Quick Tips to Help You Earn a Larger Paycheck

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When you work a light industrial job, employers often treat you like a cog in a machine. It’s an attitude that can lead companies to undervalue your contribution. That’s a mistake. You’re a unique mix of skills and experience. You should be paid what you’re worth.   But how do you make this happen? How can you get respect and earn a larger paycheck?  Obviously, companies like to keep costs as low as possible. Firms tend minimize raises, and often hand out less money than they budgeted for. Your challenge is to find a way to pry open your employer’s wallet.  With that in mind, here are some quick tips that will help you earn a… Read more »

Learn How to Embrace Change in the Workplace

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Manager showing 2 industrial employees a tablet

Business success requires constant improvement. If you need proof, just look at a picture of the cell phone you were using 7 years ago. (It’s a wonder you could even function.) But this relentless drive for progress can sometimes become unsettling. It’s important to ease the path by learning how to embrace change in the workplace.   In biology, evolution comes about as a result of a natural process. In business, progress requires more thought. It takes planning and execution to position your company for the next stage of market development. In other words, you need everyone on board in order… Read more »

Should I Take a Job for the Experience?

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smiling female distribution worker wearing a hardhat and safety vest

Everyone needs to pay their dues. You can’t make a career overnight… it’s a long, painstaking process. In other words, you can’t expect to step directly into your dream job. Instead, you need to take jobs that give you experience and develop your professional prospects over time.    Still, this dynamic leads to an important question: should you take a job solely for experience? Can you completely ignore present-day considerations and focus entirely on building your resume for the future?   There’s certainly a long-term benefit to gaining experience. One study showed that more than 9 out of 10 (91%) of employers want applicants… Read more »

5 Keys to Loading Dock Safety

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African American male loading dock supervisor waving

Loading docks provide your company’s connection to the outside world. Raw materials come in. Finished products go out. Maintaining a rapid and efficient pace is a crucial part of a healthy business.   But keep that word “healthy” in mind. Loading docks don’t just exist as the crossroads of commerce. They also represent significant safety hazards. Maintaining a high level of loading dock safety is a key step in protecting everyone’s health and keeping your business humming.   With all the activity that takes place on the loading dock, it’s no surprise that they become a hive of potential injury. One study… Read more »

You Made It! 2020 Is Almost a Wrap – Time to Set Your 2021 Career Goals

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Group of warehouse workers giving a thumbs up

The New Year’s celebrations this year will have a bitter/sweet character. Social distancing will likely put a damper on party plans. That’s the bitter part. The sweet part? Well, at least 2020 is finally over…   This fact leads to an obvious question: what’s in store for 2021? Like in the previous year, much of what will happen will remain out of your control. Still, there are ways to take some charge, especially in the realm of your career development.    Yep, 2020 is almost a wrap. But don’t take too much time celebrating. The end of the year just means it’s… Read more »

5 Tips for Conducting Virtual Interviews

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female sitting in front of a laptop on a virtual meeting

2020 has changed the way we think about many things, from masks to social gatherings to toilet paper inventories. In the recruiting world, this reassessment has had the most dramatic impact on the way companies gather information from job candidates. Suddenly, good HR efforts are defined by how well they conduct virtual interviews.    The spread of COVID has accelerated a move toward virtual interviews. One study indicated that 86% of organizations are using the technique in their hiring process. Clearly, this method of talking to candidates has become a central part of every HR toolkit.   Even as virtual interviews rise in popularity,… Read more »

How To Deal With a Sick Coworker

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male construction worker coughing

COVID has put many activities into a new perspective. What was once an annoyance (like, your next-door cubicle neighbor coughing) has been upgraded to a dire warning. The outbreak has changed the rules for dealing with a sick coworker.    Once upon a time (like in 2019), showing up at work when you were sick didn’t constitute a big deal. In fact, companies often tacitly encouraged their employees to push through illness and stay productive. That willingness to ignore symptoms and to continue to work helped define a good employee.   The spread of a deadly pandemic has changed that sort of… Read more »

Footwear Safety – a Buyer’s Guide to Choosing Proper Work Boots

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How often do you think about your feet? They provide the base (literally) of almost everything you do. Yet, people tend to make them an afterthought, especially when on the job.   This is a mistake. Proper footwear can make the difference between a good day and a bad day at work. More than that, the right work boot represents an important piece of safety equipment. In that way, your footwear can also mean the difference between life and death, or at least an important tool to avoid serious injury.   You may think that’s an exaggeration, but feet represent a major… Read more »

Social Distancing In The Warehouse – How To Keep Your Team Healthy in 2020

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Team of warehouse workers wearing face masks at a meeting with a supervisor

Conducting business during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a re-evaluation of many safety procedures involving the spread of disease. Nowhere is this more apparent than in warehouses – a section of most facilities where social distancing is often particularly difficult. Despite the challenges, it’s important to set the highest possible standards of infection management. Maintaining strict policies in the warehouse provides a crucial step in keeping your team healthy in 2020 and beyond.   Enacting effective social-distancing policies in a warehouse poses a daunting problem. When things are working right, a warehouse becomes a buzzing hive of activity. Inventory moves where… Read more »

How Do I Look For a New Job While Still Employed?

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To push your career forward, you have to seek out fresh opportunities. That means never being satisfied with the status quo. As part of this aggressive approach, you might need to look for a new job while still employed at your current position.   Don’t feel bad. This isn’t like a personal relationship. Flirting with other employers while you hold down a job isn’t the professional equivalent of cheating. It’s extremely common. One study showed that 70% of workers are actively seeking out a fresh position.   Common as the practice is, chasing these career upgrades takes some nuance and tact. It may not be cheating… Read more »