NewEra http://new-era.com Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:06:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 From the Logistics Council: Optimizing Your Workforce for the Recovery Economy http://new-era.com/from-the-logistics-council-optimizing-your-workforcefor-the-recovery-economy/ http://new-era.com/from-the-logistics-council-optimizing-your-workforcefor-the-recovery-economy/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:06:31 +0000 newe3880 http://new-era.com/?p=671 Continue reading →]]> How distribution centers can reduce labor costs and optimize their workforce was a hot topic at a recent Milwaukee Logistics Council dinner. In a presentation that I co-hosted with Dean Duffy, Executive Vice President Operations at Focus Products Group, we outlined the step companies can make to improve labor productivity as we move from recession to recovery. While the rebound may be moving faster or slower depending on your industry segment, it’s still important to consider the impact the recession has had on your budgets, your operations and your staff — and to look forward to the workforce strategies that can position your company to be ready for improved business conditions.

Dean discussed how Focus used a Managed Services approach to reduce labor costs and improve productivity — key goals for any distribution operation at this stage of the economic rebound. His real world results prompted quite a few audience questions on the ROI from this alternate workforce strategy.

You can review the slides (700kb pdf) from our presentation to learn more about your options for achieving a high performance workforce.

]]> http://new-era.com/from-the-logistics-council-optimizing-your-workforcefor-the-recovery-economy/feed/ 1 Warehousing is Hard Work. How New-Era Can Make It Easier http://new-era.com/warehousing-is-hard-work-how-new-era-can-make-it-easier/ http://new-era.com/warehousing-is-hard-work-how-new-era-can-make-it-easier/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:35:07 +0000 newe3880 http://new-era.com/?p=455 Warehousing is Hard Work. How New-Era Can Make It Easier. Ask yourself this question: Does the average consumer have any idea how hard a warehouse team works to receive, store, pick and ship their favorite products? Continue reading →]]>  In his recent DC Velocity blog post, Steve Simmerman, VP of Business Development for TZA, asked the question: “Does the average consumer have any idea how hard a warehouse team works to receive, store, pick and ship their favorite products?”

WarehouseAs Steve points out that no matter what other methods you use to boost productivity in your distribution operations, it “fundamentally comes down to the people working in that DC.” From his perspective, a speedy conveyor, slick WMS, or scanning technology means nothing if the people in the DC are not trained, coached or motivated to succeed.

Are we doing all we can to train, coach and motivate your warehouse staff? Do your supervisors and HR team have the training and leadership skills to help integrate best practices the culture of the DC? Are you struggling to bring your temporary labor up to desired productivity levels?

Those are all areas that can be addressed by utilizing a Managed Services workforce solution. Managed Services, or insourcing, puts the warehousing experts on your front line, executing on your behalf to dramatically increase the performance of your warehouse workers. It’s very much like utilizing an outsource partner without the risk of outsourcing. You are still in charge of your operations, your customers and your destiny. New-Era provides you with the trained workforce and managers, enabled by ProTrack Labor Management technology, LEAN techniques and engineered performance standards.

With Managed Services, warehousing will still be hard work…but we can make it easier to achieve higher productivity and reduced labor costs. We will ensure that the people working in your DC have the skills, training and tools to get your products out to all those consumers who really have no idea of what is takes behind the scene.

]]> http://new-era.com/warehousing-is-hard-work-how-new-era-can-make-it-easier/feed/ 0 You Say Tomayto, I Say Tomahto: Is it Managed Services or Insourcing? http://new-era.com/tomayto-tomahto/ http://new-era.com/tomayto-tomahto/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:59:00 +0000 newe3880 http://new-era.com/?p=145 You Say Tomayto, I Say Tomahto.
But do you say “managed services” or “insourcing”? Both terms apply to New-Era’s staffing option that provides less cost and more flexibility than full 3PL outsourcing and delivers more knowledgeable, better trained workers than a staffing firm… Continue reading →]]> When it comes to workforce staffing for distribution centers, the age-old tomayto/tomahto controversy also applies to “managed services” vs. “insourcing.” Both terms apply to New-Era’s staffing option that provides less cost and more flexibility than full 3PL outsourcing and delivers more knowledgeable, better trained workers and managers than a staffing firm.

No matter what you call it, there should be no debate that managed services/insourcing is a viable staffing alternative for many distribution centers.  With managed services, your company has access to a high performance workforce, plus proven experience in engineering and process improvement, performance management consulting, productivity software, and training and organizational development.

How does it work? The managed service approach provides distribution center employees in much the same manner as a staffing firm, but the workforce is “pre-enabled” with core process and technology experience. The approach is scalable from a single work cell to an entire facility and can help transition your existing workforce into a skilled, productive team.

Our experience has shown that managed services can out-perform a staffing firm by 30% or more. So whether you say managed services or insourcing, for many companies this is a pretty compelling option from a financial and operational perspective…providing most of the value of a sophisticated 3PL at the cost and risk profile of a staffing firm. Check out our new white paper to find out how managed services could fit into your distribution center.

In the meantime, the tomayto/tomahto debate rages on…

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