Today lets talk about probably one of the most recognized, most used, most abused, and quite possibly most underestimated pieces of material-handling equipment in our industry. The pallet jack. You know the one. Two forks. A handle. A couple of wheels. And maybe a battery. And depending on which version we are talking about, maybe an operator standing behind it, walking beside it, standing on it, or flying down the dock on it like they’re qualifying for the warehouse version of the Indianapolis 500. And that last one, of course, is exactly what we are not supposed to be doing. 

Today we’re going to talk about where the pallet jack came from, why it became such an important part of warehousing and distribution, the manual pallet jack, the electric walkie, the platform rider, and the single, double and triple pallet trucks. And being Marty, with Warehouse and Operations as a Career I’m going to take another opportunity to sprinkle in a little of the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 standard along the way! As we’ve learned, once we put a motor on our pallet jack, we haven’t just made our job easier, we’ve entered the world of powered industrial trucks. 

Ok, before we talk safety, let’s give this little workhorse some history. Material handlers were experimenting with low-lift trucks and platforms more than a 100 years ago. By the early 1900s, the industry was looking for better ways to move heavier quantities of material without requiring workers to carry, drag or hand-truck everything individually. 

The development of the pallet changed everything. We learned a lot about its introduction back in Feb of 2019, I think it was episode 124. Anyway I digress there a bit. Well, then came an innovation that seems simple today but transformed material handling. George Raymond Sr, founder of what became The Raymond Corporation, and employee William House developed the hydraulic hand pallet truck. On November 7, 1939, they were granted a patent for that design, along with the double-faced wooden pallet designed to work with it. Think about that combination. A standardized platform for freight and a small machine capable of slipping underneath it, raising it a few inches and moving the entire load. That changed material handling. Instead of moving fifty cases individually, we could move fifty cases as one unit. Instead of handling every carton five or six different times, we began handling palletized units. And that was our industry’s first efficiency lesson. The pallet jack isn’t really about lifting. It’s about eliminating touches. Every unnecessary touch costs time and requires labor. And creates another opportunity for damaged product or injury. 

So let’s start with the one most of us meet first. The manual pallet jack. Sometimes called a hand jack, hand pallet truck or pump jack. We insert the forks beneath the pallet and pump the handle, which activates a hydraulic system. A few pumps later, the pallet rises just enough to clear the floor. A pallet jack isn’t designed to lift a load six feet into the air. Its job is to lift the load just enough to travel. You’ll see manual jacks in grocery stores, warehouses, manufacturing plants, trailers, production areas and back rooms in the retail world everywhere. But don’t confuse simple with harmless. A loaded manual pallet jack may be carrying thousands of pounds. Once those thousands of pounds start rolling, your arms and legs are not going to win the argument. I’ve seen people try to stop a rolling pallet jack with their foot. That’s a bad plan. I’ve seen people pull a load downhill toward themselves. Another bad plan. The equipment may be manual. But the consequences are still powered by gravity. 

Then somebody said “Why are we pulling this thing ourselves?” And electricity entered the equation. Battery-powered low-lift trucks existed early in the development of modern material handling. Yale’s history, for example, traces battery-powered low-lift platform trucks back to 1919 and 1920. By 1951, Clark was introducing electric powered walkie-type pallet trucks. Now we had something capable of moving heavy palletized freight without the operator supplying the muscle. And productivity increased dramatically. But something else increased too. Risk. Because now the machine could accelerate, travel farther, and travel faster. And it could generate considerably more force when something, or somebody got in its way. 

Then comes the walkie. The electric walkie is probably one of the most common powered pallet trucks. The operator walks with the unit while controlling it through the control handle. Forward. Reverse. Raise. Lower. A Horn. And usually some type of emergency reversing or belly button switch designed to help protect the operator if the control handle comes back toward them. The walkie can be incredibly efficient for moving pallets short to moderate distances. 

One danger here is where operators can get comfortable. Way too comfortable. The most obvious danger is getting pinned. You have a machine behind you. A rack, wall, pallet, column or trailer wall in front of you. If you don’t maintain space, suddenly you’re the meat in a pallet-jack sandwich. Not today’s career goal. Another danger is our feet. The drive wheel and load wheels don’t care how expensive our shoes or boots are. We need to know where we’re standing. And its important  to remember that the forks themselves extend several feet beyond the body of the machine. I’ve watched operators clear a corner with themselves while forgetting they still had about four feet of forks following them.  

Then we step up to the rider pallet truck. These units allow the operator to ride on a platform instead of walking alongside the equipment. If you’re working in a large distribution center and moving freight hundreds of feet at a time, you can immediately see the productivity advantage. Walk 300 feet. Walk back. Walk 300 feet. Do that all shift long. Now place the operator on a powered rider pallet jack. Completely different productivity equation! But rider units introduce their own hazards. Speed, cornering, and pedestrian interaction becomes much more important. And keeping our arms, legs and feet within the running lines of the truck becomes extremely important. The rack upright isn’t going to move because our feet are sticking off the end of the platform. 

Alright, the traditional powered pallet jack usually moves one pallet at a time. And in many operations, that’s exactly what we need. But high volume distribution created another question. What if we could move two at a time? Now we start talking about double pallet trucks. These are designed to transport two pallet positions together, depending on the equipment and the application. Think beverage distribution, Foodservice, Grocery. High volume selecting and loading operations. Moving two pallets instead of one can reduce travel dramatically. And travel is often one of the biggest components of warehouse labor. If an operator or selector spends 50 percent of their time traveling, then every opportunity to safely reduce unnecessary travel can create tremendous productivity gains. I always stress to operators that there’s a tradeoff for that productivity. More freight means more weight. More length and turning radius. More stopping distance needed and more opportunity for load instability. Your empty double pallet jack and your fully loaded double pallet jack are two very different animals, and you have to be treating them as such. That’s where experience and training come in. 

Next up are the triples. Yes, there are operations using triple length pallet trucks capable of handling three pallet positions. Potentially thousands upon thousands of pounds of product. That isn’t just a bigger pallet jack. It is a long, heavy moving piece of industrial equipment. You need room and visibility. You need to understand your turning radius. And you need to understand stopping distance. And you absolutely need to understand the equipment you’re authorized to operate. We all know, or should know, that certification on one powered industrial truck does not magically make us qualified on every powered industrial truck in the building. And this brings us to our friend. OSHA 1910.178 

29 CFR 1910.178 covers powered industrial trucks. This specifically includes fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. That means our powered pallet trucks belong in the conversation. The standard requires employers to make sure powered industrial-truck operators are competent to safely operate the type of truck they’re assigned to use. And training isn’t  “There’s the jack. Here’s the key. Don’t hit anything.” 1910.178 requires a combination of formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator’s workplace performance. Formal instruction might include classroom discussion, videos, written materials, or computer-based learning. Practical training means demonstration and hands-on exercises. Then comes the evaluation. Can the individual actually operate the equipment safely in the workplace? That’s an  important piece. Watching a thirty-minute video doesn’t make somebody an operator. And knowing where the throttle is doesn’t make somebody an operator. Oh, and having driven one at your last job doesn’t automatically qualify you at this job. Training must address the truck and the workplace. That includes things like controls, steering, maneuvering, visibility, vehicle capacity, stability, inspections and fueling and battery charging to name a few.  And workplace topics include surface conditions, load stability, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps and other hazards unique to that facility.  

Now here’s another piece I think gets misunderstood. You may hear people say: “My forklift card is good for three years.” That’s not exactly what the regulation says. The standard requires an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator’s performance at least once every three years. But refresher training may be required before that. For example, if an operator is observed operating unsafely, or is involved in an accident or near miss, fails an observation or evaluation, is assigned to operate a different type of truck, or workplace conditions change in a way that affects safe operation. Those events can trigger refresher training. The calendar doesn’t protect anybody. Competency does. I urge every powered industrial truck operator to check out the full standard. I promise you you’ll find some very interesting parts to it. And while I’m on the subject. I want to mention the importance of, or in my opinion anyway, that wither we’re equipment operators or machine operators, that we read our equipment’s owners or operators manual. And it goes without saying to never, ever, get on or touch a machine or piece of equipment we haven’t been trained on and certified to operate. Period ladies and gentlemen.  

And you know I wasn’t going to let us get through an equipment episode without talking about the pre-trip. Before we start using that powered pallet jack, inspect it according to the manufacturer’s procedures and your company’s requirements. Look at the forks. Load wheels. Drive wheel. Control handle. Horn. Emergency reversing device. Brakes. Battery condition. Hydraulic functions. The raise and lower controls. We’re looking for obvious damage and or unusual sounds. Test the controls. And if the equipment is defective or unsafe? The standard says powered industrial trucks needing repair, or found unsafe, must be taken out of service until restored to safe operating condition. Seriously, if it doesn’t stop correctly during the pre-trip, it probably isn’t going to get better when you put 4,000 pounds on it. Tag it, if that’s your company’s procedure. Report it immediately. And make sure it is removed from service. 

