With more Americans working from home and shopping from home than ever, the warehousing and logistics industry is under strain it hasn’t been under for decades. Goods need to stay in motion and arrive promptly, but given the obstacles the industry has encountered, that hasn’t always been the case. Here are a few of the biggest challenges facing the warehouse industry in 2021 and how facility managers can address them.
Supply Chain Interruptions
A broken link in the global supply chain can affect even your warehouse, and right now, there are several broken links with others threatening to rust out. Currently, the price of shipping containers has nearly doubled, which has made it harder for cargo to reach its destinations. In many respects, the world still hasn’t recovered from the infamous Suez Canal blockage that delayed the transport of goods for a week in March 2021. These shortages have affected everything from raw materials to finished goods, and these delays can mean that your warehouse doesn’t have the stock it needs. Unfortunately, when it comes to the global supply chain, there’s not a lot you can do at your level but sit back and hope for the best.
Labor Shortages
There’s not an industry that isn’t hanging the “NOW HIRING” sign on the door this year. Fast food restaurants are offering signing bonuses to future fry cooks. Public pools shut down early for the summer season because they couldn’t find enough lifeguards. If towns can’t find teens to sit in a chair beneath an umbrella, it should come as no surprise that warehouses are struggling to find the labor they need, too. For some distribution centers, the objective has shifted from “finding the right people” to “finding any people at all.” However, there are better ways to face the labor shortage than settling for the bare minimum—sloppy staffing can have far-reaching ramifications.
Inefficient Operations
No matter what the workforce and the supply chain may look like, it’s good old inefficiency that remains one of the biggest challenges facing the warehouse industry in 2021—and in any year. Disorganized layouts, old-fashioned inventory management that doesn’t make use of up-to-date WMS software, and a failure to plan for seasonality all conspire to hold back the industry at a time when it needs to be as streamlined as possible. Fortunately, these are all easy fixes to make at the most granular levels of the business—easier for you to fix than a ship running aground in the Suez Canal.
Why We Change the Clocks: Daylight Saving Time Explained
Reminder: Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday. Most regions will move clocks one hour forward at 2:00 a.m.
What Is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour during the warmer months
to extend evening daylight and then moving them back again in the cooler months. The original idea was to
conserve energy by aligning human activity with natural daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
Today, DST is also justified by some as a way to support retail, tourism, and outdoor activities in the evening,
though its benefits and drawbacks are increasingly debated.
Kitchen trends move fast. One year, bold greens dominate design feeds. The next, warm terracotta steals attention. Yet certain colors continue to anchor homes decade after decade. Homeowners seeking timeless cabinet shades that never go out of style often want longevity, flexibility, and resale appeal without sacrificing personality.
Keeping your place safe doesn’t need a full security overhaul or a pile of expensive gadgets. There are simple things you can do to secure your home that fit into a weekend, a free evening, or even a spare hour. A few smart upgrades make your house harder to mess with and help you feel more relaxed every time you lock up.
When traffic packs in around big rigs, it is easy to tense up and wonder, “is it dangerous to drive beside a semi-truck"? The answer isn’t black and white. A few real risks exist, but a lot of protections stand between you and the worst-case scenarios on the highway.
A quinceañera marks an important milestone that celebrates tradition, family, and a young woman’s transition into adulthood. Planning such a meaningful event takes effort, coordination, and attention to detail. With proper preparation and clear planning, families can organize a memorable event that flows smoothly from the ceremony to the final dance. Here are some must-know tips on how to ensure a quinceañera goes off perfectly.
