If you’re having a sudden crisis with your internally managed warehouse labor force and need a short-term, stop-gap solution, then a temp agency is a good bet for you. If you’re looking for a long-term solution to warehouse labor (one of the largest cost elements of running a warehouse), you’d be well served by doing your research and selecting a highly specialized outsourcing partner.
Staying Afloat with Temp Labor
There is undoubtedly a need for temp workers and short term labor to fill unexpected resource gaps. The “temporary” in the term “temp agency” applies to both the client and the hired labor– companies need employees for a short period of time, so they enter into a short-term contract. At the same time, workers contracted by temp agencies are usually looking to shore up their income while they seek permanent employment.
By fostering a solid company culture and offering employees incentivized pay, savvy warehouse labor providers can keep their employees for the long term, resulting in higher efficiency both for the provider and the client. And a long-term engagement comes with the benefits of more detailed planning and a focus on integration between the managed labor provider and the client.
Not Just Labor… Comprehensive Expertise
Warehouse labor is not simply a cog in the inbound logistics machine. Managing a warehouse or DC internally requires discipline and a unique skill set that few supply chain professionals possess– it’s one thing to optimize machinery and routing and quite another to manage people effectively.
The best warehouse labor firms recognize that workers are human beings, and not just inputs. Of course, a comprehensive approach to managed labor will include attention to scheduling, routing, and performance analysis, but the care for and effective management of people is the only sustainable starting point.