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In many industries today, given the nature of the world we live in, lots of people work on varied shift patterns. It can be tricky to balance at times, but with these top tips below you can make sure you stay well and happy managing flexible working patterns.

How are you getting to work? If you are working outside of “normal” working hours, think about how you are commuting to work. You might be too tired to drive, so consider public transport or sharing driving responsibilities with a co-worker. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to and from work.

Think carefully about sleep. Try to find a sleeping routine that works according to your shift patterns and stick to it. Make sure your environment is suitable for sleeping where possible.

What are you eating? Try to avoid fast food where possible – although it’s tempting! Try having regular light meals or snacks, and always reach for the fresh foods where possible, including fruit and veg.

What about the coffee? It can be tempting to use coffee to keep you going. Try not to overdo it on the caffeine; using stimulants such as coffee can be helpful in small doses, but make sure you’re not having too much.

For more information on our latest warehouse, driving and office vacancies, contact Flexistaff on 01582 696959 or [email protected].

It’s a demanding world out there these days. B2C and B2B customers both expect a world class service when it comes to delivery, and there’s no room for anything but the best with so much competition out there. So what makes a great supply chain?

Data is key. The best way to guarantee an efficient supply chain is to use data to ensure productivity. Using data can ensure organisations identify any inefficiencies quickly to ensure a swift resolution.

Check the supply. Having too much or too little of any product can have a damaging impact on any organisation.

Is your supply chain flexible? In today’s market, demands change frequently and a successful supply chain has the means to be flexible in delivery.

Go green! The best supply chains are those that care about sustainability for the planet, and are consistently investing in new ways to use renewable energy and source products from sustainable sources.

Be compliant. A successful supply chain must adhere to legislation and protect its workers at all times.

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

It goes without saying that if you’re looking for a new job, you’re prepared for change. However, it can still be a bit nerve wracking starting a new job, in a new place with lots of new people! Here’s our top tips on controlling those first day nerves and making the best start you can in your new job!

Remind yourself about your new job. Keep the job description from your application process and remind yourself of the key roles and responsibilities in your new job, so you can start with a clear sense of your purpose. Remind yourself why you applied and why you said yes when you were offered the job!

You won’t know everything overnight. Yes, you might know how to do the job, but you won’t know how your new employer operates on a day to day basis, what everyone’s name is and even where the tea and coffee is kept! No one expects you to know all these things straight off.

Make a good impression. First impressions count – Try to introduce yourself to as many people as possible, ask questions where you’re not sure, be polite and professional and show the team what you can bring and why you were hired.

You won’t be new forever! Before you know it there will be a NEW new person joining the team – and you’ll be part of the furniture!

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].

If you drive for a living across the country, it’s handy to know what makes a welcoming and well stocked service station, and where they are. So, in case you missed it, Which named the top 5 service stations across the UK – And here they are!

1. Gloucester Services, Gloucestershire (M5)
2. Tebay Services, Cumbria (M6)
3. Cairn Lodge (M74)
4. Norton Canes (M6)
5. Wetherby (A1M)

Have you visited any of these service stations recently?

There are many features that make a god service station. Not only does the range of amenities available make a difference, but other factors such as levels of staffing can make a huge difference to the overall experience.

Long distance drivers should always aim to take regular breaks from driving – And the better the service station, the more satisfactory the break!

For more information about our latest driving vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact Flexistaff on 01582 696959 or [email protected].

Warehouses are busy places and at all times there are opportunities for accidents to happen. It’s important that any warehouse has robust safety policy in place, especially when operating forklifts. In this blog we’ll outline the most common accidents and injuries in the warehouse – and how to avoid them!

Watch out for pedestrians! Safety measures can only go so far if pedestrians or forklift operators are distracted; Designated warehouse routes, hands free equipment and warning lights and sounds can all help to avoid any collisions.

Is your pathway clear? A warehouse must be kept tidy at all times; with operatives carrying goods here there and everywhere falls and trips over discarded materials can be a huge risk. The easiest way to avoid these injuries to make sure everyone tidies up after themselves!

Crushing can also be a risk. Heavy machinery such as forklifts can become unbalanced and crushing can result if forklifts tip over. Drivers should brace themselves for impact if in a forklift that is tipping over, rather than jump out of the falling vehicle.

Watch your back! Lifting and carrying can be a big part of warehouse work, and it’s vital that operatives lift heavy goods in a way that is safe, to avoid long term back problems. The trick is to bend your knees!

