Workforce

The persistent labor shortage is forcing many companies to accelerate the automation of their manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers. This past spring, ABB and Guidance Automation each surveyed executives in the supply chain industry to see how they’re using technology to address manpower issues. Here are some key findings: AUTOMATION TRENDS IN THE LABOR MARKET 62% Respondents who expect ...

Solutions Spotlight: EASE BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT Being able to operate equipment without being injured or too fatigued to do much of anything else for the rest of the day goes a long way in keeping employees happy—something particularly important in this era of the Great Resignation. Members of MHI’s Industry Group EASE—Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment—know a thing or two ...

Economic Market Analysis BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESTIGE ECONOMICS The economic and financial market landscape has shifted sharply in the past year. In the fall of 2021, there were many reasons for economic optimism in 2022, even with anticipated high inflation and Fed rate hikes. Looking ahead to 2023, the outlook is less positive. The year 2022 has been generally good ...

MHI Solutions Community BY CHRISTIAN DOW, MHI EXECUTIVE VP OF MEMBERSHIP AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP If you’re managing a manufacturing plant, warehouse or distribution center, then you’ve likely heard of VUCA. But even if you haven’t, in today’s business climate, you’ve surely experienced it. VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, an acronym that fairly sums up the challenges facing ...

WERC Matters BY MICHAEL MIKITKA, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MHI’S KNOWLEDGE VALUE CENTER AND WERC As the only organization focused on providing resources to help distribution practitioners and suppliers do their jobs better, the Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC)—a division of MHI—has some of the most unique offerings in our field. Through WERC, members find both education and support ...

DEI Feature BY CHRISTIAN DOW, MHI EXECUTIVE VP OF MEMBERSHIP AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP The recently released Supply Chain Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Survey from Gartner noted that supply chain organizations in publicly held companies employ more people of color than their privately held counterparts. Specifically, people of color comprise 35% of the overall supply chain workforce at publicly held companies, ...

What Grocery Distribution Centers Are Currently Doing to Prevent Musculoskeletal Injuries Higher Education BY STEVEN LAVENDER AND CAROLYN SOMMERICH, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TRONG NGUYEN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM Musculoskeletal injury rates in grocery and related products continue to be approximately twice the overall industry average. Most of these injuries in grocery distribution centers (DCs) are experienced by the “selectors” who are the people ...

Where Are They Now? Catching up with an MHEFI Scholarship Recipient BAILEY WHITMAN BONJOUR, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY In high school, Bailey Whitman Bonjour was such a talented math student that she studied calculus, trigonometry and advanced algebra at the local junior college. Math wasn’t her favorite subject, but cutting class wasn’t an option since her mom was the professor. It ...

Transportation and warehousing companies that are serious about reducing costs need to take a good look at the effectiveness of their workplace safety programs. Feature   BY MARY LOU JAY BIGPIXEL PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM   According to a 2022 report from Liberty Mutual, non-fatal workplace injuries where employees lose more than five days of work cost these industries nearly $4.67 billion annually ...

From remote training to in-house training and innovative search platforms, companies are creatively addressing staffing needs. Feature   BY NICOLE NELSON ANDRII YALANSKYI/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM   Quality over quantity has always been a prevalent measure of excellence in the workforce. But just what happens in these trying economic times when neither of these two gauges is necessarily at an employer’s disposal? According ...