Pallet trucks spend a lot of their lives around docks and trailers. And those environments deserve extra respect. Before entering that trailer, we need to know it’s secured according to our facility’s procedures. We need to know the dock plate is properly positioned and capable of supporting the load and we need to look at that trailer floor. Water damage. Rot. Holes. Weak flooring. And debris of any kind can be dangerous. Remember, we’re not just calculating the freight weight. We’ve got product weight plus pallet weight plus equipment weight plus operator weight. That’s a lot of pressure concentrated onto a trailer floor. 

Now let’s talk about the most unpredictable thing in any warehouse. Us. People. Why? Because pedestrians don’t always follow predictable paths. Someone steps out of an aisle. Walks through a staging lane. Comes around a blind corner. Looks down at a scanner. Or assumes the operator sees them. And operators make assumptions too. “They’ll stop.” “They see me.” “They know I’m turning.” Assumptions and moving equipment don’t mix. Use the horn. Slow down at intersections. Maintain visibility at all times. Follow pedestrian right-of-way and facility traffic rules. And don’t let productivity pressure convince you that five seconds of safety is wasting time.  

Ok, it’s true. The hand pump pallet jack doesn’t get the attention that the big equipment gets. Nobody walks into the warehouse and says “Wow! Look at that beautiful manual pallet jack.” 

The counterbalance forklift, the reach truck, and order picker gets the attention. But the humble pallet jack? It just goes to work. Every day. Receiving and Shipping, Production, Order selection, Cross-docking, Loading and unloading trailers. It quietly connects almost every part of our operation. 

From a simple manually pumped hydraulic jack to today’s electric walkies, riders, doubles and triples, the purpose really hasn’t changed. Move more product. With fewer touches. Using less labor. In less time. And do it safely. That’s the lesson. 

And the bigger, heavier and faster our equipment gets, the more responsibility we accept when we grab that handle. So the next time you step onto that rider pallet jack, grab the handle of that walkie, or pump up that old manual jack, remember, that simple piece of equipment represents more than a hundred years of material-handling innovation. Respect its capacity, its limitations, and respect the pedestrians around you. Know your equipment. Perform your pre-trip and follow your training. 

We do all that to reach our number one goal. We want everybody walking back through those turnstiles, through that guard shack, or out that employee entrance in the same condition they came in for the shift. Maybe just a little more tired. And hopefully a little more knowledgeable. Until next time, be safe, keep learning, and keep building that career. 

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and today let’s talk about something that sounds incredibly simple. So simple, in fact, that we probably hear it growing up from our parents, teachers and coaches. And once we enter the workforce, we hear it from supervisors, managers, customers, and coworkers. 

Do what you say you’re going to do. That’s it. Sounds easy, right? But think about how many problems inside a warehouse, distribution center, manufacturing facility, transportation operation, or production environment start because somebody said they were going to do something and then they didn’t. An associate says, I’ll be here tomorrow, then they don’t show up. A lead says, I’ll get someone over there to help you and nobody comes. And a supervisor says, “I’ll look into that but nothing happens. And here’s a good one, a manager says, we’ll get that repaired yet three weeks later, the same equipment is still tagged out. And a great example, an executive says, safety is our number-one priority. But when production gets tight, unsafe shortcuts suddenly become acceptable. See where I’m going? Today’s subject is not really about keeping promises. I feel it’s about, 3 of my favorite words. Credibility, trust, and accountability. And, most importantly for us, it’s about building a reputation that helps us move our career forward. We want people to remember that we do what we say. 

Let’s start with the newest associate walking into the warehouse. Maybe we are an order selector, a pallet runner, loader, receiver, a forklift operator, or maybe this is our first warehouse job. Our reputation begins almost immediately. During orientation, we may say I understand. I’ll be here at 7:00. I’ll wear my PPE. I’ll call if I’m going to be late. I’ll complete my pre-trip. And I’ll follow the procedures. Those may sound like little statements, But every one of them matters. If we tell our supervisor we will be there at 7:00, and we consistently arrive at 6:50 ready to work, he or she will notice. And if we say we are willing to learn receiving, and when the opportunity comes we step over there and learn it, it gets noticed. If we tell someone we’ll finish wrapping a pallet before break and we do it, people notice. And guess what? When we don’t do those things, thats noticed too. Our reputation in the workplace is often nothing more than a collection of experiences other people have had with us. Can I count on Marty? Does Marty show up? Does Marty finish what he starts? Does Marty tell me when there’s a problem? If Marty says he’s going to do something, will it get done? Those questions, or answers I guess, become our reputation. And I’ve said it before, in our industry, in many instances, your reputation walks into a building before you do. Warehousing and transportation is a surprisingly small world. Supervisors become managers. Managers change companies. Associates become leads. Vendors become customers. Customers become employers. And years later, somebody may hear your name and say, oh yeah. I remember him. 

Now here’s something else we need to talk about. Doing what we say does not mean saying yes to everything. A subject I struggle with myself!  Sometimes one of the most professional responses we can give is I can’t promise that, or, I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out. There is a big difference between being helpful and overpromising. 

Imagine a lead telling three different people “I’ll take care of it. “I’ll get somebody over there. “I’ll have maintenance look at it.” “I’ll get your schedule fixed.” “I’ll talk to the supervisor.” All that sounds helpful. But what if none of it happens? Pretty soon, those words don’t mean anything. Wouldn’t you rather hear I don’t have the answer right now, but I’ll check and get back to you before lunch. Then actually get back to me before lunch. To me, or with me, that builds credibility. 

We don’t have to know everything. We don’t have to fix everything ourselves. But if we give somebody our word, we need to follow through. And if circumstances change and we cannot follow through, we have to communicate that. 

Let’s say I tell my supervisor “I’ll have that trailer unloaded by 10:00.” Then we find damaged product. There’s an OS&D issue. The paperwork doesn’t match. Or a pallet collapsed. Now 10:00 isn’t going to happen. That does not automatically mean I failed. But what happens next matters. If 10:00 comes and goes and nobody knows what happened, I’ve created another problem. But, If I communicate at 9:15 and say “We found damaged freight on pallets six and seven. I’ve stopped the unload and I’m waiting on direction from claims. We probably won’t make the 10:00 completion.” That’s professionalism. Doing what we say includes letting people know when something prevents us from doing it. Remember a couple of weeks ago how we learned that communication protects trust. Well, silence destroys it. 

Now let’s move up to the lead position. This is where the subject becomes even more important. Because once we become a lead, people begin watching whether our actions match our words. We tell the team, “Safety comes first.” Then an associate says a pallet is leaning badly. What do we do? Do we stop and correct it? Or do we say “Just move it. We’re behind.” We tell everyone “Pre-trip your equipment before using it.” Then we jump on a pallet jack ourselves without inspecting it. What did we just teach the team? Leadership is not what we say during the startup meeting. Leadership is what people watch us do after the startup meeting. Associates are very good at spotting inconsistencies. Here’s a couple of great examples. If I say “Everybody needs to be on time, but I walk in late three days a week, I’ve lost credibility. And If I say “Communication is important,” but associates cannot get an answer from me, well, you see where I’m going. For supervisors and managers, our words carry even more weight. 

What else did I note here, oh, I want to throw in a word on safety, all this becomes especially important around safety. If we tell associates to report hazards, we have to respond when they do. If someone reports a broken pallet jack and nothing happens, eventually people stop reporting broken equipment. If somebody identifies a near miss and management ignores it, eventually near misses stop getting reported. 

If someone tells us a dock plate isn’t operating correctly and our answer is, “We know. Just be careful.” What message are we sending? We cannot build a safety culture through posters, or slogans, and we cannot build it through once-a-year training. Safety culture is built when employees see the company do what it says it will do. If we say “Report hazards.” Then hazards need to be investigated. If we say “Never operate defective equipment.” Then defective equipment needs to stay out of service. If we say “No load is more important than someone going home safely.” Then our operational decisions have to reflect that. That’s credibility. 

Now let’s look outside the four walls of our building for a second. Our customers are paying attention to us as well. In transportation, we tell a customer: “The truck will be there at 8:00.” Maybe it arrives at 8:00. Maybe it doesn’t. But if we know at 6:30 that the driver has been delayed and we wait until 8:15 to communicate it, we’ve damaged our trust. Again, customers understand that problems happen. Trucks break down. People call out. Systems go down. Freight gets damaged, and weather happens. What customers struggle with is surprise. Don’t surprise people with bad news they should have heard earlier. 

Sometimes doing what we say means saying “We’re not going to hit the original commitment, and here’s what we’re doing about it.” That kind of honesty can actually strengthen a relationship. 

Now let’s talk about executives. Vice presidents. Directors. Presidents. Owners. CEOs. At that level, words can influence entire organizations. We tell employees “Our people are our greatest asset.” Okay. Do our actions show that? We say “We believe in training.” But are we investing in training? We say “We promote from within.” Are we actually developing internal candidates? We say “Safety is priority one.” Are safety expenses approved? And are damaged tools replaced? Are supervisors held accountable for unsafe behavior? Culture travels downhill. And so does inconsistency. 

I think the little promises matter the most. Here’s where I think we sometimes get this wrong. We think trust is built with big speeches and big promises. Usually it’s built through all the little things like  “I’ll call you back.” And you call. “I’ll send that report.” And you send it. Those small moments stack up. Eventually people stop wondering whether you’re dependable. They just know you are. 

