COVID-19 disruptions in distribution center workforce and the path forward As the last 6 weeks have unfolded, we’ve seen supply chain distribution operations react and adjust to many unforeseen challenges in the face of COVID-19. As we settle in to immediate impacts, it becomes clearer that some of these changes could become the new normal, […]
One of the best instructional books for good leadership I have ever read is A Message to Garcia. It only takes a few minutes to read and I highly recommend it. Here it is: In all this Cuban business there is one man stands out on the horizon of my memory like Mars at perihelion. […]
Job coding is imperative for a successful labor management system; without it, you will be able to see only 50-70% of the work performed in your operation. In today’s hyper-competitive supply chain, that missing visibility can have a major impact on your operations. If your operation’s annual labor spend is $5 million, not using job […]
Before we review our predictions for 2019, let’s recap our predictions for 2018 and see how we did. 1. The Datafication of the Warehouse will accelerate. The explosion of data sources continues. Did it accelerate? That is debatable. It definitely increased but it is hard to say that it accelerated, so we will call this […]
Good labor management has become a necessity in today’s very competitive distribution environment. In our hundreds of implementations, we have learned that there are 7 key factors you must have for a successful labor management program (LMS). They are: 1. Track 100% of Time The goal of any labor management system should be to see […]
Advancements in technology have given us access to new methodologies that before were too burdensome for computers to work with. “Machine Learning” and “Big Data” tools allow us to process volumes of data that 10 years ago could not be handled. In the world of industrial engineering, this has given rise to a different way […]
The labor markets are the tightest they have been in 50 years. Wages are going up, and the competition for good employees has never been higher. Distribution labor is especially tight due to booming consumer confidence and the large seasonal ramp up for the holiday season. Finding and retaining good employees is a challenge, but […]
