10 examples of quality of life at work actions to be implemented in the warehouse

Quality of Life at Work is increasingly important for the new generations on the job market, but also for the more senior employees.

If you are short of manpower in your warehouse, working on your QWL is the way to recruit more easily, but above all, to retain your employees.

Discover our 10 actions adapted to the logistics sector to improve working conditions.

Why is Quality of Life at Work so important in the warehouse?

Taking care of the quality of life at work of employees is essential for companies today. The QWL approach in the warehouse is all the more important as it is a demanding workplace: carrying heavy loads, speed, etc

To reduce the risks of socio-occupational illnesses

Ensuring the psychological and physical health of employees in the workplace is essential. A safe working environment reduces the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. By controlling stressful situations and avoiding overwork, the burnout rate is reduced.

To limit absenteeism

As a result of physical or psychological discomfort, sick leave is more frequent in an environment where QWL is neglected.

To increase productivity in the warehouse

If there are fewer absent employees and they are motivated, the overall productivity of the logistics warehouse is higher.

To strengthen your employer brand

A more pleasant working environment than your competitors improves your reputation among potential candidates, which is why it is important to look at the well-being of your staff.

10 QWL actions to implement in the warehouse

There are many things you can do in your logistics warehouse. Here are our ten tips for improving the quality of life at work for your employees.

Introduce regular mandatory breaks

With the fast pace of order picking, it’s likely that some logistics operators don’t take regular breaks. Communicating about this, and making breaks compulsory, helps to keep employees in balance.

Create a shift rotation system

If your business is always busier in the morning, or if some shifts are more physical than others, then setting up a shift rotation system makes it easier for employees to share the most intense hours and the most physical shifts.

Set up a break area

If you introduce compulsory breaks, you need to provide a suitable place: quiet, something to sit down and refresh yourself (water fountain). If you do not have a refectory, the break area can also be dedicated to lunch breaks.

Offer coaching to employees who want it

There is no shortage of coaching services on offer in companies today! Offering this type of service to your employees encourages their interest. Coaching can be on safety, communication, management, productivity, etc

Train operators in the right safety and well-being gestures

To limit the development of MSDs, logistics operators need to be trained.

RAJA offers you training on good safety gestures and well-being at work:

• A training course dedicated to muscular awakening: this allows to know and practice the gestures to carry out a muscular warm-up adapted to the working conditions in the warehouse.
• Training on gestures and postures in the warehouse: ideal for applying the principles of ergonomics to workstations, and thus preventing the risks of occupational diseases and accidents.

Offer skills assessments to those who wish to do so

Career development helps to motivate employees, and through skills assessments you can help weary employees to find interest in a new position within the company.

Establish an open door policy with team leaders or managers

An open door policy refers to being able to talk freely with your superior about various issues:

• Difficulties in carrying out assigned tasks
• Communication problems with an employee
• Too much stress..

If employees know that they can express themselves freely, they will feel more comfortable. To implement this policy, you need to train your team leaders to actively listen to employees.

Set up more informal moments of conviviality

Teambuilding is an interesting way of strengthening the cohesion and atmosphere within teams. In a warehouse, some employees never cross paths if they do not work in the same time slot.

More informal moments are the way to break this distance. They can take various forms:

• Sports day
• End of year meal
• A weekly friendly coffee..

Encourage benevolent management

Management is not the easiest subject in a company. Encouraging a more modern and flexible management style strengthens communication. You can train managers in benevolent communication through in-house training.

Set up regular working and discussion groups to improve QWL

Finally, to succeed in YOUR approach to improving the quality of life at work, you must constantly propose changes. Working groups or think tanks that meet regularly help to keep the company proactive on the subject.

If these groups can be formed with employees of different hierarchical levels, it is even better to ensure the consistency of the actions implemented.

The Quality of Life at Work in the warehouse involves several elements: workstation layout, management, benefits offered by the company, etc. You will not change working conditions overnight, but you can introduce improvement actions little by little. The result? More motivated employees, and therefore a better turnover.

Find out more about warehouse wellbeing here.