We can spend a lot of time complaining that other people don’t follow through. Our coworker didn’t do what they said. Our supervisor forgot. Management never responded. The company promised something. Some of those complaints may be completely legitimate. But let’s to turn the mirror around for a moment. What about us? Do people have to remind us? Do we commit to things and then forget them? Do we blame circumstances rather than communicate issues? Do we expect other people to keep commitments we’re willing to break ourselves? 

I feel like accountability starts with me. If I want to work in a dependable organization, I should first become a dependable employee. If I want a trustworthy supervisor, I should first become a trustworthy associate. If I want my team to follow through, I need to follow through. 

I’ll leave you with three habits. First, I try and be careful what I commit to. Before you say yes, think. Can I really do this? Do I have the authority, the time, and all the information? 

Second, write things down. Leads, supervisors, and managers get asked dozens of questions every day. Use a notebook, or your phone, a task list or your calendar. There is no prize for remembering everything. However there is value in making sure things get done. 

And third, close the loop. This may be the most important one. If somebody asks you something and you say you’ll find out, go back to them. Even if the answer is: “I still don’t have an answer.” That’s closing the loop. “I haven’t forgotten. I’m still working on it.” To me, those words and phrases matter. 

So whether we are unloading our first trailer or running the entire distribution network, this principle applies. Do what you say you’re going to do. Our job title doesn’t change that responsibility. Become the person people can count on. Do exactly what you said you were going to do. 

Well, I’ve got to go finish up what I said I’d get done today!  Until next time, be safe, be productive, communicate, follow through, and keep building that career. 

Today let’s talk about something I’ve been asked many times over the years. “Why warehousing?” Or “Why transportation?” Or “Why the supply chain?” 

After unloading trailers, pulling orders, operating forklifts, supervising teams, managing operations, and on to the executive team, I’ve been asked that question hundreds of times. People usually expect me to answer with one of the obvious reasons. That there’s good money, great benefits, opportunities for overtime, or the Job security and Promotion opportunities, and how the works stable, sometimes even considered essential. And those are all true, and they’re all important. But if I had to narrow everything down to just one reason? Just one thing that makes this industry different than almost every other career? 

Well, I’d have to go with how this industry rewards the person you’re willing to become. Not who you are today or where you came from. Not what grades you made or where you went to school or who your parents were. This industry has always rewarded effort. It rewards people that keep showing up and that continue learning. It rewards people that become more valuable every year. And to me anyway, that’s something incredibly special. 

When someone asks me what they should do with their career, I often tell them that warehousing isn’t just about moving boxes and transportation isn’t just about trucks and how the supply chain isn’t just about inventory. It’s about solving problems. It’s about making businesses successful and it’s about making sure families receive what they need. Every package is delivered. Every grocery shelf is stocked. Every hospital was supplied. Every manufacturing plant receives their raw materials. Every online order arrives on someone’s porch. All of that happens because thousands of us workers choose to become professionals. One of the things I love about this industry is that there are very few ceilings. As I’ve said many times, you can literally start today sweeping floors and next year you might be operating equipment. A year later you’re training others and soon you’re a lead. Then a supervisor. Maybe an inventory analyst. Perhaps a dispatcher or transportation coordinator or a safety professional. Even an operations manager, director, or Vice President. I’ve watched people make that journey. I’ve had the pleasure of hiring several of them and the honor of promoting many of them. Not because they had the fanciest résumé. But because they earned the opportunity. 

First off, our industry notices consistency. I know I sound like a broken record sometimes. I keep repeating these things because they are that important and just that simple. Showing up everyday matters. Being dependable and taking ownership matters. If your supervisor never has to wonder whether you’ll be at work, if they know you’ll do quality work and they know you’ll help solve problems instead of creating them, you’ve already separated yourself from many others. Consistency becomes your resume. 

Then comes learning. Every new skill increases your value. Learn a second department. Learn receiving, Shipping, Inventory Control, Quality Assurance, Cycle counting, Forklift operation, the Reach truck. What else, here’s a few of my go too’s, the order picker. Yard management. Transportation planning. Warehouse Management Systems. Excel. Everyone should feel comfortable working with Microsoft word and excel. And Leadership. Communication, and of course Safety. Every skill is another tool in your toolbox. And no bad manager or company can take those skills away from you. Even if you change employers, those skills travel with you. 

One lesson I’ve learned throughout my own career, and try to share with every new boot I meet, is that companies don’t simply promote experience. They promote confidence and our confidence comes from preparation. I think being prepared comes from learning everything we can. The more you understand the operation, the more valuable you become. Eventually people begin asking for your opinion and that’s when your career really starts to grow. 

Another reason I love this industry is because every day is different. No two days are exactly alike. One morning you may have weather delays, all your trucks and loads are running late. On another day we’ll have equipment issues. A customer changes an order. A shipment arrives early. A truck breaks down. The inventory doesn’t match. The team is short-handed. Problems appear every single day!  Some people see stress. I’ve always tried to see opportunities. 

Seriously, every problem solved teaches you something. Every challenge develops another leadership skill, and every difficult day prepares you for greater responsibility. Young people often ask me how to become successful, and my answer seems to surprise them. Just Become the person people trust. Trust opens doors. Trust gets assignments and earns promotions. Trust creates opportunities. Trust is built one decision at a time. A decision from us. Being on time. Following through. Owning mistakes. Helping our teammates. Doing the right thing when nobody’s watching. Those habits are noticed. 

I also appreciate something else about our profession. You don’t have to wait for someone to allow you to grow. Growth is largely in your control. Read books. Watch training videos, there’s thousands on YouTube. Volunteer for projects. Crosstrain. Ask questions. Observe great leaders. Practice communication. Improve your safety knowledge. Become certified. Nobody can stop you from investing in yourself. The people who grow the fastest are usually the ones who never stop learning. 

I’ve met warehouse associates making six figures. transportation professionals earning incredible incomes. Supply chain analysts traveling the country. Operations leaders running million-square-foot distribution centers. Safety professionals influencing thousands of employees. Corporate trainers teaching nationwide. None of them started there. Most started exactly where someone listening today may be standing. The difference wasn’t luck. It was growth. 

You know, one of my favorite moments is watching someone realize they have more potential than they ever imagined. Maybe it’s the forklift operator who becomes a trainer. The selector who becomes a supervisor. The receptionist who becomes a recruiter. The dispatcher who becomes a transportation manager. And I could go on and on.  I’ve watched those transformations happen over and over again. 

The warehouse is an incredible classroom. It teaches discipline, Communication, Teamwork, Safety, Accountability, Time management, Customer service, Leadership, Conflict resolution, Problem solving. And These aren’t just warehouse skills. They’re life skills. Skills that help in every profession and every stage of life. 

People sometimes say they don’t want to work in a warehouse forever. I understand that. But don’t overlook what the warehouse can do for you. It can build confidence. Teach responsibility. Develop leadership. Provide financial stability. Introduce lifelong mentors. Open doors you never knew existed. The warehouse may not be your final destination. But it can absolutely become the foundation of an incredible career. 

As I look back over my own career, I don’t remember every shipment. I don’t remember every inventory count. I don’t remember every dock schedule. What I remember are the people. The mentors who challenged me. The associates who inspired me. The supervisors who believed in me. The teams that accomplished incredible things together. That’s another gift this industry gives us. Relationships. And those relationships often last an entire lifetime. 

So, if someone asked me today, Marty, what’s the one thing that makes this industry so great? My answer would be simple. Because this industry rewards the person you’re willing to become. It rewards effort. It rewards learning. It rewards reliability. It rewards character. It rewards ownership. It rewards growth. And the beautiful part is, every one of us gets to decide who we’re becoming tomorrow. 

Ok, I’ve got to get back to work myself now. But I wanted to add that if you’re just beginning your career in warehousing, manufacturing, transportation, or supply chain, don’t focus only on the next paycheck. Focus on becoming the person everyone wants on their team. The promotions will come. The opportunities will come. The raises will come. The career will come. It’s my opinion or my belief, in this industry, your greatest value isn’t the equipment you operate or the building or department you work in. It’s the person you choose to become.   

I’m Marty T Hawkins and I want to thank you for checking in on Warehouse and Operations as a Career today. Until next time, be safe, keep learning, help someone else grow, and never stop investing in yourself. 

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and as always, I appreciate you spending a little of your day with me. 

Today I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind for quite a while. Over the past several months, I’ve spoken with warehouse associates, forklift operators, order selectors, recruiters, supervisors, and hiring managers from all over the country. I’ve listened to the concerns of people just entering our industry, and I’ve listened to leaders trying to build strong teams. You know what’s interesting? Both groups are asking almost the same question. The associate is asking, “How do I get ahead?” The employer is asking, “How do I keep good people?” I think those questions are really two sides of the same conversation.  

Let’s start with a simple question. What do you think is the biggest concern for today’s warehouse associate? Most people immediately answer, “Money.” Yes, pay is important. We all work to provide for ourselves and our families. Inflation, groceries, rent, and fuel aren’t getting any cheaper. But after forty years in this industry, I’ve learned that money is rarely the real problem. I feel that people want to know if they’re building a future, or just collecting another paycheck. That’s an entirely different question. 

