In the day to day operation of a warehouse, forklifts are incredibly important. They serve a variety of purposes within the warehouse, and they improve the overall efficiency of the team. Eventually, every warehouse has to replace its forklifts – either the old ones have stopped working, or the current models do not suit the current needs of the building.
When choosing new warehouse forklifts, it’s important to get feedback from the workers themselves. Here’s a look at just some of the ways warehouse employees impact forklift selection.
Find out What Was and Wasn’t Working with the Old Forklifts
The workers are the ones using the forklifts day after day. They know what they like about them and what could be improved. Talking to the workers before selecting warehouse forklifts ensures that the company maintains all the positives and improves upon the negatives. Did the old forklifts have a bad turn radius? Were they too slow? Did they lack proper visibility? This kind of feedback will be valuable in the selection process.
Ask Workers for a Wish List
If they could choose the perfect forklift, what would it include? They may say features like comfortable seating, extra mirrors, bright lights, etc. This wish list is not a must-have group of features, but they are things to look out for. If the warehouse can find machines that provide most of those options, the workers will feel appreciated and they will enjoy their work more.
Learn What Workers Are Most Concerned about with the New Warehouse Forklifts
Management may be focused affordability, durability, easy maintenance, etc., but the workers may have a completely different set of concerns. For example, many forklifts are not designed with comfort in mind. They are more utilitarian than anything. This can cause workers to become fatigued early because they are constantly having to support their body weight. This may be a concern for the new forklifts that someone would not think of if they did not have to use the machines every day. By learning what the operators are most worried about, warehouses can avoid investing in machines that will frustrate their workers.
Get Machines That Accommodate Different Body Sizes
Warehouses employ a wide range of ages, genders, sizes and body types. Warehouse forklifts should accommodate this variety of people. Someone who is 5’9″ may not be able to use a forklift with settings for someone that’s 6’2″ tall. If the forklifts can adjust for different body structures, they are more likely to work in the long term.
For more information contact us at Overflo or call at 1-800-626-0616.