13 Aug Warehouse Workforce Burnout: How to Prevent Fatigue and Reduce Injury Risks During Peak Production Months
The warehouse industry revolves around the manufacturing and delivery of goods. As demand grows during specific seasons, many companies find themselves pushing their teams to increase production.
But what if your warehouse workers feel burned out and fatigued during prolonged operations? This article will delve into strategies you can use to help prevent this from happening with your teams.
What are peak production months and what is their effect on workers?
Peak production months are the busiest times of the year, when manufacturing businesses ramp up operations to meet high demand. These periods typically change based on a company’s target market.
- The months leading up to major holidays—like November and December—are busy for retail goods.
- Spring months increase the demand for seasonal products.
- Back-to-school periods usually occur during late summer.
At these times, companies often need to increase production quotas. The intense pressure to meet deadlines and fulfill large orders creates potential workforce challenges if not handled properly. This may lead to negative outcomes such as:
1. Burnout
Burnout occurs when workers become physically and emotionally exhausted from prolonged periods of intense work. During peak production months, employees often work extended hours or are scheduled for overtime.
The constant stress of meeting higher quotas and tighter deadlines also drains workers mentally and emotionally. This leads to burnout that doesn’t just affect individual workers. Instead, it may spread throughout the workplace and create a negative atmosphere that impacts everyone’s performance and morale.
Related article: What to Do When Your Team Is Burned Out
2. Fatigue
Fatigue sets in when workers don’t get enough rest or adequate breaks between shifts. Peak production schedules often require employees to work back-to-back shifts, meaning workers may struggle to balance long hours with sleep time and personal responsibilities.
Physical fatigue makes simple tasks feel difficult and causes workers to move more slowly. It can also increase error rates and lower decision-making abilities.
3. Workplace Injuries
Instances of injury can increase dramatically during peak production months. Because of fatigue and burnout, tired workers are more likely to make unsafe decisions.
For example, the pressure to work faster often leads employees to skip safety steps or take dangerous shortcuts. Repetitive strain injuries become more common as workers perform repeated motions for long periods without adequate rest.
5 Strategies to Improve Employee Experience during Peak Production Months
The work environment greatly affects employee satisfaction. Consider workers’ well-being during production scaling, and you’re less likely to worry about worker burnout.
Here are some strategies that your business can use to help your warehouse workers.
1. Implement Rotational Shifts
Rotational shifts involve regularly moving workers between different positions and tasks throughout their workday or week. This is meant to prevent overuse of specific muscle groups and reduce mental monotony.
Implement this strategy by creating detailed job rotation schedules that move employees between light-duty and heavy-duty tasks. For example, a worker might spend the morning in packaging, move to quality control in the afternoon, and finish the day with inventory tasks.
This approach requires cross-training employees in multiple areas so they can perform different jobs effectively. Train your managers to map out all available positions and create rotation patterns that ensure coverage while giving workers variety in their daily tasks.
2. Create Zone-Based Work Assignments
Zone-based work assignments divide the warehouse or production floor into specific areas where small teams of workers are responsible for all tasks within their designated zone. Instead of having workers travel long distances across the facility, this approach keeps employees within a smaller, manageable area where they can complete multiple related tasks.
To create zone-based work assignments:
- Obtain your warehouse layout.
- Divide the floor into logical zones based on workflow and product types.
- Consider putting three to five workers in each zone who are trained to handle picking, packing, inventory management, and quality control.
This method can reduce the physical strain of walking long distances while carrying heavy items. It can also lead to better teamwork among zone members.
3. Leverage Ergonomic Equipment
To avoid fatigue, manufacturing companies should leverage ergonomic equipment. These include tools and devices designed to reduce physical strain and make tasks safer for the human body. Some examples of these are anti-fatigue mats and lift-assist tools that can make everyday work easier.
Employers can leverage these tools by conducting ergonomic assessments of all workstations.
- Identify areas where workers experience physical discomfort or strain.
- Invest in equipment that can prevent these specific pain points.
Remember that workstations should be designed so workers can maintain neutral postures without excessive reaching, bending, or twisting. Train your workers on how to properly use different ergonomic equipment. Don’t hesitate to adjust tools to fit the individual needs of your employees. Ensure regular maintenance so tools continue to function properly and provide the intended benefits.
4. Embed Safety into Operations
This strategy requires making safety considerations a core part of every work process rather than treating them as a separate add-on activity. Leaders and employers must fully commit to safety by including it in planning and decision-making.
Read more: What’s So Important About Workplace Culture?
To embed safety into core operations, integrate safety checkpoints into standard procedures for every task. This includes:
- Mandatory safety briefings at the start of each shift
- Procedural safety checks before using equipment
- Regular safety walks by supervisors throughout the workday
Establish clear safety protocols for peak production periods that account for increased pace and longer hours. Make sure that every job has documented safety procedures that workers must follow. These procedures should be regularly updated based on incident reports and near-miss events.
Additionally, track and report safety metrics alongside productivity metrics. This emphasizes that safety is as important as output. You can also create safety incentive programs that reward teams for maintaining good safety records during busy peak production periods.
Read more: Staying Safe on the Job: Workplace Safety Tips
5. Advocate for Holistic Health
Warehouse employees can avoid feeling burned out when their holistic health is prioritized. “Holistic health” refers to their overall well-being, including physical fitness, mental health, nutrition, and work-life balance. Rather than focusing only on workplace injuries, this strategy can improve overall employee experience and satisfaction.
Employers can implement this approach with different activities:
- Offer comprehensive wellness programs that address multiple aspects of health.
- Provide healthy food options in break rooms and cafeterias, especially during peak season.
- Create on-site fitness facilities or gym memberships to help workers maintain physical strength and reduce stress.
- Support mental health by providing employee assistance programs, counseling services, and stress management workshops to manage during high-pressure periods.
- Promote proper sleep by educating workers about the importance of rest. Consider providing quiet break areas where employees can rest and recharge during approved breaks.
- Offer flexible scheduling options when possible to help workers manage personal responsibilities and reduce overall stress.
- Offer voluntary health screenings and preventive care programs to help identify potential health issues before they become serious problems.
Read more: How to Create a Positive Work Environment
Be ready for peak production months with Masis.
Masis Staffing Solutions has been in business for over a decade. Backed by more than 25 years of combined experience, we are a staffing firm equipped with the expertise to solve your workforce challenges.
With our services, you can be ready to scale your operations whenever necessary. Partnering with us gives you access to high-quality candidates with the skills and talents to make your business thrive.
Want to learn more about preventing workforce burnout? Reach out to us today!