When someone walks into a warehouse for the very first time, they’re usually thinking about today’s shift. Can I do the work? Will I like the people? Can I make it through orientation? Will I get enough hours? Those are all fair questions. But somewhere along the way, another question should replace those. In my humble opinion, we should be asking ourselves, “What does my career look like three years from now?” And unfortunately, many people never ask it. Instead, they work, they clock in, they clock out, and before they know it, three years have become ten. Nothing changed except the date on the calendar. 

Here’s something I tell every young associate I meet. Your employer hired you to fill a position. Only you can build the career. The company can provide the opportunity. It can’t provide ambition. It can offer training but it can’t force someone to learn. It can post an opening for a Lead, Trainer, Dispatcher, Inventory Control, Safety Coordinator, Supervisor, or Manager but someone has to decide they’re ready to take those steps. 

I hear people say all the time “They never give me a chance.” Of course sometimes that’s true. But sometimes we haven’t given ourselves one either. Have we volunteered to learn another department duties? Have we asked to operate another piece of equipment or a different production machine? Have we asked to learned what those inventory people actually do? Do we understand receiving, Shipping, Quality Control, Cycle counts, Warehouse Management Systems, Transportation, Planning, Customer Service? Every one of those skills makes you more valuable. And as we’ve learned, valuable employees don’t stay in the same position forever. 

One of the biggest mistakes I see is confusing experience with growth. Someone says “I’ve been here five years.” Well that’s wonderful. But have you had five years of experience, or one year of experience repeated five times? Those aren’t the same thing. Growth happens when we’re learning something new. When we’re uncomfortable and challenged. When we’re solving problems instead of waiting for someone else to solve them. 

Here’s a big one, let’s talk about automation for just a minute. I hear it all the time. “Robots are taking our jobs.” Here’s my perspective. Automation doesn’t replace great employees. It can replace repetitive tasks. Someone still has to maintain the equipment. Program the systems. Analyze the inventory. Manage the workflow. Lead the team and interpret the data. Solve the problems technology can’t solve. The more skilled you become, the more valuable you become in an automated world. Technology should motivate us to learn more. Not scare us into standing still. Another thing I hear all the time is, I don’t have time to learn things and online classes take so many hours, or my company wants us to stay over to learn something new. I always ask what are you doing that keeps you from having that time to invest in yourself? What did you watch on tv last Tuesday night and what was the plot of the program? lol. Just a thought. Now where was I. Ok, now let’s talk about something every supervisor notices. Dependability. If I asked ten warehouse managers who their most valuable employee is, almost every one of them would describe someone who shows up every day, on time, and ready to work. Not necessarily the fastest or the strongest. But dependable. And what have we said before? Dependability creates opportunity. Opportunity creates trust. And trust creates promotions. It really is that simple. 

Here’s another lesson I learned years ago. Don’t wait for the title before acting like the leader. Lead from wherever you’re standing. Help the new employee. Pick up the trash nobody else noticed. Volunteer for the difficult assignment. Stay positive when everyone else is complaining. Ask questions. Share ideas respectfully. Those things, ladies and gentlemen, are leadership behaviors. And people notice them. 

One thing I absolutely love about our industry is that careers are still earned. Think about that. There are very few industries where someone can begin unloading trucks, become a forklift operator, learn inventory, move into training, become a lead, a supervisor, a manager, a director, or a Vice President. I know that’s possible. Because I lived it. Nobody handed me those opportunities. Each one required another step up the ladder. And yes, sometimes those steps were uncomfortable. Sometimes they were exhausting. And many times I wondered if I was ready. But I climbed anyway. 

Here’s something else to think about. Every certification you earn is another rung on that ladder. Your Powered Industrial Truck certification. First Aid, CPR, and AED. CRASE. STOP THE BLEED. OSHA training. Leadership classes. The Microsoft Excel and Word programs. Warehouse Management Systems. Inventory Control. Public speaking. Communication. Every one of those skills separates you from the crowd. Because when opportunity comes, preparation wins. 

You know what rarely earns promotions? Complaining. Excuses. Drama. Blaming everyone else. Those things might get attention. But they don’t build careers. Solutions build careers. And Managers remember people who solve problems. They remember people who volunteer and there going to remember people who make everyone’s job easier. 

Ok, we’ve been closing with a challenge for the week so here’s this weeks. When you walk into work tomorrow don’t ask yourself “What do I have to do today?” Ask yourself “What can I learn today?” One question changes your schedule. The other changes your future. Anything counts. Maybe you ask to learn shipping paperwork, or you spend fifteen minutes talking with inventory control, or maybe you ask your supervisor why something is done a certain way. I think curiosity builds careers. 

And here’s another challenge for us. Write down the job you want three years from now. Not tomorrow, but three years from now. Then ask yourself “What skills does that person have that I don’t have yet?” Now you have a roadmap. Our careers aren’t built by accident. They’re built intentionally. By us.  One skill. One lesson. One opportunity. One day at a time. 

I’ll leave you with this. The career ladder in warehousing, Production, Transportation, Manufacturing and Distribution. It hasn’t disappeared. In fact, I’d argue it’s stronger than it’s ever been. Companies need leaders and trainers. They need technicians, safety professionals, dispatchers, machine operators, inventory specialists, and operations managers. 

The opportunities are there. The ladder is standing exactly where it’s always been. The question is, are you still climbing, or did you stop on the first rung? 

If today’s episode encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you that your future is still being written, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with a coworker, a friend, or someone who’s just getting started in our industry. Until next time, keep learning and improving, keep showing up every day. And remember. Your job may get you through today, but your commitment to learning is what builds tomorrow. 

Everyone have a safe shift and I hope to see you back here in two weeks!

Today we’re talking about something that can literally save lives, protect equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, prevent product damage, eliminate downtime, and even set you up for success outside the warehouse. It’s called the pre-trip. Now, I know what some of you are thinking, Yeah, yeah check the forklift and move on. But today I want to challenge that thought. A pre-trip isn’t just paperwork, and it’s not something regulatory agencies dreamed up to slow us down. It’s one of the greatest habits successful people ever develop. I’m Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. And I thought we’d look at the pretrip a little differently today.  

Aviation, railroads, trucking and manufacturing all adopted inspection checklists because investigations repeatedly showed that many accidents weren’t caused by equipment failures, they were caused by failures to discover problems before using the equipment. 

Our pre-trip really answers only four questions. Is it safe? Is it operational? Is it legal? And am I ready? That simple framework works for every machine in the building. And as we’ll learn in a few minutes several other positions!  

Think about one of the most talked about pieces of equipment. The counterbalance forklift. We’ll check out the forks, mast, chains, and look for any hydraulic leaks. We’ll inspect the tires, the steering and brakes, seat belt, horn, backup alarm, lights, the capacity plate, LP tank or battery and our overhead guard.  

Another biggie is the Reach Truck. We’ll have a few more things to check here like the load wheels and outriggers, the reach mechanism, joy stick or lever controls, more hydraulic hoses, the battery connection and stability.  

Let’s see, we don’t have to hit them all but I did want to talk about a few or our more common ones. I’ll skip these, let’s see, oh here, the Rider Pallet Jack. Many people underestimate the pallet jacks. First up, the belly button reverse switch, its brake operation and plugging, the fork tips, the drive wheel, its battery, steering arm, and horn. How many foot injuries have you seen here because operators become too comfortable? I hope we’d all agree that even one is too many right?  

And the Floor Scrubber. People laugh until it floods an aisle. We’ll need to Inspect things like the squeegee, pads, brushes, the water tanks, and the recovery tank. And its battery, warning lights and dashboard.  A bad scrubber creates slip hazards instead of removing them. 

Oh, and I wanted to mention the cardboard and shrink wrap Baler. We need to check the emergency stop, safety gate, interlocks, and look for any hydraulic leaks, and inspect the chains and door latches. The most dangerous baler isn’t the broken one. It’s the one someone bypassed something on. 

And of course, any type of Manufacturing Equipment will need a pre-trip, checking the guards, emergency stops, sensors, air pressure, lubrication points, tooling, and the product path. The first product shouldn’t be the test piece. The inspection should be. 

And there’s dozens and dozens of other pieces of equipment or machines. Like our conveyor systems, the yard jockey, another important piece is the clamp attachment and slip sheet attachment. Pretrips are a must for all of them.  

So, what if you don’t operate equipment? Guess what? I think you still need a pre-trip. 

What if you’re an Office Employee? I feel you should be asking yourself. Do I have today’s priorities? Laptop? Chargers? Calendar? Checking for my Meetings? Deadlines? Did I answer yesterday’s emails? 

Or if I’m a Recruiter? Have I prepared Today’s interviews? Applicants confirmed? Backgrounds complete? Job descriptions ready? Do I know the Hiring managers expectations? 

And I think there’s a few questions every associate can pretrip themselves with.  Our minds deserve a pre-trip too. Am I distracted or tired? Am I frustrated or am I bringing yesterday’s problems into today’s shift? Those questions may be more important than checking tire pressure. 

