, CEOs, owners of businesses have to manage staff in a completely different way because of social distancing in particular, and particularly in warehouses and factories. Do you have any examples of late that you can think of where this is a situation where a boss has a particular conundrum?

(FD) Yes, I have a retail client who I’ve been working with for the past two years and they have a large warehouse with 20 warehouse staff. Since the virus started, they have been careful with having the two-meter distance in the warehouse, taking separate lunch breaks, making sure that they don’t mix very closely, which is all fine. But I was thinking what if two or three of them got ill and infected the others, they would have to isolate but it would just spread and the worst-case scenario is that the whole warehouse would need to be shut down.

I had a conversation with the owner because I’d come up with an idea which I thought might work, which is to split the warehouse teams into two groups, so one team is working in the warehouse and the other team stays at home.

Read more: Episode 1 – The Daily (Virtual) “Huddle”

They either take a holiday or whatever they agree with the owner, on the basis that we find some kind of a rota mechanism so that the warehouse is always working efficiently or as efficiently as possible. Actually they’ve put that into place last week and, that’s a really good solution for the moment because the warehouse can manage the orders that are coming in at the moment and if any of the current warehouse staff get ill, then there are people at home who can step in.

The Desai Despatch – Episode 2: Implement social distancing

(JK) Great, so what do you think you learnt from that and what can we learn from it?

(FD) Business owners really need to adapt, adjust and have a fluid plan, nothing is set in stone. You’ve got to be agile and try and be a little bit creative and think

What can I do so that I can carry on my business as much as possible given the circumstances?

This is going to go on for, we are told, at least three months, it may be longer. You don’t want to exhaust your staff. The key is looking after your staff.

They will remember you after this period if you look after them now. Actually, they were looking at me well after and the loyalty goes without saying then.

(JK) So it’s all about employee engagement, it’s all about being agile and flexible and looking after your
people.

(FD) Absolutely, without a team, there is no business for anyone.

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Does this resonate with you? If you would like to book a complimentary, no-obligation, coaching session to discuss this further, please email me at falgunidesai@actioncoach.com