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We all know the huge benefits of using forklifts in and around the warehouse, including when unloading goods from trucks. But if you’re not paying attention or being diligent, mistakes can happen that are both costly and dangerous. Here’s what to look out for when unloading a truck using your forklift.

Trailer curtain. Before you start make sure the curtain has been pulled back in full to ensure proper access to all pallets.

Straps. Make sure all ratchet straps and harnesses have been fully removed before you attempt to move anything, making sure pallets can move freely.

Back to front. Generally speaking, goods should be unloaded from the back of the truck to the front, unless you are directed otherwise. Tall or double stacked pallets are usually stored at the front where they can be supported by the truck body.

Watch the roof! And the truck sides of course. When you’re unloading tall or wide products knocking into the side of the truck can cause product damage.

For more information about our latest forklift vacancies, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your business, contact us on 084556 2916 or [email protected].

The last week at work before you start a new job is odd, there’s no escaping it. Clearly there’s no point in you starting anything new, and it’s easy to feel demotivated and ready to get away from your old employer. But what should you make sure you do in your last week at work to have the best impact for yourself and your soon to be previous employer?

Stay on track. At this late stage, it can be easy to put less effort in – But don’t forget you may still be relying on your old employer for a reference! Continue to work hard and be a team player.

Check your handover. A handover document is always going to be useful to the company you leave behind – Be diligent in putting it together and try to be as helpful as possible.

Build connections. You never know when you might call on old colleagues or managers in your career in the future; gather contact details where possible, be polite, remain hard working, and ensure you continue to make a good impression.

Be dignified. Although you might be counting down the minutes until you leave, a little humility goes a long way! Be kind and helpful at all times.

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].

Roads come in all shapes and sizes! And at times, LGV drivers will find themselves faced with driving on VERY rural roads! Roads like this can be very different from motorways – here’s what to expect when driving on rural roads.

The roads can be narrow! Narrow roads can make it difficult to see around corners and to pass oncoming traffic safely. And sometimes narrow roads can be deceptively so! Take it slow and use your height as a benefit to see over bushes where possible.

Subsidence. Rural roads are often the victim of less maintenance and given they are in less built up areas over time roads will subside, leading to potholes and uneven surfaces. Try to stay away from the edges of rural roads where possible but thankfully for most LGVs general potholes and uneven surfaces won’t cause too much trouble.

Mud. Oh yes! As rural roads are often used by tractors and other farming vehicles they’ll often pull mud onto the road, leaving surfaces slippery. In poor weather conditions take extra care when driving across muddy surfaces.

Lack of lighting and road marks. Rural roads have far fewer road markings and lighting than most urban roads and motorways, so be aware of this and stay alert when driving at night.

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

It’s been a pretty good early summer so far in the UK, and indications show the good weather is set to continue. Whilst the warm weather is welcome, working in extreme temperatures can be dangerous for workers – Here’s how to make sure you stay safe whilst at work.

It goes without saying – Drink plenty of water! It’s easy to forget to stay hydrated when you’re busy at work, but not drinking enough water in high temperatures is dangerous. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times!

Complicating issues? The heat can be dangerous for anyone, but those with heart problems, high blood pressure and diabetes must take extra care in high temperatures – If that’s you, make sure you take any required medication as instructed, eat and rink at regular intervals and make sure you take your breaks.

Not as young as you once were? The heat can affect those aged 50 and over more so than those younger. Let your younger colleagues help where needed!

Feeling fatigued? Its’ normal to feel more tired than usual in constant high temperatures. The important thing is to be wary of pushing yourself too far; pushing your body beyond its capabilities in hot weather can lead to health complications.

And of course, if you work outside, stock up on sun cream!

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].

Warehouse work can be a fast paced and sometimes stressful and demanding environment. It’s vitally important work, and it is imperative that warehouse managers do everything in their power to keep the warehouse team happy and motivated. Take a look at our top tips below.

Keep it automated. The more a warehouse uses up to date technology the easier the workload will be for warehouse workers, which in turn goes a long way for morale.

It’s all about the rewards. If workers are well rewarded for high productivity, they’ll feel motivated to stay on top of their game and be well compensated.

Keep training regular. Hold training and refresher sessions regularly to give warehouse workers the opportunity to further their knowledge or ask questions is a great way to ensure people are motivated.

Are you safe? Warehouses that promote safe working conditions typically show their employees that they care and as a result are more efficient.