The pre-trip isn’t about checking things off on a sheet of paper or program. It’s about respecting what could happen if you don’t. Professionals don’t inspect their stuff because they expect something to be wrong. They inspect because they refuse to be surprised.  

We all know that most accidents don’t begin with the accident itself. They begin with a decision. I’m in a hurry, I’ll check it later, It worked fine yesterday, or It’ll probably be okay. 

Every incident investigation, insurance claim, equipment failure, damaged product, or near miss has a starting point. Many times, that starting point was someone choosing not to spend five minutes looking over their equipment. 

A pre-trip isn’t just looking for what’s broken. It’s looking for what’s changing. That tire that’s lost a little air. The hydraulic hose beginning to rub against the roller. A chain that’s becoming loose. A battery cable that’s starting to fray. Problems rarely appear all at once. They grow little by little. The pre-trip is our opportunity to catch them while they’re still small. 

And we need to remember that finding a problem isn’t the end of the pre-trip. It’s actually the beginning. We may need to Lock it  Out and Tag it Out. Or remove our favorite piece of equipment from service, and notify supervision, calling maintenance and using another truck if available. Professionals understand production never comes before safety. 

A pre-trip protects People, Product, Customers, our Buildings, the Company’s reputation, our Production schedules, Inventory accuracy, Budgets, and well, our Careers.  

Ok, I need to get back to work myself but tomorrow morning, No matter what your job is, let’s Perform a pre-trip. Not because someone tells you to. But because professionals prepare before they perform. Inspect your equipment or machine. Inspect your workspace. And look over your schedule. Let’s check our attitude and our priorities. Inspect your day. Success rarely depends on what happens after productivity starts. It depends on what you did 5 minutes before that time.  

So, I won’t go on and on here. We hear about the pretrip every day, I hope we put a different spin on it today and gave you a little different way to look at it. Yall be safe out there, in both your personal and professional lives. 

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and as always, thank you for spending a little time with us today. You know, it’s funny how some of the most important jobs in our industry happen in the smallest places. Think about the size of a distribution center. Maybe it’s 300,000 square feet or maybe it’s a million square feet. Hundreds of employees. Thousands of pallets. Forklifts buzzing around in all directions. Trucks backing into dock doors all day long. Now picture the smallest building on that property. It’s probably no bigger than a backyard storage shed. Maybe a desk, a computer, a couple of monitors, a radio, and a coffee pot that has seen better days. That’s the guard shack.

Most of us have driven past one. Every truck driver has stopped at one. Most employees wave as they drive through the gate each morning. Yet very few people realize just how much responsibility sits inside that little building.

Today, I want to talk about the guard shack, not the building itself, but the people inside it. Because in many ways, that’s where every shipment, every visitor, and every workday truly begins.

When someone says they work in a guard shack, people often picture someone raising and lowering a gate all day. They imagine a quiet job where you’re simply checking people in and out. Nothing could be further from the truth. A guard shack attendant wears several hats. They’re part security officer, part customer service representative, part traffic coordinator, part documentation specialist, and often the communication link between transportation, receiving, shipping, and operations. Every truck that enters the property starts with a conversation. Good morning. Company name? Load number please?” Appointment time?” Driver’s license, please.” “Bill of Lading?” “Trailer number?” “Seal number?” Those questions may sound routine, but every answer matters. One incorrect trailer number could send the wrong freight to the wrong dock. One incorrect seal number could indicate a security issue. One missed appointment could throw off an entire day’s receiving schedule. The guard isn’t just asking questions, they’re protecting the operation.

One responsibility that has become incredibly important over the last twenty-five years is trailer seal verification. If you’ve never paid attention to that little plastic or steel seal hanging on the back of a trailer, you may not realize how important it really is. That seal represents accountability. When a trailer is loaded, a numbered seal is placed on the doors. That unique number is documented on the shipping paperwork. When the trailer arrives at the distribution center, the very first person to compare that number with the paperwork is often the guard shack attendant. If the numbers don’t match, everything stops. Not because anyone is trying to make life difficult for the driver, but because the integrity of that shipment has been compromised. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a paperwork mistake or the wrong trailer showed up, or maybe someone accidentally recorded the wrong seal number. But it could indicate unauthorized access to that trailer. Finding that discrepancy before the trailer ever enters the yard protects the customer, the carrier, and our facility. That’s a tremendous responsibility for someone sitting in a small building at the front gate.

The guard shack is also the first impression your company makes. Think about the truck driver arriving after driving six or seven hundred miles. They’ve fought traffic, weather, road construction, and tight delivery schedules. Maybe they’ve been away from home for several days. The very first employee they meet is usually the guard. A smile. A professional greeting. Clear directions. Respect. Those few moments set the tone for the entire visit. And Drivers remember facilities that treat them well. They also remember facilities where they were ignored, treated rudely, or left wondering what to do next. The guard isn’t simply controlling traffic, they’re representing the company’s culture.

I like to think of the guard shack as communication central or the command center! A busy distribution center might have fifty, seventy-five, or even a hundred trailers arriving throughout the day. The guard isn’t making those trucks disappear. They’re communicating constantly. They may be speaking with inbound dispatch. “Hey, the Driver for ABC Trucking has arrived. And the Inbound dispatcher or Receiving might respond, “Send him to Door 18.” The guard relays the information and the driver moves safely to the assigned dock. Simple enough, right? But now multiply that by one hundred trucks. And add in the yard jockeys moving those transfer and local trailers or our backhauls around. Maybe Fuel deliveries. Contractors. Visitors. Maintenance vendors. Employee deliveries. Food service vendors. Emergency responders. Suddenly that little guard shack becomes one of the busiest communication centers on the property. It’s almost like being an air traffic controller, except instead of airplanes, you’re directing trucks, trailers, and people safely around a busy warehouse yard.

Remember 2001. For many people, September 11 changed air travel forever. For our industry, it changed supply chain security. Distribution centers across North America began strengthening gate procedures. Visitor logs became more detailed. Identification requirements increased. Trailer seals became more important. Photography restrictions became common place. Access to warehouse property became much more controlled.

Many government programs encouraged companies to secure every step of the supply chain, beginning at the front gate. Almost overnight, the guard shack evolved from a simple check-in station into the first line of defense protecting products, customers, and employees. Today, millions of dollars in inventory pass through those gates every single day. The guard shack helps ensure those products arrive safely, leave correctly, and remain secure while they’re on the property.

One thing I’ve always admired is how experienced guards develop some amazing long term relationships. They begin recognizing drivers by name. Remember how we mentioned their the first contact? Things like “Morning, Nelson. Back with another produce load?” or “Good to see you again, Cindy.” And “Hey John, Door 22 is ready for you.” Those conversations may only last thirty seconds, but they build trust. The driver knows they’re welcome. And the guard knows who belongs on the property. And when something doesn’t seem right, experienced guards notice it immediately. That’s professionalism developed through experience.

If you’re looking for a career in warehousing or transportation, don’t overlook the guard shack. You’ll learn shipping paperwork. Transportation terminology. Appointment scheduling. Trailer identification and develop some great communication skills. And we’ll learn a lot about customer service, problem solving, computer systems, and radio communication. You’ll work with dispatchers, warehouse supervisors, transportation managers, and security personnel every day. I know many transportation coordinators, dispatchers, and operations supervisors that began their careers in positions just like this. I’ve learned to never let the size of the building fool you. Some of the biggest careers begin in the smallest offices.

As we wrap up today’s episode, I’d like you to think about something. Tomorrow morning, when you drive into work, take a second look at that guard shack. Think about every truck that will arrive today. Every visitor, contractor, and vendor that will sign in. And how many trailer seals that’ll be verified and the number of loads that’s documented and how many questions there are to be answered and how many potential problem that’s caught before they reach the dock. Smile at your guard as you drive through, maybe even bring him or her a donut and thank them for what they do.

Our forklifts may move the freight. The warehouse may process the orders. The transportation department may deliver the products. But before any of that happens, someone in that little guard shack quietly makes sure the day starts the right way. It may be the smallest building on the property, but it protects one of the biggest operations.

Until next time, remember that every position in warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, and transportation has value. Learn something new every day, respect every role you encounter, and never stop building your career one opportunity at a time.

Y’all be safe out there, someone is waiting on, and depending on us after our shift.

Hi All, Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I started off this week hearing a peer’s name I hadn’t heard in probably 12 to 15 years. A colleague was on his way to a meeting with a a prospective client and shared who he was meeting with. It was a gentlemen we’d both worked with in the past. I was reminded how many times this happens every year. It’s something we all, no matter the industry, need to keep in mind! You start at one warehouse in your teens and twenties. A few years later you move across town. Five years after that you accept another opportunity. Then one day you walk into a customer’s warehouse and there’s your old supervisor. Or how about the forklift driver unloading your trailer? You worked beside him fifteen years ago. Or the operations manager? She used to be a shift lead when you were loading trucks together. And this is always an interesting one, the recruiter interviewing you? You remember when she worked in receiving. And the truck driver making your delivery? He used to work maintenance at your last facility. It’s funny how that happens. But it does. Our industry feels huge. Millions of square feet. Thousands of warehouses. Hundreds of trucking companies and countless manufacturers. But once you’ve been around a while, well, it’s actually a very small neighborhood. People don’t disappear, they simply change addresses. 

