From the lobby to the loading dock: 8 ways Global Industrial® supports businesses

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Is your janitorial staff equipped with the right maintenance supplies? No matter your needs, Global Industrial® offers end-to-end solutions for nearly every step of your operation, from personal protective gear and janitorial supplies to furnishings and storage. Read on to learn how to level up your facility and workflow, and how Global Industrial® can help.

 

Outdoor Spaces

 

A clean and well-manicured exterior to your facility stands not only to please your customers but also to energize your employees as they enter the facility in the morning or navigate the campus during their shifts. Consider these ideas:

 

• Incorporate picnic tables and benches to give workers a place to take in the outdoors during breaks or meetings.

 

• Fill pots and planters with colorful, seasonal flowers and attractive greenery.

 

• Ensure employees feel safe entering after dark with outdoor lighting.

 

• Keep sidewalks clean with heavy-duty pressure washers as well as snow blowers and ice melt during the winter.

 

• Use a wheeled line striper to ensure parking lot lines and other wayfinding is clearly visible.

 

Lobby and Break Rooms

 

Keep the positive first impression going with an inviting interior entrance. Here are a few tips:

 

• Incorporate a reception desk so attendants can welcome clients to a waiting area filled with comfortable seating and inviting features such as artificial plants and company awards on sleek tables and shelves.

 

• Create pleasant break spaces by displaying company photos and other memorabilia on bookcases and displays.

 

• Provide employees with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or other beverage. Add in a refrigerator, microwave, ice machine, dining tables, and sofas, so they can enjoy their well-deserved break.

 

Offices

 

Give your office staff the productive workspaces they need to perform their daily tasks. Don’t forget these features:

 

• Incorporate dividers, partitions, and cubicles for workers whose tasks require privacy or to enable focus work.

 

• Choose from a range of desks designed to fit any office setup.

 

• Provide collaborative workspaces and conference tables so employees can meet and talk through ideas or even spread out their work.

 

• Have supplies, such as mobile whiteboards and dry erase markers, readily available to sustain momentum throughout a brainstorming session.

 

• Keep office supplies stocked so employees can quickly find what they need.

 

Storage and Shelving

 

A well-stocked and organized operation makes a good impression within the organization and to your clients and other visitors. Consider the following:

 

• Help your employees easily access supplies with organized office cabinets as well as other filing and storage equipment.

 

• Keep your larger inventory and materials safe and damage-free with sturdy commercial shelving and pallet racks, which you can purchase preconfigured to fit your pallets.

 

• Add mesh enclosures to secure all materials and inventory, reducing the risk of damage, loss, and employee injury.

 

• Use bins, containers, and totes on storage shelves so employees know exactly where to look for the supplies they need.

 

Picking, Packing, and Processing

 

Avoid wasting employee energy, and fulfill orders efficiently, by co-locating picking areas, packing stations, and conveyors. Remember to:

 

• Provide workers with orderly packing stations stocked with supplies, such as utility knives, shrink wrap, protective packing materials, padded mailing envelopes, and labels and barcode supplies.

 

• Keep shipping boxes neatly organized on a nearby carton rack, and make sure packing equipment, such as carton sealing machines, label dispensers, and carton staplers, remain close at hand. With a well-stocked work area, you can keep orders moving out the door and your business moving forward.

 

Loading Dock

 

There are many risks for theft, equipment damage, and employee injury at a loading dock. If workers become too focused on the job at hand, they can forget to watch their step. Reduce that risk by taking these precautions:

 

• Enhance worker safety with proper lighting, signal lights and alarms, guard rail systems, and hazard warning tape along the dock’s edge.

 

• Add strip curtain doors at the loading dock to protect equipment and materials from inclement weather.

 

• Incorporate stabilizing jack stands, dock boards and plates, and wheel and tire chocks to secure loaded trailers, avoiding injury and inventory damage or loss.

 

• Install security gates at the dock door to ensure unauthorized entry.

 

Janitorial and Maintenance

 

An organized workplace stands to benefit employee productivity—and impress your guests. Use these tips to get started:

 

• Arm your maintenance staff with janitorial carts stocked with rags, dry cleaning wipes, and cleaning solution.

 

• Furnish janitors with equipment such as floor scrubbers and polishers to ensure your floors last, and make a lasting impression day-to-day.

 

• Provide bulb grabbers and changers to keep janitors’ feet on the floor while changing lights.

 

Overall Safety

 

Whether an employee is sitting at a desk or driving a forklift, there is always a risk of injury on the job. Ensure safety is top priority. Considerations include:

 

• Make sure all employees receive proper training in equipment operation, handling of supplies, and general protocols.

 

• Couple thorough safety instructions with personal protective equipment including hard hats, gloves, protective eyewear, and high-visibility clothing.

 

• Supply ear covers for employees stationed near loud machinery and fall prevention gear for those in elevated work areas or near ledges.

 

• Ensure workers practice evacuation protocols on a regular basis, and mount lighted exit signs and other emergency lighting, so they can easily find their way in potential high-stress situations, such as a fire.

 

Global Industrial® carries the products and equipment your team needs, from the lobby to the loading dock and everywhere in between. Connect with our product experts to select the supplies you need to drive your business forward.

 

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The information contained in this article is for informational, educational, and promotional purposes only and is based on information available as of the initial date of publication. It is the reader’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations. If there is any question or doubt in regard to any element contained in this article, please consult a licensed professional.  Under no circumstances will Global Industrial® be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on this article.