Is there room in a modern-day warehouse for empathy?

Distribution centers are obsessed with productivity, to the point where many will monitor the actions of their workers on a second-by-second basis. What’s more, the job can be grueling and repetitive, so it’s no surprise that warehouses are having problems finding staff these days. Some are addressing the issue by offering higher pay, but Kyle Franklin, a solution consultant with Lucas Systems, believes they need to do more.

Specifically, he says, warehouses have to practice empathy for their workers, creating an environment that’s both physically and mentally healthy. They need to engage workers in problem-solving and create systems that allow for all levels of experience.

The result, he says, is not only happier workers, but also higher productivity and better retention of staff. Hosted by Bob Bowman, Editor-in-Chief of SupplyChainBrain.