One of the greatest pieces of career advice I can give anyone entering warehousing, manufacturing, production, or transportation is to never burn a bridge. And not because it’s the “nice” thing to do. But because it’s one of the smartest career decisions you’ll ever make. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked in this industry for a long while. I’ve unloaded trucks, selected orders, operated every forklift and attachment, and worked all the utility positions. I’ve supervised some awesome crews and managed a few outstanding operations. I’ve worked beside some incredible people. And today I still run into people from every stage of my career. Former supervisors. Former employees. Customers. Drivers. Safety managers. HR managers. Recruiters. Forklift operators. Maintenance technicians. General managers and Vice presidents. Some I haven’t seen in twenty years. Yet somehow our paths cross again. And when they do they remember. They remember your attitude. They remember your work ethic. And they remember whether you helped people or hurt people. They remember whether you were dependable and whether you accepted responsibility. Most importantly, they remember how you left. And that’s the part I see many young professionals overlook. People remember endings. 

We’ve all had or watched an employee having a bad day. They got frustrated. Started yelling. Cursed their supervisor. Threw down their badge and stormed out the door, maybe even slamming doors. Almost like they wanted to make sure everyone watched. In that moment they probably felt powerful. Maybe even justified. But what they didn’t realize is how that three minute emotional decision could follow them for years. 

And here’s just a few reasons why I believe we should reconsider that pathway. Your supervisor may leave six months later. The HR manager might accept another position. The operations manager is promoted. The plant manager or GM moves across town. The recruiter joins another staffing company. Suddenly, the people who watched that exit are interviewing candidates somewhere else. Want to guess whose name they recognize? Here’s a quick scenario.  Hey “We interviewed someone today.” “Oh really? What’s his name?” “Johnny so and so.” “I remember Johnny.” Sometimes that’s followed by, he’s a “Great worker.” “Always dependable.” “He’d be an asset.” Other times. Woah, “be careful there.” He can have a bit of a “bad attitude.” “he walked off the job once.” “Couldn’t control his temper.” That one conversation. Just thirty seconds can influence your next opportunity. 

Now of course, leaving a company is certainly okay. People leave their jobs every day. Sometimes it’s for better pay, better hours, more opportunity, family reasons, health, education, or maybe career growth. There is absolutely nothing wrong with moving on. But there is a huge difference between leaving professionally and leaving emotionally. Professional employees give notice when possible. They thank people and finish strong. Even train someone else if needed. Shake hands and wish everyone well. They leave the same way they hope to be remembered. 

Here’s something many of us don’t consider. Your reputation isn’t built only by your performance. It’s built by your character. Anyone can have a good week and can perform well when everything is going right. Character stands out when things aren’t. When you’re disappointed. Passed over for a promotion. Corrected by your supervisor. Upset over your schedule, and frustrated with overtime. That’s when people discover who you really are. 

I’ve had employees come into my office completely upset. And sometimes they deserved to be upset and I’ve agreed with them. But after talking they left respectfully. And months later they received promotions. How you may ask.  Because they handled difficult conversations like professionals. On the other hand, I’ve also watched employees lose tremendous opportunities because they couldn’t manage one emotional moment. One outburst, social media post or text message or one argument. A bridge burned. 

Wither right or wrong, today’s world makes all that even more dangerous. People stay connected. You have LinkedIn. Facebook. Instagram. Industry and management groups. People know people. Your reputation can travel across an entire city before you even submit your next application! 

Oh, and I want to say this too. Every person deserves respect. Not because of their title but because you never know where life will take them. That warehouse clerk? Could be tomorrow’s operations manager. The young recruiter? My be a future regional vice president. Our friend the forklift trainer? Down the road we may find them as our future safety director. I’m just saying we should treat everyone with respect. Always. 

One of my more recent favorite sayings is, today’s coworker may become tomorrow’s boss, or tomorrow’s customer. I’ve lived that more times than I can count. I’ve purchased services from former employees. I’ve hired my former supervisors, and I’ve partnered with people I once trained. I’ve worked for people who once worked beside me. That’s our industry ladies and gentlemen. Careers and opportunities intertwine. 

So what do you do if you’re unhappy? Yep, here I go again with that word communication. Have the conversation. Ask questions. Seek solutions and be honest and be respectful. If it’s time to move on, move on with dignity and grace. Give your best effort until the very last shift. Thank those who invested in you. Leave the facility better than you found it. Return all your equipment. Shake hands and wish everyone success. Because someday you may walk back through those same doors, or someone from those doors may walk through yours. 

Here’s my thought, or yes, my opinion on the subject. Don’t just avoid burning bridges. Lets always be building them. Stay connected with mentors. Congratulate former coworkers on promotions. Celebrate their accomplishments. Send a quick message once in a while. Thank someone who helped your career. Give a shout out to or recommend good people when opportunities arise. 

At the end of the day your résumé gets you noticed. Your skills get you hired and your attitude helps you succeed. But your reputation, well, your reputation follows you everywhere. In warehousing, manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and production, people remember. 

So work hard and lets treat people well. Leave every job with them wanting you to stay. Because you never know when today’s goodbye will become tomorrow’s opportunity. 

Ok, its time to say thank you for spending a few minutes with me today! If you’re just starting your journey, remember that this industry is much smaller than it appears. Protect your name and your reputation at all times. And never burn the bridge you may someday need to cross again. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing and above all, work safe at all times!

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. WAOC is on the road again this week, hitting up Nevada and Arizonia. It’s always nice to get out and walk a few operations and meet new team members. I’m Marty and today I’d like to talk about something every employee wants but not everyone necessarily understands. And that would be a raise. Whether you’re unloading trailers, operating a forklift, selecting orders, dispatching trucks, running production equipment, or managing a team, most of us have asked ourselves the same question at some point, how do I make more money? And maybe an even tougher question, how do I ask for a raise? Now before we get started, let’s true a few things up. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting more money. Life gets expensive. Rent, gas, insurance, and groceries go up. The challenge is that employers don’t typically give raises because our bills increased. They give raises because our value has increased. And that’s what I’d like to talk about today.

A lot of us think a raise starts when we walk into our supervisor’s office to discuss our performance review and or our raise. Well It doesn’t. The truth is that a thought of our raise starts months before that meeting. A raise starts with our habits. Every day we’re building a reputation. People notice things. Maybe not immediately or every day. But over time, they notice. Who shows up on time and stays productive? Who complains and who volunteers? Who learns new tasks? Who can be trusted and depended on? Who needs constant supervision and who solves problems instead of creating them? Our raise often starts with answers to those questions.

I’ve got to say it again. I know I keep bringing it up. But being THAT employee just pays off. Every workplace has one. You know exactly who I’m talking about. That employee. The one everyone wants on their shift. The one the supervisor calls first and the one coworkers trust. The man or woman who can handle difficult assignments and gets opportunities. The one who gets promoted. The one who gets raises.

What makes them different? Usually, it’s not because they’re the smartest person. Usually, it’s not because they’ve been there the longest. It’s because they’re dependable. They’re accountable and consistent. When they say they’ll do something, it gets done. When they make a mistake, they own it. When something needs attention, they step up. Those traits are incredibly valuable in our worlds.

Reliability is really a superpower. Let’s talk about attendance. I know. Not the most exciting topic. But well worth mentioning again. Imagine you’re a supervisor with twenty employees. Five call in regularly. Three are late every week. Two disappear during breaks. Several perform differently every day. Then there’s one person. They’re always there. Always prepared and ready to work. Who do you think gets the first opportunity? Who is going to get cross-trained and promoted? Which one gets the bigger raise? I think reliability is one of the most underrated skills in the workplace. You don’t need special training or need a certification or a degree. You simply show up and do what you said you would do. Consistently. And believe me, consistency gets noticed.

Here’s one of the fastest ways to increase your value. Again, I know I harp on it at least once a month but learn another task. Then another and another. Cross-training is like adding tools to your toolbox. Maybe you’re a forklift operator. Learn receiving and learn shipping. Learn a little about inventory control, quality inspection, and cycle counting. Learn the WMS. Learn the paperwork and the computer side. Even how transportation functions. Why? Because the more problems you can solve, the more valuable you become. And companies pay for value. The employee who can perform three jobs often becomes more valuable than the employee who only performs one.

Another thing I bring up probably too often is attitude. And before somebody says, here we go with the motivational stuff. Hear me out. A positive attitude isn’t pretending everything is perfect. A positive attitude means being part of the solution. Every workplace has challenges. Every warehouse and transportation department has bad days. Every production line has setbacks. Our leaders notice who responds constructively. They notice who keeps moving forward and who encourages others. Of course attitude doesn’t replace skill. But attitude often determines who gets the opportunity to develop those skills.