For more information about our latest warehouse opportunities, please contact Flexistaff on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].

Warehouses are predominantly busy places, and operating a forklift presents a number of safety precautions to consider. To ensure you’re safe when operating a forklift, take a look at our top tips below.

Who’s about? Pedestrians can present a number of difficulties when operating a forklift. Employees should ensure they all wear high visibility clothing. When driving a forklift, you should maintain a safe distance from pedestrians. All employees should be alert and aware of forklifts.

Are you driving safely? Ensure your forklift isn’t overloaded and ensure you drive to the correct speed limit to avoid any accidents.

What about the workplace? Forklifts should have designated areas for driving in, which should always be well lit and clear of any stored items. Drivers should be cautious when approaching corners or narrow areas.

Is it well maintained? Forklift operators should ensure their equipment is well maintained at all times – Read our earlier blog for advice on keeping your forklift in top shape!

For more information about our latest Forklift vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 08445562916 or [email protected].

If you’ve been job searching for a while, securing an interview is a massive win in itself. But sometimes, things just don’t go to plan – And whilst we would always recommend you do everything in your power to get to an interview, there are some good reasons why, even if it’s awkward, you should cancel an interview.

You’re feeling unwell. If you’re too ill to go to the interview, and possibly contagious, it’s entirely acceptable to make a call and reschedule the interview for when you’re feeling better. An interviewer will not be impressed if you pass on something unpleasant…

Emergencies are unavoidable. Interviewers will understand if you can’t make the interview due to an emergency – make the call, apologies and explain as far as you can before asking for another date.

You’re stuck! Transport can be unpredictable – if you can’t get there in time, make sure you call, and offer to reschedule if needed.

Got a job? Changed your mind? Interviewers will appreciate you for not wasting their time – If you find another role before your interview, or just simply realise the role isn’t right for you, call to cancel the interview professionally, leaving all doors open for future applications.

Cancelling an interview in some cases is acceptable – just make sure you call your interviewer to let them know, and make sure to be apologetic and professional – who knows, you may interview with them again one day!

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

With demand so high these days for an excellent supply chain, chances are your competitors are doing everything they can to make their warehouse as efficient as possible. Just a few simple changes can make all the difference to your efficiency – So how can you make sure your warehouse is performing at its best?

Start at the very beginning. Your receiving and labelling process needs to be watertight, to ensure when goods arrive they make it eventually to the right destination.

Stop with all the walking! Plan the layout of your warehouse to ensure that walking between destinations is kept to an absolute minimum.

Do you measure up? You should keep a continuous record of your KPIs, costings and productivity to ensure that the performance of your warehouse is always improving.

It’s all about the feedback. Make sure your warehouse is open and transparent, giving employees the opportunity to give feedback on how things can be improved.

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

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, more and more of us are heading back to our normal place of work. From time to time it’s normal for people to experience stress at work in one way or another, but given the unique circumstances this year has brought us it’s important more than ever to reduce the risk of stress at work as much as possible.

A lot of stress at work can result from sleep deprivation. Again many of us are struggling with our sleep during this crisis, and it can be dangerous, especially if you’re working in a warehouse or production environment.

Stress can also result in distraction or a loss in concentration. Whilst we can’t all be expected to be on it all day without a break, distraction behind the wheel of a HGV or forklift can be very dangerous to the driver and surrounding workers.

As such, it’s vital that everyone in the workplace is committed to tackling stress. A culture of openness, where people can express their concerns, is very important. Taking regular breaks, eating healthily and trying to maintain a routine despite shift work can all be helpful tactics when tackling workplace stress.

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].

Whilst warehouse operation can be a complex matter, many of the dangers and difficulties associated with warehousing can be tackled with proper lighting. So why should you invest in your warehouse lighting?

Reduce your losses. Proper lighting prevents accidental damage to products, as warehouse operatives have more self awareness, which can make a huge difference to productivity and profitability.

Are people making mistakes? In inadequate lighting, mistakes can be made regularly. Modern lighting leads to a more pleasant working environment, which in turn means employees are fully engaged and more comfortable, and less mistakes are made.

Up goes efficiency! With employees engaged and safe, with less product damage and fewer mistakes being made, your efficiency as a warehouse will without question increase. All just because of lighting!

So what’s stopping you in investing in your warehouse lighting?

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