What is it about?
Nowadays, when working in a warehouse, many decisions are made for you by a central planning system; think about which route to follow or which order you will pick. This study investigates how slightly deviating from this practice might influence the work conditions and its impact on employees. We show that employees are more satisfied with their work and that productivity remains unaffected. The participants in our study really liked working in a system in which they are more involved.
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Why is it important?
Warehouses are facing a shortage of skilled workers, making it important to create a positive and attractive work environment. In our study, we developed a system in which workers could choose their next task. This system was tested in a real company and we found that it helps workers feel more satisfied with their jobs. Involving employees in task assignments can be a powerful way to improve worker satisfaction and retention. While this research focuses on warehouses, the results could be useful for improving work environments in other industries as well.
Perspectives
It was incredibly rewarding to develop and implement a system that had a direct impact on the workers themselves. Seeing actual changes in a real company and receiving feedback from warehouse employees truly adds to my personal mission of making warehouses better places to work!
Thomas De Lombaert
Universiteit Hasselt
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Is it good to have a choice? The value of participatory order assignments in warehousing, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, September 2024, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijopm-11-2023-0882.
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