And heres a biggie, one word that can separate average employees from future leaders. Accountability. Accountability means owning your results. When things go well, great. When things don’t go well, own that too. No excuses or finger-pointing or blaming everyone else. The employee who says that was my mistake. Here’s what happened. Here’s how I’ll prevent it next time. Is far more valuable than the employee who spends ten minutes explaining why nothing was their fault. Our managers trust accountable people. Trust creates opportunity. Opportunity creates advancement and advancement creates raises.

Ok, now it’s time to ask for a raise. Let’s say you’ve been doing everything we’ve discussed. You’ve improved, cross-trained and learned other tasks, you’ve become reliable, you’ve added value. Now it’s time to discuss our compensation.

I think here’s where many of us make a mistake. We walk into the office and say I need more money. Unfortunately, that’s not a strong business case. Instead, let’s think like a professional or even an owner. Let’s approach it like a leader. Build your case. Show your accomplishments. We need to write them down and create a list. For example, perfect attendance for 12 months, trained on three additional positions, helped reduce picking errors, assisted with onboarding new employees, improved productivity by 30 pallets per hour, reduced damage claims and maintained safety compliance, and learned the new equipment, as well as receiving positive feedback from my management team and customers. Specific examples, data, and facts matter. When you can demonstrate your value, the conversation changes.

Don’t bring problems, bring solutions. This is one of the biggest career secrets I’ve learned over forty years. Anybody can identify problems. Leaders identify solutions. Imagine walking into your manager’s office and saying I’ve noticed we’re losing time during shift startup. I have three ideas that may improve productivity. That’s different. Or I think we could reduce loading errors if we adjusted the staging process. Or I’d like to help train new associates because I think we can improve retention. Now you’re thinking beyond your job. You’re showing you’re thinking about the operation. And that’s valuable.

Here’s another secret, or opinion I guess! Raises become easier when your goals align with the company’s goals. What does your company care about? Safety? Quality? Productivity? Attendance? Customer service? Retention? Cost reduction? If you can demonstrate how your efforts helped support those goals, you’re speaking the language leadership understands. You’re not saying I want more money. You’re saying I helped move the organization forward. See the big difference there?

So how do we ask for a raise? Keep it professional and simple. Something like thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’ve really enjoyed my role and the opportunities I’ve had here. Over the past year I’ve expanded my skills, improved my performance, and taken on additional responsibilities. I’d like to discuss my future with the company and whether my compensation reflects the value I’m currently providing. Notice what’s missing? No demands. No ultimatums. No threats. Just facts. Professional facts.

And then what if the answer is no? First, don’t get emotional. Get information. Ask what skills or accomplishments would you like to see from me before we revisit this conversation? Now you’ve created a roadmap. Maybe they want more leadership or more productivity. Maybe they want additional certifications, or they want more time in the role.

Whatever the answer, now you know what target you’re aiming for. And that’s valuable information.

Let’s wrap up with this thought. Raises aren’t earned in a fifteen minute meeting. They’re earned in hundreds of small decisions over time. Showing up. Being on time. Learning another task. Helping a teammate. Theres’s hundreds of little important things, oh, here’s a big one, we’ve talked about owning our mistakes. And maintaining a positive attitude. Taking safety seriously. Thinking like a leader. Bringing solutions. Supporting company goals. Those things build value. And like we learned a couple of weeks ago, value builds trust and trust builds opportunity. And not sounding all motivational on you but I’ll add that opportunity builds careers and careers build income.

If you’re listening today and wondering how to earn more money in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, or production, start by asking yourself, am I becoming more valuable than I was six months ago? Because the employees who continually increase their value rarely have to chase opportunities. Opportunities start chasing them.

Until next time, work smart, keep learning, and above all work safe out there!

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. Over the last several years we’ve discussed dozens and dozens of opportunities in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics. We’ve talked about forklift operators, order selectors, recruiters, dispatchers, transportation managers, supervisors, safety professionals, operations leaders, and many of the global supply chain positions. Today I thought we’d talk about one of the positions or career paths that, well, isn’t thought about much but without it, simply put, things would grind to a halt!

And that’s Building Maintenance. The people who keep the facility running. The men and women who make sure the lights come on, the dock doors open, the HVAC systems cool and heat the buildings and keep our coolers and freezers cold, the plumbing works, and the equipment keeps operating. Without them, nothing else happens. And the amazing thing is many of these careers begin with the simplest tasks imaginable. Changing a light bulb. I’m Marty and let’s talk about it today.

When most people start in a warehouse environment, they may enter as a General Labor associate. Maybe we’re unloading trailers, stacking pallets, cleaning work areas or even assisting with counting inventory or any of the 50 other tasks that need help every shift. We’re learning about attendance, safety rules and procedures, and expectations. We’re learning what it means to be part of a team.

Managers start noticing people who like fixing things. The employee who notices a broken door handle or a slow roll up door.  That associate who reports a leaking pipe. The team member who volunteers to help move equipment. The person who wants to know how things work. Those individuals often find themselves helping the maintenance departments. And that’s where a completely different career journey can begin.

Many facilities have what is commonly called a Utility Associate. Sometimes they’re called facility assistants. Maintenance helpers, maintenance utility technicians. The title doesn’t matter much. And the responsibilities are usually very similar. Tasks might include things like replacing light bulbs, painting walls, cleaning dock plates, changing air filters, maybe even minor repairs on equipment, or organizing maintenance supplies, even assisting contractors, and helping the company technicians perform preventive maintenance. These aren’t glamorous jobs. But they’re valuable jobs. And more importantly, they’re learning opportunities. Every task teaches something, every repair becomes a lesson, with every day becoming a classroom.

One of the first skills many maintenance associates begin learning is basic electrical work. I’m not talking about becoming an electrician overnight. Of course, electrical work requires training, certifications, and safety knowledge. But maintenance associates often start learning how lighting systems operate, how to replace ballast and LED conversions.  Circuit identification, Lockout/Tagout procedures, and electrical safety principles. They begin understanding why power flows the way it does, they learn troubleshooting and how to diagnosis problems. They learn how to identify problems instead of simply reporting them. That’s a valuable skill in any profession.

The same thing happens with plumbing. Many maintenance technicians start by helping experienced professionals. They learn how water systems operate, how valves function and how drains are maintained, things like leak identification, and fixture replacement.

Then comes one of the most in-demand skill sets in many nations today. HVAC. Or Heating. Ventilation. Air Conditioning.  As maintenance associates gain experience, many employers will sponsor training opportunities. Some associates pursue certifications on their own. Before long, they’re troubleshooting rooftop units. Maintaining industrial climate systems. Diagnosing airflow issues. And with those skills comes increased earning potential.

What I find fascinating about maintenance careers is how they combine multiple trades into one profession. Electrical. Mechanical. Plumbing. HVAC. Carpentry. Safety. Even project management, vendor relations, and budgeting. It’s one of the most diverse skill sets in the entire facility. And I’ve found that many maintenance professionals continue developing themselves through formal training. Things like OSHA certifications, Lockout/Tagout training, HVAC certifications, EPA refrigerant certifications, electrical safety training, welding certifications, boiler certifications, preventive maintenance programs, and facility management certifications. Each certification adds another tool to the toolbox.

And employers notice. One thing I’ve observed throughout my career is that maintenance professionals become incredibly valuable because they save organizations money. Imagine a conveyor system goes down. Production stops. Orders stop. Shipping grinds to a halt. A skilled maintenance technician can diagnose the issue, repair it, and get operations moving again. That’s value. The ability to solve problems creates opportunities. And, as we’ve learned, organizations reward problem solvers.

As technicians gain experience, I’ve seen many advance into leadership roles. Maintenance Lead and on to Maintenance Supervisor or Facilities Supervisor. Even Maintenance Manager and Facilities Manager or Regional Maintenance Manager and Director of Facilities positions. These leaders may oversee multiple facilities, maintenance budgets, preventive maintenance programs, and manage vendor relationships, compliance initiatives, construction projects, and safety programs. They’re no longer changing light bulbs, there making strategic decisions and planning future improvements, helping organizations operate efficiently.

Now the path isn’t always direct or happening in a straight line. I’ve witnessed people begin as janitors, as forklift operators. Some come from manufacturing or even the fleet or transportation environments. What matters most is curiosity and the desire to learn. The willingness to ask questions and to volunteer for opportunities.

As you know by now, I’ve always believed that careers are built one skill at a time. Very few people just wake up one morning and becomes a Director. Nobody starts as an expert. No one began their career knowing everything. Success is usually much less exciting than people imagine. I think it’s learning one thing today. Another thing tomorrow. And one more thing next week. Then repeating that process for years.

If you’re listening today and currently working as a general labor associate, here’s a quick exercise. Look around your facility. Notice who repairs things and who troubleshoots equipment, who maintains dock doors, who works on HVAC systems, who keeps the building running. Then introduce yourself. Ask questions and Show interest. You may discover a career path you never knew was there.

And if you’re already in maintenance, keep investing in yourself. Take the next class and earn the next certification and  the next skill. Because maintenance is one of those professions where learning never stops. technology changes, equipment changes, and our buildings change. The people who continue learning continue growing. Saying all that reminds me of a much earlier episode from back in 2016, episode 11, where we visited with a gentleman named Mike that pretty much lived the life we’ve discussed here today. I’d urgh you to go check out what he had to say way back then.

