Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. We’ve got it in the warehouse! Our team has recently implemented a new training technique using VR headsets to teach new hires how to operate a forklift. But what brought us to offer this new training method? We’d love to share it with you:
To Prioritize Safety
Putting an unskilled driver into a forklift without prior training is tricky. An efficient warehouse will have stacks of product spaced closely with a forklift in mind, so there isn’t a ton of room for handling errors on the driver’s part. Add to it a busy schedule, a ton of moving freight and a team of handlers around, and forklift training can be downright dangerous. But the VR forklift training experience allows untrained team members the experience of steering and operating the machine before ever sitting on a real forklift. This creates a safe place for them to test out all of the operations while the rest of our team keeps the trucks moving on time.
To Mitigate the Supply Chain Worker Shortage
Now more than ever before, it is extremely difficult to find supply chain workers at every level to fill open positions. That goes double for workers with specialized experience needed like a CDL or forklift driving experience. And we’re a growing 3PL provider! We needed more team members quickly, and utilizing this technology for training has made it possible for MWCold to hire the right people in accordance with our core values. That means we’re able to keep providing great service by focusing on the quality of our team’s character, not their credentials on a list. Now we can train them to make up the difference.
To Build Long-Term Careers
In addition to being dangerous, learning to drive a forklift can be nerve-wracking for trainers and trainees alike. In a traditional atmosphere, it can feel daunting to learn all new controls and steering while avoiding the naturally occurring obstacles like other workers and freight. The VR training module allows trainees to take these situations one step at a time, build confidence, and clearly master the operations before needing to consider their changing surroundings, leading to less turnover early in training.
In addition to being capable of hiring on inexperienced prospectives, MWCold is now able to provide opportunities for our existing staff to increase their wages and build their resumes as well. We believe in fostering lifelong relationships with our team, and career growth and valuable benefits are important to ensure success and happiness for supply chain workers just like any other position.
To Further Integrate Supply Chain Technology
MWCold puts its customers first. And when it comes to supply chains, technology is the next best solution to ensure an efficient, timely and low-cost service. By implementing VR training for our forklift drivers, we are significantly reducing risks that could lead to product loss or increased warehousing costs. But we’re also investing in a system that creates opportunities for future supply chain innovation. Virtual reality is already being used to quickly communicate complex data visually and enhance workflow collaborations in many industries, and MWCold is now able to integrate these and more as they become available for logistics networks.
Training MWCold new hires with virtual reality systems has proven safer while expanding our employment opportunities to previously unavailable markets. But it isn’t just a response to the current climate, we believe VR is an investment into the future of supply chain management as well. By already having this cutting-edge technology integrated in the workplace, we can promise to keep providing our customers with the best possible service as its applications expand for supply chains.
