Now more than ever, hiring managers should be mindful of employee motivation and retention. With more people shopping online, warehouse teams and truck drivers are under pressure to meet the growing demand in production. When people on your warehouse team are not motivated, it affects the whole team and can be a detriment to the entire workplace. As an employer of essential workers, the way you act, respond and support your team defines the future of your warehouse. Keep on reading to learn about the three ways you can motivate your warehouse team!

Trust and Respect 

It’s one thing to say that you trust and empower employees, but showing it is a whole other story! When you trust your employees, you allow them to think for themselves during pivotal times. It’s about trusting that they’re going to do the right thing when no one is around. Just that alone could potentially empower them to work hard and stay motivated. This means saying goodbye to micromanaging them by giving them the proper tools to complete the job they are tasked with, and being there to support them when they ask for help. For more guidance, schedule a free consultation with a Spectra360 hiring expert. To get started, click here.

Fairness 

Employees want to feel they’re being treated equally regardless of their rank, tenure, or job category. Fairness is often linked to compensation, but that is not the only type of fairness employees desire. Employees want to feel that their hard work is acknowledged; for example, at Spectra360, we conduct monthly employee recognition programs that promote engagement. We select a team member as our Talent of the Month that demonstrates one or more of our core values that given month. This type of program makes it possible for us to highlight different people in our organization fairly.

Listen

We’ve all been taught about active listening, but I hate to break it to you: active listening is not listening. Just because you’re intently staring at them, nodding your head, and repeating what they’re saying doesn’t mean you’re truly listening. Your employees will be able to see through all of that. They want to know that what they’re telling you matters. When an employee comes to you asking for help or with an idea, be humble and think of what they’re saying and how your response will ensure that they feel heard. After your initial encounter with that employee, make sure you’re taking action and following up with them on a solution even if immediate change is not possible.

Ultimately, It’s not always about employee perks that motivate your warehouse team to work for you; it’s about how you treat them! Ping pong tables in a break room or massages at lunch aren’t going to help you retain employees; it’s how you make them feel when they step into your warehouse that will make them happy.
At Spectra360, we work with your competitors to help them find reliable workers fast. If you’re struggling to find warehouse workers you can count on, connect with a Spectra360 hiring expert. To get started on a partnership with us, click here to request a quote!