How technology is changing the supply chain
Your warehouse is just one gear in a much larger supply chain machine. While you can't control every part of this machine, you can invest in tech tools that help you "go with the flow" and adapt your own processes to navigate uncertainty.
Sound too good to be true? See for yourself how technology can change the supply chain (and your warehouse):
1: Hiring practices are getting smarter
With employees quitting jobs left and right and sending shockwaves through the entire supply chain, it's increasingly important to invest in your hiring strategy so you can reduce the impacts of turnover. Technology makes hiring easier, smarter and more effective, allowing you to streamline the process and focus your efforts on applicants most likely to succeed in your company.
2: Work performance is optimized
Although the supply chain can be large and complex, it relies heavily on the tasks of individual people — which means it's often helpful to track and optimize work performance. Technology helps you understand how your teams function and which factors improve their efficiency or productivity; that way, you can protect those factors while removing others.
3: Safety is simpler than ever
According to Industrial Safety and Hygiene News, many warehouses are using safety analytics as a way to put technology to work for their people. With safety analytics, you can use AI and machine learning to identify patterns and inefficiencies that could signal the presence of a safety hazard. With this information, you can direct your time and effort toward solving specific issues instead of guessing where safety problems might exist.
4: Technology goes where you go
Another way technology has changed the supply chain is by putting information within arm's reach at all times. Wearable tech and mobile devices allow warehouse workers to keep vital data at their fingertips, informing decisions and keeping teams on the same page.
5: Existing data is mined for insights
As the MIT Sloan School of Management explains, data is a valuable resource — but only if you know how to use it. By using AI and data analytics tools, you can search through your warehouse's information to identify problems, highlight strengths and learn more about your needs.
6: Disruptions are easier to understand
When the supply chain is disrupted, warehouses don't have time to sift through endless questions. Instead, technology can help identify where the disruption comes from and what the best course of action might be, illuminating your path forward even in confusing and frustrating times.
7: The future is within reach
Perhaps most importantly, technology changes the supply chain by putting the future within reach. No matter how the consumer world evolves, you'll be ready to keep up — all because you have the right tech tools and you know how to use them to your advantage.