Manufacturers and distributors are looking to reduce costs and boost productivity to help counter the economic downturn. One route is the introduction of new technology. In this article Ciaran Lavelle of Heavey RF in association with Vocollect looks at the importance of leadership in bringing the workforce with you and what lessons can be learned in the application of voice technology in the warehouse across thousands of deployments worldwide.

Yesterday’s tired approaches are simply inadequate for today’s world where supply chain organisations are struggling mightily to squeeze as much profit and performance out of their operations as possible. These overwhelming expectations create many challenges and opportunities for manufacturing, distribution centre and warehouse managers.

Part of this leadership dynamic is helping workers to understand and embrace the technological changes that come into their work environment. Experience shows that companies receive the greatest payback from their technology investments when they carefully consider the impact these systems will have on the end users and plan for potential issues before a technology initiative goes live.

Warehouses and DCs across the globe increasingly rely on voice to improve productivity, increase accuracy and reduce operational expenses. Voice is well-established in over 40 developed countries as a strong alternative to labour-intensive technologies like paper-based systems, radio frequency (RF) scanner-based systems and pick-to-light.

One of the biggest challenges DC/warehouse leaders face in introducing any new technology is anticipating and addressing employee concerns, which can range from productivity and safety to worries about stress, boredom and isolation. With careful planning, each of these issues can be alleviated.

Acknowledge concerns

Stress is a natural result of the learning process. However, as people gain proficiency with a new tool or task, stress recedes. This has proven to be the case with voice, where hundreds of thousands of warehouse and distribution centre employees now use voice every day to improve work. While any new system has a learning curve, workers quickly become comfortable using voice as a work process improvement tool.

Studies have shown that human anxiety escalates when workers know they are being tracked or monitored. Sometimes employees may perceive an increased level of scrutiny that voice will enable. They should be assured that actually, performance is always measured through the warehouse management system (WMS). What is different with a voice system is there is now yet another way to identify who handled what assignments, and how long they took to complete specific tasks.

With that said, it is important to clarify that tasks are being tracked, not employee behaviour. Workers need to understand that voice does not change the essential nature of their work; it is merely a different and more effective medium for communicating the steps to get the job done.

Sometimes employees may worry that using voice will make their jobs boring or force them to become isolated from co-workers. In the experience of most customers, voice actually decreases boredom, while improving speed and accuracy. Most workers will feel more engaged with the job, because they can now interact with the work flow by providing input, making queries or redirecting their work. Because voice is responsive and engaging, workers stay alert.

Present the big picture

More productive operations grow and flourish; less productive ones lose business. That, of course, is the reason for investing in new performance tools in the first place. The leadership challenge for voice is in getting employees to see the real win-win performance benefits that a new technology enables. As with any change effort, companies need to clearly communicate to all stakeholders that the voice deployment is the new way of doing business – not an experiment. By the time of the actual deployment, this mindset should be well established and understood by all.

Equally important, front-line employees need to understand the overarching reasons behind a new technology, not only from a business perspective (improved productivity, accuracy, and/or safety), but also from an individual user or human perspective. Companies need to clearly convey the message that voice will make people’s daily jobs easier and increase their efficiency. Workers also need to know the game plan for implementation, and what labour and management expectations are for team and individual performance.

It’s not unusual for employees to raise issues at the start of a technology deployment. Therefore, organizations should anticipate typical questions and concerns and address them in advance as much as possible.

Involve and empower

One of the keys to implementing a successful launch is to give people as much ownership of the effort as possible, so they become more empowered and determined to succeed. That requires regular and consistent exchange of information throughout the implementation process. Good communication also can help curtail gossip and rumours, and minimise the chance that employees will develop the wrong set of expectations.

Floor supervisors are a critical link in any voice implementation project. It’s imperative that they are fully on board and present a consistent attitude of support on the front line. If they are not unified, employees will notice, and that can derail any change effort. Supervisors should be offered an appropriate management forum to voice their opinions, so that the entire management team can be aware of any issues and objections and work to overcome them. The end goal is to send a consistent message to the workforce.

Make performance pay

Especially in economically uncertain times, maximising worker and team productivity is of paramount concern to both labour and management. The stronger the productivity payback voice can deliver, the bigger the benefit to the operation. Because of performance improvements through voice, companies often will raise their productivity targets. As this is done, it’s important not to overwork employees. Further, wherever possible, consider integrating incentive programs to address the “What’s-in-it-for-me?” question, to ensure balance and equity on all sides of the worker/management team.

Conclusion

Even the best work process tools can fail to deliver if companies neglect to address the human factors before, during and after a deployment process. Identifying key barriers and implementing strategies to address them will help maximize long-term value and return on investment. By adopting a strategic, people-focused approach, you’ll optimise the potential benefits that a new technology offers and gain a critical competitive edge for the future.

* This article is based on a white paper “Sustaining a Successful Voice Deployment: Leading for Peak Performance” which can be downloaded from www.vocollect.com.

Recommended tips and strategies for ensuring a smooth new technology deployment:

• Make sure your warehouse management system (WMS) is defining the optimum assignment order. Check with your WMS team to make sure it is fair and reasonable, based on best practices from years of other deployments around the world, tempered with the unique needs of your site.
• Analyse and understand your specific data. What works in another environment may not work for you. While looking at similar places may provide a guideline and some ideas, ultimately the system must meet your particular needs.
• Encourage employees to voice their opinions about work flow and warehouse layout improvements. Their experience and insights can be extremely valuable in helping to improve ongoing operations.
• Review employment contracts prior to the deployment to clarify performance measurement rules. Most labour union contracts have process improvement sections; if not, suggest adding one during the next negotiations.
• Ensure that productivity measures are fair and reasonable. Do a risk/benefit analysis of the cost of increasing the productivity requirement, amid the extra physical stress demanded by a faster pace, and potential resulting medical concerns. Protecting worker health is a bottom-line issue.