Business: Warehouse vs Workforce Management Systems: What’s the Difference?

In the past few years, there has been a big shift in the warehouse and logistics sector to start using technology automation for better efficiency and sustainability.

Warehouse vs Workforce Management Systems: what’s the difference?

A survey done by Zenra in 2015 also found that 70% of C-Level executives in this industry had plans to include automation solutions in their operations in the next 5 years, and warehouses who continue to rely on manual processes will be left behind. 

Digitalization in warehouses go beyond barcode management and scanning systems. Today, a number of key warehouse processes can be automated, including warehouse labor utilization and management. 

Companies are now starting to use these two digitized solutions, namely Warehouse Management System and Workforce Management Platform.

What are the definitions of the two systems, what do they do and how can they benefit warehouse productivity and operational efficiency? Read on!

What is a Warehouse Management System? 

Warehouse Management System (WMS) has been a fundamental part of effective supply chain management since the 1980s. It can be broadly defined as software that can automate the movement and storage of inventory in the warehouse, and provides accurate visibility on inventory levels across warehouse and distribution centers. 

With a functioning WMS, you can have real-time visibility on how products get shipped into your warehouse, where it is stored, details on the product life time, and how and when it is distributed. It can help you regulate inbound and outbound shipments with speed while reducing errors in recorded data. 

What is a Workforce Management Platform? 

On the other hand, Workforce Management Platform (WMP) automates all your workforce management processes and converges them all into one single platform. This technology solution focuses on the mobilization of your workforce, ensuring clear communication and alignment between you, your on-ground supervisors and the workers on your warehouse floor to ensure that shifts are filled and quotas are met, and workers are productive and retained. 

Your Workforce Management Platform solution helps you schedule, manage and communicate thousands of shifts to your entire workforce, track time and attendance with more accuracy, and provides real-time analytics on your workforce performance to help you achieve better operational efficiency. 

So, which of the two systems should you consider to maximize your warehouse productivity? The answer is both! These two digitized solutions tackle different challenges and the benefits of each can truly complement one another. 

What does a Warehouse Management System do? 

• Manage inventory accurately with centralized stock reports
• Monitor stocks in real-time 
• Optimize inbound and outbound logistics 
• Better planning and forecasting using data trends
• Manage deliveries more timely and effectively

What does a Workforce Management Platform do? 

• Schedule and communicate shifts without bottlenecks and human error
• Automate clock-in and record attendances with precision and security
• Reconcile timesheets and payroll with accuracy and speed 
• Real-time monitoring of worker performance 
• Source additional qualified workers using real historical performance data

Why do you need both of these solutions? 

Both of these technology solutions combined can result in incredible improvements in your warehouse efficiency. 

1. Speed up operational processes
2. Increase accuracy and reduce human errors, therefore maximizing productivity
3. Immediate visibility with real-time data, instantly spot areas to optimize
4. Increase transparency between workers, supervisors, HR managers and business stakeholders 

Most warehouses are already operating with a Warehouse Management System (WMS), however very few are leveraging the powerful management automation tools of a Workforce Management Platform (WMP). 

Workmate is the only Workforce Management Platform specifically designed to enable the blue collar workforce. In one single platform, Workmate automates your day-to-day workforce management processes including shift scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and payroll - so you can reduce inaccuracies caused by miscommunication and human error while saving hours of coordination time. Built specifically to enable the blue collar workforce, our tools are powered by rich data we have about workers to predict and shape worker behaviour to increase business productivity and efficiency. 

Here’s how Workmate can help you manage your workforce 

• Manage shifts at scale 

Schedule hundreds of shifts for your workers in one dashboard without having to go back and forth in messy Excel spreadsheets. Once your schedules are set, your workers are immediately notified and prompted to confirm, giving you the heads up on future fulfilment targets. Manage leave requests and shift changes in just a few clicks, with the confidence that your roster is always kept on the same page. 

• Time and attendance tracking

On-ground supervisors clock in your workers using our trusted QR system, which is the most secure, accurate and efficient way to record attendance. No need for hours spent on reconciling paper timesheets- you can now approve hundreds of timesheets in the click of a button, which means workers can receive accurate payments quicker and stay happy, productive, and retained. 

• Real-time analytics 

Keep track of what’s happening on your warehouse floor without having to leave your desk. Gain access to real-time workforce performance data-- who’s late and who’s working overtime-- and monitor your expenses to make sure you are on-budget. Workmate also tracks worker retention and captures feedback from workers, so you know the reasons why your workers are churning and can identify quick fixes to improve retention. 

• Fully integrated worker network 

If you need additional workers, Workmate has over 50,000 prevetted blue collar workers ready to fill any gaps in your workforce. Using a powerful AI-algorithm, Workmate processes 50+ real data points about each worker’s employment history, historical performance, ratings provided by past employers, and attendance and tardiness records, and matches you with the best worker qualified for your job. 

Want to know more? Download our latest e-book for strategies you can implement to increase warehouse efficiency. 

Ready to upgrade your workforce management? Contact our team for a free demo or consultation here.