Blog

Warehouses are busy places. It’s fast paced, busy work, and team morale can go up and down. And whilst demand is on the way up, it’s vital businesses put plans in place to keep morale high in the warehouse. Here’s how.

It’s time to boost the benefits. On site benefits can be simple, cost-effective and go a long way to making the team feel valued. Offering training opportunities, flexible working patterns where possible and even the odd giveaway will keep people motivated and happy.

Recognition goes a long way. Warehousing teams often go above and beyond to meet demand so it’s really important that employers offer praise and recognition where they see teams going the extra mile. A thank you goes a long way!

Support your team with Temp workers. In busy periods, a helping hand will really take the pressure off your permanent staff. Temp workers can boost team moral, help business meet their logistics targets and offer new ideas and attitudes.

For more information about our latest warehouse vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916.

After weeks or months of job searching, starting a new job can be both exciting and daunting. First impressions count, so it’s important to make the most of your first day in a job – Take a look at our top tips for making your first day count.

Make sure you prepare accordingly. Plan exactly what you’d like to wear on the day and make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

Make friends. They’ll be a lot to take in on the first day, but make sure you introduce yourself to everyone you meet, be polite and friendly, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure.

Make notes. Take a notepad with you wherever you go – and make notes. You can’t be expected to remember everything, but taking notes of what you learn shows initiative and interest.

Learn the house rules. Find out where you can get a good coffee, the house keeping rules and where all of the facilities are. You don’t want to be caught short!

Do your best. That’s all anyone can ask for – Try to learn as much as you can on your first day, make a good impression, and enjoy your brand new career!

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your organisation, contact Flexistaff on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

It’s that time of year again! Welcome to the financial year of 2021 – 22, which began official as of 1^st April this year – and with a new financial year comes a change to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates.

The National Living Wage and the National Minimum wage rates are paid according to your age. Apprentices are paid the “apprentice” wage if they are 19 or under and in the first year of their apprenticeship.

Here are the new rates for this financial year:

If you require any further information, please visit GOV.UK to find out what you’re entitled to.

For more information about our current vacancies, contact Flexistaff on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Shift working can be tough sometimes, with regular changes in routines and long working hours. So how can you make sure you look after yourself when you’re working the long shift? Take a look at our top tips below.

Are you driving? Given the time and length of the shift, it’s important to consider if you should drive to work, or if it’s actually safer to take public transport. It may be more of a hassle, but if you’ll be finishing a long shift in the middle of the night it may be risky to drive home, if you’re not used to it.

Make your sleep pattern work! If your shifts seem to follow a similar pattern, try taking short naps before and after your shift and find a sleep pattern that suits your needs. Make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable and blocks out any light, if you’re having to sleep during the day.

What are you eating? It’s important to consider your diet. Regular light meals or snacks will ensure you stay nourished throughout your shift. Avoid fatty or sugary foods where possible and keep hydrated.

Want a pick me up? If you like a coffee, keep your coffee breaks to a minimum. Caffeine can be used effectively, but too much can have opposite of the desired effect.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

You might think your CV in enough when job searching, but it’s important to include a cover letter too when applying for a job. But why do you need a cover letter and how can you make your cover letter stand out?

Cover letters are important for telling your story. Hiring managers will receive a number of applications per role, and your cover letter is a great place to summarise your skill sets and addressing your potential new employer direct about how your skills and experience are the perfect fit for the job.

So what makes a great cover letter?

Address the letter direct. Do your research and try to find out who the hiring manager might be – you could research the company online or carefully scan the job listing to see if there’s any indication.

Be direct and personable. Short sentences full of enthusiasm as well as your own personality are key. Make your letter authentic to you to stand out from the crowd.

Tailor your letter to the role. Consider the job listing carefully and pick out key examples of your skills and experiences to show how you’ve got what it takes to take on the role.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected]

Forklifts are a vital part of any busy warehouse – but badly loaded they can be a huge hazard. No one wants to risk the accidents that can be caused by a tipped forklift – here’s our top tips for keeping your forklift balance in check.

Consider the environment. Check the surfaces you’ll be driving on are in good shape and take a note of any steps or slopes that could have an impact.