What about shifts? Keep shift patterns for warehouse workers as regular as possible to ensure they feel secure in their role.

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

It’s happened to us all – we’ve all had an interview where we’ve walked away thinking it didn’t go so well. Perhaps you didn’t answer the questions as well as you thought you could have or didn’t prepare correctly – but never fear! Here’s our top tips for turning around an interview fail.

Take time for yourself. Take a moment to do the things that help you to de-stress, and think about what went wrong, why and how you could have reacted differently. Don’t quickly react or jump to conclusions, it’s important to take time and think it through, so you can learn from your mistakes. Also take time to think about the bits that went right!

Get in contact. We always recommend sending a thank you email to the person who interviewed you if possible – which also provides an opportunity for you to elaborate on any additional points you’ve thought of that you didn’t say in the interview. It’s also an opportunity to express your interest in a second interview – and a second chance!

After that, relax, move on and keep searching – But you never know, you might just secure that second stage interview after all!

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

Forklifts are an essential part of any busy warehouse. To keep everything functioning, it’s vital that a healthy forklift fleet is well maintained – here’s our top tips.

Make maintenance routine. Everyone in the warehouse should adhere to routine maintenance of all forklifts, inside and out. Routine maintenance means potentially big forklift problems can be identified sooner rather than later, and forklifts beyond repair can be swiftly replaced without any big and costly surprises.

Monitor fleet usage. Are you using all forklifts to their full extent, or are you perhaps under using or even over using your forklifts? By monitoring how and when each unit is used, you can build up an effective picture of what your warehouse needs in terms of a healthy forklift fleet.

Keep up with training! Make sure all of your forklift operators have the training they need to use their equipment and keep it in top condition.

By keeping on top of your forklift fleet health, warehouses can ensure continued productivity in a fast paced and demanding environment.

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

Today’s world can be pretty hectic. And with the internet and mobile continually connecting us, workers are finding themselves more and more working outside of core hours and losing their work/life balance. So how can you bring your world into perfect harmony?

Plan your day and leave on time. Of course there will be times when a little flexibility is needed, but you should always aim to leave work on time and get yourself home for a break.

Leave the work at the office. Switch off all work devices when you leave if you can – checking your emails at 3am is not a good way to relax!

Work smart. Planning your day, hour by hour, means you’re likely to achieve more tasks during the day than you would without a plan.

Take your breaks. Make sure you take your allocated breaks at work, otherwise you might find yourself struggling to complete your tasks effectively.

Accept perfection isn’t always possible. Yes, we should strive to do our best at work, but it must be reasonable.

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

Fuel continues to be a huge expense in the logistics sector, and as such it’s vital that LGV drivers remember to consider fuel efficiency when driving. Here’s our top tips!

Have you got cruise control? Cruise control is becoming more and more standard in LGVs, and for a good reason – computers can calculate correct speeds and efficient fuel consumption better than any human. So make good use of it!

Are you block changing? By block changing gears, say from second to forth gear, rather than working up through the gears, you’re absolutely improving your fuel efficiency – so make sure you’re block changing where safe and possible to do so!

Is your engine STILL running? Turn your engine off if you’re not moving anywhere – even if you’re trying to stay warm with the heating on! You’re eating up more fuel than you realise!

Are you feeling resistance? Fuel efficiency in LGVs in particular can suffer from resistance – there are easy ways to combat this, such as plotting less hilly routs for LGVs where possible.

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

Finding a new job can be hugely stressful. There’s a lot of uncertainty and usually a lot riding on securing your dream job, so it’s easy to see how your mental health can struggle under the pressure. Here’s our top tips for making sure you look after yourself whilst on the job search.

Be clear on what to expect. It might take longer than you expect to hear back from a hiring manager on your CV, but try to be patient and try not to take it personally after submitting your CV – chances are there have been a number of applicants and it may take longer than expected for hiring managers to assess everyone in turn. And if you don’t hear anything after a couple of weeks, ask the hiring manager / recruiter for feedback – even if it’s not what you wanted to hear, the feedback provided could be helpful for your next application.

Give yourself a break. You can’t send all day, every day applying for jobs – schedule some time each day to research job openings and apply for roles, but take regular breaks and make the most of the fresh air outside!

There’s help out there. If you are struggling with the pressure of job seeking, or anything else, there’s support available. Contact your local Samaritans if you’d like the opportunity to talk to someone about what you’re going through, and your local JobCentre will be able to provide advice and support whilst you are job seeking.

Best of luck, and never give up!

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].