Anyway, so this week, I challenge you to look beyond the obvious career paths. Sometimes opportunity isn’t driving a forklift. It isn’t sitting in an office or managing a department. Sometimes opportunity is standing on a ladder changing a light bulb and realizing you’ve just taken the first step toward becoming the person responsible for an entire facility. And that’s a pretty incredible journey.

Until next time, remember that warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, and operations aren’t just jobs. They’re careers. And every career starts with a single opportunity. And we can make our own opportunities.

Well, I’ve got to go move some freight myself now. Thanks for listening in today, and hey, y’all be safe out there, our friends and family are wanting to see us after our shift.

Yep, there is a gap between available jobs and job ready candidates. There are jobs available, but employers are becoming much more selective about who they hire. A few years ago, many facilities were simply trying to fill positions. Today, employers are looking for candidates who can bring reliability, flexibility, safety awareness, and productivity on their first day. 

What many of us applicants don’t realize is that employers are often evaluating far more than just experience. I’m Marty here with Warehouse and Operations as a Career. So let’s talk about that. 

I recently was enjoying lunch with a long time mentor and the subject of hiring came up. He made a point I had to ponder on for a moment.  He commented that although training was expensive, and of course experience is important, he had learned or felt like, in todays environment, things like attendance history, reliable transportation, the ability to be flexible with shift times, and a strong safety mindset along with a wiliness to cross train, and at least average communication skills were what he was placing more weight on these days. And he made it a point to comment on, what he’d look for first was a stable work history.   

The challenge for us applicants becomes, I can do the job is no longer enough. Employers are asking, can I depend on you to do the job consistently? 

And some other hurdles for us, or a few things I thought of start off with those pesky Applicant tracking systems or ATS. Many applicants never speak to a recruiter because their application gets filtered before a human ever sees it. 

And wage expectations vs market rates. Applicants often see social media posts about higher wages, while many entry level positions are paying less than expected. And I’m seeing more skilled equipment requirements. Many facilities now want forklift, reach truck, electric pallet jack, clamp truck, or inventory experience, even for positions that were once considered entry-level. And communication challenges. I hear this every day, and I think both sides are probably quilty, but Recruiters frequently comment on the struggle to reach applicants who don’t answer calls. Have full voicemail boxes. And don’t respond to texts or emails. Then we have competition from better candidates. When ten applicants apply for a position, employers often choose the one with better attendance, longer tenure, and the better interviewing skills.  

The good news is that the hurdle is also the opportunity. A candidate who shows up on time, returns calls, has a positive attitude, accepts coaching, prioritizes safety, is willing to learn additional equipment can often outperform applicants with years more experience. 

As we’ve discussed many times on WAOC, the industry still offers tremendous career opportunities. The challenge isn’t necessarily finding a job, it’s demonstrating that you’re the person an employer can trust with the opportunity. 

So, if there’s applicants looking for work, and employers looking for workers, why are they not connecting? Well, I think the hiring game has changed. Twenty years ago, many warehouses and production facilities hired almost entirely on experience. Could you drive a forklift, pull an order, load a trailer, or operate a machine? If the answer was yes, there was a pretty good chance you’d get hired on the spot. Today, things are just different. Most employers are still looking for skills, but they’re looking for something else first. They’re looking for dependability. They’re looking for consistency. And they’re looking for people they can count on. 

I’ve sat across the table from hundreds, maybe thousands, of hiring managers throughout my career. And I can tell you something that might surprise applicants. Many managers would rather hire a dependable employee with less experience than an experienced employee there not sure can be counted on. Think about that for a moment. The employee who shows up every day, arrives on time, follows instructions, works safely, and wants to learn often becomes more valuable than the person with years of experience but poor attendance or a negative attitude. 

Let’s talk about the first hurdle many applicants never even see. The Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. Years ago, an application landed directly on someone’s desk. Today, many applications are screened by software before a recruiter ever sees them. A computer may be reviewing your application before a human being does. Now, I’m not saying that’s good or bad. It’s just reality. 

If your work history is incomplete, if your resume doesn’t match the position, or if key information is missing, you may never make it to the interview stage. Many applicants think nobody called me. The reality may be nobody ever saw the application. That’s why accuracy on our part matters. Taking an extra few minutes to complete an application correctly matters. And that’s why we should tailor our resumes to the position we’re applying for.  

Now let’s talk about what employers are really seeking. Most people think employers hire labor. I don’t. I think employers hire reliability. Let’s say I have two candidates. Candidate A has five years of forklift experience. Candidate B has one year of forklift experience. Most people automatically assume Candidate A gets the job. What if Candidate A has changed jobs every three months and has attendance concerns and arrives late for the interview? But Candidate B has a solid work history, great references, and arrives fifteen minutes early? The decision suddenly becomes much harder. In fact, many employers will choose Candidate B. Because skills can be taught. Reliability is much harder to teach. 

Here’s another challenge I see every day. Applicants submit applications. Recruiters call. Nobody answers. Recruiters text. No response. Recruiters email. No reply. A few days later, the applicant says nobody contacted me. Now, I’m not picking on anyone. But communication matters. If you’re actively looking for work, we need to answer our phone, check our voicemail and respond to texts. And watch our email. I’ve seen qualified candidates lose opportunities simply because another applicant responded first. Speed matters in recruiting. Especially in warehousing and manufacturing. Sometimes positions are filled within hours. Not days. Not weeks. Literally, just hours. 

Transportation is often part of the interview before the interview. Can you reliably get to work? Can you make a 5:00 AM shift? Can you work overtime? Can you handle weekends when required? Employers understand that life happens. Cars break down. Traffic exists. Emergencies occur. But employers are also trying to determine whether attendance problems are likely to become a pattern. Remember attendance drives productivity. And productivity drives customer satisfaction. And customer satisfaction keeps facilities open and growing. Again, everything is connected. 

Another thing I’m seeing is that Years ago, some facilities focused heavily on production. Today, safety and production must work together. Most employers are looking for candidates who understand safety expectations. They want associates who wear PPE correctly, follow procedures, report hazards, work safely around equipment, and take training seriously. The old mindset of I’ve been doing this for twenty years doesn’t impress many employers anymore. The new mindset is I’ve been doing this for twenty years and I’m still learning. That’s the employee organizations want. Safety conscious employees protect themselves, their coworkers, and the company. 

And I think another hurdle for us is Technology. Today we have RF scanners, Warehouse Management Systems, voice picking systems, tablets, inventory software, electronic inspections and productivity tracking. Some applicants become nervous when they hear the word technology. And we can’t. All systems can be learned. The bigger issue is willingness I think. Employers aren’t necessarily looking for technology experts. Again, they’re looking for people willing to learn. A positive attitude toward technology often beats resistance every time. 

I think competition is stronger than ever. You’re not competing against the job. You’re competing against other applicants. Imagine ten people apply for the same position. Who gets the interview and the offer? Often, it’s the candidate who demonstrates better attendance better communication better attitude better stability better preparation. Notice that experience isn’t the only factor. Sometimes it isn’t even the most important factor. The candidate who prepares wins. The candidate who follows up and demonstrates professionalism wins. 

A recruiter told me last week. If I could sit every applicant down and share one message from employers, it would be this, we want to hire you. Think about that. Recruiters don’t wake up hoping positions stay open. Supervisors don’t want to work short staffed. Managers don’t enjoy running operations with vacancies. Everyone wants positions filled. But employers need confidence. Confidence that we’ll show up. Confidence that we plan on staying. Confidence that we’ll work safely and represent the organization well. That’s what they’re evaluating. Not just whether we can do the work. But whether they can trust us with the work. 

So, what can us applicants do? I think it’s simple. If we own it. We need to show up early. And we need to dress appropriately. If we’re interviewing as an equipment operator or selector, wear our steel or composite toe footwear.  We have to answer our phone and return calls. The hiring agent may be making 50 calls, the next person may answer there’s. And its so important that we bring energy to interviews. And were honest about our experience. And demonstrate willingness to learn. Show our enthusiasm. Ask questions. Express interest in advancement. Employers love hearing things like I’d like to learn more. I’d like to cross-train. I’d like to grow into a lead role someday. Those statements communicate commitment. And like we’ve learned, commitment gets attention. 

As we wrap up today’s episode, I’d like to leave you with a challenge. If you’ve been applying for jobs and not getting results, don’t immediately assume there are no opportunities. Ask yourself a different question. Am I making it easy for an employer to hire me? Am I communicating effectively? Am I presenting myself professionally? Am I demonstrating reliability? Am I showing a willingness to learn? 

It’s just a fact that in today’s world, employers are looking for more than experience. They’re looking for trust. They’re looking for consistency. They’re looking for commitment. The jobs are out there. The opportunities and careers are out there. Not to sound corny but the question isn’t always whether the job is available. The question is, Are you available for the job? 

Ok, we’re running over today so with all that I’ll say thank you for joining me today, and please share any thoughts on job opportunities with our Facebook group @whseops or our Instagram feed waocpodcast. Until next time, be safe, stay productive, and keep building your career.