It’s all in the planning. Never overload the forklift and plan the load as you go, making sure everything is spread evenly. Think about whether or not what you’re carrying is stable and how you might have to adjust your driving.

Keep it smooth. Lowering your forks whilst moving can increase stability and ensure you drive smoothly. By driving slowly you’ll have more time to react and therefore avoid mistakes.

Be safe. Wear your seatbelt and adhere to safety procedures at all times – if you don’t know what they are, ask!

 For more information about our latest forklift vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your warehouse, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Interviews – love them or loathe them, they are a vital part of finding a new job. Whilst interviews can include a variety of questions, there are some questions you might expect to get – and some you hope you won’t be asked! Be prepared for your next interview – here’s some of the interview questions you might expect, and how you could think about answering them to have the best impact.

“Why do you want this job?”

Research the organisation beforehand and think about what it is about the company that really appeals to you as a potential employer. Think about the role in question, the skills and experiences required, and where the role gives you opportunities to grow.

“Can you tell us more about you?”

Maybe don’t go into all your habits and hobbies – stick to two to three minutes describing your education, interest in your work field and most recent work experience.

“Why should we offer you the job?”

Demonstrate you’ve understood the role and requirements of the company and give examples of how your skills and experiences meet the needs of the organisation.

“What are your weaknesses?”

This is a tricky one! Think about a skill you’ve tried to improve and name both the weakness and your tactics for managing it and improving.

For more information about our latest vacancies, of to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

For those who drive for a living, keeping up to date with new and changing road legislation is really important – and there’s been two updates this week that you need to be aware of, especially if you are driving through the capital.

This week on Monday 1^st March the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) comes into force in London. Any and all HGVs over 12 tonnes driving in London must meet DVS standards. Any vehicle over 12 tonnes not meeting these standards will face a daily £550 fine! If you know your vehicle has a zero star rating, you can apply for the permit and submit a written statement online. For more information, visit the TfL website.

There’s also been a change to the Low Emission Zone standards, with tougher restrictions brought into force. If you drive an HGV, van or other specialist heavy vehicle over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight or a coach over 5 tonnes gross vehicle weight within the LEZ and it does not meet Euro VI (NOx and PM), you will need to pay the daily LEZ charge. The charges are as follows:

• Is Euro IV or V (PM) – you will need to pay a daily charge of £100
• Doesn’t meet Euro IV (PM) – you will need to pay a daily charge of £300

Happy Driving!

For more information about our latest driving vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916.

Safety in the warehouse has to be the top priority for any organisation. Warehouses are busy, fast paced environments, and accidents can happen – so prevention is key! Here’s our suggestions for making sure your warehouse is as safe as possible.

Start with your equipment. Make sure everyone knows how to use any and all equipment, and that only those authorised are using equipment where required. Consider fitting bumpers to racking and other areas of the warehouse to avoid damage.

Think PPE. And we don’t just mean face masks! Make sure the team have access to all of the protective workwear they need at all times, and ensure staff are trained to know what equipment they should be using.

Think about the shelving. Make sure the team are distributing weight evenly across racking and ensure any damaged or broken shelving is repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

Keep up to date with training and reminders. Make sure everyone knows the safety procedures – offer regular training and refresher sessions. Between training sessions lots of helpful signage will guide the team too!

For more information about our latest warehouse opportunities, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 0844 556 2916.

Looking for a new job can be a long process! But once all the applications and interviews are over, it’s easy to find yourself feeling a bit nervous starting your brand-new job. Here’s our top tips for keeping your nerves in check.

Remind yourself of the details. It’s easy to get consumed in your final days with an old employer and forget the details of the new job you’ll be starting – do your research and remind yourself of the organisation you’ll be joining and the role you’ll soon be starting.

Start as you mean to go on! Be on time, be polite, simply be on your best behaviour – don’t give yourself even more reasons to feel nervous and make sure you show up at your best.

You won’t be new forever! Chances are you’ll soon lose the crown of “newbie” to someone else who starts – and then you’ll no longer be new! As the weeks fly by you’ll be part of the furniture – and you’ll know exactly where the biscuit tin is kept!

No one expects you to know everything. How could you, you’re new! Ask lots of questions – the silliest question is the one you don’t ask.

For more information about our latest vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on  0844 556 2916.